Building a Mopac low nose GP-7

[peggyrothschild]

[attachment=4:3ejmx0g0]Scan.jpg[/attachment:3ejmx0g0][attachment=3:3ejmx0g0]Scan 2.jpg[/attachment:3ejmx0g0][attachment=2:3ejmx0g0]image.jpeg[/attachment:3ejmx0g0][attachment=1:3ejmx0g0]image.jpeg[/attachment:3ejmx0g0][attachment=0:3ejmx0g0]image.jpeg[/attachment:3ejmx0g0]I shot both sides of this GP-7 at Villa Grove, Illinois in the late 1970’s and thought it would be my next project. Interesting GP-7, low nose chopped by the Mopac, air tanks on the roof, winterization hatch, snow plow and spark arresters. I’m thinking of opening up two of the access doors just to add some interest to the model.

I’m combining the walkways, crew cab and low nose from a P2K GP-18 with a P2K GP-7 long hood. I soaked everything in 91% rubbing alcohol which takes the factory paint down to the bare plastic. The C&EI station behind the GP was tore down on an early Sunday morning but that’s another story. Color shots are just for color reference.

A-Line
EMD sunshades part 29210 (photo etched brass)

Bowser or Cal Scale
Lift rings 190-501 20 to a package

Microscale
MC-4131 Number Board Numbers EMD Square Style (1946+)
87-74 Missouri Pacific Diesels (1962-1974)
TF-2 Black

Plano Model Products http://www.planomodelproducts.com/dieseld_scq.html#GP7-9
14860 GP7/GP9 Intake Grilles set
14861 GP7/9 Intake Shutter set
461 GP7/9 Louvers
476 Winterization hatch screens

Details West
2510 .040 brass rod
PL-303 snowplow
SA-124 Spark Arresters (2 in a package)
AH-174 Wabco type are single chime air horns (2 in a package

[peggyrothschild]

Progress today, at least for a guy who hates installing decoders. I’d put a new Tsunami2 TSU-1100 EMD a week and a half back and was testing it on the layout to make sure everything worked. As luck would have it, due to the small magnet in the speaker, the two speaker wired touched the top of the metal weight and shorted out the new decoder. Soundtraxx has a great warranty I merely filled out the form explaining what I did and what was wrong with the decoder (no sound but all the other functions worked), attached by receipt and mailed it off. Today the mailman delivered a package with a new decoder. My only cost was postage to Colorado. Today I used shrink tubing on all the connections just to make sure it didn’t repeat the same mistake.

[Jim Dobbins]

Charlie,
That isn’t/wasn’t a “chop nose”, done by MoPac.
I believe it/they were actually kits supplied by EMD, as it is the exact same nose used on GP18s & GP20s of the time.
The Soo Line also had several Geeps they converted to low nose using the same kits.
P2K had a very nice rendition of it on their GP20s.
I actually have several spares in the parts box.

Dan Schmidt

[Jim Dobbins]

I should add that the early P2K GP18 nose wasn’t quite as nice as the later GP20 rendition in that the GP18 version was missing the “hole” in the side of the nose, that, IIRC, was a step hole to get to the top of the hood.

Dan Schmidt

[peggyrothschild]

Dan
I think the did both, they ordered kind from EMD but also did their own chop noses. Here’s 1757 at Osawatomie where you can make out were they plugged in the headlight and number board locations.

[attachment=0:h0r9qebo]IMG_2466.JPG[/attachment:h0r9qebo]

I’m adding the missing step on the low nose. Luckily I caught it before going to far into the build.

[Jim Dobbins]

Charlie,
that almost looks like they used a standard Geep nose end to repair a damaged nose.
The sides of the short hood look just like the kits EMD provided, and you can tell where the welding work was done.

I have two of the original run P2K GP18s in MoPac, and my plan is to rework the details on them, and then repaint and number them as 1954 and 1956, my sweetie-pie’s & my own birth years, respectively. :~)

Dan Schmidt

[peggyrothschild]

@Dan Schmidt wrote:

Charlie,
that almost looks like they used a standard Geep nose end to repair a damaged nose.
The sides of the short hood look just like the kits EMD provided, and you can tell where the welding work was done.

I have two of the original run P2K GP18s in MoPac, and my plan is to rework the details on them, and then repaint and number them as 1954 and 1956, my sweetie-pie’s & my own birth years, respectively. :~)

Dan Schmidt

Dan
I called John B. Harper this afternoon. John worked in the Mopac’s Mechanical Department while these conversions were going on. They were all done at NLRK diesel shops and while some were EMD kits John said most were cut down high hoods done by the Mopac. He remembered the first modifications were the high hoods GP-18’s later followed by the passenger GP7’s.

[peggyrothschild]

Dan
Would like to see your 1954 an 1956 when you start working on them. I’m taking the same approach with a P2k MP GP-18. Leaving the Jenks Blue on and will mask the windows.

[mopac]

Charlie,

I’m a little confused. About what step you are talking ?

[peggyrothschild]

@IndyCity wrote:

Charlie,

I’m a little confused. About what step you are talking ?

If you look at the black and white photo you’ll see a dark rectangle on the low nose, this was a step. On the GP20 models Life-Like added it but on the GP18 low noses they left it off. Its not hard to add to the GP18 models. You can also see it on the color shot of 1954 and 1861.

[mopac]

Thanks, Charlie

[peggyrothschild]

Parts List
A-Line
EMD sunshades part 29210 (photo etched brass)

Bowser or Cal Scale
Lift rings 190-501 20 to a package

Microscale
MC-4131 Number Board Numbers EMD Square Style (1946+)
87-74 Missouri Pacific Diesels (1962-1974)
TF-2 Black

Plano Model Productsc
14860 GP7 /9 Intake grille Screens
14861 GP7 /9 Intake shutter set
476 Winterization hatch screen

Details West
2510 .040 brass rod
PL-303 snowplow
SA-124 Spark Arresters (2 in a package)
AH-174 Wabco type are single chime air horns (2 in a package look for the brass ones)
AT-146 Roof mounted air tanks
WH-164 Winterization hatch

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[peggyrothschild]

I added the DA winterization hatch and Plano screening a few evenings ago and last night the spark arresters and air tanks. Tonight I looked over some photos Nate O sent me of the piping and added it this evening. I think the spark arresters are a little wide as the air tanks seem to sit out a little compared to prototype photos. Once the model is painted and weathered I’ll get over this little issue. Having a 64 year old mind helps forget these minor modeling bugs too. Roof was also sanded so I’m getting close to some primer painting.

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