From GP35 into GP38-3...

Last Friday I mentioned the GP38-3 I've been building for Beaverbrook. What is a GP38-3? That is a good question as different railroads have different meanings for the -3 terminology...

Generally it's a rebuilt unit of around 2000hp without turbo, but the donor may vary from the GP35 we have here, to GP40s or even GP50s (as Norfolk Southern). 

The outward sign on a turbo locomotive that has been de-rated is the swap of the turbo single exhaust for a pair of exhausts in the centre of the hood either side of the dynamic brake fan (if fitted). I was modelling 9803 from the New Brunswick Southern which was rebuilt from a Southern Pacific GP35, hence the low centre headlight. The list of changes as well as the exhaust also saw the centre radiator fan removed (although not entirely prototypical for 9803, but is often the case that the 2000hp doesn't need three fans) and the air filter box replaced - I used a GP40 one from Cannon and Co with some exhaust stacks from Shapeways. 

A couple of etched details were needed, so I drew up a small etch to include the turbo panel plating, the radiator fan plating, a pair of circular plates for the long hood end and some lids for the front tool box / battery boxes. Up front I used a Cannon and Co headlight, on the side of the hood a Details West bell. Up top a horn from the Athearn GP38 I modified recently finished things off.

I also needed to fill and smooth the headlight box above the cab, and add the semi circular bulge at the bottom (I used a section of styrene here). The long and short hood ends were modified by removing class lights, number boards etc and mould lines were tidied up across the model. On the under frame I added MU hoses (Cal-scale), brake hose (Kadee), MU stand (Details Associates) , ditch lights (Details Associates), cut bars (Details Associates) and a front plough (Cal-scale).

A coat of primer to check the finish before some custom mixed gloss green ahead of paintwork. These locomotive modification projects are great fun, this was a 'bargain basement' model that I've not only used to create something unique, but the process of adding detail and representing a real locomotive is hugely enjoyable. In the next post I'll share the finished model pre-weathering, before a final look once she is ready for work on the layout. Until next time though more soon...

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