Hello Frisco folks I have been gathering all the pieces needed to assemble 3 smoky valley gp15-1's for a while now. I know Athearn has a beautiful model of the gp15 but since I don't have room for even a small layout now my fun in the hobby is building models. Here is my problem, I have everything I need to do three units except smoky valley kit 56, the underframe. I have looked everywhere I can think of on the net and I've come up with an empty sack. smoky valley still lists the frame on there web site but says that it's been discontinued. It seems strange that they would stock all the other kits that are necessary but discontinue the underframe.I wonder if anyone might have any suggestions as to where I might find the underframes or is there another frame that works with the smoky valley shell, I've been watching ebay but none have shown up yet. Thank you for your help! Craig
Hi Craig, I have built a few of these too. Wish I had known you needed a frame as I just got rid of all that stuff a few months ago. You have a couple choices here as far as I know. You can call Athearn (you can get the number from their website) and use a Genesis frame under it, That option will require you do some surgery to the shell and frame to fit properly. The trucks and motor are different than the BB Athearns. Or you can do what I did for 3 of them, and splice front of a Athearn GP38/40/50/60 (large tank) frame with the rear of a GP38-2 (small tank). Cut the GP38 frame just ahead of the motor mount section, and splice it there. I used epoxy, but you could use JB weld or similar. This way you use the BB motor and trucks. You need to connect the frame halves via a wire, for electrical connection. I have done this on several frames over the years with no issues, the porous nature of the Athearn BB frames are good for gluing. I can get you some pics if you need them. Or you could get a complete powered chassis from Athearn and use it. Let me know if I can help.
Thank you Tom! If you don't mind I wish you would send me some pics of the frame splice, I got an email back from Larry at Smokey Valley and all he said was #56 had been discontinued and there where no plans to produce anymore. What a strange business decision, I assume that he is just selling stock and then going out of business. I had another thought last night at work, I wonder if one could use the Walthers gp15 powered unit as a frame? I have one and it's not a terrible runner, I'm sure there must be tweaks to fine tune them. I checked on Ebay and they seem to go pretty cheap, What are your thoughts on that? Thanks again Tom! Craig
Graig, Well, I didnt think of the Walthers option LOL. Sure you could. I have never had one apart but I would bet it would be the least work of all of them. I will get a couple pics together for you anyways. I didnt care for the Smokey Valley frames myself, they were too light, and the fuel tank just didnt seem right to me. Where as the Athearns were much more robust looking. Plus Athearn drives suit my compatibility needs.
Here ya go Craig You can see the splice just in front of the motor mount screws in pic 008, I thought I would show the others photos to kinda give you an idea of what I was talking about.
Thanks Tom Wow, your model is amazing, well done! Now that's the smokey valley shell and handrail kits? I just got a Athearn gp15 off ebay for what I hope was a good deal, (130.00), it's DCC but not sound equipped. What I plan to do with the SV shells is try to fit one to my Walthers gp15 frame and mechanism but I want to try your spliced underframe on the second. So is the point of the splice to get the right length to the frame or to get the proper fuel tank size? I can see the splice on the bottom but in the side view I can't see it at all, again well done! I see what you mean about the more robust looking frame using the Athearn, it does have a heavy robust look to it. May I download your pics for my own use in my build? Craig
Thanks Craig, Yep, all Smokey Vally stuff there. The splice was made to get the fuel tank where it was supposed to be, and short enough to be right as well as have the right orientation and proper mounting for the motor, as I dont like using tape to mount motors, I want them fixed to the frame, and this gave me all that. That with the fact Athearn didnt have the correct length frame anyway. Remember this was done years before the Genesis model was even thought about. Of course you can use any of my pics as you see fit. Regards,
Hi Craig, Here is a photo of a GP15 I got from Brad Slone, which was an outstanding model By Brad, notice the door on upper front side of the engine compartment, I didnt put that part on. I need to correct that. Just noticed it LOL. I see something new just about every time I log on.
Hi Craig, Please post photos of your Walthers frame project as I would like to see what the Walthers frame and trucks look like too.
