A search of the Walthers website turned up a black and yellow GP35 in Z scale: http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/489-98101142 Rich
The Frisco GP35 sure looks good, though adding the roof mounted airtanks would be a bear of a job with 65 year old eyes who don´t see much of anything smaller than G scale! A pity MicroTrains didn´t release the model without the dynamic brake blisters though. A set of Mopac "Screamin´ Eagle" `35s´ would have looked great next to the Frisco´s but the d/b is a total turn-off. A shame, since this feature could have been offered both ways and not have been cost effective. I don´t count rivets but the d/b is just too unprototypical for the investment in a locomotive rostered by a railroad that rostered 35s without d/b! Joe Toth
Ethan, Thanks for the info on the Mopac GP35s. I guess in retrospect I should have checked out the Mop web site before I sounded off. A bad habit I have. The MT´s Mopac #s still need to be checked against the models they produced though! MT should still offer all diesels they manufacture these options for the modeler just the same! With the prices they expect us to pay we should be provided with prototypical details according to the diesel of the railroad we model. It isn´t like the 50s and 60s when Athearn was a top player in the HO field and we bought what was offered when they released a new model. Their F7 is a perfect example. It evolved from the old Globe manufacturer and had a steam generator and we still bought the Santa Fe blue and yellow freight scheme and the tuscan red Pennsys as well. Tyco did the same thing as did Varney. Frisco was Champ and Walthers decals in those long gone days except for a few HO freight cars like the Varney 40 foot double door boxcar and Ulrich hopper. It wouldn´t even bother me today if I still had my HO collection but in the 21st Century with the Athearn Genesis, Atlas and Proto diesels providing this fine scale detailing in HO surely MT can provide the d/b and s/g options in Z scale as well! I don´t model in Z but have "played" with it thanks to my German dealer Rainer Knoch, www.modellbahnritzer.de, in Nuremberg. I am impressed with it but it sure puts a strain on my 65 year old eyes! I still try and keep up with all scales in model railroading. This stems from the summers of 62 and 63 when I worked part time for Chester Holley in his Tampa, Florida, train shop together with my late best friend, Robert Taff. The two Frisco GP35s and Full Throttle Frisco hoppers sure would look good running along my 18 foot long livingroom wall though! Of course, Andre Ming would kill me since he has just about talked me into going S scale. I CAN see S scale without high powered glasses! My fixed income retirement checks and unrelated medical bills have derailed my modeling plans for the time being anyway. I do a lot of daydreaming. So far the German government hasn´t got a tax on it...yet? Joe Toth
Actually it's a normal function of the brain. The scientific name is making inferences. The more common name is making assumptions. You had seen most of the GP35's with out DB's and you didn't know anything else so your brain inferred or assumed that they all didn't have them. I had the same problems with gyro lights till I saw a list of all the models the Frisco had that did and didn't have them. Ethan
The brain of a Texan by birth is an interesting machine all in itself! I let my Frisco Diesel Power get away...loaned out, never found its way home...so I recently found a new still shrink wrapped copy in California of all places. Soon to be in my hands again so I can check out the GP35s and other neat motors. I didn´t do a # check on the two MicroTrain Frisco GP35s to see if they would need the roof mounted airtanks...in Z scale...gads. While I don´t plan to model in Z, they would make for interesting table pieces along with other Frisco rolling stock that has been released in Z. The advantage for me is the small amount of space required to pack them to get them here in Germany. In Z one has to make many concessions. The Märklin F7 is longer than the MicroTrain version due to the fact it was manufactured to fit the frame of a German Federal Railways class E10 electric! In Z scale it becomes an FP7. Again, this is Z scale and taking concessions. It will work for all the other railroads who rostered FP7s of course. Paint and decals is another project altogether. If my eyes just weren´t 65 years old... Thanks for the info. Wonder if Frankenstein needs a recycled brain? I got one, dirt cheap! Joe Toth
Joe, here is a rule on DB's for Frisco units. All EMD units had DB's except for the following: GP7, E7, E8, F3, F7, FP7,GP15-1 and two of the four SD38-2's Ethan
Thanks Ethan, Now you see just how bad I need the copy of Frisco Diesel Power that I have purchased. I promise to study it from cover to cover! Joe Toth
There's a fairly decently priced copy of Marre's "Frisco Diesel Power" on the internet bookseller ABE BOOKS' website: http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?sts=t&tn=frisco+diesel+power&x=71&y=7 Also some overpriced... Also three more copies on Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-list...ie=UTF8&qid=1314445309&sr=1-12&condition=used Tom
If you are interested in or modeling the diesel era on the Frisco, Dr. Lou's "Frisco Diesel Power" is a must have. Ken
Ah yes, Amazon. I found a new, shrinkwrapped copy of Frisco Diesel Power on it for the unheard price of $37.00. WOW! Joe Toth
Anyone here know about what year the last black and yellow Frisco GP35 existed? Also, any N scalers here know a good source of decals for an N scale black and yellow GP35? Thanks! -Pete
Oddballs Decals lists Set#180, St. Louis-San Francisco, Black hood units, yellow striping & letters. Letters at least 4 units. Includes QA&P lettering as well! Doesn´t designate first or second generation diesels. Would imigine the stripes can be cut to fit GP35s if required? Andre Ming or other members might be able to specify? At any rate, a good start! HO $9.25 N $7.00 O $15.50 A Nice Price for the 21st Century! Joe Toth
Help Railroad Pete! Pete asked a question regarding Frisco GP35s and N scale decals for same. His message was sent to the Z scale pages under GP35 Diesel Locomotives. Please pull up the page and assist him if possible. Thanks, Joe Toth
Re: Help Railroad Pete! Sorry guys! I didn't check to notice that I was on a Z Scale thread (nothing against Z Scalers!). I'll try to navigate better in the future. Thank you Joe! -Pete
You´re quite welcome, Pete! I posted a question regarding Frisco vehicles and forgot to mention O scale. We all trip over the rails now and then. I knew better too but forgot to put my brain in gear before I engaged my "mouth". I eat crow all the time for this reason! Bar-B-Q on the grill makes it taste better! I´m not a Z scaler myself but keep up with all the scales. There seems to be at least one Frisco Z scale modeler but he hasn´t posted anything of late. Z is great for a background N scale layout if you want a train way back yonder. Forced perception. N works for HO, OO for S, S for O, etc. This is for trains and structures of course. John Allen did it on his Gorre & Dephetid HO empire. He may have pioneered the idea, like putting down scenery before he laid the track! Hope more members can help with your info searches! Joe Toth
To answer this question, the last black and yellow GP35 was repainted sometime during 1971. I don't have my notes about this in front of me, but off the top of my head, I think it was 713. The best resource for the GP35s is the issue of Diesel Era Magazine that covered them. The issue even includes scale drawings of a torpedo tube equipped version, so you can do the piping to the air tanks properly. Paul
Pete, several years ago I bought a bunch of decals on Ebay. Various Frisco, some MP and others. I could send you a couple of the sets that have yellow lettering, numbers, hashmarks and nose stripes. Or heck, you could grab some other N scalers up ther (hint, hint) and come see me. No long stripes, but you should be able to find something for that. PM your contact info and I'll get around tuit. I'll be in Springfield this weekend. I'll try to stick some in a pocket in case we figure out who each other is.
