GP35 (Torpedo Boat) Modification

Discussion in 'Electo-Motive Division (EMD)' started by geep07, Sep 30, 2012.

  1. geep07

    geep07 Member

    Has anyone attempted or succeeded on modeling a GP35 Torpedo Boat in B/Y paint scheme. I have found an article in the March 2002 edition of Model Railroader magazine. This was for a CNW modification,I assume that this would be sufficient for a Frisco mod. as well. Any comments, pictures of models would be appreciated.

    Thanks,

    John[​IMG]
     
  2. meteor910

    meteor910 2009 Engineer of the Year Staff Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Overland attempted and certainly succeeded in doing the Frisco "torpedo boat' GP35's in excellent fashion. Of course, the downside is that they didn't make many, and that they cost a fortune.

    I was lucky enough to get one, SLSF 711, mint, at a nice discount. It is without question the smoothest, best running, best pulling locomotive I have, no contest, and one of the best looking. I sure wish I could find an affordable one for the other road number they did, SLSF 701. The seller's pics of 711 are attached.

    I've always liked this version of the SLSF GP35's - they are so ugly they look really neat! Some call them "Darth Vaders".

    I have a hand-drawn diagram of the top-side piping for the tanks, which I did one day down at Rolla while one (in o/w) was sitting idle. There also was a nice detail drawing published in the Diesel Era issue on Frisco GP35's (v11, #3, May/Jun 2000) - I believe it was an EMD diagram. There are a few little differences between my field diagram, the EMD diagram, and the Overland model up top, but they are subtle.

    There are likely differences between the CNW and SLSF versions of this locomotive. I'll try to find the MR article and have a look.

    Ken
     

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  3. gjslsffan

    gjslsffan Staff Member Staff Member

    Man what timing, I have been on the phone with (PSC) Precision Scale Co., about doing some brass or plastic castings of the rooftop tanks and piping.
    It would be a great thing if there were enough of us Frisco and CNW modelers to actually get some of these things casted, and perhaps cut the cost down. I have checked into getting the fittings and actually building some, we can get most but not all of the fittings needed, from PSC.
    Who else would make the fittings needed in HO scale??

    This view is from one of our own frisco.org threads
    http://www.frisco.org/shipit/index.php?threads/torpedo-geep-roof-pics.6656/#post-60150

    The attached CNW GP35 photo, I have been trying for for some time, to find the photographer if any one knows please let us all know.
    Anyways it shows what the earlier photo does not. and that is the pipe comes out of the compressor room down the engineers side, does a 180 degree just before reaching the air tanks, turns goes back past the cooling fans wraps around and heads towards the tanks only to take a very quick detour towards the engineers side again, another 180 degree turn and a few 45's and walla enters the fireman's side tank.
    I think I remember Ken telling me the SLSF had some sort of heat shield wrapped around the piping where the hand grab is on top behind the cooling fans. Seems to me EMD had a boxcar full of pipe fittings they need to use up.
    Been on a Red eye all night but I wanted to get you the info I have.
    Tom Holley
     

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    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 8, 2016
  4. meteor910

    meteor910 2009 Engineer of the Year Staff Member Frisco.org Supporter

    FYI, I've read through the MR article on the CNW "Torpedo Boat" GP35's, and they look to be quite similar to the Frisco units. I can't compare them to my diagrams, as my diagrams at the moment are missing in action. We are cleaning up the house (under firm orders from the Commander in Chief) for our upcoming family reunion to be hosted here (next week, 35 people) and I have no idea where they are right now. I'll find them, but AFAIR the diagram in the MR article looks good.

    I'm gunna pour an adult beverage right now!

    Ken
     
  5. gjslsffan

    gjslsffan Staff Member Staff Member

    Ken
    I have your drawing, found it tonight, if you wish, I can scan and post it.
    Tom Holley
     
  6. gjslsffan

    gjslsffan Staff Member Staff Member

    Does anyone have an HO scale, Athearn/RPP GP35 dynamic brake hatch they would sell?? Needs me one.
    Tom Holley
     
  7. klrwhizkid

    klrwhizkid Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    Tom, I have two for the two GP35s we had talked about. See your PMs.
     
  8. gjslsffan

    gjslsffan Staff Member Staff Member

    Keith,
    Just did send you PM
    Tom Holley
     
  9. geep07

    geep07 Member

    Ken, Thanks for your comments, all I need to do is get me a GP 35 w/dynamic brakes. Athearn is coming out with an undec kit here shortly, so I best be putting in my order now.
    Hope Tom Holley will post your lost diagram, that would put icing on the cake for this project. This is gonna be fun!

    John
     
  10. meteor910

    meteor910 2009 Engineer of the Year Staff Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Tom - Thanks! Yes, do scan it, but send the file to me so I can post it. I want to add some comments to it in the posting.

    I know where my original is ..... in a stack of loose information that is about two feet tall! (Waiting to be filed)

    Ken
     
  11. Larry F.

    Larry F. Member

    geep07, My scanner is down so I can't post a drawing of the GP35s top piping for you. If you, or someone out there, has a copy of May/June 2000 issue of Diesel Era there is a nice article on the Frisco's GP35s including a drawing of the top of the unit with the corresponding piping. If I can get my scanner going I'll post it. I built a model of the GP35 using a Kato model-nice detail if you can overlook the handrails being a mite oversized. Larry F.
     
  12. Sirfoldalot

    Sirfoldalot Frisco.org Supporter Frisco.org Supporter

    Ken - I would have bet good money that you had already posted your drawing on this form. I know that you sent me one.
    Do I need to look for it?

    PS: From your earlier post - They do have a bit of a sinister/ brutish look to them- as you say a "darth vader" look, but certainly not ugly.
    Always been my favorite Frisco loco.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 1, 2012
  13. klrwhizkid

    klrwhizkid Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    Here's the Athearn GP35 parts list for the dynamics.
     

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    Last edited: Oct 27, 2017
  14. gjslsffan

    gjslsffan Staff Member Staff Member

    Thanks Larry
    You jogged my memory a bit, went looking and I have that issue, and like you say there is a drawing of the piping. Although it differs from the Photo of the SLSF loco pictured where the piping comes up the fireman's side (FS) the drawing shows a 90 degree while the photo shows 2, 45 degree turns spaced a little. With all the angles and issues I would not be surprised if there were differences in the prototypes as well.
    How did you do the piping on your Kato? We want to see pictures:)

    Thanks
    Tom Holley

    Photo from Frisco.org thread cropped re-sized to accent piping.
     

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  15. gjslsffan

    gjslsffan Staff Member Staff Member

  16. friscobob

    friscobob Staff Member Staff Member Frisco.org Supporter

    I was fortunate to purchase a Bachmann GP35 custom-painted Frisco black & yellow with air tanks on the roof. I need to take it out & install the piping on the roof, and closed up the sides above the fuel tank, but otherwise it's a nice-looking model. Runs decent, DCC-equipped, will run with my other DCC-equipped diesels as well.
     
  17. meteor910

    meteor910 2009 Engineer of the Year Staff Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Here's my old diagram Tom and I referred to showing the details of the Frisco "Torpedo Boat" GP35's with rooftop air tanks, SLSF 700-716. The details were verified by checking vs a "35" that was sitting at Rolla in March, 1982, while son Kurt and I were on an Ozarks fishing/trainwatching trip. I don't know why the unit was sitting there; it was shut down and nobody was around. For some reason I did not note the unit number, but I think it was 702 or 706. It was in o/w paint. I don't recall if it had the BN number on it yet, I think not - no matter, I always refer units to their Frisco number no matter what the BN did to them!

    The piping and tank arrangement shown here is in good agreement with the Overland model, and with the Model Railroader CNW article and the Diesel Era/EMD drawings showing the same. Some little details are different, but they are minor. Note the Frisco applied insulation on the return pipe loop above the end of the rooftop, lest someone grab on the the pipe as a handhold while climbing the rear grabirons. The long run of pipe was there to cool the compressed air going into the air tanks, and the pipe could get quite hot.

    Ken
     

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  18. klrwhizkid

    klrwhizkid Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    Rather than try to order online, I called direct. The gentleman that answered was very helpful and did a manual stock verification, then filled my order after taking my credit card info.
     
  19. Larry F.

    Larry F. Member

    Tom, When I piped my unit I was working off an old photo similar to your shot only in b/y. Looking at my model and your photo I could find no couplers in the pipe outside of at the tanks and going into the carbody leading me to think the pipe was all welded. At any rate, with the number of hangers holding the pipes and since I had some extra handrail sets sets I simply cut off the stantions and, voila--pipe in hangers mounted on bits of styrene for hanger blocks. I bent the handrail with a little heat and it was a good thing I had extra handrails 'cause my first efforts were terrible. As I said earlier, if and when I get the scanner going I'll post some photos. Larry
     
    gjslsffan likes this.
  20. gjslsffan

    gjslsffan Staff Member Staff Member

    After talking with John Peluso who started this thread, he decided it might be best served to show the GP 35 Modifications that I have made on his thread, as opposed to starting another on the same topic. So with the best regards to John, I offer the attached.:D

    This started as a NYC non Dyn shell, and has made some rather obvious changes of late. Have a long way to go and many more changes and details to be added as we go along here.
    I am building at least 3 of these things as we go.

    These air tanks and piping sit higher on the roof top than one might think, as builders and carriers tend to keep anything attached at least 2-3" from any surface to avoid pinch or catch points.
    This is the first attempt. The piping is .028 (2" HO scale) Brass wire, bent in the attempt of coming close to the dizzying array of piping on the roof top of our Frisco GP35's 700-716.
    All of this was done on the prototype, to gain as much length in linear ft. to allow the most cooling possible for the air before it reached the main reservoirs.
    Compressed air in high volumes creates a great deal of heat and depending on where your at sometimes condensation too.

    The channel iron the piping sits on is .060 Evergreen styrene strips cut .090 long. The piping was secured by thin pieces of paper (plain paper) folded dipped in thin, slow cure ACC and wrapped around the pipe, then cut to finish. Eye bolts stretched to fit are used too, and the smallest heat shrink tubing I have seen simulates the :eek: asbestos wrap on the pipe at the rear.

    The tank mounts are Styrene "I" beam, that one top was cut off to make a "T" beam, then brass tubing sharpened to cut 1/2 circles out of the top of the web, then shaped and cut to fit, remember the front of the tanks are higher than the rear to allow for condensation to drain.
    If you wonder why so many steps are taken to keep water out of the system consider that if there is enough water in an entire trains brake pipe, that would block a single section of brake pipe, and it happens to freeze solid, then you have essentially lost control of the brake pipe and control of your train, so yes it is that important.:)

    Some of the sill mods have been done too, like I say, a long way to go yet:) and at least one more air dryer:).

    I am sure it is far from perfect, but again, rule 1 applies:D
    Thanks,
    Tom Holley
     

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