N7CZ
New Member
This is my first post here, so thought I'd share my latest project.
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I got the most significant part of the this project completed this evening. The frame chop.
The Milwaukee Road GP38-2s had a VERY SMALL fuel tank. So, in order to model one accurately, the fuel tank MUST be cut down to the correct size. The Milwaukee reduced fuel capacity on many of it's locomotives throughout it's epic history. I have read in several publications that it was to reduce the overall weight of the locomotives and thus lessening damage to the rails, which in many sub-divisions and branch lines, were often in disrepair.
Here is a good prototype shot showing how SMALL the fuel tanks actually were:
This is not the prototype that I am modeling.
Here is the original Athearn BB GP38-2 that I purchased after the frame chop:
Below are a couple shots of the frame while in process:
CAUTION: Removing this much of the frame severely weakens it's structural integrity.
Also, the shell mounting tabs had to be removed so you must pick it up by the fuel tank, NOT the shell.
One last major difference on the Milwaukee Road's GP38-2s were the trucks. Milwaukee had Blomberg type B trucks. The trucks were salvaged from retired F units in a cost saving move by the railroad. Most GP38-2s came with Blomberg type M trucks.
Click here for my build album.
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I got the most significant part of the this project completed this evening. The frame chop.
The Milwaukee Road GP38-2s had a VERY SMALL fuel tank. So, in order to model one accurately, the fuel tank MUST be cut down to the correct size. The Milwaukee reduced fuel capacity on many of it's locomotives throughout it's epic history. I have read in several publications that it was to reduce the overall weight of the locomotives and thus lessening damage to the rails, which in many sub-divisions and branch lines, were often in disrepair.
Here is a good prototype shot showing how SMALL the fuel tanks actually were:
This is not the prototype that I am modeling.
Here is the original Athearn BB GP38-2 that I purchased after the frame chop:
Below are a couple shots of the frame while in process:
CAUTION: Removing this much of the frame severely weakens it's structural integrity.
Also, the shell mounting tabs had to be removed so you must pick it up by the fuel tank, NOT the shell.
One last major difference on the Milwaukee Road's GP38-2s were the trucks. Milwaukee had Blomberg type B trucks. The trucks were salvaged from retired F units in a cost saving move by the railroad. Most GP38-2s came with Blomberg type M trucks.
Click here for my build album.
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