ACL Diesel decals

Have you looked at the sets on the Microscale website?  It shows one for cab units, in particular F units, that includes yellow stripes.  The second set, which I presume is for road units, doesn't look like it has stripes.  Although it is labeled for the "black and yellow" scheme.

Maybe you can bodge the two sets together to get what you need?  Or source the stripe decals from another set?

I'll look again.  It seemed like one set had black letters, the other silver.  The GP would look better with purple letters.  I could probably live with black.

Bob, if their ACL decals are anything like their SAL decals you'll need 2 sets, the stripes in the SAL set aren't long enough.

Jack McGarry at ASM has the Micorscale 48-303 set listed, see if he can check them for you.

I don't think ACL ever had any GP9s, unless one of their subsidiary RRs owned some.

Here's a photo of 2 ACL GP7s in original paint:

The size of the lettering was made larger at some point.  Don't forget the yellow stripe at the roof line, just spotted that myself.

Fortunately, I cannot tell the difference between a -7 and a -9, either GP or SD.  Folks generally helpfully point out the differences, but then I forget just about that quick.  Has something to do with priorities.

Thanks, Bob - that is the color scheme I am doing.  I have a friend double- checking for the purple lettering.  I can always get them custom-made.

Just so you know, a friend gave me a set of bronze GP body castings, and shared a photo of a hand- painted ACL model. I, of course have to have one, but no longer feel like attempting hand lettering.  The model itself is a "doorstop" but details are almost as good as some of the injection molded carbodies.  Very heavy . . .

Louvers are usually the telling factor, but I have to look at a reference photo to remember too.

Wish I could jump in Mr. Peabody's "Wayback" machine, the ACL mainline into Portsmouth was within eyesight from my backyard (swing bridge on the Elizabeth River) and I walked the tracks many times to the ball fields.  But I think the purple scheme was gone by that time.

William G. McClure's book "Atlantic Coast Line in Color" has some nice photos of the color scheme on the Geeps and other engines.

Here's a copy of the ACL painting guide:

I'm sure there's more data in some of the ACL/SAL Historical Society mags, I can look if you want.  I can check the index lists of the old Mainline Modeler too if that would help.

I looked in the MM index list and found nothing, but in the Lines South, volume7, number 1 (July 1989) and volume7, number 2 (October 1989) there's a 2-part article depicting some of the features of the ACL Geeps: horn types, louvers, sun shades, lights, etc.

Let me know if there's anything you need and I'll see if these cover it.

Here's another diagram, from the Lines South article:

Micro scale 48-303 is the set with purple lettering for the GP-7. The second sheet has the yellow stripes and silver road numbers. You will need to paint the purple and the silver as the ser only has the yellow stripes, including the curved end stripes. Hope this helps. Looking forward to seeing your unit finished- please post pictures if you will.

Leon

Yes - it is just the info I wanted.  Thank you.