Horseshoe curve GP9 .....new facelift?

Not a great pic, but I took this on Aug 11, 2021. Primer and maybe some body filler as well. The ol' gal is getting a repaint for sure. Volunteer effort I believe.

I took a look now, and half an hour after your post it still looks to me like a loco in primer. I did some poking around and it seems that starting August 9th of this year they began a new painting project on it.

Please note; it is a GP9. EMD diesel models do NOT have a dash between the model line and the series number, i.e. it is NOT a "GP-9".

That's good news. She wasn't looking too good last November.

@Hot Water posted:

Please note; it is a GP9. EMD diesel models do NOT have a dash between the model line and the series number, i.e. it is NOT a "GP-9".

Silly me. I guess I am used to seeing the "dash" in all the MTH offerings I have. Looked at the MTH website and most of their listings show the "dash" with the 7's,9's,40's. I was under the impression MTH never made any errors.

Well, MTH may may make some errors, but I Don't think Hotwater ever makes an error!

@prrjim posted:

Well, MTH may may make some errors, but I Don't think Hotwater ever makes an error!

Except for spelling and grammar errors, you're correct.

No dashes unless it's a dash 2.   Of course there was never a GP9-2 model unless some oddballs exist from one of the remanufacturers.

I don't know about GP9-2s but I recall the EMD GP15-1 and later the rebuilt GP15-2. What a neat little loco.

@prrjim posted:

Well, MTH may may make some errors, but I Don't think Hotwater ever makes an error!

On rare occasions.  Not often.

But don't we all?

@prrjim posted:

Well, MTH may may make some errors, but I Don't think Hotwater ever makes an error!

When it comes to things relating to EMD (among many other things), considering the man worked for EMD for decades, I would expect him to be very knowledgeable.  And I see nothing wrong with him trying to educate us so we stop making the same mistakes over and over.

I, for one, am very grateful that those with actual industry knowledge are willing to share it with us.

Well... if we're being specific, this locomotive would've had a PRR classification of ERS17

@ecd15 posted:

When it comes to things relating to EMD (among many other things), considering the man worked for EMD for decades, I would expect him to be very knowledgeable.  And I see nothing wrong with him trying to educate us so we stop making the same mistakes over and over.

I, for one, am very grateful that those with actual industry knowledge are willing to share it with us.

OK , whatever

@jini5 posted:

OK , whatever

Since this is the Real Trains Forum, if you don't care to be informed about correctness (NOT rivet counting), then your "OK, whatever" response is telling.

@Prr7688 posted:

Well... if we're being specific, this locomotive would've had a PRR classification of ERS17

Well; not quite. PRR classed GP9’s as EFS17m. GP7’s were classed ES15m.

EFS17m = E- EMD; FS - Freight / Shifter; 17 - 1700HP; m - multiple unit control.

ES15m = E - EMD; S - shifter (PRR speak for switcher); 15 - 1500HP; m - multiple unit control.

My reference source is Pennsy Diesel Years - Volume 1.

Curt

@juniata guy posted:

Well; not quite. PRR classed GP9’s as EFS17m. GP7’s were classed ES15m.

EFS17m = E- EMD; FS - Freight / Shifter; 17 - 1700HP; m - multiple unit control.

ES15m = E - EMD; S - shifter (PRR speak for switcher); 15 - 1500HP; m - multiple unit control.

Curt

Regardless, in the EMD documentation, it's a GP9.

Rusty

What ever it is it is now a very nice primer gray.   

@juniata guy posted:

Well; not quite. PRR classed GP9’s as EFS17m. GP7’s were classed ES15m.

EFS17m = E- EMD; FS - Freight / Shifter; 17 - 1700HP; m - multiple unit control.

ES15m = E - EMD; S - shifter (PRR speak for switcher); 15 - 1500HP; m - multiple unit control.

My reference source is Pennsy Diesel Years - Volume 1.

Curt

Good call! I will admit that I am not as up to speed on the PRR diesel-era years as I am on the steam-era years

Glad we got this dash stuff cleared up. Now I can sleep lol!

What's up with these EMD manuals that have G.P.7 on the cover?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/25502...rksid=p2047675.l2557

https://www.wplives.org/wphist...Manual_Model_GP7.pdf

Ha, CJ I was there that day too —

@Norm Charbonneau posted:

Ha, CJ I was there that day too —

I don't have any "OGR" identifier that I wear daily. Maybe I should when I go to places like this. Would've liked to meet you.

Is this the link? It certainly looks like it is in gray primer.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNkC7fpPsS8

@MTN posted:

What's up with these EMD manuals that have G.P.7 on the cover?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/25502...rksid=p2047675.l2557

https://www.wplives.org/wphist...Manual_Model_GP7.pdf

Must admit that I never saw any manuals in the EMD Service Publications master archives like those. But then, the master archives generally contained ONLY "first additions" of each and ever manual. My opinion is, those are probably examples of errors on covers from the printer, as the internal pages reflect the correct "GP7" model designation.

When they were "cleaning house" in the main EMD office building, the master archives in the Service Dept. Publications section had to go. So,,,,,,,,,,,,the manager of that group asked me if I wanted everything, prior to it all going into a dumpster? I said sure, and made multiple trips bringing everything home. Some years later, I sold the entire "collection" to a VERY avid collector of such manuals, in Wisconsin, for a LOT of money!

Does anyone here know who is doing the work?

I ask because if some organization is looking for funds, I would like to kick in a few dollars. I would like to see the whole thing improved.

I took this shot on Friday September 3rd. As I was leaving I spoke to one of the fellas working on her. He said that they will be painting as soon as this week. Weather permitting.

It's good to know that this geep will get a new paint job.  It is displayed in a very prominent place, and -- although there are many displayed locomotives that have been allowed to become shabby looking -- this one is certainly seen by many people.

It would be interesting to know who is doing the repainting, as well as how they are doing it (and who is paying for it).

According to the Horseshoe Curve Facebook Page, the work is being done by volunteer staff from the Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum.

I found that on a quick internet search as I haven't logged into my Facebook page since January.  That is a wholly different topic of discussion and not relevant to this post.