PLEASE HELP - Any Pics of the Lionel SP GP35's?

Bob,

You may remember my original post last month asking that very same question.  Fellow forum member PeterA responded with some pictures, see the link to the original thread below:

https://ogrforum.com/d...58#13397135080856058

Overall they look nice, but unfortunately Lionel chose not to model the distinctive SP lighting package, and for some odd reason they painted the majority of the grab irons white which isn't really prototypical.

Thanks Very Much John...  I missed that post before. 

I wonder if the original Tank Train SP SD40T Tunnel Motors had the white ladder grips.  Now I am wondering I will have to unbox them and take a look.

I loved those engines, with the detail on the top of the cab and the tri-headlights on the nose.

Bob,

In regards to the Lionel SD40T-2s, I don't believe so, at least not on the original runs of that model.  I don't have them myself (discrepancies with the truck placement & some other issues that made me pass on them) but I've seen them in person that belonged to a couple of club members.

sorry, i'm not so good with the photo thing yet.  here is the original TMCC version, not the set engines, but has the roof detail, and the tri headlight.

Here...

Matt

Thanks...  I've see it in the catalog. 

John posted the link to pictures of the production unit.  I think it looks great.  I know it should have the tri headlight etc...  but it still looks good to me. 

been looking at prototype pics and some still retained the headlights on the top of the cab.  I wonder if these configurations changed.  Some pics I have seen look like they were originally there, but removed.  This unit does have the pre-1965 rebuild number on the cab.  I wonder...

I know nothing we buy out of the box will be absolutly correct, afterall we have a third rail and couplers that are mounted to the trucks!   But as long as it has the right colors, graphics and appearance, I'm good with it for what I do.

At some point you gotta say:  Lets Run the Train!

Lionel is not showing much love for Espee and Rio Grande fans. Regardless of the lighting and grab irons, they are pretty nice. I would really like Lionel to come out with Rio Grande versions of these and the SD40T-2 just released. Of course these won't be prototypical either but I would rather have these in Legacy than nothing.

Bob,

In the early 1980s SP started to modify the lighting packages to remove the red gyralite in addition to removing the MARS light in between the number boards.  Most of this was started during the timeline between the ill-fated ATSF merger and the successful merger with D&RGW.  Ditto with the unique L-shaped windshield on the engineer's side, although in the case of the GP35s, this was one of those rare occurrences where that type of windshield was never used. 

As a general rule of thumb, SP locomotives with the original Roman-style font lettering should have the unique lighting packages while those with the Rio Grande-style "speed lettering" and white striping below the catwalks should not.  There were some exceptions where some SP units did get the lighting packages removed but were never speed lettered.  That's also why I passed on that same tunnel motor you posted a picture on, since it has the speed lettering but still has the pre- early 1980s lighting package.  #8239 never even got the speed lettering paint job applied while on SP's roster as Lionel's model depicts.  There was, and still is, an easily found online resource that could have shown them what paint schemes were correct in addition to the lighting package phases that were just a few mouse clicks away: http://espee.railfan.net/spsd40t-2.html

While I agree that our models will never be 100% correct, I would contend that obvious spotting details like these should be accounted for on today's higher-end scale models.  These aren't postwar-style undersized O-27 Alcos or oversized 44 ton switchers where prototypical accuracy and exquisite detailing are not even on the radar and are "close enough."

Boin106,

That is a catalog picture; not the actual production model.  It's either an HO or N scale engine that was photoshopped for the catalog print to include a 3-rail coupler on the front (notice that the pilots are fixed, one big giveaway) and the exact same picture was used to photoshop all the different roadnames and paintschemes in the catalog as well.  It was unsure at the time if the SP version would have the unique lighting package that would separate it from the other GP30s that Lionel advertised.

DANG DANG DANG DRGW DAVE...  That looks so great.  I have to get a pair now.  That looks so nice.  Thanks for posting!  It really looks great!

I'm with you, DRGW next on the GP35!

I understand John, totally and I'm with you on this.  I want the stuff authentic.    At the same time, I dont want my life to tick away waiting for some unit that is exactly correct to come out of a box, cause none of them are, there is always something not right.

I agree the lettering and colors should ALWAYS be correct, that is a no brainer!

Now if Lionel modeled their SP GP35 with the correct lighting package like the MTH HO model below, they would have had a bigger winner, IMHO.

Yes but MTH shorts out on Super O Track... 

and the problem is that is HO, but it really looks nice...

Never heard of MTH shorting out on Super O track, unless by your wink emoticon I'm missing some inside joke?

I think that I did mention above that it was an MTH model,  just posted it for detail references.

Yea, It is a inside thing...

It is that that is HO and it will not work out of the box for me...

Come On Lionel (and MTH), where's all the cab roof detail that should be there with the western roads??? Atlas gets it done, sometimes.... How much does it really take to add air conidtioner units, antenna platforms with an antenna, and some piping? You did it on the Tunnel Motors Lionel... Lets go, stop cutting these corners. The details make a HUGE difference in appearance!

I would pay $20 more on a Diesel for more special small details particular to units that should have this.

It all comes down to money in the end.