Red Caboose GP-9

Nice work 

Nice job..   I just finished doing the same thing using a Red Caboose GP9 to a RK GP7/9 frame.  Only issue I found was the fixed pilot sat a little high. Easy fix. trimmed and used the RK pilot.   Look forward to seeing more.

Great work. The weathering looks awesome!

Great re-build and weathering job, Joe. It looks rusted, busted, and beat just like a hard working geep ought to.

In the future, you might want to look at an Atlas O GP9 chassis for your old Red-Caboose rebuilds. Atlas bought and modified the old Red Caboose tooling to create their model. The Red Caboose shells fit perfectly.

Beautiful job!

looks very realistic!

Andre.

Thanks for the comments guys, I appreciate it. 

Rich, I had the RK GP-9 already and was going to scratch-build new pilots but picked up the Red Caboose kit at the O scale show in Indianapolis. It sits a little high but nothing I can't live with. If I come across an Atlas chassis I'll probably make the switch because I really don't like those RK side frames. I thought I might be able to make Lionel frames work but the truck center-spacing is different (RK 8.5' vs. Lionel 9.0'). And you're right about hard working geeps, I like 'em crusty!

Joe

joedaddy posted:

Thanks for the comments guys, I appreciate it. 

Rich, I had the RK GP-9 already and was going to scratch-build new pilots but picked up the Red Caboose kit at the O scale show in Indianapolis. It sits a little high but nothing I can't live with. If I come across an Atlas chassis I'll probably make the switch because I really don't like those RK side frames. I thought I might be able to make Lionel frames work but the truck center-spacing is different (RK 8.5' vs. Lionel 9.0'). And you're right about hard working geeps, I like 'em crusty!

Premier line side frames should fit if you can source them. For mine all I had to do was sand down the details on the fuel tank to make it fit. How did you secure the shell to the frame?

Man! That looks great! Have anyone done what Richtrow stated, but in 2-Rail. I have a few Red Caboose GP9 shells etc and if I can get away with a Atlas 2-rail frame.. Wha-LA! game won! 

I've built 2 RC Geeps using Weaver drive components for 2 rail operation, in a twin tower drive. I suppose I cheated because I also used the Des Plaines brass frame, which adds stiffness and weight. I even used different sprockets from Sterling Inst. to get better low speed performance for switching.

There was a guy over on the old Atlas O forum who did indeed build a RedCaboose shell on the new Atlas chassis. The only real hurdle was that Atlas modified the locations of the screw holes so the holes on the old RC shell and the Atlas chassis don't line up. You need to glue some styrene blocks to the inside of the shell and drill new holes to receive the screws. Other than that, it was a perfect fit.

Suzukovich,

I ground down the skirts above the fuel tank, mounted styrene blocks inside the RC shell (near the cab and along one side at the rear), drilled new holes through the frame where necessary, and used the original screws to hold the shell in place. I also moved the smoke (I took the smoke unit out) and volume pots and cut down the indentations they fit in. Otherwise the walkways didn't want to sit all the way down on the frame. I'll have to look for the Premier line side frames. Thanks for the tip.

Joe

Blocks great Idea. Thanks.  What I did was to sand of the details on the fuel tank. and a little shaves off on the inside by the cab. Once I did that the shell sat flush with the frame. The RK don't have the side panel on the shell like the RC. So the RC side panel slip right over the fuel Tank. I still need to order some detail parts to finish and haven't decided to power it yet. Now if I come across one in the Blackbird scheme it will be powered.  Picked up the whole RC engine (3R) for 80 bucks.  The RC Chassis (Powered) is available If anyone wants it.