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Easy to Build Projects

Building a Southern GP-35 with ALCO Trucks

This is perhaps one of the easiest conversion/kitbashes to make for anyone modeling the Southern or former Southern units. All parts are easily purchased or you may already have the needed components on your roster, or lying around on the workbench.

The parts list is below:

The most difficult part of this conversion is constructing the hi-hood. For that reason I will cover it in another article. It was quite by accident that I stumbled on this conversion. My good friend Frank Smith from the Montreal N-Trak club mentioned to me one day that he had slipped a GP-35 shell over an RS-3 drive just to see if it would fit. Well, the lights went on when I remembered that the Southern had kitbashed their own GP-35's, by re-building them with  ALCO trucks.

First, gently pry the RS-3 shell off the mechanism. Slide the GP-35 shell over it to make a trial fit. Once the shell is sitting where you want, mark the spot on the fuel tank. Remove the shell and use some scrap styrene to build up the inside of the shell as the GP shell will be quite loose. I found a stack of styrene strips about ¼ of an inch wide by an inch or so long was just what was needed to hold every thing in place. You will have to experiment until you arrive at a stack that is the right height. I found that some shims along each side of the interior of the shell also keep things snug. Glue your shims in place and the stack of styrene strips. Once dry you can prepare the shell for painting. ( I chose not to modify the fuel tanks, but those of you with more prowess may do so)

My first unit was painted in the 'Thoroughbred scheme'. After I had finished, I came across a second RS-3 mechanism at a train-show. I then decided to build a Central of Georgia unit painted in Southern's famous gold and aluminum scheme. I like to add my detail parts after painting. Bells, horns, sunshades and other tiny n-scale parts tend to be wrenched off when handling the shell during painting operations. I recommend studying photos of the unit you wish to model because the placement of horns, marker lights, antennae and sunshades seemed to vary in the prototype photos I studied.  Both of the above schemes use a shiny gloss black paint as the base. I prefer using latex-based paints because of the horrible odours associated with enamel paints. Use which ever you are comfortable with.

Once the shell has dried for at least twenty-four hours I begin placing decals. Work slowly and carefully and use lots of Decal-Set and Decal-Sol. These two products allow the decals to snug right down onto the crevices and bumps on the finely detailed shells. Once you are happy with the decal placement, spray the shells with a light coat of Testor's Dull-Cote. Re-assemble the shells, remembering to add the light and number board pieces! Place your detail parts by drilling fine holes where required and cement in place using a tiny drop of ACC cement. Touch up the detail parts with black paint and carefully place the shells back on the mechanism. Weather your unit if you choose, remembering to lock everything in place with more Dull-Cote. Now you are the proud owner of an ALCO trucked, EMD GP-35!

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