GP-38 Custom Paint CN

sabretooth47

New Member
It's not quite finished, but I put the body back together last night and I'm kinda happy how it's turning out. Just thought I'd share (cuz the wife doesn't have the slightest bit of interest for some reason :D )

I bought this GP-38 undecorated some time ago...I believe it's an Atlas, but I could be wrong. Why the non-proto paint scheme for CN? No other explanation other than "just cuz I wanted to".

Comments welcome -- but only the good ones :D (j/k)
 

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LoudMusic

Member
sabretooth47 said:
It's not quite finished, but I put the body back together last night and I'm kinda happy how it's turning out. Just thought I'd share (cuz the wife doesn't have the slightest bit of interest for some reason :D )

Really? :rolleyes: ;)

I bought this GP-38 undecorated some time ago...I believe it's an Atlas, but I could be wrong. Why the non-proto paint scheme for CN? No other explanation other than "just cuz I wanted to".

Comments welcome -- but only the good ones :D (j/k)

It looks good. I'm a fan of non-prototypical lines or at least non-prototypical paint jobs. A little creative imagination is a good thing! For some reason your design made me think of the US Coast Guard ... though it's really not similar at all. It does look good, though. I like it!
 

MasonJar

It's not rocket surgery
CN has performed so many actual take overs, why not a fictional one...?

It reminds me of something, although the USCG is not it... ;) :D

Andrew
 

Triplex

Active Member
It reminds me of this: http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=110236 Especially since it's not a GP38, unless GP38s have six-wheel Flexicoil trucks. The "CN" on the angle of the cab roof somehow reminds me of a modeller who put the road number on top of all his engines. This has obvious advantages in a model situation, where we usually look down on the locomotives.
 

jsoflo

New Member
Not only does the paint job look good, its also technically speaking a fine custom job! What, if anything else are you running?
excellent work!:thumb:
 

sabretooth47

New Member
jsoflo said:
What, if anything else are you running?

Here's my current fleet besides this CN custom (which is actually an SD-35, not a GP-38 -- I was just going by the packaging and I guess someone labeled it wrong -- I had to look it up on the Atlas website :eek:ops: )

- Atlas SD-60 (Conrail)
- Atlas SD-60 (CSX)*****
- Atlas SD-60 (Norfolk Southern)
- Bachmann F7 A&B (New York Central)
- Bachmann F7 (which is a junker that came with the first N Scale set I ever purchased -- it was my first attempt at a custom paint job (Lackawanna) -- despite the trucks being strangely out of scale, it still is quite a workhorse :thumb: )

- Lifelike SW8 Switcher (Erie-Lackawanna) (I'll post this picture some other time, I couldn't fit it in this post)


***** = This is soon to become a guinnea pig. I'm going to attempt to custom paint it in a special 1976 Bi-Centennial Red/White/Blue paint scheme that Erie-Lackawanna used right before the Conrail take over.
 

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jsoflo

New Member
Looks like the start of a fine Northeastern United States fleet, when you gonna start the bicentennial job, love to see it!:wave:
 

MasonJar

It's not rocket surgery
Triplex,

Thanks! I was thinking IC, and it was WC after all... I knew I had seen that grey + orange + noodle combination somewhere.

Andrew
 

FT03

New Member
Nice work, sharp looking paint job.

On a side note, I noticed your from Buffalo, I'm new to the area (student) and was wondeing if you have any info good shops/railfanning/etc. Think I've found all the shops, about 6, but I figured I ask someone who might know a little more.
 

sabretooth47

New Member
jsoflo said:
Looks like the start of a fine Northeastern United States fleet, when you gonna start the bicentennial job, love to see it!:wave:

Thanks! -- I live in Depew, NY (suburb of Buffalo) and there are a few rail lines by my house. I grew up watching the Conrail and CSX trains go by, and over the last couple years I've seen a lot of Norfolk Southern's & CN's, so I got hooked on a lot of local stuff.

Plus my Dad is big into the Erie-Lackawanna line from when he was younger, so I got a heavy dose of them as well. I love the local flavor of the line, but I never really was into the paint scheme -- just wasn't my style -- but I modelled the F7 in the colors just because I got a set of Rivarossi passenger cars in the Lackawanna scheme, so I wanted an engine to match. And I got a screamin' deal on the Lifelike switcher (pic below), but I didn't plan on expanding that portion of fleet until I saw the bicentennial scheme on a website a few weeks ago (pic below as well). Now I can't wait to get it started (even though I don't even have my benchwork completed for my layout -- LOL).

I'm starting the bicentennial scheme very soon -- I need to make a trip or two to some local hobby shops to find the specific colors I need -- plus I might need another microscale decal set -- either way, I may be doing at least the prep & primer this weekend -- I'll keep you's guy's up to date cuz I'm excited about tackling this one :D :thumb:
 

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sabretooth47

New Member
FT03 said:
Nice work, sharp looking paint job.

On a side note, I noticed your from Buffalo, I'm new to the area (student) and was wondeing if you have any info good shops/railfanning/etc. Think I've found all the shops, about 6, but I figured I ask someone who might know a little more.

Shops you need to visit:

Niagara Hobby (on Union Rd near Walden, Cheektowaga, NY) You can't miss it :thumb:

LBC Trains (on South Long St in Williamsville, which is a side street near Main St and Union Rd intersection) They specialize in N Scale and it's my favorite place to go -- HIGHLY recommended if you're an N-Scaler -- but they don't carry much in the way of paints and such.

K-Val Hobbies (277 Hinman Ave in the city, near Kenmore) - I haven't been there in a very long time, but my Dad loves it (he's an HO'er). They specialize in HO scale and larger, so I have no need to peruse their wares.


Railfanning:
The best place to go, in my opinion, is the yard area by Harlem Rd & Broadway. I've never asked myself to verify this, but I hear Conrail will let you into the yard by the operations building to take photo's. However, this was told to me years ago before 9/11 and I never took the time to check for myself...now?...I don't know how true this would be with all the security measures since then. I suppose I should find out?
There is also a yard on Tifft St on the South side of the city (right near Tifft Nature Preserve) that is a good place to hang out. But I haven't been there in quite some time. I grew up out in that area, and there was always lots of activity there.
You can get some cool views of ore cars and switchers in the area around the old Bethelem Steel property in Lackwanna down Route 5. That area will give you some real insight to how important rail was to this area back in the 50's-60's-70's.


Anything else I can point out to you, just let me know. The Greater Buffalo/Niagara Falls area is bursting of railroad history.
 

FT03

New Member
Thanks for the local tips! I went to all those places except for LBC, and I was pretty impressed with them all - especially Niagara Hobbies. Consquently I'm broke now, lol.

I found the rail yard down by South Park, I think it's a Norfolk Southern(?), I'm not entirely sure. Also found the Niagara CSX yard too. I was getting the impression that Lackawanna had quite a bit of rail traffic, just couldn't find any decent vantage points. I've seent he one by Tift Ave, just need to figure out where to be to get decent shots. I'm pretty excited about being out in WNY, my rail phpto album has already doubled! (though their wasn't much to beign with!)

Thanks Again!
- Dan
 

sabretooth47

New Member
FT03 said:
Thanks for the local tips! I went to all those places except for LBC, and I was pretty impressed with them all - especially Niagara Hobbies. Consquently I'm broke now, lol.

No prob -- but like I said -- if you're an N-Scaler, you NEED to go to LBC -- Niagara Hobbie doesn't even begin to compare. LBC is just this small shop seemingly buried in a neighborhood corner, but Niagara's N-Scale section is about 1/10th the size of LBC's on hand stock. Plus LBC carries A LOT of the hard to find microscale decal prints, so it's very convenient as opposed to waiting for an online shop to send them. The prices are very reasonable, and I believe they'll even buy items from you (though I never have tried). More often than not will you find yourself walking out of there happier than a kid on Christmas mornin' (at least I do -- LOL)!

:thumb:

If they ever needed a "satisfied customer" for a commercial, I'd be first in line! :D
 
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