SOU Bob Harpe Copyright All rights reserved. This cover page created by J.M. LaBoda.

Transcription

1 SOU Bob Harpe Copyright All rights reserved. This cover page created by J.M. LaBoda.

2 Foreword: In this clinic Bob will show you how to model the last two orders of Southern GP38-2s, , which had the corrugated grills and angular paper air filter but the ideas presented here could be useful to also model the , which also had corrugated radiator grills but with the earlier rectangular paper air filer. The following is a list of the owners for these two groups: SOU CG AGS GS&F SOU CG CNO&TP AGS , GS&F SOU CNO&TP NS* SOU CNO&TP NS* , 5256 * 5239, 5255 and 5256 had their sublettering changed from NS to CRN (Carolina & Northwestern) 1Jun82, with the renaming of the subsidiary from Norfolk Southern to Carolina & Northwestern. To model it will be necessary to retain the rectangular paper air filter along with the DB hatch instead of cutting it free and discarding it, as shown on Step 13. To determine what computer code letter belongs to a specific locomotive I recommend the calculator that can be found on the Tennessee Valley Trains website. To go to the calculator, just click here. This page created by J.M. LaBoda.

3 Parts List Manufacturer Part No. Description Manufacturer Part No. Description A-Line Windshield wipers Detail Assoc. Athearn Undec. GP38-2 shell Blomberg sideframes SD40-2 DB hatch GP40-2 DB hatch Cannon & Co High short hood Long hood end Dash-2 sub base Inertial Filter screen Inertial Filter hatch Radiator grilles Dash-2 cab Radiator fans DB fan Paper air filter hatch * Safety tread & steps Air tanks Dash-2 drop steps Class lights Cab vent Grab irons Lift rings Coupler lift bar Exhaust Stacks Lift bar brackets, brass Details West Bell Air filter set Plow (2) Antenna Walkway lights M.U. hoses Fuel tank details Speed recorder Hi-Tech Southern cab shades Large fuel gauge Overland 9003 Five chime horn Custom Finish. 122 Detail Assoc Misc: Paint... your choice Walkway lights Headlights Wind deflectors WrightTrak.012 brass wire GP38-2 m.u. Stands (2)

4 Today I am beginning the first step toward building a model of the Southern GP38-2. I welcome all of you that are here for the first time and sincerely hope you enjoy what you see. The object of this internet clinic is to take an undecorated Athearn GP38-2 directly from it's box and convert it into a reasonable facsimile of the prototype GP38-2 locomotive. We will remove a number of the Athearn detail parts and replace them using detail parts from such manufacturers as Cannon & Co., Details West, Detail Associates, Overland Models and others. The details that you see removed and replaced are those I see on the actual prototype locomotive and desire to have on my models. In this clinic, you are allowed to either remove the same parts as I do, remove more parts or remove less parts. This clinic is for you, the viewer, and how much you do to your model is left up to you. As I've said time after time, please ask questions as we go from step to step. There is no need for anyone not to completely understand what we do here. Your questions make me more aware of what I'm actually doing and to be completely honest, I do make mistakes from time to time and I do not want to cause anyone to make a mistake that he or she shouldn't make. Let's get started.

5 Step 1. This is the stock undecorated Athearn GP38-2 shell right out of the box. We will be removing a number of detail parts from the shell and replace them using more accurate parts.

6 Step 2. Remove the dynamic brake hatch, cab, air tanks and four hold down tabs found inside the shell.

7 Step 3.

8 Step 4. Carefully remove the two inertial air filter grills and the inertial air filter hatch.

9 Step 5. In our next step we will be removing the long hood end from the model, but first we need to reinforce the grill area where the radiator grills have been removed. Cut three short sections of.080 x.100 styrene strips and cement them into place as shown above. Allow to dry completely before moving to the next step.

10 Step 6. This step will require you to make very careful cuts so work slowly and remember to measure twice, cut once.

11 Once the new line has been drawn, drill several small holes in a line parallel to this new line. Now, using a sharp #11 X-ACTO blade, carefully remove the existing long hood end all the way from the walkway to the mold line at the top of the shell. If you'll look at the back of the Cannon long hood end, part #1153, you will see two ridges, one on each side. You will need to remove these ridges as the Athearn shell is too thick to use these ridges. After removing the old long hood end, test fit the new Cannon end piece and continue to remove plastic until the new end piece fits snugly in place. Do not glue the new long hood end in place at this time.

12 Step 7. This step is optional. Note: If you intend to use chassis mounted couplers, disregard this series of steps.

13 Step 8. Next, cut a section of.030 x.250 styrene the width of the opening in the pilot face. Glue this piece onto the.040 section thus filling the gap in the pilot face. Now cut two.030 triangular shaped styrene braces long enough to fit between the bottom of the pilot and the bottom of the walkway and glue them to the existing braces and to the bottom of the walkway. Allow to dry.

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15 Step 9.

16 Cut and glue a short section of.030 x.250 and butt up against the brace installed in step 009 [1]. Next, cut two sections of the.100 x.125 styrene strip and glue into place with the.100 side glued to the bottom of the walkway and the.125 side glued to the side sill. These two pieces will act as supports for the shell when installed onto the chassis and are necessary.

17 Step 10. Make sure that this section of styrene is flush with the top of the walkway. If.045 styrene isn't available, cut sections of.040 and.010 and glue together.

18 Step 11. Please allow for each kit to completely dry before attempting to install on your model. These kits of parts are very well made and with patience on your part will almost fall together so work slowly and pay close attention to what the instructions tell you to do.

19 Step 12. In this step we begin the process of adding back some of the detail parts that we have removed in the previous steps. We will also begin to breathe life into what was a hunk of black plastic and begin to make it into a reasonable facsimile of one of Southern's finest four axle locomotives. I consider this to be a critical step in building this model as the high short nose is always a focal point of any Southern model so we need to be as careful and deliberate as possible in constructing and installing these new parts. Once the sub bases and cab are completed and are dry, we can begin to assemble them, making them as a one piece detail part. I find it best to glue one side of the sub base under the cab first and allow it to dry. Make sure to test fit the cab to the sub base and look for any obstructions that would cause the cab not to sit flush onto the sub base. Once the first side is dry we can then glue the second side to the bottom of the cab. Allow to dry. Once the entire cab/sub base assembly is dry, we need to test fit this assembly to the shell. Holding these parts onto the shell and using good light, check to make sure the assembly sits flush onto the shell, is equally situated on both sides and that the rear of the cab is flush and parallel with the vertical edges of the clean air room of the shell. If any light shows thru any portion where the assembly meets the shell, it will be necessary to find out the cause and try to correct the problem. A poor fit between these parts will cause your cab/sub base not match up with the new high nose we'll be adding. Next, once you are satisfied with the fit between the cab/sub base assembly and shell, place the assembly and shell onto the chassis (for strength and accuracy) and glue these parts together and allow to dry before moving to the next step. I suggest using a couple of medium strength rubber bands to hold the assembly and shell together until they have had time to dry.

20 Test fit the new high nose and make sure that it fits perfectly on both sides, rear and top front. Once you are satisfied with the fit of these parts, install the nose using three medium size rubber bands placed on the model end to end to hold it in place. These bands should be strong enough to maneuver the

21 nose piece and hold the nose in place, but not so strong as to warp it. Once satisfied with the fit, apply glue from the inside of the shell making sure the glue covers all areas between the cab/sub base assembly and the new high nose.

22 Step 13. In this scan you will see the three different dynamic brake hatches that we will need to build the DB hatch for the GP38-2.

23 Cut the kit GP38-2 DB hatch and save the parts shown. (Remember: To model an engine from the group you will need to retain the rectangular paper air filter and keep it attached to the DB hatch. JML)

24 GP40-2 DB Hatch Cut the GP40-2 DB hatch and save the parts shown.

25 Remove.188" from the GP40-2 section. This.188" can be cut anywhere between the two holes and the rear of the strap. After making the cut, sand the edges of the two parts smooth and then glue them back together. Allow to dry. Step 14. In this step, you will see the completed, minus the upper DB fan housing, GP38-2 dynamic brake housing.

26 Using the three parts that were saved in the previous steps, glue them together as shown in the scan. Do your best to make sure these parts are level with each other on the top as there is a small difference in the height of the SD40-2 part. When you are satisfied with the new DB hatch, use sections of.020 x.100 styrene to brace the three sections together underneath the new hatch and all to dry. After the cement has had time to cure, remove the kit DB fan and test fit for the new Cannon DB fan base. (Do not glue this part in yet.) Next, using your favorite filler, cover any imperfections that may be found on top of the hatch. When dry, sand smooth using 400 grit wet/dry sandpaper and water. Wipe clean and examine for any defects. Next, install the Cannon DB fan base, paying close attention to the direction of the fan supports, the four DA lift rings and the modified exhaust stacks. Set aside to dry.

27 Step 15. Construct the Cannon paper air filter as instructed. (For SOU only. JML) When dry, test fit the DB hatch and paper air filter. After a proper fit has been obtained, glue the parts in place as shown in the above scan.

28 Step 16. In this step we will continue to add more new detail parts to our model. Refer to the scan and see that we've added the inertial filter hatch and the two inertial filter screens. Also, in reviewing units from the later version of the GP38-2's, units , I see that EMD has discontinued installing the rivet strip found on the front of the DB hatch so we need to remove the one that we installed on our model. I used a small chisel blade to remove the one on my model and then used 400 grit

29 wet/dry sandpaper, applied wet, to smooth the area. Install the inertial air filter hatch and screen as shown. (Also install the radiator grills and fan bases at this time. JML) Step 17. This step is optional. If you choose to use the Cannon walkway tread, follow along using these instructions. Following the Cannon instructions, remove a section of the walkway from it's fret. Test fit the piece to see where it will sit on the model. Now make sure that the section being used is completely flat and not rolled up from end to end. Lay the section upside down on a piece of cardboard or paper and spread a thin coat of Barge cement over the entire section making sure you cover the section from side to side and front to back. Proceed to do the same thing to the model's walkway where this section will fit. Allow both to dry for several minutes. Carefully pick up the section of walkway and place it onto the model as close as possible to where it will sit. Now adjust for final fit and then press into place, especially all four edges. Continue on to the next section until you have installed all of the Cannon walkway parts.

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32 Step 18. This step is optional. Follow the instructions found on the back of the Cannon walkway kit and remove all but.015" of the flat portion of the top two steps. For the sake of strength, do not remove the back kickplates from either step. Also, for added strength, because the couplers will be body mounted on this model, I chose not to remove any portion of the bottom steps and glued the brass step directly to the Athearn plastic steps. Make the bends in the proper places on the new brass steps and glue into place checking for proper placement in the

33 step wells and making sure each step is level. Step 19.

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35 (Note placement of lift rings in these scans. JML)

36 Step 20. Cut a section of.080" x.125" and glue into place as shown. The.125" glues onto to the shell, even with the bottom of the sidesill, with the.080" facing upward. Cut a section of.030" x.125 and glue into place as shown with the.030" facing upward. Drill the two DW air filters for.015 brass wire and glue into place as shown taking note of the stagger found between the two parts.

37 Note: The tank mounts should not be inset more than.015" so that the two tanks will overhang the sidesill as on the prototype. Note the DW 139 air filters placement. Now cut two sections of the Plastruct triangular.080 stock, stock no , and glue into place between the air tanks and the previously installed tank supports. Allow to dry completely.

38 Glue the two DW 139 air filters into place.

39 Step 21.

40 Install the DW 172 ground light (walkway light) as shown along with the jacking pads and the.020 brass wire air pipes. Next, make the necessary bends in the.020 brass wire for the air pipes and install as shown in the scan.

41 Step 22. Once dry inspect the model for any changes or corrections that need to be made before painting.

42 Step 23. In this step we will paint our detailed model. I used Scalecoat II for the finish of my model, but I would encourage you to use the brand of paint that you feel most comfortable using. We've come too far and done too much to be experimenting on paint products that we're not familiar with. Be sure to cover the entire model with your favorite shade of black and when complete, set aside to dry.

43 Step 23. I like to begin on the engineer's side first as this gets me over the blower housing and makes the rest of the decal process seem to go rather smoothly. Next, cut the stripe from the decal sheet and I find it best, especially for the first stripe on the engineer's side, to completely remove the clear portion on the bottom of the decal stripe. Next, drop the stripe into a bowl of distilled water and watch for the stripe to loosen from it's backing. Using a mixture of 50% Solvaset, 50% distilled water and a tablespoon of 70% alcohol, flood the area where the decal stripe will lay. NOTE: In future steps the word "mixture" will be referred to as "solution". Remove the decal from the water and remove any excess water. Lay one end of the stripe onto the model where it will sit and then begin to slide the decal from it's backing. As the decal begins to lay on the model,

44 continue to add additional solution under the stripe until the stripe has been completely removed from it's backing. NOTE: Once the decal is on the model, begin to very carefully move it into the exact location shown on the prototype that you are modeling. When you are satisfied with the position of your decal, blot any excess solution from the model and now set the model aside to dry.

45 Now that the first strip is in place and has dried, we can add the second one and move on around the model. Cut the next stripe from the decal sheet and lay in the distilled water. When it begins to loosen from it's backing, apply the solution to the area where the stripe will sit. Begin adding the second stripe by overlapping the first stripe by no more than 1/16". This will prevent discoloration between the two ends of the two stripes. Continue to apply the decal around the model applying the solution under the decal as you move forward. Now carefully blot away any excess solution and quickly begin to move the decal into it's final resting position. What I like to do at this point is to measure the height of the stripe on the engineer's side at the end of the step down and then take this measurement to the front of the model and other locations shown as locations a, b, c and d in the scan. The stripe should be the same height at the step down as it is at the points for it to be level with the walkway. Once the decal is applied and in place, allow it to completely dry before adding the next stripe.

46 In this step we need to measure the distance between the end of the second stripe and the top step next to the cab door. Cut a section of the MS stripe and apply it as you have the first two stripes being sure to measure it at the locations shown in the scan for this step. Measure from location d to location f and cut a section of stripe this length. Note that the location of f is the upper walkway step. Apply this decal the same as the two previous stripes taking measurements at d, e and f to make sure your stripe is the same height as in the previous two stripes. Allow to dry before moving to the next step. The next step requires patience and forethought so do not rush trying to finish it.

47 If you have questions concerning this step, please do not cut any decals until you are sure as to what this step says. Cut a section of the decal stripe to fit from location g to h. Next, remove the gold part of the stripe and an equal amount of the Imitation Aluminum color from locations g to i and from j to h. This should give you the correct amount of striping to cover the cab section of the model. Apply the decal as described in previous steps and allow to dry completely before moving on to the next step.

48 Cut a section of the decal stripe to fit from location K to location M, M is around the corner covering the entire ESCAB box. As in the previous step, remove the correct amount of the gold stripe and the Imitation Aluminum stripe from location K to location L. Apply the decal using the solution as described in the previous steps and apply the stripe in the same manner as the other stripes and allow to dry. Next, cut a section of decal stripe the height of the gold along with an equal amount of Imitation Aluminum and apply from location L to N. Set aside and allow to dry. Next, measure the distance from the edge of the handbrake housing around the rear of the model to the edge

49 of the batter box and cut a section of decal stripe to fit. HINT: I have found that if you will take a short length of masking tape about ⅛" wide and place it between these two points, carefully trim it to fit and then lay it on your cutting mat and measure how long it is, it will give you the exact length that the stripe needs to be. Apply this section of the stripe as shown in previous steps being sure to measure at several points along the length of the stripe.

50 Looking at the scan for this step, notice how the Imitation Aluminum and Deluxe Gold stripe goes over the top of the battery box and around the door face and short hood side. Cut a section of the decal stripe long enough to cover this area and then trim it to the correct height to match the stripe on the cab side. It may take a couple of tries to match the cab side stripe, but when you've got it correct, you'll know it and you'll see just how good it looks when correct.

51 Now is a good time to fill in any voids where the stripe does not meet such as on the fireman's side in front of the cab door, the short, narrow strip above the battery box on the fireman's side and on both ends of the battery boxes. Now that all of the decal strip has been applied to your model, check carefully for any bubbles or tears that may have occurred during these steps. If you see bubbles, carefully prick each one with a sharp pin or a new #11 X-ACTO blade and then add more of the solution until the bubble disappears. After a couple of applications of the 50/50 solution, apply the Solvaset full strength several times and allow the model to dry. If there are tears in the stripe anywhere on your model, they can be repaired. If a tear appears on a door or any other flat surface, measure the width of the door where the tear appears and cut a section of stripe the same width as the door or other torn area. Repairing the tear from door edge to door edge prevents having an edge of decal show plus repairing it this way really fools the eye when you look at it from the side.

52 Step 24.

53 Note the R after the unit number. This is a computer check code letter used on all Southern locomotives beginning around (NOTE: If you choose to use another number and need the computer check letter click here to go to the computer check code calculator on the Tennessee Valley Trains website. For ownership please check the list in the Foreword of this clinic. JML) Next, apply the road name to the long hood. Measure the distance shown in the scan and then choose the

54 correct length decal from the MS decal sheet. Notice that all of the letters sit on door faces and that none of the letters fall on door edges. This practice of not overlapping door edges began on the SD-45's and it was done so as to prevent damage to the letters when the doors were being opened and closed. This decal is applied in the same manner as the others in previous steps. Step 25. Using your scale ruler, measure the length and height of the pilot and transfer these measurements onto a 3

55 x 5 index card. Next, measure the height and width of the coupler cut-out and transfer these measurements to the index card. Also measure for the anti-climber and transfer these measurements to the card. Now, draw the lines connecting your measurements and, then, using a sharp #11 Xacto blade remove the unwanted portions of the index card. Lay the index card cut-out onto the pilot and check for a proper fit. If the card fits, lay the pilot card onto the MS decal pilot stripes and carefully cut out the same areas found on the index card. Test fit the decal onto the model's pilot and when satisfied with the fit, place the decal into a bowl of distilled water and watch for the decal to loosen from it's backing. Find a way to stand the model on it's nose and flood the pilot area with the Solvaset/water/alcohol solution. Now transfer the decal onto the pilot being very careful not to tear the decal as you move it. Using a paper towel, remove any excess solution from the model and carefully move the decal into it's correct and final resting place. Allow to dry and then check for bubbles or silvering. Apply several coats of the solution and then a couple of coats of full strength Solvaset.

56 Step 26. The following shows the alterations made to the Athearn 2900 gallon fuel tank. Using the Athearn 2900 gal. tank, fill the existing fuel gauge with plastic road and sand smooth. Next, install the Hi-Tech fuel gauge and the DW drain and vent piping.

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58 Step 27. Using Athearn Blomberg sideframes, install the DW 364 Speed Recorder,.022 solder and.012 brass wire lines.

59 Step 28. Drill.080 holes in the tops of both plows and insert DA 2206 grab irons in place. Apply a drop of CA to each grab iron and set aside to dry. When dry, paint the fuel tank and the plow with your favorite shade and brand of black and let dry.

60 Step 29. Install details as noted in these scans.

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62 Step 30. Weather details as noted and paint the step edges with Reefer Yellow.

63 This is the completed model. Note the placement of the lift rings in these scans.

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65 Trucks, tanks and pilots weathered using Floquil thinned Light Gray, thinned Roof Brown and various Bragdon powders. The entire roof and all walkways were weathered using thinned Floquil Weathered Black. The Athearn handrails were brushed using NAPA 7223 clear primer and then painted with Floquil Reefer Yellow.

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