BQ23-7 Build Thread

[Family Lines System]

You want plain old Blomberg trucks from a GP38 early or GP40.

You do NOT want trucks from a DASH-2 as they usually have the "snubbers" on one axle- which is a little shock absorber.

Ron,

Yeah, I knew I didn't need any of the -2 series due to the snubbers, I just wasn't sure which first generation Blomberg frame I should be looking for, or if all the Atlas truck assemblies were the same with interchangeable frames

Thanks!   

Mike

[u18b]

I know a good deal about Atlas parts---- so I feel kind of dumb asking this question....

But are there different standard Blomberg trucks that Atlas sells.  I thought they were all the same.

[davefoxx]

I'm speaking generally here, because there are always exceptions, and, as always, Ed's Law applies.  That said, the "Blomberg B" is what is on F units and Geeps (up to the GP38 and GP40 models) and had four brake cylinders and eight brake shoes per truck.  The -2 models (GP38-2 and GP40-2) and GP60s had the "Blomberg M," which had two brake cylinders and four brake shoes per truck, as well as the snubber (shock absorber looking device) that was referred to in a previous post.  The Blomberg M on the GP40-2 had rubber pads in lieu of the leaf spring suspension that can be found on the Blomberg B and the Blomberg M trucks of the GP38-2 and GP60 models.

To the best of my knowledge, Atlas makes the Blomberg B and Blomberg M (with rubber pads).

DFF

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Just an important fyi. Not ALL -2s had Blomberg Ms. The Bs were an option, I think, or were at least applied later in shops because the Ms had less stopping power, which is important when switching with straight air.

[Philip H]

So with hand grabs gluing in, and other details going on, I've started to think paint.  I think I'll follow Dave Foxx's idea and do an SBD paint out over the Family lines scheme - mostly because I have enough scrap decals to make it work.  Any idea on paint colors for this?  Obviously it will be grey, but which grey is vexing . . . . perhaps its the lighting but Ifind Family Lines/SBD grey to be . . . yellower . . . then KCS grey.

[3DTrains]

Guilford Grey would be a good starting point - perhaps mix in  bit of white to lighten things up - the paint tended to fade pretty quickly.

Cheers!
Marc - Riverside

[Catt]

Got my two cabs today.For being made in New York they are pretty decent (last order made in New York was less than disappointing).So I will be adding pics to this build thread.My unitys will have anti climbers because my railroad exists in 2013 and railway safety is big on the GVR.

Only problem so far is I have misplaced the C30-7 I bought the second cab for.

[3rdboxcar]

Hi Catt

Glad to hear you are happy with the quality, it seems things are improving.

Look forward to seeing your results especially the C30-7 - that will certainly wind a few people up.

Alexander

[Catt]

Alexander,this was not the pic I planned to start with but it shows how well the BQ cab will work with the KATO locomotive.There is roughly a .020"gap at the front of the cab between the bottom of the cab and the top of the pilot that I need to figure out how to eliminate.

[Catt]

First pic shows the piece I glued to the bottom of the cab front .This piece is roughly .020" thick and I cut it from sheet stock.



Second pic shows the spacers I glued to the walk way to help keep the cab setting straight on the walk way.There are two tabs on each side that need to be trimmed to allow the cab to sit flat on the battery boxes.You can see the two on the engineers side.The SW cabsides are thicker tghannthe KATO or you could just use them for side to side cab alignment.The pieces are cut a little shorter than the inside dimention of the cab and glued in from the edge the width of the cab shell.



Now if I could only remember what I did with the long hood.

[u18b]

So this is going to be a

CQ30-7

I love it.

[Catt]

A little more progress (I found the long hood).Since I like to keep as much of the origonal hood for purposes of making things stronger I cut just enough of the short hood off to allow the cab to fit.I discovered while fitting things together that the KATO hood is a bit wider so some material needs to be removed from the back wall of the cab.With out getting to fancy and getimating material removal I would say roughly .03 to .040" per side.The C30 batttery boxes are taller than the B23 so there will be a small vertical gap at the rear edge of the cab that will need to be filled.I'm liking what I have so far and am thinking about doing another unit to match.

I think two of these and a pair of BQ23-7s will look neat in the gray and burgandy colour scheme of the GVR. Oh yeah, here is a current pic of the CW30-7.

[u18b]

Hey Catt, I guess since this is a fictitious loco, you can call it what you want.

But the Quarters cab is different from other typical W cab GE locos.

The Q cab is pretty unique-- and GE offered it on all their locos at the time-  with only 10 in the B23 series made.

So, if it were mine, I'd stick to CQ30-7  instead of Cw30-7.

Just my 2 cents.

One day I hope to make a BQ18-7.
Yes, one was actually offered- even if no one wanted one.

[jpf94]

Catt,

That is cool.  Can't wait for my cabs and locos to arrive.

Joe

[Philip H]

Very well played sir.  I could see you just painting the cab to match the body and then doing a patch out for the road numbers.