Building a GP9 in Proto:48

[peteski]

Holly crap Ed, that thing looks like a real well-used 1:1 locomotive!  NICE!!  The natural outdoors lighting also enhances the realism.

If you were to strategically stage the photo next to a real RR yard, you probably couldn't tell it was a model.  The only possible item I could think of  giving it away that this was a model would be the absence of reflectors in the headlights. But if you turned the lights on, that would instantly take care of it.

[ednadolski]

Thanks packers!   I had puzzled over that blue for quite a while, and in pics take with my older camera it was definitely looking too light.  Finally I decided just to go with what looked right to my eye under the indoor lighting.  My new phone camera seems to be rendering the colors more accurately, fortunately.  (Maybe the Apple camera folks are MRL railfans, LOL).

Peteski, I've always been big on pics taken in the natural light -- there is simply no way that indoor lighting can come close to it, and heck nearly all proto pics are outdoors anyways. On the lights it is easy to see the little LEDs on the insides.  Initially I was thinking of using some MV lenses but it was hard to find the right size (they are just under 0.125" diameter). So I used the clear plastic lenses that came with the shell. Since they were too long (having been designed for a single incandescent bulb, and not at all for ditch lights) I had to trim them by gently sawing them individually to the right length with a very fine jewelers saw.  I also put a tiny length of shrink tube around them to help block light leaks.  BTW the LEDs draw 5 mA, and the Loksound decoder already had resistors built into the board, so I did not need to add any more.

Ed

[peteski]

Yes, 5mA in most cases results in a very bright glow from white LEDs.

As far as the realism goes I was thinking that with the headlights off the mirrored reflector is very apparent on a 1:1 loco. But if the model doesn't have a reflector behind the lens then if you were to turn on the headlights/ditch lights while taking the outdoor photos, the glow from the LEDs should hopefully hide the absence of the mirrored reflectors.

[Mastertech]

Ed. Do have a O scale club around to open this loco up a little? i used to be part of a O scale club in new jersey and the place was awesome, i have a collection of BO brass steam and ran on friday nights, i miss those times. matter of fact i still have 2 red caboose Pennsy GP9 up in the closet. maybe you can make your way out to the fresno club. but i see your building something,
King scale is awesome !!
JOHN

[ednadolski]

As I recall there is (or was - not sure if it is still there) an O scale club at the Denver Union Station.   But this loco being Proto:48 won't run on conventional O scale track because of the differences in the track gauge and wheel profile.  The conventional O scale gauge is 60 scale inches, but Proto:48 uses the prototypically-accurate 56.5 scale inches. Another thing, the Protocraft couplers that I used won't couple to the conventional Kadee O scale couplers.   So Proto:48 is all about trading off conventional compatibility for the sake of prototype accuracy.  I would need to find another Proto:48 layout, but I don't know of any in the Denver area.

For a picture comparing conventional O vs. P:48, see this page: http://www.protocraft.com/

For a brief history of P:48, see this link: http://www.proto48.org/p48_information.htm


Ed

[central.vermont]

That unit is absolutely stunning Ed!!!!!!!!!! While toggling between the proto and model  it was damn hard to tell hem apart. Even the staining on the fuel tank was very similar dude!!! The only thing I could see different was the lack of an MU cable on your model. Simple detail part that can still be added.

Just amazing.


Jon

[ednadolski]

John I had been thinking of how to to that -- I would have to scratchbuild one since no part exists in O scale.  It might be possible to do a Shapeways/FXD part, if one could ever find the appropriate drawings or dimensions.  It would also need the "open cover" (and maybe the retaining chain) to look right. 

Ed

[ednadolski]

Here is a very nice video showing a truly outstanding work in Proto:48:

Ed

[svedblen]

Amazing! All that handlaid and weathered track  , for starters

[GaryHinshaw]

Impeccable modeling, especially the track work.  It looks like it runs very well too.  I wasn't too crazy about the multi-level scenes, but that kind of design is probably imposed on you if you want to have any decent length of run in O scale.  Still, it's world class.

[ednadolski]

Got the chance this past weekend to get outside and snap a few field pics of this unit.  (Hopefully these look a little better than the ones taken on my backyard deck.)   I've also done a bit of touch-up work on the model as well as the dio.


































Cheers,
Ed

[svedblen]

As said before  - incredible!  And with this background I bet anyone not actually knowing it is a model would be able to tell.

[peteski]

Ed, why you show us photos of the real locomotive?  You think we'll fall for it being a model?! Your weathering job is is amazing and awe-inspiring!  The natural setting and lighting also helps to make  the model look real.

One small thing which isn't right is the number boards.  They look like stickers.  I think in this scale, for them to look real they would have to be modeled like the 1:1 item:  Best would be a hole in the body with a clear styrene to simulate glass, and the number panel placed behind it.  But the body would have to be thinned form behind so the glass would not be inset too deep.  The other easier alternative would be to use number decal directly on the black-painted number board area on the body, then several layers of gloss clear to simulate the glass. It could then be weathered a bit to knock down some of the shine.  Well, if it was done that way before the weathering then the overall weathering process would have also weathered the shiny glass.

[Missaberoad]

Truly awe inspiring, there are a couple pictures there with very few tells that it is a model...

You should post a pic to locophotos and see how long till its taken down! 

[ednadolski]

One small think which isn't right is the number boards.  They look like stickers.

Ah yes, sometimes things come out looking pretty much like what they actually are.   The original kit did come with some clear plastic ones that were very thick and connected to an interior light pipe for a single incandescent bulb.  But with the chop-nose mods to the cab, they simply would not fit, so I just ended up scratching from sheet styrene and hoping for the best.  To illuminate them with LEDs would have also required a whole custom/opaque interior light box for each one.   Nowadays a Shapeways approach could perhaps be feasible, but as with every model one must eventually reach a stopping point.

Ed