GE U30 CG Rebuild

[Philip H]

So I have this old Trix u 30 CG I picked up several years ago for $5 on fleabay.  I got the mechanism disassembled, cleaned, and reassembled.  Runs really well.  dropped a couple of MT T-shank couplers into it for fun, and then decided I wanted to redo it.  Why? Because I like U Boats, and the U30 CG should have had way more love then it did.

So what's on my hit list?

• Grab irons and handrails - the shell lost its handrails aeons ago and the molded grabs suck.
• Pilot and couplers - thinking about using an MTL 1160 to fill in the pilots and add body mounted couplers.  Anyone got better ideas - I chose this one because its for an Atlas U boat.
• decoder - the frame is a huge hunk of metal with a channel cut into it for the drive shaft - anyone mill this one for a decoder? What did you use?  and how - just cause I like the idea - would you install dual flashing warning lights up top?
• Ditch lights - probably a good idea, but how to do working ones (i,e what size LED)?
• Paint - since it started as a foobie BN scheme, I'm thinking about other foobies schemes.  KCS didn't get GEs until the 1990's, but IC/ICG had them.  I do have a Kato Yellow Bonnet F unit that I would love to pair this with. 

 

I'mnot amining to pump this out fast, but its got good guts, so I figure why not.

[davefoxx]

Sweet project, Philip!  I look forward to following along.  Number one on my list would be to fill those gaping pilots and bodymount the couplers, as you indicated you will.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't U30CGs solely a locomotive of the ATSF?  While ICG would be cool, I don't think they had any.

My vote would be for this blue and yellow warbonnet scheme.  Note that this locomotive is in freight service, although these were initially purchased by the Santa Fe for passenger service:



Hope this helps,
DFF

[C855B]

+1 for Freight Bonnet. The six - count 'em - six U30CGs spent most of their operating life in this scheme, anyway.

Stunning picture, Dave (he says, wistfully).

Yes, Santa Fe only. All were scrapped in 1980.

[coosvalley]

All were scrapped in 1980.

Which probably means they never had ditch lights......

[Philip H]

ok, so ditch lights are out . . . 

And by Yellow Bonnet I was thinking this:

http://www.railpictures.net/images/d1/8/9/9/1899.1200139200.jpg

And yes, I know full well the ICG never had any of these . . . but I think they would have looked awesome in orange and white.

I've also found a DCC install page on the web that references a fuel tank location.  it lacks pictures but seems to be the ticket. 

[coosvalley]

ok, so ditch lights are out . . . 

Add them if you want, it's your model!!!!!...Freelancing is cool like that!

[Ike the BN Freak]

You can follow John Sing's build, and use Kato U30C/C30-7 mechanisms.

[Philip H]

I've got johns build bookmarked. The Trix mechanism is actually fairly good, except for the pizza cutters and idlers. Since we are paying off our kitchen remodel, I'm tying to complete what i have with what I have.

[Philip H]

Ever wonder what a foobie U30 CG looks like naked?

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Turns out mine was built from chocolate plastic. I stripped it in 91% isopropyl alcohol and it did a fairly good job - though I may go at the grills again to see if I can get them fully clean. Time to start sorting the details.

[nkalanaga]

It isn't hard to turn the flanges on a Trix diesel.  I did it on a bunch of F units, and one FM, and they all ran fine on code 40 handlaid track, in spite of my handlaying not being that good. 

If I remember right (it was 30+ years ago!)  I pushed the insulated driver in, against the gear, then chucked the exposed axle in my Dremel.  Careful work with a needle file, and a lot checking with the NMRA gauge, resulted in nice smooth flanges.  The insulated wheel is easy, as it's against the chuck, and doesn't wobble.  The axle has to be perfectly straight and square or the uninsulated wheel will wobble.  It's critical to keep checking and adjusting until you can't see ANY wobble before filing, or the flange will either be off center (the gauge will vary) or out of round (the depth will vary).  When done, regauge the insulated wheel and you're done.

If you have extra wheelsets, and I think the F unit wheels are identical, you could try to replace the plastic idler wheels with a metal set.   I never did, because the U28C was too big for my curves, so I stuck with the Fs.

A lot of the early Trix diesels were in that brown plastic.  Ugly stuff, but it seems to age well.  My Fs are still in good condition.

[Philip H]

SO i pulled out the digital calipers today and measured the molded grab irons on the back of the shell.  If i got it right (!) they are 0.1475 inches across which (again if I did the math right) is 23.6 inches.  :face palm: so, either i have to roll my own, or one of you U30CG gurus can tell me the prototype was not as wide (i'd really like it if one of the BLMA sizes fit).  I only need to do 8 of them in back.

I've also been looking at the pilots.  the rear is intact enough I can put in a styrene insert and build a coupler box for the MTL couplers I have.  Up front, however, its damaged, so the the engineers side steps are missing as is the front.  SO a little more work then I thought.  But still worth it.

[jpwisc]

I'm guessing the model wasn't to scale on the grabs. They sure look like 15" grabs to me, which was the standard size In 1967.

[mcjaco]

^ That picture is awesome.  I love how you can see the original red and silver of the warbonnet poking through.