ConCor GS-4

[carmelmodelrr]

Has anyone had a ConCor GS-4?  If so, what was your experience with it?  (Spookshow doesn't review this loco.)  I have the Kato GS-4 which is a good loco but it is extremeoly fragile and replacing the traction tires is really difficult.

carmelmodlerr
Richard Wroblewski

[Mark5]

It's there, but stealthy: http://www.spookshow.net/loco/concors2.html

[ATSF_Ron]

I owned the Rail Baron versions several years ago, before the Kato releases.  I had a Daylight and a Freedom Train version.  Detailing was decent.  But the pilot truck was wrong.  Running quality was ok.  Not great but not awful.  At the time I didn't have a layout, so I can't comment on stalling through turnouts or radius issues, etc.  My operation of these was limited to tabletop running.  I sold them once the Kato version came out.

[Albert in N]

Fifer Hobby (Las Cruces NM) has one in original box listed for $79.99 plus shipping.  I have ordered from them for several years and have been pleased.  They ship fast with USPS tracking.  Their web site is friendly.  They did have one other Con-Cor GS-4 recently, but apparently sold it.  Their web site shows contact info in case you need to ask Mike or Robin about it.  Scroll down to the 13th item:
 https://www.fiferhobby.com/vintage_items/

[JMaurer1]

I have several but most after installing a decoder have just spent their life in the box. For awhile, Concor had a program where you could trade one of the old Rivorossi 4-6-2s or 2-8-2s (usually suffering from zinc or bad/dead motors) for a new engine for something like $20 (I don't remember the exact price but it wasn't much). I ended up with 5-6 that I traded in. The nice thing about them is they offered the GS-8 (single headlight) and GS-4 deskirted which Kato never did. They also did the WP GS-88 with the smoke lifters. Also I was able to order just the streamline casing from Concor to add it to a SP P-14 and an MT-4. They seem to run fine as I never recall having any problems when they would run.

The worst thing about them was that Concor released them in a TON of roads (even though SP and WP were the only roads to ever have them) and went to the extra expense of making molds for a coal bunker and high headlight that the prototypes NEVER would have had. Seeing such a distinct SP/WP locomotive in ATSF, UP, D&RGW, NP, and (worst of all) Pennsy is NOT for the weak hearted SP fan. Sorry, I need to go take a shower now...I feel dirty.

[ATSF_Ron]

Coming back to this topic, I'm looking at a Concor "deskirted" wartime GS4 offered up for sale.  I've been tempted as the deskirted version looks very cool.  Yes, I'm aware of the prototype discrepancies and radius issues of the more recent releases compared with the Kato version, however Kato does not currently offer a version like this one.  Has anyone removed the skirting from their Kato version?  It seems to me that would be some major surgery! In looking over my Kato wartime version, it appears there is some flex to the skirts.  That makes me wonder if removing them would be less of a chore than what I originally thought.

[mark.hinds]

Coming back to this topic, I'm looking at a Concor "deskirted" wartime GS4 offered up for sale.  I've been tempted as the deskirted version looks very cool.  Yes, I'm aware of the prototype discrepancies and radius issues of the more recent releases compared with the Kato version, however Kato does not currently offer a version like this one.  Has anyone removed the skirting from their Kato version?  It seems to me that would be some major surgery! In looking over my Kato wartime version, it appears there is some flex to the skirts.  That makes me wonder if removing them would be less of a chore than what I originally thought.

There is a detailed article on removing the Kato GS4 skirts and adding details in issue #50 (Nov-Dec 2008) of N-Scale Railroading magazine, page 20-29. 

MH

[robert3985]

As Mark just wrote, If anybody wants to de-skirt a Kato GS-4, the Nov Dec issue #50 2008 of N Scale Railroading has a comprehensive 10 page article by Robert Diepenbrock, with color photos, color diagrams and extensive, complete instructions.

Back issues are still available for $5.95 from the N Scale Railroading Magazine site here: https://nscalerailroadingmagazine.com/wp-content/backissues/backissues.html

This is what I'm using as my primary reference for de-skirting a couple of my son's Kato GS-4's with some preferential differences.

Might be worth the six bucks + postage to get a back issue for reference.

As for the Con-Cor GS-4's.  Their details are coarser than Kato's, but the ones I ran on Nate Goodman's old layout ran well.  The lead truck is simple to fix...just snip off the outer portion on either side of it...snip, snip...fixed.

Nate had a couple of de-skirted Con-Cor GS-4's, and they looked very nice.

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[ATSF_Ron]

Thanks Bob, thanks Mark!  Looks like I’m going to pick up that issue 👍🏻

Bob, do you recall the radius those Concor GS4s you mentioned were able to negotiate? Spookshow Mark mentions the later release has difficulties with smaller radius curves. My mainline has 15” and 16” spots. My Kato GS4 handles those no problem.  The deskirted Concor version I mentioned has no label on the box with a product number.

[JMaurer1]

There is a guy on FB called Track 29 that is offering a 3D printed shell for the Kato GS-4 to convert it into a de-skirted GS-4, a GS-8 or a WP GS-64. I have bought two of these, but they currently reside in my 'to be done' pile although I have test fitted them on a Kato GS-4 and they fit just fine.

[robert3985]

Thanks Bob, thanks Mark!  Looks like I’m going to pick up that issue 👍🏻

Bob, do you recall the radius those Concor GS4s you mentioned were able to negotiate? Spookshow Mark mentions the later release has difficulties with smaller radius curves. My mainline has 15” and 16” spots. My Kato GS4 handles those no problem.  The deskirted Concor version I mentioned has no label on the box with a product number.

I just ran them on Nate's layout, which had a minimum of a 20" radius, so unfortunately I can't say for sure what the minimum radius for them would be.

However, after a quick Google search of "what is the minimum radius an N-scale con-cor gs-4 will run on?" the smallest radius that was mentioned was 9 3/4" with other mentions of 11".  General consensus is that it will operate just fine on a 15" radius, so....you should be okay.

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[peteski]

The rather tight radius the Con_cor GS-4 can negotiate does not surprise me. Back when it was produced models (even large steam) were expected to negotiate tight N scale radii. That was usually done by omitting some details or allowing the mechanism to extend and swing in unprototypical way.  This is still true  to some degree even in more recently made long-wheelbase models, but not to the extent it was done 30-40 years ago.  Back in those days only brass models (due to their more true-to-prototype design and level of detail) required much broader curves if one wanted to run them.