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Showing just the slightest bit of weathering, this Atlas N scale GP30 has been modeled to represent a relatively new CB&Q No. 974. JIM WIGGIN AND WILLIAM SCHAUMBURG


Painting and detailing an N scale GP30 for the CB&Q


No matter what your scale these steps can help you achieve great looking results/Jim Wiggin S


ince 1977 Galesburg, Illinois, has been the site of one of the biggest train-related events in North


America when the Burlington North- ern, now BNSF, became one of the sponsors of what has become Gales- burg’s annual Railroad Days. The weekend includes a fair and equipment displays downtown, and, since the 1990’s, has also had a model train show at Carl Sandburg College. In addition to the usual activities, the show fea- tures both model exhibits and clinics. As part of this, a friend, Bill Selleck, and I have usually set up a display in the library in recent years. While looking through pictures of Galesburg’s railroad past I came across some artwork depicting the 100th an- niversary of the Q. The picture showed an early 4-4-0 next to a Chicago, Burlington & Quincy O5 4-8-4; the shovel-nosed Zephyr; an E-unit; and a


RAILROAD MODEL CRAFTSMAN


then-new GP30 in the Chinese Red and gray paint scheme. I have always loved EMD’s GP30 and it really looked sharp in Burlington’s red. The one in the artwork, No. 974, begged to be modeled. The CB&Q owned 38 GP30’s, pur-


chasing them in 1962-1963, road Nos. 940-977. These turbocharged,


2,250-


horsepower units were in service through the mid-1980’s, and some were carried over to BN. The last eight, 971- 977, had Phase II carbodies (a modeler’s designation, not EMD’s), identified as such by the additional ten-inch length of the left side of the cab wall. This was added at the rear and thus shortened the handrail on that side; there is no handrail stanchion between the cab and the first bend in the railing.


Details I started this N scale project with a


model that I had on hand for a while, but both Phase I and Phase II GP30 models are presently listed in the Atlas Classic line-up in a few paint schemes. Atlas must have had the Q in mind when the shell was tooled, since everything on the body matched these units and major sur- gery was not necessary. Photos of Burlington and other railroads’ GP30’s are not hard to find in books or on line, so it should not be difficult to get reference material for your favorite road. All I had to do was shave off molded- on details and add BLMA grabs, m.u. hoses, cut levers, JnJ lift rings and cab shades, and a few other parts. Many of these were added to the shell after paint- ing and lettering, though lift rings and some grabs can go on beforehand unless they interfere with color masking. Those that do become obvious as one proceeds. Refer to photos, drill any needed holes, and use the smallest amount of cyano-


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