PHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR UNLESS NOTED Kitbashing a Washington & Idaho GP16 Transforming an HO GP9 into a GP16/Thomas Hillebrant O
ne thing that has changed dras- tically in the last twenty years of railroad modeling is the pro- liferation of highly detailed, ready-to- run locomotive models. Modelers no longer have to settle for a GP40 when they really want a GP40-2. Also, they can often purchase that GP40-2 pre- painted and properly detailed for their prototype railroad.
Although I appreciate owning and operating state-of-the-art engines,
I
also miss the “old days” when modelers had to cut their models apart, reassem- ble them in a different way and add numerous detail parts to create an ac- curate model of a favorite locomotive. A couple years ago, I found a locomotive I wanted to run on my HO layout that I knew would never be mass produced. Kitbashing my own model of it turned into one of the more enjoyable projects I have completed in some time. I model the Washington, Idaho & Mon- tana Railway between Palouse, Wash- ington, and Harvard, Idaho, and, as I de- scribed in my WI&M layout design article (August, 2008 RMC), I intend to
RAILROAD MODEL CRAFTSMAN
model all the various railroads that have operated that line over the years. The current operator of the old WI&M is a new shortline, the Washington & Idaho
RMC/Dremel Kitbashing Award........
A minimum of $100 and a Dremel Rotary Tool Kit with a variable-speed Dremel 3000 rotary tool and acces- sories are awarded to the monthly winners of the RMC/DREMEL KITBASHING AWARD. Entries must consist of at least two photos (high-resolution digital pic- tures should be at least 3,000 pixels wide; color slides or 5″×7″ or 8″×10″ prints are also acceptable) and a short text. Models must use at least 50% commercial compo- nents; unused entries may be held future editorial use.
Railroad (WIR reporting marks). The WIR operates an eclectic trio of locomotives, the most well known of which is a former Canadian National FP9Au, No. 6304, painted in Southern Pacific’s Black Widow scheme that the WIR leases from a private owner. A for- mer C&O engine, GP30m No. 20, came from the Palouse River & Coulee City R.R., the previous owner of the lines the WIR now operates. Rounding out the roster is one of the oddest EMD Geeps I have ever seen, No. 316. After some online research, I learned that 316 started out as a “plain vanil- la” GP7 built in 1950 for the Clinch- field Railroad as their No. 901. At some point, the Clinchfield sent it off to the Illinois Central shops at Paducah, Ken- tucky for an extensive rebuilding. In- ternal improvements to the locomotive included a new air filtration system, new electrical components and a re- built 567B prime mover that boosted it up to 1,600 horsepower. Significant external changes went along with the internal modifications. Instead of chopping the short hood and
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