High hood conversions

[Specter325]

Hello all

I did a couple conversions back in the late 80s for HO scale. One of my favorites that I did was the GP 30. Grew up got married got my own house and now have a lot less room for hobbies and have switched to N scale. Is there anyone out there making those high hood conversion kits in N scale like they had in HO scale? I love the fact that Atlas has stepped up to the plate and is making us some units but I would still love to have some GP30s in the tux scheme for my 70s vintage Southern collection.

Thanks

Ryan

[Robbman]

Check the second link in my signature...

[chessie]

Ryan,
Welcome to TrainBoard! I am also an NS fan and N Scale modeler.

Harold

[Mark 4 Design]

Hello all

I did a couple conversions back in the late 80s for HO scale. One of my favorites that I did was the GP 30. Grew up got married got my own house and now have a lot less room for hobbies and have switched to N scale. Is there anyone out there making those high hood conversion kits in N scale like they had in HO scale? I love the fact that Atlas has stepped up to the plate and is making us some units but I would still love to have some GP30s in the tux scheme for my 70s vintage Southern collection.

Thanks

Ryan

Ryan,

We have a number of high hoods available for N scale EMD units but the GP30 is a little special as the roofline above the cab is different on the GP30 high hoods; the raised section starts 12" back from the front of the cab roof unlike the low hood versions. We will be offering a GP30 conversion including a new roof section for the cab within the next couple of months.

Mark Gasson
Mark 4 Design Ltd

Edit:
Given the Walthers announcement of high hood GP30s it is safe to assume that we probably won't now offer the GP30 high hood conversion. It's a fast-changing world!

[Specter325]

I see their announcement of an HO scale model. I did not see anything in Nscale. When I did my HO conversion I used a hood kit meant for a later geep and I had to undercut the raised roof to slide it in and keep it looking right. I could probably do it again if I had to. I looked at the Mark4 site and saw EMD hoods that are based on Kato shells? Would this fit an Atlas shell?

Thanks

Ryan

[Mark 4 Design]

I looked at the Mark4 site and saw EMD hoods that are based on Kato shells? Would this fit an Atlas shell?

Thanks

Ryan

Yes. You are still left with the issue of the raised section on the roof. It was a different design on the high hood units - cut back by 12 inches.

[southernman]

Is it still safe to assume that the GP30 high hood conversions are not going to be done?It's been almost a year and Walthers /LL has not announced an N scale version of this loco.Given their track record on N scale I'm still not holding my breath.

We have a number of high hoods available for N scale EMD units but the GP30 is a little special as the roofline above the cab is different on the GP30 high hoods; the raised section starts 12" back from the front of the cab roof unlike the low hood versions. We will be offering a GP30 conversion including a new roof section for the cab within the next couple of months.

Mark Gasson
Mark 4 Design Ltd

Edit:
Given the Walthers announcement of high hood GP30s it is safe to assume that we probably won't now offer the GP30 high hood conversion. It's a fast-changing world![/quote]

[Dave Jones]

Back in the early 70's I did a number of GP-30/35 high hood conversions in HO scale. Went way, way out of my way to acquire some Athearn GP-30's (abominable shell, but the only game in plastic at the time). Cut the light/number board assembley back the required distance, then the required high hood was acquired by filing, sanding, and putty-filling the long hood end of a GP-35.

Can't find the GP-30's, probably deep in one of my many boxes, but a GP-35 was right out in the open on one of my shelves, admittedly, the hoods too wide, but it still looks good.

Perhaps that approach would also work in N scale, but who makes the GP-35?

[chessie]

Dave,
Atlas makes both GP30's and GP35's in N scale. I have not tried it, though.
I did make a couple in HO scale many years ago. I used the GP30 shells from Athearn or I thought, Lionel(?).

Harold

[Stourbridge Lion]

:thumbs_up: :thumbs_up: :thumbs_up: :thumbs_up:

[Dave Jones]

Harold - When I did my high-hoods, the Athearn GP-35's were readily available. Unfortunately, the 35's replaced the '30's in Athearns inventory. So after getting my 3 GP-35's (replete w/Alco trucks), I finally found a hobby shop with 3 Athearn GP-30 dummies in stock. This was about 10 years after Athearn quit making 'em.

This was a couple of years before Lionel, and later Bachmann offered the GP-30. By that time I had all the 30's I wanted even though Athearn's rendition was really pretty pathetic.