Are there any companies that make an HO-scale GP40-2W (widecab)? If not, is it possible to get the Canadian-style cab separately and use it to replace the regular cab on a GP40-2
No one makes a RTR GP40-2W, but there is at least one company making an aftermarket Canadian Wide Cab. They're listed in the Walthers Caralog in the parts section. I'm sorry I can't be more specific than that at the moment, but right now I'm stuck in Tacoma WA with car problems and am over 150 miles from my Walthers Catalog . If I life to make it home I'll post the item number, etc.
Or you can check the Walthers website and run a search for canadian cab. As another note on the ex-CN GP40-2WLs that Guilford has running around, the back is flat with a single circular headlight. I noticed this one day at Rotterdam Junction when three of them came in on EDRJ, and they swapped some power around to put one on SEED. So needless to say there is some modification required there as well. I am going to be looking into doing some of these in N scale!!!!
The bad news is the only RTR GP40-2Ws have been in bra$$. the good news is that several safety cabs have been available in HO. Your best bet is probably the resin cab from Kaslo Shops: http://vvv.com/~jwhitmore/ Part number is HC-6. I haven't used one of these yet, but I think that's the route I'll take next time. Smokey Valley made a styrene cab kit in the same class as Cannon. This is still available from Detail Associates / Train Station Products. It's beautiful, but the handrails included are for an MLW, and useless for this cab. I don't know how that got past Smokey Valley (the handrail guys!), but it's never been fixed , so you'll have to bend your own. I've done a couple of these, and they're nice. If you get lucky, you also might scare up a Canadian Prototype Replicas cab from the mid-80's. I've used this part too, and it's almost as nice as the SV/DA cab. Last but not least - Cannon makes the correct "clean" long hood end with single headlight for CN SD40-2Ws and GP40-2Ws. Happy kitbashing!
