Didn't Mark Gasson or somebody already do those in resin? I know I saw somebody do them in resin, real nice job.
Here is the one I am planning on doing. There was also a twin to this unit that I want to paint up as well.
Nice unit! Makes me glad that I did the separate cut levers in brass as well as made the early decision to do the steps in .005 brass. Hope you have a clue on the decals though!
Not silly. You're starting with your own GP7 frame so that's kind of up to you, but I designed it to fit the current Atlas GP7 production frame that uses the full-length DCC board across the top.
OK, a couple of updates here. I've just started shipping kits off of the interest list - if you emailed me 'way back when' I'm trying to get back to people now for orders. I'll go through that list first. I have a pile of parts I'd already made that I'll be working from until I start full-blown casting again. Web page is fully updated now. Second thing is that I decided to re-do the round cab master, just wasn't happy with it. Roof profile was too high. Redid it and I'm much happier with it. This shot shows the new roof version and also a pilot model with the brass steps on it and all the brass details on the pilot. That's the pilot model I did for the 'original' open frame, round cab, 2-stack version.
Now with the round cab version, someone could make a one of a kind unit and build the only CF7 that had dynamic brakes. I dont the cab #### but I do know that it existed.
If I can even get five confirmations for that 'original' cab; the one with the F7 side cab windows, I'd go ahead and make the master and mold. Right now I only have one. There were about half a dozen of them that way before they went to the conventional side windows. As 2649 had a GP9 long hood with dynamics and the rear number board, its pretty easy to do the hood, just use the GP9 hood with dynamic brakes from Atlas, its a separately available part. The problem is the side windows, but I'd do that. http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3140839 And just to give you an evolution headache, same unit - it was rebuilt before it ever left ATSF, http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1936002 this is over on the RBMN probably before scrapping and it's interesting that it was never patched, repainted, or apparently resold as most of the other units were that RBMN bought out of the big collection they purchased. Another classic case of the paint, frame, and cab changing, but it's still the same unit. Sorta. http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=627259 and my co-worker is one of the guys that helped take it apart and repair the Anthracite Historical Society F3 with the parts donated from 2649. So if you want to model it THAT way, you're all set with the parts I've already made, just use a GP9 dynamic hood instead of the Atlas non-dynamic Phase 1. And if you want to keep it going, it is the only CF7 to be rebuilt back into an F-unit...sorta....this from Mike Delvechio in 2010: "In addition, the trucks under the 663 were completely remanufactured in 1970 by the Santa Fe, so the springs and other equalizing components were new then. The trucks under the 663 came from Santa Fe CF7 2649, which was originally bluebonnet freight F7 262C. The significance of this CF7 is that it was the first one built, in February 1970. ARHS bought it from the Blue Mountain & Reading to use the prime mover, main generator and electrical gear while restoring BAR 46, CNJ 56, now DL&W 664. ARHS tried to give away the hulk from 2649 after discovering it was the first-ever, but there were no takers. The hulk went to scrap with the 46's trucks under it. BAR 44's trucks are under the 664."
Just sent my CF7 confirmation email back to you Randy. Thanks! Looking forward to putting this kit together. It has been a long wait, I am sure it is worth it!
I got my CF7 kit from Randy and these are great! Very nicely done! Cant wait to get started on my 'rebuild'.
So you start with a beat up, worn out, Warbonnet Kato F3 or F7 and start cutting? (ducks and heads for cover)
Russ, I know you're joking, but you ought to see the carnage on the workbench from mechanisms I'm testing. Fitting the body onto a current GP7 chassis works well as it was intended, but determining WHAT ELSE it will work on becomes a bit 'Frankentrain'. Workbench usually looks like the end scenes from "Coma". I mercilessly hacked up a GP15 just to prove it could be done, now I have a 1995 Atlas GP7 chassis chopped up to document that particular process. I should look at some of the other chassis as well. Other than maybe a Rapido GP7 I'm about willing to try anything. I did my first two scratchbuilt CF7's back in 1978 or so on Atlas Roco GP9 chassis, filing off the dynamic brakes. Those shells are still running on Atlas 1995 Classic mechanisms. I started chopping up N scale stuff about 1974-5, when my first true victim was trying to put a Trix F-unit motor in an Atlas RSC2 and paint it ATSF zebra stripe. I still have the body parts somewhere. Did not go well, but that never slowed me down.
Yeah, you have to start somewhere. Steam locomotives were my first victims but I have my share of diesel chop jobs too. Back in the late 90's on the AOL N Scale bulletin board, a fellow Santa Fe nut from Kenmore, New York and I collaborated on a CF-7. I built up a cab out of sheet brass soldered together with the windows filed out to shape. I sent it to him and he put it on an Atlas GP-7, added number boards, hand rails and painted it up. I never saw the finished product but the photos he sent me looked good. I seem to have lost them as I have been looking on my old computers and they are not showing up.
Pricing for the conversion kit is $49 just as originally targeted, see the randgust web page for options. I'm not open selling yet because I'm working through all the email reservation requests. Actively shipping now, everything copyrighted. I'm very much aware that it's probably possible to do this RP. But that's also why I went ahead with it anway after I found out just how hard it is to do fragile handrails, grabs, cut levers in the stuff when you're dealing with a minimum .020 diameter, at least for now - they are still pretty darn chunky looking. The brass etching set will work with mine, JnJ's, or yet unknown RP efforts to come. It was really tempting to want to cheat and cast the steps instead of doing them right in .005 brass. Those thick-looking cast steps on the Whitcomb were replaced by brass, the 70-tonner was designed with brass, I wasn't taking a step backwards at this point. But you have to design the entire project to fit those steps as a subassembly.
I just got my kit and just SPLENDID and can't wait to get started on my rebuild. Really Fast Shipping also I must add. Thanks again Randgust SPOT on! And the instructions are clear and concise.
Just about the time I think I've seen it all...... unit by unit research keeps turning up incredible oddballs; one of a kinds, and proof of lack of logic. People ask me two basic questions: How long did they do open frames, and how long the the original oddball F-unit window cabs last? Well, I found a THIRD FRAME, too. 1) "Half-open" or "Half-closed" frames did exist, but months apart on builds, like they just couldn't make up their minds. I've seen pictures now of two: 2616 in June of '72, and 2590 in December of '72, both built that way. If it was such a great idea, why didn't they do it to the ones in the middle? They did not. http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=50877 And apparently after this, they immediately went to the all-closed frame! I found a complete patch job of 2616 in 1974 with a fully closed frame, bright yellow on the new parts in the front only. Can't find any units after 2590 built with an open frame, but it's only Tuesday. http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1020876 So by about '73, the fully-closed frame was apparently the standard build. 2591-90 were probably the last two built with open frames, sorta. Maybe. 2) More on the frames: Since the 'fixed' cab was developed on the 11th unit (no more roll-down salvaged F-unit windows) and the yellowbonnet already arrived in mid '72, wouldn't you think that if you were re-shopping older units to fix the frames you'd also fix the cabs and windows too? And update the paint to standard? Wrong again. Lots of shots of the original 11 show up with a closed frame fix and no other improvements. http://www.qstation.org/CF7/ABPR/jpeg/atxsf2643.jpg That's supposedly taken about 1977, too, which is way late. Oh, and 4-stackers, with Chicken Basket spark arrestors, and open frames? Yep, Mid-late 72 only, 2613-2591, as near as I can tell, all built that way even though they gave up on the 'baskets' not long after. Those four tall stacks make an impressive sight - a mini-Titanic! I've been studying these birds for years, and these supposedly 'never happened' I just proved myself wrong on. This is high-octane stuff for nitpickers. You can get into WHICH MONTH you are modeling a unit, there are so many changes. Now that I've proven that the original F-unit window oddballs lasted who knows how long.... I suppose I will go ahead with that cab master option. I'm still looking for the unit that I can prove had both frames and at least three different cabs....
This is what makes modeling these such a challenge: THIS IS THE SAME UNIT: (remember, it started as an F-unit, then... As built: November 1972 http://www.qstation.org/CF7/ABPR/jpeg/atsfx2601.jpg Four stacks just like the Titanic. At some intermediate point, the frame boxed in, can't find a shot of that... Rebuilt with new cab...lowered battery box on engineers side http://www.flickr.com/photos/emd111/3709897455/ It never made it to the shortline happy hunting ground... http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=368325 Just so you know there's a prototype for dropping yours onto a concrete floor, the damage can be replicated with all that brass!
