Does anyone make a GP-38 Undecorated?

[rockn77]

I guess the title says it all!  Just looking for an o-guage engine in either a GP 38, GP 50 or a SW 1500 that I can decorate to look like a couple of shortlines in Texas.

Thanks, Rob 

 

[alexweiihman]

Hey Rob,

 I don't know of many manufactures that make undecerated GP-38s at this time, but I have a few ideas.  First, Atlas O may of made the GP a few years ago.  Atlas usally makes undecorated versions for purchase.  Secondly, pre lionel K-line made Gp-38s in many roadnames, but no undecorated.  Since K-lines bankruptcy, K-line products have become very cheap.  You could buy a decorated GP-38 with TMCC and railsounds for about $250. You could them strip the paint, and expose the plastic body and start work from there.  I hope this infomation helps you.

[rockn77]

Thanks Alex.  K-line may be the way to go. I've been looking at Atlas products but they don't a great search function like MTH or Lionel, so I haven't been able to pull anything up.

[alexweiihman]

I checked with their past news, and they was nothing about a GP-38, just a GP-35 and GP-60.  The k-line Gp-38 looks pretty nice, it is also a great runner.  Just Trains of Newark Deleware has The 2005 edition of the GP-38 by K-line with LRS, TMCC, and Cruise control for $245. http://www.justrains.com/K-Line%20Blow-outs.htm

 

Alex

[dwiemer]

I have a Weaver GP38-2 that is pretty nice.  I think Weaver may have made them in Un decorated.  Not sure if they are still producing them, but may be another option to investigate.  If not, the K-Line deal would be the way to go.

dennis

Edit:  I went to the Weaver site and did find a undecorated GP38-2.  They are reasonably priced and you can get them with Railsounds and TMCC.

http://www.weavermodels.com/page44.html

Hope it helps,

Dennis

[daan]

I noticed that they also sell a huge amount of bodyshells only on ebay. Ideal if you don't want to lay hands on your locomotive, but change the shells and keep the original one in the box..

 

[rockn77]

 

Dennis, it looks like Weaver is the way  to go!  Thanks for the info! 

 

Thanks Daan, good idea.  I wonder if Atlas will ever make one?  Both the shortlines that I want to copy seem to use only gp-38's.  They must be real popular!

[brianel027]

Rob, looks by the responses and your comments that you're looking for a scale model and not the sheet metal framed "traditional" Lionel GP-38.

I don't have any expeience with the shell decoration of the scale models, but on the modern era Chinese made Lionel units and on K-Line stuff I took someone's suggestion here and have found 91% Isopropyl Alcohol works great at stripping off the manufacturer's paint jobs. It's doesn't work as well though on something that has already been repainted. And it doesn't seem to work as quickly on American made modern Lionel. So there I use brake fluid. And I've read many comments from others that MTH products are difficult to strip. I don't know about Atlas or Weaver.

Good luck on your projects.

[Andrew Falconer]

Atlas O only makes the GP60, but for some reason not the similar GP50. You could make a substitution.

Consider a Texas-Mexican GP60 Diesel-Electric Locomotive.

Andrew

[rockn77]

Andrew,

What year did Atlas come out with the Texas-Mexican GP60? 

 

[Andrew Falconer]

I might not have been clear. Atlas O makes Undecorated GP60s and they still have yet to make the Texas-Mexican GP60. It should be coming because the Texas-Mexican 89'-4" Flat Car was produced. The question is how long before they have Sanda Kan produce the GP60s painted for Texas-Mexican Railway. If you can find decals you can paint an undecorated version first, but as soon as you do that they will announce the factory painted version. Ask Jim Weaver by e-mailing [e-mail]

Andrew