Got another one for my Forum friends. I have quite a collection of Mantua/Tyco GP20s that I have repowered and decorated for my protolanced layout in the green and silver as seen in my avatar. They have both dynamic brake hatches and the metal handrail upgrades. After finding a generic set of bicentennial decals on an online listing, I am thinking about doing another one in a bicentennial paint scheme. (I already have a caboose in a bicentennial scheme.) Trying to find both the handrails and the hatch together is nearly impossible. I would go for the handrails before the hatch. Given how hard the hatches are to find, does anyone have a good idea as to a part that could be substituted? Thank you as usual for any assistance that can be provided.
I'm uncertain about your reference to dynamic brake hatches: are you referring to the fans atop the hood and the material on which they're mounted?
If I'm not mistaken, Cannon offers those detail parts.
Handrails can be fabricated from piano wire, and you can use either Athearn's metal stanchions or the Delrin-type plastic ones which come with a lot of current-day HO scale diesels.
Wayne
For those that don't know about the Mantua/Tyco GP20s, the dynamic brake hatch that I am referring to is a separate part that was released by Mantua in the late 1970s as a separate kit. Those parts are hard to find at this point as mentioned in my original post.
Something like that is probably in th realm of the 3D printer. shapeways, thin givers and others might be worth a try. Maybe one of the designers there will do it for you
shane
A pessimist sees a dark tunnel
An optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel
A realist sees a frieght train
An engineer sees three idiots standing on the tracks stairing blankly in space
I can't help you in finding the Mantua/Tyco parts but, the grids from an old Athearn GP-7/9, (not Genesis), shell were detachable and the same as used on the GP-20. I would build up the fan base out of styrene and use a Cannon fan. The dynamic brake portion with the 48 inch fan remained the same throughout the GP-9/18/20 production. Fans got swapped around, ranging from cap top, as on delivered GP-9, and some '18s, to the type found on 35 line and subsequent units, to the flared type unique to the 20. I have seen the tall straight type as found on SD/GP-40s, on Southern Pacific GP-9s, and flared 48 inch GP-20 fans used as radiator fans on a Cotton Belt SD-45. A 48 inch fan is a 48 inch fan to a railroad. Some times they even spin in opposite directions on the same locomotive. Choose what you like and be creative. That's the joy of plausible freelancing.
Scroll down to the bottom, you can see the part he's looking for. It was offered as a seperate part #6500.
https://tycotrain.tripod.com/locomotives/id3.html
I like the idea of using an Athearn part, and making it fit.
There are handrail sets on Ebay, search Tyco GP20.
Mike.
My You Tube
NHTX I can't help you in finding the Mantua/Tyco parts but, the grids from an old Athearn GP-7/9, (not Genesis), shell were detachable and the same as used on the GP-20. I would build up the fan base out of styrene and use a Cannon fan. The dynamic brake portion with the 48 inch fan remained the same throughout the GP-9/18/20 production. Fans got swapped around, ranging from cap top, as on delivered GP-9, and some '18s, to the type found on 35 line and subsequent units, to the flared type unique to the 20. I have seen the tall straight type as found on SD/GP-40s, on Southern Pacific GP-9s, and flared 48 inch GP-20 fans used as radiator fans on a Cotton Belt SD-45. A 48 inch fan is a 48 inch fan to a railroad. Some times they even spin in opposite directions on the same locomotive. Choose what you like and be creative. That's the joy of plausible freelancing.
I had the thought of breaking down and scratchbuilding one if the need arose. I had also wondered if those Athearn parts would be right. I had removed the dynamic brakes on a couple of the Athearn units to make some torpedo tube passenger units for said protolanced road inspired by the units that the Northern Pacific had in some areas. (IMS, one of those units still exists somewhere in Minnesota at a museum awaiting paint.)
mbinsewi There are handrail sets on Ebay, search Tyco GP20.
Yes, but they are quite expensive and rare in the packages. (e.g. there are three listings that would give all the major components that would add up to around $25 w/o shipping) Hence why I'm trying to find them installed on a shell which would be needed anyway.
NHTX I can't help you in finding the Mantua/Tyco parts but, the grids from an old Athearn GP-7/9, (not Genesis), shell were detachable and the same as used on the GP-20.
I can't help you in finding the Mantua/Tyco parts but, the grids from an old Athearn GP-7/9, (not Genesis), shell were detachable and the same as used on the GP-20.
Updates for anyone interested:
Thank you for all the help and assistance that was provided.