Well, not long ago, I decided to model some locomotives using some rather obscure models as starting points.
In this case, I've started a project using an SD40-2 built by GSB Rail. What we have is a decent shell, about on par with an Athearn Bluebox in quality. And therein lies a tale.
As some of you old-timers in the hobby know, there is a phenomenon in model railroading that uses a phrase borrowed from the computing world - it's called "vaporware". More common in brass releases than in plastic, it basically consists of a splashy new-product announcement, up-beat updates... then nothing. It may also just consist of a "Coming Soon!" type ad. But nothing ever comes along.
The GSB Rail SD40-2 was just such a product. First announced in early 1980, it did not get released until March of 1983. And during the lead period, GSB published update ads in the magazines, whetting public interest in the locomotive...
...only to have Athearn completely trump them by releasing the same locomotive in February 1983, almost totally unnannounced!
The genesis of this locomotive came from the July 1976 Model Railroader magazine, which published drawings of the prototype as well as directions on how to kitbash one from an Athearn SDP40 or SD45 and a GP35 shell. The resulting model was still pretty crude, but identifiable as the locomotive it proported to be.
However, in the feelings of many, the hobby would be better served by an accurate model. GSB existed as a smalltime brass importer and decided to take on the challenge of an accurate plastic RTR or semi-kit model. Gordon Cannon scratchbuilt the master shell from brass, as the injection process used by GSB required an oversize positive master (as an aside, Cannon publicly distanced himself from the result, stating he "wanted nothing to do with it", and from there created his line of accurate diesel components). Cliff Grandt did the tooling for the fans, which were and still are a disappintment due to their incorrect peaked surfaces and shallow details. One highlight of the shell was the replaceable rad grilles, as interchangeable wire-rake and corrugated grilles were included with undec models. Lastly, the model was packaged with wire grab irons and lift rings.
It's been argued that Athearn was planning the same model before GSB made their announcement, but in releasing the same model at the same time as the GSB, captured most of the market. The Athearn SD and the GSB SD model different phases of the same loco, but the Athearn had the edge when it came to running qualities. The Athearn uses the familiar "bluebox" drive and was one of the first Athearn releases to use the narrow gold-can motor with dual brass flywheels. The GSB uses a plastic (?) frame with heavy lead weights, a rebadged Mashima motor and their own trucks, which have a disturbing tendency to fall apart (in the first product runs) and, oddly, have a different wheelbase than the correct sideframes! The end wheelsets stick out too far and don't line up with the journal bozes.
Predictably, the GSB SD40-2 is mostly forgotten, and the Athearn SD40-2 has had a long production run with at one major and two minor makeovers.
My SD40-2 was bought for $10.00 and is in the process of Cannonization. I'll post pics when it's done.
GSB had quite an interesting (and short) history. I saw their ads for their "bulldog" chassis in old MR magazines, and it was supposed to be really high quality and amazing (according to them). I also have one of the SD40-2s, and it has a good shell with a lot of separate details, but the handrails are about a scale foot too thick and don't look all that good. After a lot of tweaking, the drive for it runs pretty smoothly, but it's also kind of noisy, making grinding sounds for every turn of the gears. My uncle paid about $40 for it 30 years ago and finally gave it to me to finish, so instead of getting rid of the old drive and putting a better one from Athearn in, I made it look and work as well as I could get it.
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I do indeed remember how "eagerly awaited" the GSB SD40-2 was. It was reviewed in the May 1983 MR so I dug out that issue. It had detailing options that were unusual for the time, but we now expect them. The reviewer said it went together "pretty well" but some parts (traction motor brackets) were incorrect in size, and one side frame was longer than the other. The major visual criticism was that the handrails were very large and toylike looking, and that while it had a good motor, there was no flywheel and it did not pick up power from every wheel. The undecorated kit was $39.98.
I only knew one guy who had one and he felt the drive train seemed flimsy.
The Athearn model was reviewed a month earlier. The review focused on the fact that this was the first Athearn EMD road switcher with a scale width hood and the truck sideframes were more detailed than what was then the norm. It had plastic in the cab windows unlike the GSB. And it came painted at $32.50 (dummies were $12!).
Dave Nelson
Okay, dredging this thread back up. My camera's on the fritz so bear with me whilst I describe the upgrades I've done.
The model will be finished as CP Rail System #5423, an ex Missouri Pacific unit that really got around.
She was born in 1975 as MP 3166, a rather spartan Phase 1a SD40-2 without dynamic brakes. Renumbered after the UP-MP merger as UP 4166, she was returned to the lessee in 1990 after the 15 year lease ran out.
She was then purchased by GATX along with several of her sisters, renumbered 2001, and sent to work in lease service still painted in UP yellow and grey, but with UP lettering painted out and large GATX Leasing lettering added in red on the long hood. Dynamic braking was added at this time, replacing the non-DB blister.
In 1994, CP Rail purchased several of these leasers due to an upswing in traffic. Most units soldiered on still in UP colors, but two units were panted in Soo Line red with the dual flags scheme. 2001, by now renumbered 5423, was one such unit.
CP 5423 was sold to National Rail Services in 2004, and continued in lease service as NREX 5423 still in CP red (with CP markings painted out).
In 2006, 5423 was acquired by the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern. Renumbered 6210, she was painted in DME's blue and yellow scheme and given her first real name, "City of Dickens". With CP's purchase of DME in 2008, she has returned to the CP Rail roster, but carries on in DME service.
The choice of this unit is a natural fit for this used GSB Rail model. She arrived at my door not having been used in some time, painted Conrail Blue with rather yellowed Conrail decals poorly applied, and with broken handrails and couplers. An unwanted, obscure, mostly forgotten model of an unwanted, obscure prototype - this is where the wheels meet the high iron.
I have, thus far, added a Cannon cab, Cannon inertial filter hatch and Cannon exhaust hatch to the long hood, as rooftop details are more noticeable on an HO scale model. Cannon fans will also be added. Lastly, I've replaced the long hood end with a Cannon part.
GSB provided clear parts for the short hood class light housings. In following with the prototype, I've filled them and sanded them smooth. I cut out the shallow handbrake area and replaced it with one cut from a Cannon short hood side piece. The cab has been modified with P2K wind deflectors, a DW early Pyle headlight casting, and A-line windshield wipers.
A suitably modified Atlas plow was added to the pilot. Going through the junk box, I located a set of Atlas MU hoses and air lines, which were added to both pilots. The rear pilot had the footboards removed. I bent my own cut levers from brass wire and added them to both ends, and finished the pilot detailing with Athearn ditch light castings, Atlas drop steps, DW MU pedestals, Kadee #5 couplers and modified P2K GP30 end handrails.
The fuel tank has had the cast on air tanks removed, and a Cannon fuel tank detail kit has provided necessary fuel tank details.
Stock GSB detail parts, provided with the loco, have been used as well. These are the grab irons, lift rings, sand filler hatches, extended range DB doors, bell, Salem air dryer casting, and fuel tank fillers.
The drive has been modified as well. It was stripped to the frame, which was modified slightly to allow for styrene strip to be added to the sides, replicating the prototype frame rails. The trucks were disassembled, the gears inspected and lubricated, and rebuilt. Brass wire was added to replicate air lines to the brake cylinders. The truck sideframes and the wheel faces have been weathered.
The frame weights have been modified to allow space for flywheels. The flywheels are from an old Atlas-Roco drive, and fit right in place on the ends of the GSB Tan-Can motor (actually a Mashima in disguise), The stock GSB driveshafts were pitched and replaced with Atlas-Roco driveshafts and U-joints. She runs as smooth as a new Atlas unit - very powerful and almost soundless.
Still on the to-do list is handrails, Cannon fans, a correct horn, lighting, the addition of an NCE DASR decoder, and reassembly. Paint will be Soo Line red and decals by Microscale. Finally, the application of weathering and Dullcote will complete the model.