Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

How to Find A Fuel Tank for Life-Like Proto 2000 SD7

1130 views
9 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    February 2008
  • 8,877 posts
Posted by maxman on Monday, June 8, 2020 4:39 PM

Just so you know, I did see your WTB post on the HOSwap.io group.  Actually I saw it among a batch of listings that I got at one time.  I have my account sent to send me a "digest" of listings rather than getting them individually.

The way you get responses is there is a reply to sender choice at the bottom of the listings.  Anyone who has one to dispose of should contact you directly.  Normally the reply to group choice is not used.

As a suggestion for the future, try to condense your posts as much as possible to be direct to the point.  In this particular case I might have said "Need fuel tank for LiifeLike P2K SD7.  If you have one to part with, please contact me."  And if you have a part/item number from the loco instructions, you can include that info.  From what I can see the members of that group want to go through the postings quickly and don't want to be bothered with how an item went walk about, questions about how to make one from another similar item, or dimensions (especially in millimeters; what the heck are those thingsSmile)

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • 2,616 posts
Posted by peahrens on Monday, June 8, 2020 1:40 PM

ba&prr

Will this work? For an SD24 though.   Joe

https://shop.atlasrr.com/p-2344-ho-sd-24-fuel-tank-standard.aspx

 

I appreciate the good ideas from all.  I did join the hoswap.io and dieseldetailer groups.  

More specifically, I ordered the Atlas SD24/26 tank.  Per wiki, both SD7 and SD24 had 1200 gal standard fuel tanks, and images look similar in length; i.e., about 3-1/2 handrail stanchions.  I presume that I can make the Atlas cover work, even if I have to modify it., or use just the sides attached to a custom made box, etc.  

Paul

Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Monday, June 8, 2020 8:50 AM

 Find some of the kitbash project articles where the fuel tank of the loco was changed. The techniques there should help in building a new one. It does take thicker material to be able to sand a nice rounded edge.

                                 --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • 2,616 posts
Posted by peahrens on Monday, June 8, 2020 8:15 AM

Thanks for the suggestions.  

I have applied to hoswap.groups.io and await entry so I can post.  I will ask for either the tank or a parts loco.

If it comes to it, perhaps build one.  It would be easy to build a rectangular box of 0.060" styrene.  A simple box would not allow much rounding (filed) of the bottom edges.  Maybe adding some material in the inner edge would allow more rounding.  A simple tank, painted UP gray, would not be noticeable.  I will look into detail parts also.

Paul

Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Monday, June 8, 2020 8:02 AM

 Yeah, parts loco is probably your best bet. Unless there's someone out there hoarding old Life Like parts (maybe they are in the big box of leftover stuff from the aquisition sitting in some dark corner of Walthers warehouse and no one knows they have them), getting individual parts is going to be next to impossible. A dead loco with a bad motor, or one that smashed the cab and pilot in a fall - as long as that person also didn't manage to loose the fual tank, is probably something easier to find. Train show or swap meet, or one of the mentioned sites is probably more likely to turn up something than eBay, but it doesn't hurt to check there too.

 You could always make one - if you have a similar loco to use as a guide, and there are plenty of diagrams available to get the proper exterior dimensions - in fact, DIY may result in a more accurate one than what they came with. There;s not a whole lot to a fuel tank, it's basically a big box with rounded bottom corners along the long axis. The goodies like sight glass and filler are available as detail parts. If it needs to be notched for air reservoirs, that makes it a bit more difficult.

 As for the original going walkabout, well, they are only held on with some double sided tape. So far none of mine have just fallen off, but I haven't taken any out oof storage, where they've been for close to 7 years. By now the glue part of the tape may have dried up and as soon as I pick one up, the tank will fall off.

                                               --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 10,582 posts
Posted by mlehman on Monday, June 8, 2020 12:40 AM

It might be hard to just buy a fuel tank on ebay, but probably easier to buy an entire parts loco. If it's non-functional, the price might be even better, just make sure it has that fuel tank.

Mike Lehman

Urbana, IL

  • Member since
    March 2008
  • 409 posts
Posted by ba&prr on Sunday, June 7, 2020 9:57 PM

Will this work? For an SD24 though.   Joe

https://shop.atlasrr.com/p-2344-ho-sd-24-fuel-tank-standard.aspx

  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: SE. WI.
  • 8,253 posts
Posted by mbinsewi on Sunday, June 7, 2020 9:25 PM

https://groups.io/g/HOswap/topics

Also try here:  https://dieseldetailer.proboards.com/

Keep a watch on Ebay.

Mike.

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • 8,877 posts
Posted by maxman on Sunday, June 7, 2020 8:18 PM

peahrens
Is there a hobbyist site where folks post things for sale or swap?

HOswap.io

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • 2,616 posts
How to Find A Fuel Tank for Life-Like Proto 2000 SD7
Posted by peahrens on Sunday, June 7, 2020 8:02 PM

I would appreciate suggestions.  How the plastic fuel tank cover simply disappeared is a mystery but I do not think it will turn up.

I have not had success with EBay, google, etc., so am open to advice.

Is there a hobbyist site where folks post things for sale or swap?  I would think some people would offer parts from used but inoperable locos.  

I could potentially modify an alternate fuel tank to fit but have no idea what to try.  Perhaps a Walthers part from a more current Walthers SD7??

Any ideas are welcomed.

Paul

Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!