Wasn't there a connection between Front Range/Trains Unlimited tools and the first run of Athearn's Genesis GP? There was a lot of complaining when Athearn's model appeared about the hood height and the sizing and placement of details.
The under cab louvers are generally an accurate method of determining whether a unit is a GP-7 or a GP-9 but, in the twilight of their years many of these units were rebuilt with these doors being indiscriminately swapped around. There are GP-9s with two-louvered doors under the cab and GP-7s with no louvers under the cab. In their hey-day the battery box and air brake equipment doors were an accurate method.
To more accurately identify as-built units, on the GP-7, counting from the end of the long hood, the first and fourth doors under the radiator intakes have two sets of louvers, as shown in the RDG geep, as referenced by Beausabre. Still looking at the RDG GP-7 note the two sets of louvers in the short doors just to the left of the cab that are also indicative of an original construction Geep-7.
GP-9s as built, had only one set of louvers, in the very first door, counting toward the cab, from the end of the long hood. Continuing along the long hood toward the cab, the last three tall engine/generator compartment doors now have three double sets of louvers, as well as single sets under the air intakes closest to the cab, as on PRR 7006, as also referenced by Beausabre.
Identifying locomotives can frustrating. I remember a C&O unit numbered in with the GP-7s that, in the late 1960s, had all the identifying characteristics of a GP-7, forward of the cab. From the cab on back, it was all late model GP-9, 48 inch fans, stamped handrail posts-all of it. If you are interested, it was C&O 5826, which, possibly had been wrecked and rebuilt, by C&O, or maybe by EMD using parts from the current assembly line stock.
FR shells & parts still being offered by A-Line/ProtoPower.
Front Range GP7/9 Bodies & Athearn Genesis Chassis – PPW/A-Line/Arrow Hobby (ppw-aline.com)
Dan
Reviving a thread from 2006 - is that a record??
Anyway Front Range was around when I started in HO in 1988 but has been gone since sometime in the 1990's. As mentioned before, for the 1970's-80's their products were considered good when compared to wide-body Athearn GPs and bluebox freight cars and such.
According to one version of the GP story (see link below), a mold maker had sent them the GP mold offering to sell it to Front Range, and they began using the mold but without paying for it. When Front Range went out of business, the mold's owner reclaimed it and sold it to Trains Unlimited. Eventually it was used by A-Line for their GP body shell. Not sure what happened after that....
https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?3,2573875
Look at the battery box under the cab - of it has three sets of louvers, it's a GP7, if it has one set or none it's a GP9. At the end of the long hood, does it have two sets of louvers? It's a GP7. One small set of louvers? It's a GP9. Presence or absence of a dynamic brake blister says nothing about the model. There were GP7's with D/B and GP9's without.
GP7
https://www.prrho.com/emd-gp7-es15m-class.html
GP9
https://www.deviantart.com/rlkitterman/art/PRR-GP9-7006-EMD-20710-at-RRMPA-DSCN5835-901282730
Meh, necro thread.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
jsoderqSince I was at the auction as a buyer I can tell you for a fact the tooling was not all there which is why no one bought it. Even the stuff Accurail bought was not all complete.
I was looking for the same answer to the same question.
I recently purchased a Front Range GP9 for a NMRA BR event, only paid £20 (UK) for it.
As far as I can see its a lovely loco. Nice Mashima motor in it, original trucks. I have converted it to DCC Sound using a MRC decoder and it runs beautifully, plenty of power and good slow speed control.
Detail is very nice with fine plastic hand rails. Would happily get more.
jsoderq wrote: Actually the GP tooling was never completely found so Trains Unlimited got all the leftover parts and built up what they could. This is why they never resurfaced in the market. Story goes that FR jobbed out and the tools were held for ransom for debt.
Actually the GP tooling was never completely found so Trains Unlimited got all the leftover parts and built up what they could. This is why they never resurfaced in the market. Story goes that FR jobbed out and the tools were held for ransom for debt.
I have three of the GP's and they are not good by today's standards. At the time, they seemed better than what was available, but time marches on.
The Frontrange chassis and drive was a disaster and a Athearn drive was normally used in place of the chassis. The reason they are no longer here is probably because of their poor quality.
Don't forget good ol' Fred Becker's other stops. Fred ran Front Range, then McKean, then E&C Shops, then SkyLim, then started "Loads By Fred", or LBF (and there's also "Engine Tender Hobbies").
If anyone wants the history of Front Range and Fred, search the rec.models.railroad archives on Google. It's eye-opening if one can find them...but then just look at the list above and realize that all but LBF are out of business. Hmm...
Oh, the FR GP9 tooling apparently went to Trains Unlimited, and some of the car tooling ended up with Accurail.
Paul A. Cutler III*************Weather Or No Go New Haven*************
Hi Phil;
FRP went out of business more than a decade ago. They had some truely excellent kits - similar to Branchline's Blueprint series, and requiring similar skills, and some that are no better than ConCor's worst. One of the principles in FRP is now with LBF.
Front Range has been out of business for several years, exactly when is unknown. I believe they were possibly bought out by LBF Company. Check LBF's web site and you may find parts that will fit the Front Range boxcar.
Our club was given a set of Front Range boxcars several years ago that had never been assembled. As you have experienced, they had plastic wheels and horn-hook couplers. I don't recall any weights being provided, and I was not overly impressed with their quality.