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Please help me identify this locomotive

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  • Member since
    September 2016
  • 13 posts
Please help me identify this locomotive
Posted by greediron on Friday, November 18, 2016 1:52 PM

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Recently bought this loco that has me stumped.  Got it at an auction and the box was Athearn and the hand written label said it was a GP7.  But as I usually do, I like to positively ID my trains and this one is proving difficult.

I can't find any Rio Grandes with the road number 5103.  It has a nice Mashima engine made in Japan.  But who made the locomotive and what model is it?  Anyone want to take a stab at it?

loco

loco

engine

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Posted by LakeErieExpress on Friday, November 18, 2016 2:07 PM

Well its definetly a Rio Grande GP 7. I was able to find out information about the particular engine here: http://www.drgw.net/info/GP7.

 

As for brand, i'm not sure. That motor can be bought after-market so it could be any brand.

-Jon 

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Posted by Dave in Pa on Friday, November 18, 2016 2:19 PM

greediron,

Looking at the handrails I am thinking it is a Front Range Gp7 body, frame and trucks that is repowered with and aftermarket repowering kit (maybe A-Line). 

Dave

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Posted by greediron on Friday, November 18, 2016 2:54 PM

LakeErieExpress

Well its definetly a Rio Grande GP 7. I was able to find out information about the particular engine here: http://www.drgw.net/info/GP7.

 

As for brand, i'm not sure. That motor can be bought after-market so it could be any brand.

 

Thank you.  I guess that is a good start.  It is DCC with that plug going into the circuit board, correct? 

Some more detail, to remove the body, I have to unscrew the coupler boxes.  I haven't seen that before, but haven't dealt with many newer trains, so that could just be a new thing. 

I did see the Road # on a Proto2000, but that looks different and has different engine. 
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Posted by BigDaddy on Friday, November 18, 2016 3:04 PM

It is DCC with that plug going into the circuit board, correct?

It looks like this one.

 

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

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Posted by greediron on Friday, November 18, 2016 3:12 PM

LakeErieExpress

Well its definetly a Rio Grande GP 7. I was able to find out information about the particular engine here: http://www.drgw.net/info/GP7.

 

I am still in awe at what can be found on the internet. 

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Posted by greediron on Friday, November 18, 2016 3:12 PM

BigDaddy

 

 
It is DCC with that plug going into the circuit board, correct?

 

It looks like this one.

 

 

Yes, that is the one.  Thanks.

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Posted by BroadwayLion on Saturday, November 19, 2016 9:50 AM

Yup... It is definately a locomotive.

 

ROAR

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Posted by dieselsmoke on Saturday, November 19, 2016 12:07 PM

I'll agree with Dave, it's a Front Range.

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Posted by andrechapelon on Saturday, November 19, 2016 1:33 PM

dieselsmoke

I'll agree with Dave, it's a Front Range.

 
It's definitely a Front Range. The primary giveaways are the cab windows, which are too small.
 
Andre
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Posted by Trainman440 on Saturday, November 19, 2016 2:16 PM

BroadwayLion

Yup... It is definately a locomotive.

ROAR

Are you sure? It looks like a car to me...

Stick out tongue

Charles

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Posted by tomikawaTT on Saturday, November 19, 2016 2:35 PM

Trainman440

 

 
BroadwayLion

Yup... It is definately a locomotive.

ROAR

 

 

Are you sure? It looks like a car to me...

Stick out tongue

Charles

Looks like a portable emergency genset with railroad wheels and a weather-resistant operator's cab.  The latter is handy where the weather runs to monsoons and/or blizzards.

Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with center-cab diesel-hydraulics)

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