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Interesting SP geep?

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Interesting SP geep?
Posted by PEBirney331 on Wednesday, January 24, 2024 12:13 PM

Hello, I am looking to model a Southern Pacific geep (GP40,GP38, etc.), but I don't want to do the typical bloody nose paintscheme. Does anyone know any SP geeps that had intresting paint schemes? Thanks.

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Posted by timz on Wednesday, January 24, 2024 8:15 PM

A non-standard SP GP35/38/40 ... guess 3197 was the only one?

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Posted by Overmod on Wednesday, January 24, 2024 10:18 PM

But that is NOT a standard GP40.

In case anyone doesn't recognize the reference, this was the only 4-axle Bicentennial on SP/SSW.

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Posted by SSW9389 on Thursday, January 25, 2024 1:41 AM

IIRC at the very end of the SP there were 28 GP38-2s from Helm's lease fleet that became SP property. And at least one of them got SP lettering on the Helm colors. I did an online search but couldn't find a reference. Richard Percy's espee site is not working very well. 

Ed in Kentucky 

COTTON BELT: Runs like a Blue Streak!
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Posted by Overmod on Thursday, January 25, 2024 4:30 AM

There is four-stack GP38-2 4825, noted as being the only currently-known early example to be speed-lettered.  Plenty of the later ones were, though.

http://espee.railfan.net/spgp38-2.html

The Helm unit was 4864, which was famously modeled by Athearn if you need to see what it looked like (they also did it in HLCX so you can appreciate the 'differences' at a glance...

Here is one example being reviewed:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=T4cEU5Yr_mk

This contains some of the unit's history and some notes on correct model detail if someone wanted to do this on their own.

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Posted by DanRaitz on Thursday, January 25, 2024 9:55 AM

timz

A non-standard SP GP35/38/40 ... guess 3197 was the only one?

 

 

#3197 is a GP40P-2 that was painted in the Bicentennial scheme.

It was (I beleive) the only GP locomotive that got a special or commemorative paint scheme, all the rest were SD locomtives, GE U25BE #6800 and the TE70-4s.

 

Dan

If women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy .... Red Green
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Posted by bogie_engineer on Thursday, January 25, 2024 11:53 AM

Overmod

There is four-stack GP38-2 4825, noted as being the only currently-known early example to be speed-lettered.  Plenty of the later ones were, though.

http://espee.railfan.net/spgp38-2.html

 

Thanks for posting that link, it brought back some memories. I was the engineer responsible for product noise emission and exhaust systems from '73-82 at EMD. I have never seen that 4 stack mod the SP did on those post-1980 GP38-2's. With the effective date of 1-1-1980 for EPA locomotive noise regs, we changed the cooling fans to the Q-fans and I designed a new spark arrester-silencer manifold system for roots blower engines that has the 12" round stack as seen in those roof photos. Prior to 1980 most RR's, including SP, got EMD's standard spark arrester manifold with two oval stacks. The MOPAC was the only one to deviate getting plain manifolds with an oval stack on each of the 4 manifold sections - this was the noisiest system we produced, it didn't even meet the EPA reg for locos manufactured prior to 1980. To comply with USFS regs requiring spark arresters for any loco operating through forest service lands, MOPAC stuck a home-brew "Heaton" spark arrester on the roof over each stack. I never understood how they got that thing to pass the USFS test but they claimed it did. The four stack arrangement was to get a bit better fuel consumption compared to the two stack spark arrester manifolds. The new for 1980 spark arrester-silencer manifolds lowered the backpressure enough to gain about 1% fuel consumption improvement compared to the earlier system. When SP modified their GP38-2's built after 1980 to have four stacks, they must have removed the OEM system voiding the USFS and EPA regs. It also looks like they did surgery on the DB fan frame to get it to fit. I'd love to see a picture in the engine room of those manifolds. Maybe they were from Farr?

Dave

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Posted by caldreamer on Thursday, January 25, 2024 7:57 PM

I saw the SP U25B in bicentennial paint at the San Jose roundhouse.  Of cource I did not have my camera with me.

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Posted by Backshop on Thursday, January 25, 2024 8:40 PM

caldreamer

I saw the SP U25B in bicentennial paint at the San Jose roundhouse.  Of cource I did not have my camera with me.

 

Isn't that the way it usually happens?

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Posted by rdamon on Friday, January 26, 2024 6:56 AM

I believe quite a few GP35s and at least one GP40 got "Kodachromed" for the ill-fated SP-SF merger.

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Posted by DanRaitz on Friday, January 26, 2024 8:58 AM

rdamon

I believe quite a few GP35s and at least one GP40 got "Kodachromed" for the ill-fated SP-SF merger.

 

 

According to Joe Shine's book "SPSF Motive Power 1986", there were 9 GP9Es, 5 GP35Es, 7 GP35s and 1 GP40-2 painted in the SPSF scheme.

 

Dan

If women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy .... Red Green
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Posted by YoHo1975 on Monday, January 29, 2024 12:34 AM

10ish years ago, the post 1980s SP Snow Fighting GP38-2s all got sent to Jenks for overhaul with 2 stacks and came back with 4. I don't know any of the details, but according to my friends in Roseville Loco servicing, The Roseville team was angry.

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Posted by PEBirney331 on Friday, February 2, 2024 5:50 PM

Thanks, I will probably do the HLCX one. Very helpful!

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Posted by railfanjohn on Thursday, February 29, 2024 4:49 PM

bogie_engineer

 

 
Overmod

There is four-stack GP38-2 4825, noted as being the only currently-known early example to be speed-lettered.  Plenty of the later ones were, though.

http://espee.railfan.net/spgp38-2.html

 

 

 

Thanks for posting that link, it brought back some memories. I was the engineer responsible for product noise emission and exhaust systems from '73-82 at EMD. I have never seen that 4 stack mod the SP did on those post-1980 GP38-2's. With the effective date of 1-1-1980 for EPA locomotive noise regs, we changed the cooling fans to the Q-fans and I designed a new spark arrester-silencer manifold system for roots blower engines that has the 12" round stack as seen in those roof photos. Prior to 1980 most RR's, including SP, got EMD's standard spark arrester manifold with two oval stacks. The MOPAC was the only one to deviate getting plain manifolds with an oval stack on each of the 4 manifold sections - this was the noisiest system we produced, it didn't even meet the EPA reg for locos manufactured prior to 1980. To comply with USFS regs requiring spark arresters for any loco operating through forest service lands, MOPAC stuck a home-brew "Heaton" spark arrester on the roof over each stack. I never understood how they got that thing to pass the USFS test but they claimed it did. The four stack arrangement was to get a bit better fuel consumption compared to the two stack spark arrester manifolds. The new for 1980 spark arrester-silencer manifolds lowered the backpressure enough to gain about 1% fuel consumption improvement compared to the earlier system. When SP modified their GP38-2's built after 1980 to have four stacks, they must have removed the OEM system voiding the USFS and EPA regs. It also looks like they did surgery on the DB fan frame to get it to fit. I'd love to see a picture in the engine room of those manifolds. Maybe they were from Farr?

Dave

 

 

I learn something new every day!

Retired in Spring of 2022 from 20 years with the USDA Forest Service.  Never knew the Forest Service had regulations requiring spark arrestors on railroad locomotives.  Both CSX and NS had lines running through the Forest I worked on.

Prior to that career, I had 20 years service with Southern Railway / Norfolk Southern.  Operated many trains through the same Forest lands.  Never heard anything about requirements for spark arrestors then either.

 

railfanjohn

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