MTL Z Scale GP9 Mod: NP 220

[Pray59]

Modified MTL NP GP9-DB into a GP9-TT. Removed dynamic brake housing and fan, added torpedo tubes, steam bell, rotating beacon, firecracker antenna, larger fuel tank, winterization hatch, cab sunshades, mirrors, pilot mounted coupler, cut lever, mu hoses, and painted handrail ends yellow. Added fire extingusher, emd builders plate, F for front, and GP9 decals.

[Pray59]

Here is the high res photo showing the decals:
http://zcentralstation.com/modules/xcgal/albums/userpics/10010/P7160008.JPG

[Pray59]

Reference material:

Here is NP 218 as BN 1844 for reference:
http://donsdepot.donrossgroup.net/dr0304/bn1844.jpg

Here is NP 220, careful examination shows the big GP9 logo to the left of the steps:
http://donsdepot.donrossgroup.net/dr0600/np220.jpg

Another reference, NP 249:
http://donsdepot.donrossgroup.net/dr0200/np249.jpg

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Very nicely done.

I do love the big "GP9" logos, I always thought they were great.

[Chris333]

Robert,
I figured you were tooling away at your stash of these. She looks great! How many did you snatch up?

[SAH]

Modified MTL NP GP9-DB into a GP9-TT. Removed dynamic brake housing and fan, added torpedo tubes, steam bell, rotating beacon, firecracker antenna, larger fuel tank, winterization hatch, cab sunshades, mirrors, pilot mounted coupler, cut lever, mu hoses, and painted handrail ends yellow. Added fire extingusher, emd builders plate, F for front, and GP9 decals.

Nice work.  Now, after going to all that trouble, why not replace the handrails with .006 wire?  A smaller diameter would look even better.  Safety yellow painted handrails demand it.  Factory cast hand grabs?!  You can do better than that.  How 'bout hood lift rings too.  And then, code 40 rail at the max.  Code 30 would be awesome. 

-------Quote from Pray59, The Railwire, 7/04/07---------
"Z Scale is for the hard core, those that extract pleasure out of their hand crafted labor, and not yet for the RTR crowd. Ohh! Did that hit home? 

5 years ago I was just like most of you, but... yawn... over the past few years I grew weary of my N Scale collection. Now I am tasked and challenged, and enjoying modeling more than ever."
-------------------------------------------------------------

If you're gonna break ground, let's break ground.  Not just paw at the dirt.     ;D

Steve

[Caleb Austin]

Modified MTL NP GP9-DB into a GP9-TT. Removed dynamic brake housing and fan, added torpedo tubes, steam bell, rotating beacon, firecracker antenna, larger fuel tank, winterization hatch, cab sunshades, mirrors, pilot mounted coupler, cut lever, mu hoses, and painted handrail ends yellow. Added fire extingusher, emd builders plate, F for front, and GP9 decals.

Nice work.  Now, after going to all that trouble, why not replace the handrails with .006 wire?  A smaller diameter would look even better.  Safety yellow painted handrails demand it.  Factory cast hand grabs?!  You can do better than that.  How 'bout hood lift rings too.  And then, code 40 rail at the max.  Code 30 would be awesome. 

-------Quote from Pray59, The Railwire, 7/04/07---------
"Z Scale is for the hard core, those that extract pleasure out of their hand crafted labor, and not yet for the RTR crowd. Ohh! Did that hit home? 

5 years ago I was just like most of you, but... yawn... over the past few years I grew weary of my N Scale collection. Now I am tasked and challenged, and enjoying modeling more than ever."
-------------------------------------------------------------

If you're gonna break ground, let's break ground.  Not just paw at the dirt.     ;D

Steve

Here Here! (not that pray59s layout and models arnt sweet!)

[Steve4]

very nice Robert - but why is the body and the walkways so wide... ?   

[Mark5]

very nice Robert - but why is the boday and the walkways so wide... ?   

Camera distortion!

(nice work nonetheless - I love that NP scheme)

[tom mann]

Nice work, Robert.

[Sokramiketes]

very nice Robert - but why is the body and the walkways so wide... ?   

Z scaler's are so starved they don't car about major details like that. Just like N scalers were starved when Atlas brought out the ridiculous GP-7/9 on RS-3 mechanism. 

AZL seems to be treating the Z scalers as modelers, and making use of some great engineering to maintain proper proportions.  MTL isn't spending as much effort on those same details. 

[Pray59]

I got 9 more, plus a few shells to work with. This was my first effort, which I rushed to crank out, just so I could be the "First Guy" to customize one.  ;D

Yeah, they are wide, but they are NP, so I have to have some. Trust me, this is not a fun scheme to paint. Just give Z Scale a little more time, and models will get more accurate.

We still have to applaud MTL for jumping in and producing Z Scale for us, so I will support them, as well as AZL, Marklin and everyone else who cares about Z Scale.

-Robert