Nostalgia & History > Door in Geep's long hood end?

Can anyone tell me what the door is for in the long hood end of IAIS GP7M 400 (ex-RI 4424, xx-RI 1275), seen below? Although this isn't the long hood that this unit left LaGrange with (having been rebuilt by the IAIS with an IC GP8's hood following a 1997 grade crossing collision), that door was apparently important enough that it was salvaged from the original ex-RI hood (seen in a 1988 Frank Grizel shot at http://www.iaisrailfans.org/gallery/album40/875351_R1_E013_013?full=1 ) and cut into this one, as seen in the third pic below, taken during its rebuild.

(For those who are curious, IAIS 400 received its GP20-style cab and short hood in the early 1960s while it was still RI 1275, as a result of an earlier accident. So, nothing above the walkway is original on this unit.)

I don't recall ever seeing grab irons mounted on a door, which makes me even more curious about its purpose. If the intent was simply to allow access to the radiator or sand bin, I'd think it would have been easier to mount the door under the opposite number board to avoid the grabs.

Joe Atkinson
Council Bluffs, IA
www.iaisrailfans.org/../Sub4WestEnd



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/05/12 23:34 by iaisfan.

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This is not a standard EMD door location. Mounting on the non grab iron side would be impossible due to the hand brake location. Perhaps there was a tool box behind the door but I would think as the door latches wore out it would not be a secure mounting for the ladder. Nice modeling touch, though.

Posted from Windows Phone OS 7

fbe Wrote:
> This is not a standard EMD door location. Mounting
> on the non grab iron side would be impossible due
> to the hand brake location. Perhaps there was a
> tool box behind the door but I would think as the
> door latches wore out it would not be a secure
> mounting for the ladder.

Thanks FBE. I should have thought about the handbrake, but that's what I get for posting so late.

> Nice modeling touch, though.

Fortunately, that part was easy. Cannon #1004 22"x65" doors appear to be identical. It'll probably kind of disappear once the hazard stripes are applied, but I'll know it's there. :-)

Joe Atkinson
Council Bluffs, IA
www.iaisrailfans.org/../Sub4WestEnd