Model Railroading > MILW GP35 ph2 from Walthers are here

I got a pair of DC units today. phII gives the proper sloping fuel tank for MILW which I don't think has ever been done before. The cab roof has the correct Leslie horn, electronic bell and antenna. Both units run very smooth right out of the box and should be a perfect match to the Walthers Proto U28B locomotives. It is another fine model from Walthers.

Need LokSound decoders with the proper Milw E-Bell!

Are these based on the P2K shells with new drives?

Is this similar to the Alaska Railroad "Doink Doink Doink" electronic bell (reference pentrex videos) or does it sound more like an actual bell?

I haven't seen or heard one in video.

I am sure it doesn't sound like a modern ebell.

Many thanks
Michael


KM-ML4000 Wrote:
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> Need LokSound decoders with the proper Milw
> E-Bell!

Are these the first Phase II GP35's? Who has done Phase I in plastic -- Kato, Athearn, and MTH? Any opinions on which of those are best?

TCnR Wrote:
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> Are these based on the P2K shells with new drives?


P2k never made a GP35.

Thanks for the explanation. Obviously I missed that.

SP_8299 Wrote:
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> TCnR Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Are these based on the P2K shells with new
> drives?
>
>
> P2k never made a GP35.

The closest you could get before was the Kato GP35 the replace the flat top fuel tank plastic casting with one from a Kato SD45 which you shorten on the rear end. Not all the latches on the doors will be correct but the models still look and run well.

fbe Wrote:
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> The closest you could get before was the Kato GP35
> the replace the flat top fuel tank plastic casting
> with one from a Kato SD45 which you shorten on the
> rear end. Not all the latches on the doors will be
> correct but the models still look and run well.


The biggest difference though is the frame height. Ph. II GP35s rode on a taller GP40-style straight frame, as opposed to the "fishbelly" frame of earlier phases. The taller GP40-style tank is just one part of the equation.

fbe Wrote:
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> The closest you could get before was the Kato GP35
> the replace the flat top fuel tank plastic casting
> with one from a Kato SD45 which you shorten on the
> rear end. Not all the latches on the doors will be
> correct but the models still look and run well.

I do not quite understand this part about the latch doors. The Kato releases very accurately depicted all of the "railfan separations" of the phase variants within the phase 1a, b and c. Their latch and louver detail was well up to today's standards. The fans are another story but I expect they can be fixed with Cannon products.

Rick

From Walthers website.

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* Completely new loco from rails to roof!

* Limited edition - one-time run of these engine numbers!

* Based on Phase II units in service from 1965 to the present

* Road-specific details

* Available with SoundTraxx(R) Tsunami(R) sound for DCC and DC layouts

* Five-pole, skew-wound, high-torque, high-efficiency can motor

* Helical gears with 14:1 ratio for smooth, ultra-quiet running

* Easy multiple-unit operation

* Proto MAX(TM) metal knuckle couplers



Based on units in service from 1968 renumbering to January 1984 retirement with:

* Leslie RSL-3L-R air horn

* High headlight

* Firecracker antenna

* Standard dynamic brake hatch

* Raised numberboards on sides of dynamic brake hatch

* Eight jack pads

* 3000-gallon fuel tank

* Front plow

* Short "can" air filter/dryer

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Last ones.

Enjoy. Bruce

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The Alaska bells were similar to the Milw bell. Sounded like someone beating on a cast iron frying pan in front of a really loud PA system!
emd_mrs1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Is this similar to the Alaska Railroad "Doink
> Doink Doink" electronic bell (reference pentrex
> videos) or does it sound more like an actual bell?
>
>
> I haven't seen or heard one in video.
>
> I am sure it doesn't sound like a modern ebell.
>
> Many thanks
> Michael
>
>
> KM-ML4000 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Need LokSound decoders with the proper Milw
> > E-Bell!

Rick,

The quality of the latches on the Kato is just fine. I think the is some difference in the layout of the knuckle busters on the doors under the radiators which differ between ph1 and phII. The tapered top fuel tank change was one easy improvement which could be made to make it look more phII.

The electronic bells were indeed a PA system. Down in the nose there was a box for the bell controller. There were terminals to connect a microphone which would allow a user to speak through it. This was the same box which was a siren in fire trucks and police vehicles depending which module was plugged into it. I think the brand name was Pyle if I remember correctly. When the 3000 series SD40-2 diesels showed up on the MILW the electronic bells were mu wired. When the engineer turned on the lead loco bell all the bells on SD40-2s in the consist came on. What a racket that was! It did not take the MILW long to correct that feature. They never did give us a microphone feature either. That might have been fun.

Bruce,

Thanks for posting the Walthers photos.

Lok Sound or one of the Tsunami2 models. I have not taken the shell off to see what connections are available. There are front and rear lighted number boards but I think they use the same light source as the headlights. I have not seen any photos of MILW GP35s with a rotary beacon.


KM-ML4000 Wrote:
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> Need LokSound decoders with the proper Milw
> E-Bell!

fbe Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
When
> the 3000 series SD40-2 diesels showed up on the
> MILW the electronic bells were mu wired. When the
> engineer turned on the lead loco bell all the
> bells on SD40-2s in the consist came on. What a
> racket that was! It did not take the MILW long to
> correct that feature.

I had never heard of that. Bet that was really annoying to crew members trying to get some shut-eye while riding on the trailing units.

- Norm

fbe Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Lok Sound or one of the Tsunami2 models. I have
> not taken the shell off to see what connections
> are available. There are front and rear lighted
> number boards but I think they use the same light
> source as the headlights. I have not seen any
> photos of MILW GP35s with a rotary beacon.
>
>
> KM-ML4000 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Need LokSound decoders with the proper Milw
> > E-Bell!

The MILW GP35's that were operating out of Tacoma at the end had rotary beacons. Google Milwaukee Road 1500 GP35 and you'll see some photos of an example. I believe Washington state was requiring the rotary beacons on all locomotives at the time.

How about the bill board lettering on the long hoods? This seemed hit and miss on the U28/U30Bs on the Coast. How did the GP35s fare while out west?

Thanks.