Model Railroading > Just an old secondhand Geep

This geep is my latest project for my 1976-era C&NW layout.  In April of ‘76, the C&NW acquired 34 former Quebec North Shore and Labrador GP7s and GP9s to replace early Alcos and F-units.  They were used in a patched QNS&L paint scheme for several months on lines in Iowa and Minnesota, which fits my layout’s time and place.  The engines were Canadian built, had unusual hood louver patterns, had auxiliary fuel tanks in the short hoods, had mufflers on the exhaust stacks and the radiator shutters did not have screens over them (the openings on the upper sides of the long hood).  The C&NW crews liked these engines as they were well equipped for cold weather.  One former engineer I know calls them the “Eskimo Geeps”. 

I chose 4341 as the prototype for my model as it matched the parts I had on hand.  The 4341 was classed as a GP7 by the C&NW even though it has a GP9 carbody.  It was apparently rebuilt at some point with GP7 internal components.

The base model is a Proto-2000 GP18.  I replaced the Proto drive with the drive from an Atlas/Kato GP7.  New handrails were made using brass wire and Smokey Valley stanchions. To replicate the look of the radiators, I scratch built new radiators from styrene.  I added the fuel fillers and gauges for the short hood fuel tanks (which the CNW decommissioned by welding a steel bar over the fillers).  The coupler buffers had a unique look, so I fashioned new ones from styrene.  The exhaust mufflers were made using styrene tubes.  The GP18 originally had two 48” cooling fans which I replaced with three 36” fans and a winterization hatch.  Some of the louvers on the long hood were removed and others were added to match the 4341’s louvers.  The added louvers were made by making a rubber mold of the existing louvers and casting them. I’ll be painting it in the gray/black/yellow/orange scheme as shown in the photo below.

I will post more photos in the future after I paint.

Dennis

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Those were neat engines. In an earlier incarnation they were used as leasers in Canada under the Bellequip name and I think Precision National also had some. Don't know if they were the same engines or two different groups. I often wondered about the wisdom on putting fuel tanks in the nose, but apparently luck was with them as I've never heard of any head-on collisions involving these units. 

The Walthers Proto Phase I GP9 is a good starting point for these; the very earliest ones had fabricated GP7-style handrail stanchions. I wish someone made those fuel/water fillers, maybe as an Archer-style decal, since I've had the need to add or move fuel/water fillers on several projects. (I did propose this to Archer and sent them photos, but never heard back.)

I'm pretty sure that the QNSL units used the Ontario & Western colors, just as Algoma Central copied the Lackawanna.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/05/26 09:10 by CPR_4000.

I'm glad you could use the photo.
Bob

Here's an interesting page on the QNSL/Bellequip/PNC/CNW Geeps:
https://www.waterlooregionmodelrailwayclub.ca/2018/05/the-saga-of-the-bellequip-geeps/

Your modeling skills along with your research for the model is excellent. 

Always enjoy seeing these posts Dennis!  The modeling is always so crisp, and the photography is also excellent on top of that. Looks like you also builtscale draft gear as well?  Moving the louvers around on those old first generatin hood units is fun. Luckily, I have enough old shells that I can cut them out and sand them down unitl just the lovers are left. And sometimes fingerprints are not!  I'd love to see more photos of the unpainted model, but I'm also looking forward to the painted and weathered version.

Elizabeth

Thanks to everyone for the positive comments!

In regard to the draft gears.  I was prepping the pilots for Details West scale buffers and I realized they were not correct for the model, so I ended up scratch building them using styrene.  The photo below is a crop that shows the prototype draft gear/buffers.  I have also attached a photo that shows all of the parts used to build the model.

​Dennis

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