Athearn RTR GP35 with new motor - Printable Version

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Athearn RTR GP35 with new motor - faraway - 02-23-2014

An Athearn RTR BNSF GP35 #2501 in heritage paint scheme with the new motor arrived this week. I was curious how the new motor improves the driving noise. Not much, at least not for my sensitive ears... Sad
The shell got transplanted on a Kato GP35 drive, LED lights added, the cab roof cleaned, the small radiator fan removed, ditch lights added ,new road numbers added and a layer of dull coat. That makes a very smooth running GP39V. The 2962 is the only BNSF GP39V I could find in heritage paint scheme and the front light in the cab. Similar engines (2965 pine green with white front) are used by BNSF at the Cermak Rd in Chicago.

It is a quite simple conversion for the none professionals like me among us Wink

[Image: IMG_3115_zps1a6c88c9.jpg]
[Image: IMG_3116_zps2560d0d5.jpg]

Re: Athearn RTR GP35 with new motor - Brakie - 02-23-2014

Reinhard,I don't think I would call that a "heritage" paint because BNSF has many locomotives in various schemes including older warbonnets on their roster and they (BNSF) don't call them a heritage scheme-only railfans uses that term way to freely to include freight cars that is very common-a example would be a Southern waffle boxcar or a SP boxcar.

Re: Athearn RTR GP35 with new motor - faraway - 02-23-2014

Brakie Wrote:Reinhard,I don't think I would call that a "heritage" paint because BNSF has many locomotives in various schemes including older warbonnets on their roster and they (BNSF) don't call them a heritage scheme-only railfans uses that term way to freely to include freight cars that is very common-a example would be a Southern waffle boxcar or a SP boxcar.
That is an interesting information. How do you call the paint scheme of my model if you can not attach a photo? I thought the current one is called "wedge" or "Swoosh"( <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.rd-hobby.de/media/images/products//ATH96079.jpg">http://www.rd-hobby.de/media/images/pro ... H96079.jpg</a><!-- m --> ). But may be that is also only a name used by rail fans?

ps. I do use usually sides like this to name individual schemes <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BNSF_Railway#Paint_schemes">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BNSF_Railway#Paint_schemes</a><!-- m -->

Re: Athearn RTR GP35 with new motor - Brakie - 02-23-2014

"wedge" " swoosh" is used by Railfans..I don't think BNSF calls it anything other then BNSF with "swish" scheme.

Railfans uses a lot of monikers that means nothing to a railroad exception being UP and NS Heritage locomotives that bares the names and colors of their predecessors.

Re: Athearn RTR GP35 with new motor - lajry - 02-23-2014

That's called the HI paint scheme, i.e. the 1st BNSF scheme. The H2 scheme had the reflective yellow stripes & H3 added the swoosh.That HI scheme showed up first on Dash 9s then later on older units. Some of those GP35 H!s got RV type AC units (ex BN? as Santa Fe's had regular ones). Why did they remove the small radiator fan?

Re: Athearn RTR GP35 with new motor - torikoos - 02-24-2014

There's no denying that the Kato mechanism is one of the best out there, but I can't say I find the recent Athearn RTR too disturbing. Yes the gears make a bit of noise, but I tend to take the truck towers apart, clean out the large amount of grease, remove any burrs and flash I can find, and re-lube. Usually improves things a fair amount, enough not to be disturbing when used in combination with sound decoders, but I realise you don't use sound decoders, so it's a bit more sensitive I guess. :-)

Nevertheless, she's looking great :-)

Koos

Re: Athearn RTR GP35 with new motor - Catt - 02-24-2014

Quote:Why did they remove the small radiator fan?

The removal of the small fan usually indicates a rebuild and quite often the removal of the turbo charger which derates the hp of the motor.Thedse (or so it seems) usually end up in the 2,000 hp range and are quite often called GP 38-3's.I think that the BNSF rebuilds were called GP39-3's.

Re: Athearn RTR GP35 with new motor - faraway - 02-24-2014

This http://cs.trains.com/trn/f/741/t/118316.aspx is a nice summary of the GP39V.
That is a confusing topic because ATSF, BN and BNSF used GP30 and GP35 as base for different rebuilds. The results got also different names (e.g. GP35U, GP39-3 and in this case GP39V).

Re: Athearn RTR GP35 with new motor - lajry - 02-24-2014

Are all these"new" loco designations BNSF's or railfan ones? Can't find them in BNSF ETT.

Re: Athearn RTR GP35 with new motor - faraway - 02-24-2014

lajry Wrote:Are all these"new" loco designations BNSF's or railfan ones? Can't find them in BNSF ETT.

This might be a first impression of the variety of "new" engines http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/modelListRR.aspx?id=BNSF

If and how the engine types used are the official ones is best determined by finding a good photo or a closeup video clip and find out what BNSF really painted on the engine. I assume you will find a bunch of different versions and exceptions.

Re: Athearn RTR GP35 with new motor - lajry - 02-24-2014

Don't see any GP35s listed much less any other loco types mentioned in this thread. Go to pages 7 & 8 in the BNSF SSI to what they call their locos.: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://1405.utu.org/Files/%5B4888%5DBNSF-Spcl%20systm%20instructions.pdf">http://1405.utu.org/Files/%5B4888%5DBNS ... ctions.pdf</a><!-- m -->

Re: Athearn RTR GP35 with new motor - faraway - 02-24-2014

This engine is an example. It is labeled GP39V.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2316423

Re: Athearn RTR GP35 with new motor - lajry - 02-24-2014

faraway Wrote:This engine is an example. It is labeled GP39V.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2316423

But is GP39V BNSF's or Jim Matuska's railfan designation? It doesn't show in the BNSF SSI.

Re: Athearn RTR GP35 with new motor - faraway - 02-24-2014

lajry Wrote:
faraway Wrote:This engine is an example. It is labeled GP39V.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2316423

But is GP39V BNSF's or Jim Matuska's railfan designation?

I don't understand your question. It is written on the engine like on many others.

Re: Athearn RTR GP35 with new motor - lajry - 02-24-2014

I don't understand your question. It is written on the engine like on many others.[/quote]

Sorry my magnifier doesn't work too well. LOL But guess then the GP39V is so new it's not in the BNSF System Special Instructions yet.