Building a Dummy GP7 Locomotive

It’s amazing how one project can bring together techniques from many previous projects. Most of the modifications described in this video have appeared in my previous videos. For more information...

...on stripping paint: https://studio.youtube.com/video/9ELj...
...on priming, painting, and applying decals: https://studio.youtube.com/video/rwr1...
...on building a new underframe: https://studio.youtube.com/video/apGq...
...on adding lighting effects to rolling stock: https://studio.youtube.com/video/Xn5D...
...on building handrails: https://studio.youtube.com/video/FsP9...
...on installing separate wire hand grabs: https://studio.youtube.com/video/apGq...

GP7 or GP9? Unfortunately, just because a given locomotive is clearly a GP7 doesn’t mean it was manufactured and sold as a GP7: the Athearn “blue box” GP9, first produced in 1957, was in fact a GP7, and many manufacturers since have simply copied that model and sold their own versions as GP9s. Athearn corrected its mistake in 1998 and started selling the same model as a GP7. Because of this initial mistake, there are quite a few GP7s out there which are boxed as GP9s.

Dummy locomotives used to be common in the hobby. Often, a modeler would buy a single powered locomotive along with one or more dummy locomotives to model multiple power units. This is no longer the case: as one manufacturer explained it, “Dummy locomotives are generally not available any longer as the cost of a motor only saves about $5-10. These days most of the cost of a locomotive model goes towards production which can be very time consuming as models can have as many as 200 or more parts.”

Links to items mentioned in this video. (Note: I am NOT endorsing any particular product(s), nor am I compensated by or connected to any of the companies mentioned.) I do NOT guarantee that these links will give you the best available price! Consider these links to be a starting point for your search.

Dynamic Brake Assembly: https://estore.bachmanntrains.com/ind...

Snowplow Pilot: https://midwestmodelrr.com/dtw286/

Cab Interior: https://www.trainz.com/products/canno...

Tichy Nylon Wheel bearings: https://www.tichytraingroup.com/Shop/...

GP7 Fuel Tank Assembly: https://estore.bachmanntrains.com/ind...

Micro LEDs: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07... CAUTION: The red LEDs require 2 volts, not 3 (the output voltage from the Light-It) so be sure to include a 120 Ohm current-limiting resistor.

NCE Light-It: https://www.hobbylinc.com/nce-light-i...

NCE Supercaps: https://www.hobbylinc.com/nce-3-farad...
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This video was edited using Shotcut for Linux. Video footage and still images were recorded using a Galaxy A10e phone and a Nikon D7100 camera.