Marmight Posted December 15, 2021 Share Posted December 15, 2021 (edited) Can anyone please tell me how I get the body off a Red Caboose O gauge GP9?  I don’t think this one is kit built, it looks like a rtr version. I need to fit DCC sound to it. Cheers  Martin Edited December 15, 2021 by Marmight Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted December 15, 2021 Share Posted December 15, 2021 If I recall correctly - it's been a long time since I took the body off mine - removing the coupler gear boxes is the key, similar to HO diesels. There may also be some screws underneath like on Weavers, I'll have to check later. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmight Posted December 15, 2021 Author Share Posted December 15, 2021 Thanks for the info. I’ve removed the coupler boxes as I’ve read somewhere else that they have to be removed. It appears the fuel tanks are part of the chassis and I cant see any fixing screws anywhere…the whole body and running plates seem to be part of the body and the chassis unit would seem to unclip from that…but I can’t see any tabs. The fuel tank part of the body will pull down enough to get a priser in between the chassis and body, but I don’t really want to force it Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted December 15, 2021 Share Posted December 15, 2021 58 minutes ago, Marmight said: The fuel tank part of the body will pull down enough to get a priser in between the chassis and body, but I don’t really want to force it No no don't do that!!! I just had a look at mine & I'm sure it's just the coupler boxes hold the body. Try easing a flat blade around the frame at the ends, IIRC it's a tight fit but nothing else. The body and running plates are all one piece (except the cab). 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmight Posted December 15, 2021 Author Share Posted December 15, 2021 (edited) I’ve got to build a garage for grandsprog IV this afternoon, plus a couple of other mundane tasks SWAMBO has lined up for me, so I’ll take a good look later. From what I can see, it’s very tight around the coupler boxes, so some gentle easing is in order. Edited December 15, 2021 by Marmight Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmight Posted December 15, 2021 Author Share Posted December 15, 2021 Ok, managed to get it off. As you say, the four screws hold the chassis and body together at the ends. By inserting a thin flat screwdriver in underneath the top step, you can gently prise the ends out. It is very tight. I managed to get a long bladed screwdriver down in between the chassis frame and body and gently prise them apart, with a horrid snapping sound! Nothing broken though, so I did the same on the other side and with more snapping sounds, the body came away. I suspect that whoever owned this loco in the past has applied a small amount of glue down the join of the body and chassis. There is no damage to either, but minute traces of glue residue on the edge of the body…now I have to wait for Christmas morning before I get the decoder, which will be a present for me.  Cheers  Martin 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted December 15, 2021 Share Posted December 15, 2021 (edited) Given the amount of mechanism inside, I'll be interested to see how you fit sound in it. Edit, I just used a Lenz Gold Maxi non-sound decoder in mine. Edited December 15, 2021 by F-UnitMad 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmight Posted December 15, 2021 Author Share Posted December 15, 2021 I shall take some pics of the installation…I’ll be using an ESU 21 pin v5, which will fit where the current PCB is for the lights. Should go in ok. Mega bass speaker and ESU stay alive. Cheers Martin 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted December 16, 2021 Share Posted December 16, 2021 21 hours ago, Marmight said: I suspect that whoever owned this loco in the past has applied a small amount of glue down the join of the body and chassis. Sounds like it (sorry, no pun intended!) I believe there is sometimes an issue with the chassis sagging in the middle, so they might've been trying to prevent that. I think a replacement milled brass chassis is or was available, along with all sorts of upgrade parts for the driveline. One other thing I've done is to add as much lead flashing inside it as I could to increase it's weight. It's still noticeably lighter than my 'modern' Atlas locos, but I needed to increase it's haulage capacity. 36" radius curves do cause some drag on a train of 8 or 9 cars!! 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasond Posted December 16, 2021 Share Posted December 16, 2021 Sagging chassis? Oh, on a Red Caboose GP9 kit: http://www.desplaineshobbies.com/store/product/46737/O-GP9-Brass-Frame/  P&D may have some if DP are out. Des Plaines site still has GP9 kits listed, but the rumours abound. Arry Dodd up in Scotland had some Aluminium versions cut recently.  DP also list a brass frame for the Lionel GP30 body. Jason 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmight Posted December 16, 2021 Author Share Posted December 16, 2021 Thanks Jason. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmight Posted December 22, 2021 Author Share Posted December 22, 2021 On 15/12/2021 at 21:44, Marmight said: I shall take some pics of the installation…I’ll be using an ESU 21 pin v5, which will fit where the current PCB is for the lights. Should go in ok. Mega bass speaker and ESU stay alive. Cheers Martin Started to fit the DCC set up this evening. I’ve made a plasticard base, the same size as the lighting PCB and fitted a 21 pin PCB board with solder tabs for the wiring. Soldered in the track pickups and motor feeds, fitted a spare 21 pin blanking plate of a Dapol 08 for testing, and everything works as it should. Test wire the lighting next and then when Christmas comes, fit the 21 pin decoder to the already in place board, connect the speaker and stay alive then put it all back together again. More pics will follow. cheers Martin 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted December 23, 2021 Share Posted December 23, 2021 Where is the speaker going to fit? In the fuel tank? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmight Posted December 23, 2021 Author Share Posted December 23, 2021 (edited) On 23/12/2021 at 07:48, F-UnitMad said: Where is the speaker going to fit? In the fuel tank? The speaker will fit on the board at the back of the decoder. Like this…there is enough room for it and I can always move the PCB around so it fits under the cooler fan pod if required.  In the end, the white plate was not needed. The left hand post that held the PCB was cut off and the decoder placed on an angle against the rear of the motor. The speaker was moved slightly to the left and black tacked in place. This ensured that the body could be refitted without it pushing down heavily on the decoder and speaker. By doing it this way there is ample room to fit it all in. What isn’t shown is the large stay alive which is fitted to the top of the front truck mounts, again fitting this here is well within the internal body area. Edited January 5, 2022 by Marmight Additional information 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmight Posted January 5, 2022 Author Share Posted January 5, 2022 Now running on the layout. The drive gears on one truck are very iffy, they can be moved along the axle quite easily, so NWSL have got themselves another order…  A video of it can be seen here   4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted January 5, 2022 Share Posted January 5, 2022 Nice! I have subscribed to your channel (Cavhutch). I like your Steamer! I'd like to see more about your layout. How does it cope in what looks like an uninsulated loft? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmight Posted January 6, 2022 Author Share Posted January 6, 2022 (edited) Thank you for subscribing, it means a lot.  The layout survives very well in the loft, the floor is very well insulated, which makes it a bit chilly in the winter, and hot in the summer. Winter sessions are limited to ‘warmer’ winter days and summer sessions, well even with the skylight open it does get very warm up there. There is also a constant air flow through the eaves and trapdoor, but even then it’s a T-shirt and shorts job. Trackwork doesn’t seem to mind the high temperature and a quick wipe over in the winter removes any condensation that might have occurred. All bar a couple of engines have large stay alive’s fitted, and these engines seem to clean the track as they run over it. I will be taking some more videos of the other side of the layout where the flour mill resides along with its resident SW9 switcher. More to follow.  Oh, there is a 2-8-0 steamer as well lurking at the back of the works awaiting attention… Cheers Martin Edited January 6, 2022 by Marmight 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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