# 1/32nd Scale GP 35



## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

I got an email about these New Ray GP35's. They are in 1/32nd scale, un-powered. I got one to sit in my yard with a couple of old cars that I don't mind leaving out in the weather and the hard water from our sprinkler. They should be fine for that. I think a guy could put some power trucks on them and detail them out some, if he wanted. Fit in with the Great Trains cars.
1/32nd Geeps 


I wonder if they used the old K-Line molds. Looks a lot like the two Army ones I use on my Army train.


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Why are there no powered units? Seams a hellova lotta work to just put out dummiy engines in an odd scale, seams there must be matching (battery) powered units (and cars) somewhere out there.


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

Does seem odd not to power them, but those are incredibly well done for $23.


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By lownote on 20 Mar 2012 05:13 PM 
Does seem odd not to power them, but those are incredibly well done for $23. 
I dont know about "incredibly" or "well"..
I would say "those are done for $23" 

good for a background scene perhaps, or kitbash fodder..

but even at $23, im not interested in getting one..
cant think of a use for it.. 


Scot


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

If you can show me something as well executed for the same money, I'll withdraw my adjectives.


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

I found these being sold thru a couple other vendors on Ebay, looks like its intended to be a floor toy, I have to wonder if somewhere there is a battery powered set either already being sold (china?) or will be offered soemwhere down the line. I have to admit I am very curious about these, might be worth the price of a second hand boxcar


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

For $23 they are a bargain, I'd say, but you'd want to be in 1:32 first, or put them away from any 1:29 stuff. 

I don't think I'd use the word incredible myself, but anything for $23 in 1:32 is incredible!! 

Greg


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Here's a picture I was sent of it primered.








Should look fine just sitting in my yard, no plans to power it.


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## Rail Planet (Jan 22, 2012)

Looks pretty good for $23... as I was writing this I had to run outside to catch a GP38-2 coming by.


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## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

The photo Jerry posted looks like Wayne Gunn's model after he lowered the body about 3/8 inch [ 1 foot]. He plans to replace the spoked wheels with some Gary Raymond 40 inch wheels and do a few other "incidental" things like replace the handrails. It looks like the frame is short enough to make installing MTH power trucks a less than perfect fit. 

As to ODD SCALE, lets not plow that ground again, because 1:32 is far more correct for Ga 1 than "that other scale". Some of us are just more particular than others on some specific points... it does not mean we object to your choices. 

Jerry B... When did K-Line produce Large Scale stuff?


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## Amber (Jul 29, 2011)

The nicest stuff I've seen in large scale standard gauge has all been 1/32 scale.


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Thats nice looking Jerry, the only thing that looks off are the plastic hand rails, but then plastic toy rails will be plastic toy rails wont they.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Glad Wayne sent me the pix, would have not known otherwise. It will suit my purposes fine. People can argue over scale/etc, I just want to sit it in my train yard for looks. Probably wire the lights into my Malibu system so it lights up at night.


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## GN_Rocky (Jan 6, 2008)

Yep, it is more 1/32 than 1/29. But the parts are not all 1/32. I used these parts off of a couple of the PRR model when they came out powered the first time. I cut up and shortened a couple USAT GP-38s and used the few parts off of the GP-35 models slightly modified to build myself a couple 1/29th GP-35s. 



















That's my only top view. 









Unit number 2. 
I guess it was a cut up GP-30 with the GP-38 cab and nose section. The fans on the 1/32 model are too .... Well they don't look too good



















There's a production pix of #2. The other was the 1st unit that was completed. number 2 is done, but needs painting and decals.

Rocky


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

I got mine today, it is the same as the K-line army locomotives I have. They were made back in the 80's, I think. Had the same gear problems as USA. These are un-powered and have plastic spoked wheels! Molded in horn on top, otherwise identical to the K-lines. Even has the grooves in the cab for the windows to slide in, have to make your own though! Funky sound/light system in it that comes with batteries.


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Well I broke down and got one on ebay. Mine's from a non train seller though. I'll have to see what I can do with it. Right now I'm going to park it at the end of the transfer cassette on the layout which is the interchange track.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Wayne Gunn, who told me first about these says they are real close to 1/32nd, just one inch short in the length. If you don't lower it, it will look close to 1/29th. He said he thought it would be too much trouble to put power trucks on it, just some bearings/metal wheels and use as a dummy. Mine will be real dumb sitting on a track in the yard. The UP color is a bit bright, may try some dull coat on it, but don't want to get into re-paints/etc...


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Well mine arrived today. Wow for less than $30 (thats with shipping ) I have to say it is very interesting in a good way. Its size looks alot more like 1/29 than 1/32 but then they are not my usual forte. I can say that once I tried the sound effects it was a matter of seconds before ripping the batteries out of the hog. Thats a truely Hidious toyish soundy thingy. Yeech! But other than that I am visually impressed with what you get for the price of a second hand boxcar.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

The body is pretty translucent. I didn't want to do a complete UP re-paint, so painted the inside flat black, seems to have helped. I did the trucks silver, put discs over the spokes on the wheels. Painting the steps gray. I did find a drill chuck that the knurled part rolled on metal duct tape gives you a good pattern that resembles the diamond plate on the walkways, painted the strips gray also. Just having fun messing around with this. Probably doing more than I really should, but what the heck! Need to make some plastic windows. Slots are there that K-line had windows in, but this has none.


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## Ron Hill (Sep 25, 2008)

What does one look like next to a 1/29 loco? How much difference is there in appearance? 
Ron


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## Amber (Jul 29, 2011)

Could you use the sideframes from the trucks on this and put a drive in them, something like the bigger NWSL power truck drive?


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

I dont see any reason why not, its just a question of finding the right power block with the right wheelbase. 

These look like they will be great for kitbashing parts.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Axle to axle is 3 1/8". Sideframes unscrew from the empty box the held the drive on the old K-lines. Frames are 5" long overall.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Here's a picture of mine so far. Waiting on some decals from Stan before final assembly, and wiring in the lights. It will be un-powered and just sitting in my yard, hooked up to the Malibu light system.








I did paint the gray, left the yellow plastic. I also painted the side frames and put discs over the spokes on the plastic wheels. Slide glass in the windows.


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## GN_Rocky (Jan 6, 2008)

Nice paint Jerry








I guess what bothers me most about the appearance of the loco (other than being to small in scale) is the fans. The radiator and generator fans just look odd to me. They are too tall and too smooth on the sides as well as having the "Button" look for the center hub over the middle of each fan. On the prototype, the hub is even in height with the top of each fan cowl. The model does make a good backdrop if it is far away and you don't get close to it, but I would have at least changed out the fans with USAT fans that came off of a GP-30 - that is if you got close enough to get a top view. I dunno, I guess the fans was a real turn off for me. I did remove the dynamic brake blisters and turbo grill work off the two units I had once (K-Lines) and sold the rest for scrape for those who wanted to use other parts for kitbashing. As for getting powered trucks for the loco... Doesn't MTH have some 2 axle EMD units out ??? I believe they just made an F unit. Perhaps a pair of those trucks could be used to power the unit







Be a little spendy having to buy a whole loco and then just use the trucks, but it's an idea for you.

As for size comparison, Not much in 1/32 goes well with 1/29. I've only had luck with MTH's unibody tankcars raised up on Aristo trucks and also their flatcars. Boxcars, cabeese, locos, etc just are too short in both height and lenght. I once passed up on an E-7 because it was 1/32 and looked too small next to 1/29 locos







But now I can build an E-7 out of the newer E-8s Aristo made. Perhaps if you rasie the loco up a 1/4 inch might help a bit on height.

Opps too much, just wanted to comment on the fans looking odd. 

Oh BTW, those spoked wheels have to go too. Perhaps you could use USAT black metal wheelsets if you leave it a dummy loco.

Rocky


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Heres mine on the layout, its a hefty sized bugger!










Here with a couple car new aquisitions, $5 each from an antique shop! Even the right road name.. Not bad...


















On the lift bridge, rolls fine thru the R1 curves. As I stated, mine will be parked on the transfer cassette to act as recieving loco when I switch cars off the layout or add new cars to the layout.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

I got the Geep all done. Wired in the number boards(Stan did the decals), also a cab light and the rear lights/number boards, all LED's. 











The loco will just be sitting in the yard and is hooked to the Malibu light system, so it will light up at night. I weathered it some , I'm sure our hard water should do it some more. Have to rotate it occasionally so the sprinkler hits both sides equally. The labels on the side are printed on ink Jet vinyl. Took some pix of the local switcher and used some of them. 









I did paint the rails white in the one section. All the gray was re-shot as Krylon gray primer. I did put some weights in the trucks and fuel tank, lot of wind on the west side. I got the flatcars from Jim Carter.


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## Amber (Jul 29, 2011)

The engine looks pretty good sitting there. Do the dynamic brake parts come off the body? The C&NW GP-35s didn't have dynamic brakes.


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry too bad you cant find some sort of standalone sound for it to be just idling there on the siding hour after hour like the real ones tend to do. 

Amber I think the body is all one casting, but it should cut pretty easliy


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Amber on 18 Sep 2012 04:16 PM 
The engine looks pretty good sitting there. Do the dynamic brake parts come off the body? The C&NW GP-35s didn't have dynamic brakes. 
Its clear from the the photos that the dynamic brakes are molded into the body..
they don't "snap off" to be replaced by a non-dynamic brake section like some other models..
so you would have to physically cut out the dynamic brakes and scratch-build a new panel in their place..
wouldn't be too hard..

Scot


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Looks good Jerry. As long as it's not next to a 1/29 can't really tell the difference. I wonder if the USAT wheels from a GP 7/9 would fit the loco as I changed mine out to get rid of the traction tire wheel sets? Later RJD


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## Amber (Jul 29, 2011)

Well RJD, I'd bet you could find a way to make them fit, especially if you're not trying to make it move.  
Jerry Barnes, could you post the wheelbase measurement of the truck sideframes on the engine? Maybe a drive could be found, or assembled that would fit the trucks. 
I haven't seen one of these on Ebay in the last few days, so they might not be as easy to get as I was hoping.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Amber, the measurements were on page 1 of this, but here they are: 
Axle to axle is 3 1/8". Sideframes unscrew from the empty box the held the drive on the old K-lines. Frames are 5" long overall. 

I don't think anything matches up with that very well.


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## TrainWatcher (Sep 18, 2012)

Sorry for bumping an old thread here guys, I just picked up 2 of these off of EBay for Under $50. Plans are to kitbash them into 2 Conrail units (with some help from Stan Cedarleaf). I have to say, for kitbashing, these are very easy to take apart and I hope to share some rebuild photos soon.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Glad someone else is using them. I guess you could possibly use Lionel or MTH trucks to power them, since they are 1/32.


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