During the quarantine - Creating a PRR Passenger GP7

Well, I had a long standing request by a friend of mine in NJ to take an old Oriental Passenger GP7 and make it a specific PRR engine - number 8553. He sent it to me last July after he had waited 5 years for another fellow todo the work. O scalers are patient. 

 First problem was that the nose fell off . This was actually beneficial as it made it easier to add the antennae posts. I also added brass number boards and drilled out the headlights. Later the rear nose came off as well. I learned later this was a common problem as they were butt soldered in place. 

 Second issue was that the fuel tank was very large. The PRR used a freight engine sized fuel tank shown by the one next to the tarnished one I was working with. Also, the PRR had mounted a train control box to the end of the fuel tank. So, I made a jig to mount the fuel tank and then placed that in my mill. I sawed the excess length off the fuel tank. It came out quite nicely and the end went right back in place on the shorted body. I added the train control box on the fireman's side.

 Here we are mounting the antenna posts without the nose in place.

Looking forward along the body. I also had to move the horns and make a new set of them facing forward ahead of the roof tanks. 

 Here is the finished engine. You can see the train control box just ahead of the fuel tank.

 A roof shot looking forward. You can see all the steam heater details.

 Rear of the engine with the nose in place.

 Sie view - I used the no longer available Clover House yellow lettering which is an exact match for the road name. Numbers and other detail lettering is from Champ and Microscale.

 Looking along the body - there is that train control box.

 Engineers side.

Last view. The engine is in New Jersey now, looking like it did on early 1950. It runs well and weighs a ton with thick brass and a big weight.
I am involved with boring ballasting and trying to finish off other projects. So, I have a Trainmaster coming out of the paint shop. It will be followed by a Juniata version of the I1. Pictures to follow.