Replacement shells

[Jerrys HO]

I bought my son a digital commander set with the Sante-Fe GP40 and FT-A loco's and he wants his trains to look like mine. Does anyone know where I can purchase just the shells preferably with BNFS black and orange and/or UP. I have one of the worst lhs around and have no train meets around. Can these be ordered thru Bachmann?
Thanks Jerry

[ACY]

FT-A shells are $15 plus shipping, GP40 shells are $20 plus shipping. Shipping would vary depending on weight and location. The FT-A does not come in BNSF or UP, the GP40 comes in UP, but not BNSF.

[jward]

i noticed that bachmann makes an f7 in great northern. the bnsf colour scheme is based on the old great northern colours. maybe you can adapt an f7 shell to fit an ft chassis. the ft is a little bit shorter than the f7.

[Jerrys HO]

Great idea gn does run in the south as I see them just about every day. I believe they also make one for the gp also. Now to get a 9yr. old to agree.

[jward]

i believe the great northern gp is a gp30. it is shorter than the gp40, and the shell won't fit.

[Doneldon]

Jerry-

Not really a problem, more like my personal
issue, but it's Santa Fe, not Sante Fe.
No offense.
                            -- D

[Jerrys HO]

Sorry D I had mexican food last night must be leftover.
Thanks Jeff I also see the CSX in GP40 that's another popular one here. Anyone has a good source to get these.

[rockymidlandrr]

Kinda a little off topic here, but why is the UP shell the only one that is not lettered?  The rest are lettered I do believe.

I do believe that the FT and the F7/F9 shell are interchangeable.  They vary slightly on height, but not length.

[jward]

bachmann service should be able to sell you body shells.

one thing your little guy is going to find is that the ft is not available in any of the modern railroads he sees. the ft was the first mass produced freight diesel, and all were built before the end of ww2. as such, they were obsolete by the 1960s and most were traded in on newer and better locomotives  (like the gp40) at that time. the gp40 dates to the late 1960s, it was made 1965-1971. even though obsolete, they have held up well and ran on most of the major railroads until fairly recently. rebuilt versions of the gp40 can currently be found on csx, norfolk southern, bnsf and up among others.

which railroads does he like?

[ACY]

I do believe that the FT and the F7/F9 shell are interchangeable.  They vary slightly on height, but not length.

You can convert a shell from a F7 or F9 to use with an FT, but once you do so, you cannot use it for an F7 or F9. Similarly you can take a FT shell and use it on a F7 or F9 frame, but once converted you cannot use it on the FT. The conversion int the one direction requires completely removing 2 of the 4 places where the screws go into the shell.

[Jerrys HO]

Jward,
He likes what dad likes. I don't have many loco's (yet) but most are UP and one BNFS I  purchased that is a MTH SD70ACe 9374. I am thinking about making his personal just paint and his name for a roadname.

[jward]

my friend did that for his son kyle. it helps that there is actually a kyle railroad.

[Jerrys HO]

J
that's what it is all about. right now he does not have the interest in model railroading that I always had but that could change with a Justin Rails line. my favorite will all ways be BNFS. i wish bachmann would do a nice version as the mth i have.

[jward]

i would have liked bnsf better if they'd have stuck with the santa fe warbonnet like they started to. but at least they aren't norfolk southern black like what rolls past my apartment.

what colour is justin rail?

[Jerrys HO]

have not thought that far yet. that's why i was inquiring about replacements first. how does black with bright green stripes sound?