WBB GP-38 Chessie System

[M1FredQ]

My son Joey was given a WBB GP-38 Chessie System locomotive for his birthday by my brother and sister. We finally opened it Monday since the schools were closed due to the weather.

I felt compelled to comment because I was really impressed with the looks of the locomotive. The shade of yellow and the deep blue trim is a real eye pleaser.

On the track it is just an eye catcher and it has pulling power!!! In our collection we have GP-30's and GP-35's as well as a GP-7 but I got to hand it to Joey he has a thing for Chessie and really wanted it and I remember trying to talk him out of it but I had to "high five" him for his decision. He was one happy kid!!!!

I think Bachmann has also found a signature color scheme for their boxes, as the package is a solid box cover and the colors are classic.

You can have a laugh on me but I didn't know Chessie was B&O!! Another reason for me to like it.

What I would like to know. Since I have become spoiled with the sounds of the GP-30 is it possible to "swap" out the GP-38 system for a sound board that is in the GP-30's?? I have someone who could do it for me.

Thanks in advance!!!!

[wmwalker]

Fred
I am sure you could swap it out but those sound boards are not for sale yet. I do hope that They will be available someday. I am glad Joey likes his new engine and everyone is having fun running trains. 

[phillyreading]

Fred,

You could have somebody do the swap out if he knows what to swap out with the WBB engines. You would have to change the speaker and circuit boards that go with each system, do not try try to salvage parts from one system to the other!
It may give you night mares if you salvage anything as the speaker resistance or wattage might be wrong.
Not sure but you may have to wait for WBB to come out with an upgrade sound system for the GP-30's.

If that is not easy to do, maybe you can swap the shells for the GP-30 and GP-38.

Lee F.

[M1FredQ]

Thanks fellas

The guys at the computer store who are electronic wiz kids offered to do it for me if I can get the parts.

I am beginning to find out it's not that easy to do.

I admit the GP-30 sounds spoiled me. Some fellas on another forum were dealing with someone like me who was asking about the same thing and someone brought up the diesel sounds were different on the GP-30's!!
That's interesting. I am not that particular although I appreciate knowing about it.

As you all suggest I hope Bachmann is working on such a system that we can install(or have someone else do it).

That engine is really something, it can start moving very slowly with low power which is really nice  and like I said above it is powerful.
Just wondering I know WBB has a Chessie System caboose it seems small is there another one "out there"
that's a little larger or is the current one available from WBB the "match" for it??

Something interesting one of our friends gave Joey a set of VCR tapes On "America's Railroads the Steam Train Legacy" it's a 7 volume set. On one of the tapes we were viewing there was a Chessie System Steamer being used for excursion. Of course the steamer would be a nice complement to that diesel. In the 2013 catalog WBB has a Chessie Steamer.

THis hobby is contagious !! Like the Jim Coffe song says, "One more train , one more train,  all I need is just a one more train"!!!

[Joe Satnik]

Hi, Fred. 

Here are some prototype photos. 

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=chessie+system+caboose+&qpvt=chessie+system+caboose+&FORM=IGRE

Our family also has a CS GP-38, which was our first Williams (W.E.T.) loco.

We love its reliability, sharp looks and bold colors.   

We ended up with a RK Bay Window Caboose, 30-7713, CS road number C-3027, B&O origin,

similar to this prototype:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=20852&nseq=11

On-line info says it is "Traditional (meaning smaller than scale) Size". 

I measure 9-3/16" ( = 36.75 scale feet) roof length,

2-3/16" ( = 8.75 scf) roof width,

2-3/4" ( = 11 scf) bay window bumps width, (widest part of caboose)

and 10-3/8" ( = 41.5 scf) over coupler faces. 

To me it seems close enough to the GP-38's scale.

I'm not sure how many years we will have to wait for a WBB alternative to their porthole caboose. 

I certainly won't be holding my breath til then.

Hope this helps. 

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik 

[M1FredQ]

WOW Joe!!!
Those are some awesome pictures!!!

I'll have to check e-bay to see if any of those versions are around!!!

Thanks loads for sharing!!!!!!

[Joe Satnik]

Dear Fred,

You're welcome, and thanks for the kind words.

Glad I could help.

Good luck finding your caboose.

Chessie System was a holding company of B&O, C&O and WM, started in 1973. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chessie_System

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

[Joe Satnik]

I stumbled onto this after I posted:

http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1899858

The model has one window near each end's set of steps (symmetrical to the center bay),

which differs from the prototype photo, showing 2 windows to the rear.  

The symmetry of the model looks nice.  

Hope this helps.  

Joe

Edit: Grammar

[M1FredQ]

Hi Joe

Thanks for the links

I read all of them and got my self up to speed on this railroad system. It incorporated a bunch of famous and well known RR's!!!

Very interesting history.

Thanks for the help.

Hope to find one of those bay window caboose versions in Chessie markings!!