Hope new Bachmann GP7's will have correct numbers?

[jward]

excellent, 8805 is a valid number for the pennsy units. i can't wait to run them.

[Thommo]

Dear All,
The road number on the PRR Geep will be 8805.
I don't know where the switcher number came from...
Have fun!
the Bach-man

Great! 

[john tricarico]

of course im happy with bachmanns announcement
of the GP7

now that its been talked about the numbers

how about the paint schemes
i know the pennsy will be in the dark brunswick green
now for the new york central  will bachmann use the
lighting stripe or the later 60s scheme of all black
which is easier to paint

i hope the b&o is in the earlier paint job
but again its easier to do the later all
blue with the large b&o letters

good luck  john t  brooklyn ny

[the Bach-man]

Dear John,
The B&O will be blue with the single stripe; NYC will be lightning stripe.
Have fun!
the Bach-man

[john tricarico]

wow that was really fast response on the GP7 paint jobs


thank you mr bachmann

im sure you will not stop at just 4 roadnames

     thank you  john t        brooklyn ny

[pdlethbridge]

Could you do a B&M or MEC paint scheme?
Please, pretty please!

[jward]

will there be a dynamic brake version too?

[Thommo]

Dear John,
The B&O will be blue with the single stripe; NYC will be lightning stripe.
Have fun!
the Bach-man

So, this B&O will be made:



I would prefer this blue scheme:



...but still great looking engine! Does anyone know when B&O started to use newer painting scheme with big letters?

BTW, drawings are from http://usloki.tripod.com/

[Frisco]

What will the UP one have on the side of the cab? Just the number, or route of the streamliners? Can't wait for these to come  !

[the Bach-man]

Dear Thommo,
Your wish has come true.
Frisco,
Just the number.
Have fun!
the Bach-man

[jward]

thommo,
as near as i can tell, the b&o started using the initials on the hood side with the gp30s in  autumn 1962, and started repainting older locomotives around that time. within a short time, the lettering was changed to a block style, sans serif. most if not all of the gp35s came with the block style b&o lettering starting in spring 1964. so the b&o gp7 you have posted a drawing of would be a rather uncommon version, most would have gotten the block style lettering when repainted.

note that there were units with the baltimore and ohio speeled out on the hood running well into the 1970s.

[Thommo]

Bach-man, great news! "Full name" Baltimore and Ohio engines were more numerous, and proto modellers will find it more attractive to buy! Also, it fits in my 50's era period, while this newer livery does not.

jward, thanks on the info.

[jward]

no problem. locomotives, especially emd, are my specialty.

did you know in 1956 b&o locomotives underwent a renumbering? previous to that, diesels occuppied numbers below 1000, steam above. due to dwindling numbers of steamers and a growing diesel fleet, b&o decided to give steam the lower numbers and all diesels 4 digit ones.....

according to the original renumbering plan, the first digit denoted the service of the locomotive as follows:
1, passenger a unit.
2. passenger b unit
3. boiler equipped road switcher.
4. freight a unit
5. freight b unit
6  4 axle road switcher
7. 6 axle road switcher
8 switcher, below 1000hp
9. switcher, 1000hp and above.

the second digit denoted the builder as follows:
0-1. alco
2-3. baldwin/lima (after 1951 they were the same company)
4-6 emd
7 fairbanks morse
8. ge

thus, the gp7s became 6400s, the sd7s became 7400s, f units became 4400-4600s for a units and 5400-5500s for b units, etc.

the reason i mention this numbering plan is that it presents some interesting possibilities for locomotives b&o never had, there is a logical place to number them even though they didn't exist. for example, that beautiful b&o pa1 that athearn used to put out? 1000 series. a b&o train master? 7700 series..... a b&o rs3? 6000 series.....

[Thommo]

Wow, great info! I did not know B&O had uniform numbering.

I am working on a small layout with Pennsy branch theme, and B&O interchange trains comming to PRR station. I have Genesis F3 #88 and P2K Alco FA2 #837, in blue-grey scheme (my favourite). So one GP7 will be welcomed, even if Bachmann is doing after-renumbering engine.

[jward]

during any renumbering there is always a transition period when locomotives from both the old and new number series coexist. 1956 would be your year.

as you are probably aware, pennsy did not have uniform number series for most locomotives until they were renumbered for penn central starting 1966. before that, with a few notable exceptions everything was scattered with many different types jumbled in the same number series, and similar units scattered in several small groups.

http://kc.pennsyrr.com/motiveops/downloads/mp229_560301.pdf
this link shows assignment of all active pennsy locomotives as of march 1, 1956. you may find it of interest. locomotives are listed by pennsy class, not builders model. first letter is builder: a=alco, b= baldwin, etc. second letter is type of service. f=freight, p= passenger, s= switcher, rs= road switcher, h= helper.....thus an emd e8 is class ep22, an alco rs3 is ars16, etc.

i love the internet. there is so much there to be discovered.