| SSW 9663 | July, 2010 |
| ©2010 Daniel Cortopassi
| Please do not redistribute without permission. Usage Info |
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Proto 2000 GP60, SSW 9663
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This Cotton Belt GP60 is nearly identical to sister unit SP 9735, another Proto 2000 GP60 I featured on HO DCC Installs Volume 2.
Aside from the road name, the main visual differences are the lack of a beacon on the roof and the relocated horn. To my knowledge Cotton Belt GP60s were delivered without ditch lights but with beacons. When they went through the shop and acquired ditch lights, they lost their beacons and had their airhorns moved from the cab to the long hood.
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This model is equipped with a LokSound 3.5 decoder which controls the motor and headlights. A TCS FL-4 function-only decoder controls the ditch lights. In that way the installation is similar to SP SD45R 7482 from HO DCC Installs Volume 2.
The model performs very smoothly with this combination, and sounds good, too!
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In other respects this model is similar to my SP unit, except for the lack of a beacon. I used LEDs for all lights from the outset on this model, with tiny surface-mount LEDs concealed in the ditch light housings. These are bright and best of all, there are no ugly bulb wires sticking out the backs of the ditch light castings. I liked the way this unit turned out so much that I have subsequently gone back and retrofitted SP 9735 with LEDs.
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I did add a few details to this model, some of them like the snowplow from another unit that I re-kitbashed into a Santa Fe GP50, ATSF 3854.
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To model the missing beacon I fabricated a beacon stand from some .010 sheet brass. Using a Details West beacon casting base as a template, I drilled three mounting holes in the beacon stand with a No. 78 bit in a pin vise. I painted the stand SP gray and glued it to the roof. I used some weathering poweders to put some rust around the now-empty holes, as well as a rust spot in the horn's original location.
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Other improvements included the addition of "Power by the Mile" stickers on both sides from Microscale sheet 87-447. I gave the model some light weathering with an airbrush and powders, and also removed the radiator fans and painted them primer gray as per photos of the full-sized 9663. I used some dark gray powder to weather the fans before reinstalling them on the long hood.
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