My newest addition!

[trainsteve2435]

Well everyone, just wanted to show you guys and gals my newest motive power. Its the new Proto 2000 GP30 with QSI sound. It really sounds as good as it looks. I once heard someone say, the GP30's were the prettiest ugly train ever produced. I guess i just have a soft spot for them, kinda like the old saying, the face that only a mother would love. Anyways, im proud of her, and cant wait until i can get her going pulling freight on my new layout. Hope you all enjoy, and thanks for looking.

 

[N Gauger]

Man - that looks Cool!!!!!!:thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: that's almost pretty enough to make me want one LOL

 

[Ralph]

They are a very distinctive locomotive. Nice paint scheme!
Ralph

 

[Herc Driver]

I'm one of those who loves them....and I'd love them more if they made them in N scale!!! And I want this one...

 

[LoudMusic]

It's so ugly it's beautiful. And that Souther 2601 is really good looking!

 

[green_elite_cab]

Yeah i wish the highhood GP30s ran in my area. I can't find any evidence of them running in NJ though.

 

[eightyeightfan1]

I thought the BL2's were considered the ugliest loco made?
I saw a BNSF GP-30 last year in Pheonix, doing switcing duties. Looked like it was fresh from the paint shop in Sante Fe's blue/gold Warbonnet scheme.....
And as usual...I didn't have my camera!

 

[UP SD40-2]

trainsteve2435, i too have a P2K GP30!!:thumb: mine is the low nose though. i think they are an OUTSTANDING engine:thumb: . i also think the sound in them is just slap AWESOME! hope you enjoy yours, as much as i do mine:thumb: . -Deano

 

[KCS]

I've never heard of a GP30 high nose until now and there's the proof above. 20 years and I thought I learned it all. Guess 20 out of 21 I missed a bit.

 

[Herc Driver]

The colors of that I&O are really nice... you don't see much white on diesels anymore but it sure gives them a clean appearance. That Southern (restored) is so clean outside you could just about eat off it.

 

[caliban]

I thought the BL2's were considered the ugliest loco made?
.....
And as usual...I didn't have my camera!

announce1 I agree, the BL-2 is definately the ugliest american diesel loco!

eightyeightfan1, I've got a new cell phone with a built in 2 mega pix camera a while ago. Not as good as a real camera, but I've allways a camera with my!:thumb: It has no optical zoom, but a digital zoom function. Most of the photos posted on this forum were taken with my cell phone.

 

[green_elite_cab]

I only once saw a "shell" of a GP30. it was one of CSX's road slugs semi-permanently coupled to a GP40-2 mother locomotive.


Does it still count as a GP30 spotted?

 

[Herc Driver]

It looks like LifeLike Proto put some time and effort into the GP30 details. That is a good looking diesel ya got there Steve. I'm guessing it runs well too, as I've been very pleased with the Proto-N GP60's that I recently aquired. LifeLike can build a good product when they've a mind to.

BTW...I was stunned by just how little the cab windows were on the GP30 when my son and I got a cab ride on the Southern 2601. Sure I'm used to sitting at the pointy end of airplanes and having the best window seat...but wow, I was really wondering just how the engineers did it - how were they supposed to watch for track problems, vehicle traffic, and everything else they've got to do through those tiny windows and with a few feet of diesel hood still in front of them that seemed to completely block their view to the left??? How'd they do it???

Ahhh well...back to dreaming that one day LifeLike will put out a Southern GP30. Maybe next year............

 

[green_elite_cab]

C130s have alot of windows to...

 

[trainsteve2435]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts, and yes, it does run very well. Its very quiet, except the QSI sound, which also has the turbo sound on this one. Even at idle, you can hear the turbo whinning, just like the real ones. I also have the #82 ordered, but without sound though. Thanks again!

 

[Triplex]

I thought the BL2's were considered the ugliest loco made?

When you're dealing with something like that, there's going to be no agreement. In fact, I tried to find out about this topic some time ago http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/showthread.php?t=65170 BL2s are disliked, but so are DL-109s, CF7s and GE Genesis-series engines, to name a few.

I've always liked GP30s. Recently, I've surprised myself by discovering a liking for Southern engines. I hadn't realized how aesthetic high noses could be on second-generation diesels, or that a mostly-black paint scheme could actually be flattering.