Re: PC: Like Like Proto 2000 GP20

["Gerhard A. Stuebben" <stuebben@xxxxxxxxx>]

AGO3 -AT- aol.com wrote:
> 
> My eyes seem to indicate that PC didn't do more than repaint their NYC GP20s.
> I know they re de-turboed at some point.  Was this before or after the merger?
> 

You are right.  At first, PC did not do much more than repaint, and one
unit (2107) may never have gotten a full repaint.  These units did not
lose their turbochargers until after the merger, and the process took
several years, resulting in different appearances.  Most (but not all)
had the "Dash 2" style paper air filters installed (like those in
GP-38-2s). 

The photos I have of these units, dates taken, and descriptions follow
[by "full paint," I mean both lettering and large herald]:

2100	1970	Full PC paint, with turbo
2100	1972	Full PC paint, with turbo
2103	1974	Full PC paint, turbocharger removed, paper air filter 
2104	1974	Full PC paint, with turbo
2105	1969	Full PC paint, with turbo
2105	1974	Full PC paint, with turbo
2106	1971	Full PC paint, turbocharger removed, paper air filter 
2107	1972	Still in NYC paint, with turbo, but road name and 
		herald painted out
2108	1976	Large PC herald, no road name, turbocharger removed, 
		paper air filter 
2111	1974	Full PC paint, turbocharger removed, paper air filter 
2112	1974	Full PC paint, turbocharger removed, paper air filter 

All units were maintained at Selkirk, and had "Selkirk" stencilled under
the cab number.

While in Conrail service:

2100	1978	Full CR paint, turbocharger removed, paper air filter 
2102	1976	PC lettering and heralds painted out, turbocharger removed,
		paper air filter 
2102	1981	Full CR paint, turbocharger removed, paper air filter
2103	1984	CR paint (but no large herald), paper air filter 
2105	1984	Full CR paint, paper air filter
2110	1978	Full PC paint (heralds and lettering had been painted out,
		but paint fell off), CR on nose, clean removal of turbo,
		no apparent paper air filter
2110	1981	Full CR paint, clean removal of turbo, no apparent paper 
		air filter
2112	1978	Full PC paint (heralds and lettering had been painted out,
		but paint fell off), CR on nose, paper air filter
2112	1983	Full CR paint, paper air filter

Under CR, the units were assigned out of Avon Yard (Indianapolis), and
had "Avon" under the cab number.

So, to answer your question, if you take a stock GP-20, paint it in full
PC paint scheme using one of the numbers noted earlier, you will have an
excellent representative model of a PC GP-20.  HOWEVER .... all GP-20s
came with dynamic brakes EXCEPT the 15 sold to the NYC. The NYC, being
the "Water Level Route," rarely had units with dynamic brakes. Since all
PC GP-20s came from the NYC, you will probably need to do some surgery
on the shell to take off the dynamic brake fan.

Gary Stuebben
San Antonio, TX