This is an American Models GP9 built to become Norfolk Southern 903 by Bob Yahnke. I never heard of a class GP4.5 before but that is what Norfolk Southern called it. They only built 2 units, 903 and 904. Bob also built 904 but that was previously sold. This was purchased at the same time as the Norfolk Southern RP-E4D 9176 slug unit also built by Bob Yahnke. He possibly ran them as a set but Norfolk Southern ran mostly the RP-E4D with a GP40-2 which does not exist in any form in S Scale. I have an Overland brass GP38-2 planned to fill in for the GP40-2. This was a clean, repair, touch up and add DCC project. Bob’s layout was dormant for a long time. This is how it was received on 6-23-23.

I got lucky that the slug already had my favorite 22mm x 40mm Sagami motor I put in most of my American Models GP locos. The motor that American Models uses is good but truly JUST fits in the width of the shell. I had to change the motor in this GP. This photo is from my B&O GP9 but the motor is the same.

I thought it was ironic that the GP was built with the American Models closed plastic fans but the slug that would never have sound had 1 brass fan. I like to put speakers pointing up under open brass fans. The handrails were glued to the stanchions and needed some repair. I soldered some together while still on the plastic shell. You need a resistance soldering unit to do such repairs.

Completed 7-2-23

The decoder is my standard TCS Wow4, RailMaster DLG8 speaker and 4) 3mm LEDs from Evans Designs.

Updated 7-3-23

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