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2	Chesapeake & Ohio G-7 and G-9 Locomotives from Spectrum’s 2-8-0 Building a “silhouette” engine Prepared by James Butler for the St. Albans Chesapeake and Ohio Modelers Inc.
3	C & O had 261 G-7 and G-9 class 2-8-0 locomotives
4	The first G-7s were built in 1903, the G-9s in 1909. They lasted well into the 1950’s.
5	The long life and versatility of these workhorses make them desirable modeling projects.
6	G-7 and G-9 Locos ran system wide for over 40 years
7	G-7s and G-9s are a must when modeling the C & O between 1903 and 1955
8	"The Chesapeake and Ohio obtained..." The Chesapeake and Ohio obtained 211 class G-7 2-8-0s between January 1903 and June 1916 and 50 class G-9 2-8-0s in 1909. Though there are many differences between the G-7s and G-9s and even among the engines of each group built by different builders they have very similar appearances. The G-7s and G-9s were used system wide and lasted well into the 1950s so they are useful to many modeling eras. This project does not produce an exact scale replica of the C & O G-7s or G-9s. The Spectrum loco’s boiler is too large and sits too high, the drivers and the tender is also too large. It will, however, give you a convincing stand-in. In addition it allows you to take advantage of the excellent running qualities of the Spectrum loco and it is about $300.00 less expensive than a brass C & O G-9. I call this loco and similar projects “silhouette” locos because from any distance over three feet or so they present the appearance of the modeled engine. It has that C & O look, and pulling a string of hoppers or a couple of passenger cars most observers get the feeling they are watching one of the C & O’s standard workhorses.
9	C & O 2-8-0s, an easy kit-bash!
10	My inspiration, C&O 1041 at Thurmond, W. Va. 1956
11	Modifying the Spectrum 2-8-0
12	Bill of Materials 1 Spectrum 2-8-0 loco (any road) 1 Cal Scale 190-333 Low Water Alarm 1 Whistle (your choice, I use Cal Scale 190-250) 1 Precision Scale Co. 585-3032 or 585-3033 Dome Super Glue Remover (I use Duro brand) 1 Champ Decal set #EH-3 or Microscale set 87-76 1 PIA Numberboard set #075
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14	Getting Started
15	Remove the drive from the shell
16	"The sand dome is the..." The sand dome is the biggest spotting difference between the Spectrum engine and the C & Os G-7 and G-9 engines. The procedure for changing the dome is easy and straightforward. To remove the Spectrum sand dome apply Super Glue remover (follow manufacturers instructions) to the inside of the boiler where the dome is attached to the boiler. After a few minutes you should be able to push the dome out of its location by pushing on it from inside the boiler. Cut a piece of .040 sheet styrene slightly larger than the hole left in the boiler. Curve the styrene by rolling it over a shaft about the size of a pencil. Once it has enough curve to fit inside the boiler hold it under the hole from inside the boiler and trace the outline of the hole on the styrene and cut out the plug for the hole in the boiler. The closer you get the plug to the shape and size of the hole the less sanding you have to do later! Once you are happy with the fit, glue the plug in place and allow it to dry. Putty around the edges and sand smooth. Make a new boiler band from .010 X .030 strip styrene and glue in place and sand smooth where it overlaps the cast on boiler band.
17	Remove the air tanks and piping
18	Remove the sand dome
19	Fill opening in boiler
20	Fill opening in boiler
21	"To make the new dome..." To make the new dome use a PSC #3033 or #3032 D&RGW dome. The #3032 is slightly shorter than the #3033 so you will have to decide which looks correct for your engine. In some photos the sand dome looks shorter than the steam dome and in some photos it looks as tall or taller. Super Glue a piece of ¼ inch brass rod or tube into the bottom of the dome getting the dome as square as you can on the shaft. Allow the glue to set completely and then chuck it in a 3/8 in drill. Fold a piece of 100-grit sandpaper several times so that you end up with a piece just big enough to cover both sides of the dome. Turn the dome in the drill while moving the sandpaper back and forth over the top of the dome to round the top of the dome to match a C & O G-9 dome more closely. Sand with finer grits sandpaper until the dome is smooth. Once complete the dome can be removed from the shaft with a light tap on the workbench. Mark the location of the new dome on the boiler. The front of the dome should just cover the bell-mounting hole. Notch the boiler band so the dome will sit flush on the boiler. You may need to sand the bottom of the dome to remove flash and help mate the dome to the boiler. Glue the dome to the boiler
22	Modifying a PSC dome
23	Turning down the PSC dome
24	Modified PSC dome
25	Add dome, boiler band, remove forward walkway
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27	Make any needed additional walkway modifications
28	Bell, number boards, whistle and low water alarm in place
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30	Build up a new forward walkway from sheet styrene
31	Install remaining detail parts, add sanding lines, prepare for painting
32	Paint, decal and weather as you would any plastic model
33	All prototype photos available from the Chesapeake and Ohio Historical Society archive. Special thanks to TLC Publishing and C&OHS for information used in this presentation.
34	Be sure to tune in next year when we mate an Athearn 2-8-2 to a Hobbyline tender and get C&O 2356 straight from pg. 77 of C&O Power