# Needing to trim some fat (Cast Aluminum from engine)



## MPRailroad (5 mo ago)

Hello,

I'm looking to trim some aluminum off of an engine, specifically a GP18 Proto2000 engine, to make more room for a Tsunami 2 decoder and to get some speakers in the engine. What are some of the better ways to do this? I can't get one of the larger milling machines, those are just not effective for me to cut down a few engines for 2 grand. Thinking more along the lines of a hand saw, or possibly a band saw? What are the best blades that you have possibly used to do this? Or do you have other good ways of getting the job done?

Thanks Cody


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## rrman987 (Aug 29, 2021)

Dremel tool with appropriate cutting wheels. Band saw would be to cut off or split a part of shell.
What exactly are you trying to open up or remove? If its a large solid chunk in bottom, you might take it to a machine shop where they could work in your aluminum piece as time permits for a nominal fee.


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## J.Albert1949 (Feb 3, 2018)

I think what the OP means is that he needs to machine the locomotive weight in these units.
It's not aluminum, however. Something else, probably zamac?

The Proto2000 GP18 in particular used a small-sized light board -- it leaves little room in which to install a decoder. And put a speaker in there? Not gonna be easy.

I'm surprised there isn't "a market" for this, with a few providers who have the necessary skills and equipment to "re-machine" these old loco weights for a bit more room inside...


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## MPRailroad (5 mo ago)

Yeah, this particular engine, the top of this block and between the plastic has zero room for a board. I could maybe get a smaller board and fit it in the front because this was a High Hood model, so the front would be great for the speaker, but the top again has no room for a longer DCC board. Here is an image of it attached.

Funny enough, this has no board in it at all. Just a very odd small block with some huge solder points.


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## Dennis461 (Jan 5, 2018)

I have used end mills in drill press. Be careful take your time. I have a Harbor Freight x-y table. Practice.


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## Mixed Freight (Aug 31, 2019)

Not having readily access to milling machines (like most of us), I've opened up N-scale frames with hacksaw blades, razor saw blades, and files. Best way is to totally disassemble the metal frame so you can clamp it in a vice (if possible) while working on it. For split frames, you may have to bolt the half's together first. You may also have to cut a wood spacer to put in the hollow cavities to prevent the frame from squeezing together under pressure from the vice. Mark the cut lines with a permanent felt tip marking pen to try and keep the cutting straight and true. I have also sawed little grooves in the sides of N-scale frames to provide channels for decoder wires to run. Probably wouldn't have to do this with HO scale, however.

I dunno, but just work slow and carefully if sawing on zinc (zamac) frames. Saw blades seem to have a strong tendency to go off the saw lines (in the wrong direction!) if you're not careful.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

The early PK2 GP18’s didn’t have a board….one of the first PK2 locomotives that came out….

Proto 2000 Locomotive Timeline



> Timeline:
> 1989 - EMD BL2
> 1991 - Alco FA-2 FB-2
> 1992 - EMD GP18
> ...


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## MPRailroad (5 mo ago)

Dennis461 said:


> I have used end mills in drill press. Be careful take your time. I have a Harbor Freight x-y table. Practice.


Is this like the Harbor Freight x-y table? -> 5 in. Cross Slide Vise



Mixed Freight said:


> Not having readily access to milling machines (like most of us), I've opened up N-scale frames with hacksaw blades, razor saw blades, and files. Best way is to totally disassemble the metal frame so you can clamp it in a vice (if possible) while working on it. For split frames, you may have to bolt the half's together first. You may also have to cut a wood spacer to put in the hollow cavities to prevent the frame from squeezing together under pressure from the vice. Mark the cut lines with a permanent felt tip marking pen to try and keep the cutting straight and true. I have also sawed little grooves in the sides of N-scale frames to provide channels for decoder wires to run. Probably wouldn't have to do this with HO scale, however.
> 
> I dunno, but just work slow and carefully if sawing on zinc (zamac) frames. Saw blades seem to have a strong tendency to go off the saw lines (in the wrong direction!) if you're not careful.


Thanks for the input, I really appreciate it!



Old_Hobo said:


> The early PK2 GP18’s didn’t have a board….one of the first PK2 locomotives that came out….
> 
> Proto 2000 Locomotive Timeline


Ohh! This is AMAZING! Thank you so much, this will be an amazing list to look at, I have about 15+ Proto engines I would like to rework for DCC and paint. They are almost all undercoated. So this will help me with a few things I'm wanting to do.


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## Dennis461 (Jan 5, 2018)

Yes, that is the table. It is a very sloppy device and requires a lot of tinkering to make it work, make it level and actually slide!


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## OilValleyRy (Oct 3, 2021)

I’d think a hacksaw could cut that down. Low cost but time consuming. So either gotta watch a movie or ask the mrs to read off the complete honey-do list.

I swear somebody made sound-only decoders that could “piggy back” off of DCC decoders. Don’t remember who made them, or how they connected but I assume wire leads. With space being an issue I wonder one of those might work in the nose with a speaker, & motor/lighting decoder over the motor? Can’t say it’s a good idea or bad one, but something to look into if Plan A doesn’t fly?


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## J.Albert1949 (Feb 3, 2018)

OP wrote in #4 above:
_"Funny enough, this has no board in it at all. Just a very odd small block with some huge solder points."_

Could you show us that "from the top", please?

Thanks to Old Hobo for the Proto 2000 timeline.
Does one also exist for the Proto 1000 releases?


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## Model Train Depo (Sep 4, 2021)

MPRailroad said:


> Hello,
> 
> I'm looking to trim some aluminum off of an engine, specifically a GP18 Proto2000 engine, to make more room for a Tsunami 2 decoder and to get some speakers in the engine. What are some of the better ways to do this? I can't get one of the larger milling machines, those are just not effective for me to cut down a few engines for 2 grand. Thinking more along the lines of a hand saw, or possibly a band saw? What are the best blades that you have possibly used to do this? Or do you have other good ways of getting the job done?
> 
> Thanks Cody


Hey Cody, if you have not got this taken care of yet, I have a mill and will machine it for you at NO cost. Just want to pay it forward. Contact me at [email protected] if you are interested.


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## Model Train Depo (Sep 4, 2021)

No worries....


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