TheRailwire
General Discussion => N and Z Scales => Topic started by: Miles on April 22, 2015, 10:11:28 PM
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Well, it's finally started! My friend has commissioned me to build him 25 SD9's and SD7's for his ambitious layout. They'll mostly be Scarlet & Gray, with a couple of Black Widows and a couple of oddball one-offs and Halloween units. All of them will match prototype numbers and photos of each. Some will be SD9E/R rebuilds. ALL of them will sport the light packages or lack thereof (with the BMLA blanked out panels)
So, here we go!
I'll have plenty of questions as I go along, but here's my first: What should I use to fill in the "red" mars light? Does MV products make jewels tiny enough for these? What else would work? Fiber optic cable? A dab of crystal clear mixed with red paint?
(https://40.media.tumblr.com/445c0b070da5f2dfc98ebafb960e55f8/tumblr_nn8l9yK0tl1sh4v88o1_1280.jpg)
Feel free to critique, I have tough skin and will be happy to adjust things to improve their looks as I progress. Here's the first three.
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With your handy work you could probably light those with tiny SMD LEDs.
http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/SML-P12UTT86/511-1593-1-ND/1643125
or these which come PRE WIRED!! http://www.modeltrainsoftware.com/smd-chip-leds.html
But those are going to look great!!
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I have a question for you... :D
What are you using for the light packages and can we buy them?
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Sheesh. SP loons. ;)
I love the early SP SDs. I have seared-in memories of braces of five 3900's, dynamics screaming down the hill from Acton into Soledad Canyon, on the Bakersfield-L.A. line.
Anyway, I second the idea of 0402 LEDs for the big-hole light. It would just be so cool. For a lens, I would use Tamiya transparent paint to sort of build a red glob. Their red by itself would be good for this, but maybe I would mix in the tiniest bit of blue to deepen the color to the red I recall.
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Ben,
The light package details are:
Details Associates 8219 "Single" Mars light.
Details Associates 8218 Dual Headlight "Plye" Oscillating
Details Associates 8216 Dual Headlight - Early (standard EMD headlight at the bottom of the cluster)
I might play with the micro LEDs as I have some laying around. I'll have to get my hands on some red ones though. The Tamiya transparent paint is an excellent call. I'll give it a try.
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And you have to weather them too?
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I think Tom is trying to be a subcontrator on a weathering job for these.
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No no no! :trollface:
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I love the early SP SDs. I have seared-in memories of braces of five 3900's, dynamics screaming down the hill from Acton into Soledad Canyon, on the Bakersfield-L.A. line.
That was my first love!!! Traveling between Palmdale/Lancaster to L.A. and back provided some very unique and interesting opportunities to see these units back when I was rather young... still a fond memory now that I am on the downslide!!!
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Tom, Yes. I'll be doing everything from the Undec shell to a completely weathered finished model!
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Interested to watch the SD9E build.
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What an outstanding project!! Dig those Cadillac's!!
Wolf
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I remember well chasing Espee's "Toledo Hauler" from the GP mill in Toledo over the Coast Range and into Corvallis. Would often see as many as 7 units on the head end. An awesome sight,to be sure...
Mark in Oregon
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That was my first love!!! Traveling between Palmdale/Lancaster to L.A. and back provided some very unique and interesting opportunities to see these units back when I was rather young... still a fond memory now that I am on the downslide!!!
Hey, Jerry... were you from the A.V.?
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Wow, 25 Cadillacs! That's power for two trains including helpers...
Having grown up along the Espee I remember seeing 6 leading, 5 mid train and 3-4 pushing on a regular basis. Sounds pretty interesting though!
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I know MV does have lenses that small. I've used them for the same thing before...only black widows and tiger stripes.
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Could you point me in the right direction for the correct sized MV products lenses? Since the Red mars was just an emergency "big hole" light, it wouldn't need to operate on a vast majority of those units.
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Could you point me in the right direction for the correct sized MV products lenses? Since the Red mars was just an emergency "big hole" light, it wouldn't need to operate on a vast majority of those units.
You would think so but I can tell you as a fact that at least one Espee SD45, that was being run on the Norfolk Southern (formerly Southern) mainline, was being operated with all lights being on, including the red gyralight. It was quite a show in the middle of the night and one I am so very grateful to have seen. Oddest part of it all was that the unit was in a trailing position in the locomotive consist, with the unit lighting up the rear end of the NS locomotive ahead of it.
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I believe the MV lens set your are looking for is the LS 701, although I've seen them marked as P/N 701 too.
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Thanks Russ! I just bought a bunch of packs to hopefully cover at least half of the fleet.
So, the Microscale decal set in N is really limited. 60-177 has too limited of an amount of wings and SP lettering for my tastes. The scarlet red in the decal is also WAY too dark. Are there better decals out there?
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Might want to consider painting the wings given the limited amt. available per decal sheet as you mentioned. I've painted wings on a few HO models before with excellent results but have not tried yet in N scale. When I did it in HO, I painted the grey first, then masked and painted the scarlet wings. The results were thankfully great but, if I was to try it again in N scale, I would probably try painting the scarlet first, then mask and paint they grey as the grey would cover quickly with fewer and lighter passes. One key I found to painting wings is to seal the tape edges with the first-applied color, then apply the contrasting color. Might want to experiment elsewhere first.
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Your putting sound decoders in all of them too, right?
Good old Floquil Scarlet Red was a good match for the Micro Scale decal sheet, especially with Lark Light under them.... as the lighter gray is good simulation for faded paint, and looks sweet with a layer of grimy black tunnel smoke. Some of us hoarded bottles of all the important colors when they ceased production...
Now I prefer Scalecoat as it also is a good match, and it smells just as good, but has a high gloss finish for those decals.
Darn RR here has grown too big and taken away from finishing the loco fleet... :(
Enjoy the project!
73's Russ
Jeff
http://espeeoregondivision.blogspot.com/
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You would think so but I can tell you as a fact that at least one Espee SD45, that was being run on the Norfolk Southern (formerly Southern) mainline, was being operated with all lights being on, including the red gyralight. It was quite a show in the middle of the night and one I am so very grateful to have seen. Oddest part of it all was that the unit was in a trailing position in the locomotive consist, with the unit lighting up the rear end of the NS locomotive ahead of it.
That sounds like someone decided to turn everything on, rather than it be the norm!
I'd go the route of the MV lense as well.
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Jeff: BWHAHAH SOUND in these old Katos? I might see if I can convince him to do what the guy did with the BNSF SD40-2 in HO on that other thread and hookup a Tsunami to some large, quality speakers so your chest will rumble with the sound of a prime mover.
(http://www.reactiongifs.com/r/2013/12/airplane-cant-be-serious.gif)
I just talked with my friend yesterday about what he wants. Looks like we're going DC/ cab control, which will thankfully save me a ton of work.
Sunshades & MV lenses are in the mail, and the third unit, an SD9E is nearly complete.
The Conrail shell has been my test-bed for building various attachments for the SD9's, like headlight removal, electrical cabinet construction and probably a few other things as well in time. The Electrical cabinet is two layers of styrene carefully filed to fit the profile of the cab arc.
(https://41.media.tumblr.com/ed667be1ade9fd356c5f63b42568e6b8/tumblr_nn8l9yK0tl1sh4v88o2_r1_1280.jpg)
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Bookmarked!
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(http://41.media.tumblr.com/e41d9b211982fbc668d44d3ba63b5dd0/tumblr_nobad9K6A31sh4v88o1_1280.jpg)
Nearly complete, SP #4450 still has lenses, glass, sunshades and my signature weathering to round out this unit. Should be done by the end of this week along with its sibling, an as yet unnumbered 4300 class SD9
(https://40.media.tumblr.com/51c0b32026c0a0fcdc5438b0f97beb01/tumblr_nobad9K6A31sh4v88o2_1280.jpg)
(http://41.media.tumblr.com/5df0752bb24a67301f71e7d565b664cb/tumblr_nobad9K6A31sh4v88o3_1280.jpg)
(http://36.media.tumblr.com/560a3193cc5e8d231dde0d9aeb65cbe6/tumblr_nobad9K6A31sh4v88o4_1280.jpg)
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Looking really good! Applying the decals is my favorite part as this is where all the hard work up to that point really starts to come together.
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The First two are complete!
(http://40.media.tumblr.com/6adc3ab96e88911277c0a330ba190f03/tumblr_nod8iaf9Xw1sh4v88o4_1280.jpg)
(http://41.media.tumblr.com/05552450a20c86dd1890de9d910092d5/tumblr_nod8iaf9Xw1sh4v88o5_1280.jpg)
(http://41.media.tumblr.com/8e3f4dcd5e674d109e28da8c402483ea/tumblr_nod8iaf9Xw1sh4v88o2_1280.jpg)
More photos over here: http://weatheringman.tumblr.com/
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They look good but could use more fade and white corner handrails to really be awesome!
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They look GREAT!!! :o :o :D
Question....are those the older Atlas/Kato shells or the newer China versions? The reason I ask is my stock SP SD9 (China version) has only one ladder on the end of the short hood where yours have the correct two.
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Bryan, I'll add the white handrails.
As for the fade, they ranged from a sooty black, to fresh gray, to almost completely sunfaded. There's such a wide variation in how the SD9's look, there's no one "definitive" paint job they'd have, and that's why they're fun to model. Believe me, I'll do some sun faded ones and some covered in soot. Stay tuned as I build....TWENTY THREE more.
Wazzou: I'm using SD7 shells, I believe. The only actual difference between the SD9 & SD7 shells are the end hand rail and the position of the classification lights, which are easily moved.
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(https://41.media.tumblr.com/cb824d23eae2f7b878a58b4ba25ae9de/tumblr_nod8iaf9Xw1sh4v88o1_1280.jpg)
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One thing that sticks out to me, on these otherwise beautiful locomotives, is that the red paint at the ends looks a little thick.
It could just be the castings, but it might just be something to watch out for on the next batch.
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The red looks glossy,, maybe that's why it looks thick?..Or is it the lighting?....The 3862 really shows it....
I bet a shot of dullcoat would help .....
Not picking on them though, I like em. I will be watching for the rest of them!
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Wazzou: I'm using SD7 shells, I believe. The only actual difference between the SD9 & SD7 shells are the end hand rail and the position of the classification lights, which are easily moved.
Im guessing it is just the angle and lighting of the photo re paint issues....
I think an important feature of the SP SD9 is the dual ladders on the short hood. The main spotting features from the 7-9 are the 9's step configuration on the pilots (with different handrail configurations), the class light locations, and minor door / hood venting differences. The "E"s have additional assorted exterior upgrades like liftbar, air filter, electrical, and fan enclosures... etc, which makes them a lot of fun to model.
You're on a roll Miles... go dog go!
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Two alternative thoughts on the lenses.
You might consider a product called Gallery Glass, by Plaid Enterprises, Inc. which I've purchased at Michaels Craft Store. I got this tip from http://www.ngineering.com/helpful.htm.
The other thought is more involved to do right, but might be worth it if doing as many as you are; lap some acrylic red rhinestones flatbacks. The smallest I've found lists as 1x1x0.7 mm, which actually specs out at 1.3x1.3x0.7m. I just bought some in clear as an experiment to see if I can repolish such from a facet to a cabochon.
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Re: gloss and paint issues
My hobby shop carries "clear coat" from Testors in lieu of Dullcote. When I asked the guys at the hobby shop they said it has the same product number. Most of the time, it actually does work perfectly as dullcote, and I'm baffled why these two suddenly decided to go gloss on my last shot of the night. :facepalm:
The red probably was a bit thick on these units as I was experimenting with matching the decal color of the wings to the nose, so these experimental two have 5-6 coats of red underneath the gray. I think I found exactly the paint ratio, using Vallejo "Scarlet Red" with the smallest hint of black paint mixed in, so subsequent units will be lighter.
I'll also be playing with various decal setting solutions to make the decals disappear more into the sides of the units. It didn't help that when you purchase decals off of eBay, you have no idea how old these damn things are.
The MV lenses do poke out a bit, but in person, they look splendid. I think I will experiment with gallery glass. I really want the red lenses to have a noticeable jewel effect versus just being regular lenses, which I've been using Testors' canopy glue in #72 drilled holes.
The next batch will take pretty much ALL the suggestions you guys mentioned and further improve them! So, stay tuned! 8)
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(http://www.detailswest.com/images/sp4350.jpg)They're missing a prominent feature..the Farr air filters.
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Beautiful job! I assume that's in HO? Who makes the electrical cabinets in HO? I have 3 SD9's of my own I'd like to make into SD9E's.
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(http://www.detailswest.com/images/sp4350.jpg)They're missing a prominent feature..the Farr air filters.
It's missing one thing.
SP filth.
Otherwise it's a beaut.
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What does a Southern Pacific wash rack look like?
A rain cloud.
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Southern Pacific wash rack, wasn't that an oxymoron ?
carl
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Didn't 4350 have ice breakers?
Jason
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Also, doesn't the little diamond below the cab window represent that the engine had been upgraded to the GRIP specs?
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Also, doesn't the little diamond below the cab window represent that the engine had been upgraded to the GRIP specs?
The symbols:
Diamonds
On some locos there´s a small symbol by the number on the cab side. This was to indicate different types of spark arrestors. (Non-turbo charged)
Dot
On a few SP locos in the late 60' 70's etc. you‘d see a Dot above the Road numbers on the Cab. This was to indicate different types of spark arrestors. Dot or circle meant "Turbocharger equipped".
Triangle
From SP documents, the triangle meant "Cyclone spark arrester equipped".
Hope this helps a bit,
Wolf
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(https://40.media.tumblr.com/0d4e8a1c6067ab0423e1e8dd8db17b61/tumblr_npe11zAXiL1sh4v88o3_1280.jpg)
#3 & 4 are coming right along. I'm already decaling them today, but here's what they looked like on monday.
(https://40.media.tumblr.com/1b60cd3667180d196a73dbf1fd6d4e17/tumblr_npe11zAXiL1sh4v88o2_1280.jpg)
(https://40.media.tumblr.com/cf9e887f87d1f9be9a580171afdc9183/tumblr_npe11zAXiL1sh4v88o1_1280.jpg)
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(https://41.media.tumblr.com/0b9bd5501853956d870d332a77e290be/tumblr_nphro25ZNH1sh4v88o1_1280.jpg)
(https://40.media.tumblr.com/58fdd0820db0c4679191564b75bc4af7/tumblr_nphro25ZNH1sh4v88o2_1280.jpg)
(https://36.media.tumblr.com/c3aea9627688c8ccdca2840fbd2cef62/tumblr_nphro25ZNH1sh4v88o3_1280.jpg)
(https://41.media.tumblr.com/11405c205bf9f11b60530efa44598f5b/tumblr_nphro25ZNH1sh4v88o4_1280.jpg)
(https://40.media.tumblr.com/09d4f9a07ce095a94acf2cd955d7413c/tumblr_nphro25ZNH1sh4v88o5_1280.jpg)
#3&4 are DONE.
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I wonder why 4351 received a plow on the long hood. I've always loved the variations in the SP locomotive roster.
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Agreed. Some of them had plows on both ends, some just on the short hood end, and some without any. Same variation with the light packages.
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Miles,
The decals match pretty well. What colors/brand of paint did you use?
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Thanks!
I used Tamiya IJN light gray in their excellent rattle can. The Scarlet is "Scarlet Red" by Vallejo handpainted onto the ends. It has a touch of black and dark brown mixed in to match Espee scarlet.
I hope to build some more of these when my friend gets back from a modeling hiatus.
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Looking great! Tamiya = bulletproof.
Frank