FVM BNSF GEVO Question

[ljudice]

I've been bitten again by the BNSF bug and have a question....

I like the way the ES44C4 is a deep orange - when paired with Kato C44-9W's it looks new and they look faded, which is exactly right. 

The second run of the BNSF ES44DC's - do they match the ES44C4 or Kato or the much complained about burnt orange of the earlier runs....

Is there a run down somewhere of the BNSF GEVO's that FVM did?  I've looked around and it's a little confusing at blw's site as well as others.

Or do you think the ES44C4's are too vibrant???

[GaryHinshaw]

I don't know the answer to your original question, but I think the later DC runs come in the more vibrant orange of the C4's, which I think is an improvement over the original 'burnt' orange.  Here is a shot comparing three GEVO offerings:



left - FVM ES44C4, middle - Kato ES44AC, right - FVM ES44DC (original run).  Here is a proto picture for comparison - note how much yellow there is in BNSF pumpkin.  Here are some (unsolicited) comments:

* I think the Kato pumpkin is just right, or at least very close.  The C4 paint is too vibrant, and the DC is too burnt to my eye. That's a big strike against the FVM's for me.

* The Kato tooling is generally crisper (e.g. around the number boards and cab roof)  and the windows look a bit closer to the prototype proportions, though not perfect.

* The add-on FVM details are a much better way to go for my money.  I'd love it if Kato followed suit, but I know others disagree.  In theory I like the painted details on the FVM too, but the paint is pretty heavy on some details like the handrails and step edges.

* The Kato GE's are the best running locos I have.

I wish Kato offered a DC model, but I'm thinking I will probably base my fleet on the Kato model and live with some of the detail compromises.  At least I'd only have to detail and re-number them, but not re-paint them.

-gfh

[ljudice]

Gary, thanks for your in depth response and the photo...

I obviously have a bunch of Kato's and picked up one FVM ES44C4.   There is no doubt it is a superb model, although noisier than the Katos. My first thought was that the orange was right and the Kato's could serve as faded units. But upon looking at about a million photos and videos, from my limited perspective here in NJ where I only see a BNSF unit maybe once a month or so, that Kato nailed the color - or at least in my lighting they did.  Of course a lot of these units have faded, but they start from Kato orange and then go off to tan.

I am slightly heartbroken over the C4 though, because it is such a common loco now and my current idea needs more intermodal trains than coal trains (where ES44AC's seem to live).  Another issue is that the C4 really does not have the correct bodyshell, ie the rear lights.

So is your intention to use Kato ES44AC's and use them as DC's - or just live with a bigger fleet of AC's and use them for service as needed?

On top of that, the most common loco on mixed/intermodal is still the C44-9W, which Kato has covered fairly well...

Thanks,
Lou

[GaryHinshaw]

I'm not sure what I'm going to do, but my inclination is to use the Kato as a starting point.  I agree that they nailed the color, and I really don't want to have to strip and repaint a bunch of units, so that's a big factor.  Truth is, there have been so many detail changes on the prototype, as new phases come out, that the difference between an AC unit and a DC unit is smaller than the difference between phases.  Some examples:

* The rear vent configuration is quite different on the new phases.  If you blacken vents when weathering this becomes quite apparent.  I'm just going to live with this.

* The cab door has been moved from the right to the left in the newer phases.  This is the one that bugs me the most, since the nose of a loco is its "face."

By the way, the ES44C4 is an AC loco, so FVM would have been better off using their AC shell with this model.     But the good news is that we have an embarrassment of riches to start with.

-gfh

P.S. Good to hear you have the BNSF bug.   

Added - for what it's worth, as I start running trains around Tehachapi, I'm finding that I barely notice these detail differences.  Paint job and running quality are much more important, except on a close run-by.

[ljudice]

My thoughts exactly... 

I've toyed around for years with this pacific northwest idea - basically that Snoqualmie was retained and rebuilt with concrete ties, etc...   BNSF is the logical candidate for this, although I had another Oregon-ish idea for the UP.   I honestly don't like the UP flag scheme (nothing against the flag!) though. 

BNSF probably has the widest range of options in the way of paint schemes and is really well covered by Kato and everyone else out there.

I also kind of like Warren Buffet... 

- Lou