I've waited 30 years to see a photo like this: Conrail SW 1500

[GaryHinshaw]

http://conrail1285.com/early-january-2014-progress-on-a-few-projects/

Jan 2014?  You've been holding out on us!

[Joetrain59]

"One of the most interesting things about working on these is the amount of variations between all of Conrail's actual SW1500s. All sorts of things, like does the blue paint extend down the edge of the step wells?

It's enough to drive you nuts! Or excuse it when you miss something."

 Like your train of thought on that Ed. Saw proto pix of 9590, in different setups.   Like your blanked out windows.
 Joe D

[peteski]

Nice job Ed!

The only thing that bugs ma a bit is how deeply recessed the window blank inserts are.  It would be easy to mold resin plugs to make them flush like I did on the rear windows of my FedEx Sprinter.

I covered the window openings with some blue making tape from the inside (making sure to burnish it well (to be liquid-tight).  Then i put some mold release agent around the window opening. Then I mixed some casting resin and using a toothpick filled the window opening drop by drop from the outside until the resin was flush with the opening.  I then propped the model in a way that kept the rear of the model horizontal (so the resin sets level).

Then I removed the masking tape and popped the resin plugs out. They'll come out easy due to the draft angle of the window openings.  Some light sanding of the plugs might be needed if the resin is not level and flat.  Then use those resin blanks as a master for a simple 1-piece  RTV mold.



Then I used the rubber mold to cast as many plugs i needed and used them to fill the window openings.



Finished model has the windows nicely blanked out.



Fairly easy task and it makes a huge visual difference. Plus you can cast more blanks and sell (or give then away) to other rabid CR fans!   

[Ed Kapuscinski]

That's a brilliant idea Pete. I had actually been thinking about how to do those better.

In some cases, they were very much recessed, but not in these cases, so it's definitely something that seems worth it.

I plugged up the front ones of 9496 with putty, but it's a tough thing to do with the decoration around the others. I had though about etching, or rping something, but that seems like a much straighter shot.

Now, to get the stuff...

[wazzou]

Is the blue that MT selected a little on the dark side?

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Jan 2014?  You've been holding out on us!

Ah ahahahah, whoops.
Unlike most years, that's the only place I've caught myself doing that!

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Is the blue that MT selected a little on the dark side?

Not terribly. It matches pretty decently with the B&M blue I use as touch up paint on Atlas stuff, which is my general baseline (right or wrong, I have a bunch of it).

[Joetrain59]

I have Polyscale CR blue, which seems a bit lighter. That's what weathering is for
 Joe D

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I have Polyscale CR blue, which seems a bit lighter. That's what weathering is for
 Joe D

Yeah, I agree, it's very light. I think they based it off of some slightly faded photos.

Weathering helps, but my stuff that I painted with it still sticks out a bit. It's ok for a few pieces, but there is enough of a difference that some weathering doesn't necessarily "fix" it.

[Joetrain59]

Just took the body off my 1500 again, and the white wire from motor to pcb was out of the socket. Is it just a friction fit, or should it be soldered in socket?
 It wasn't running after I Neolubed all contacts on truck and walkway sill. Neo is conductive?
 Thanks,
 Joe D

[reinhardtjh]

Neo is conductive?

Yep! It is.

[Catt]

I finally got my SW1500 shell kit today. Looks pretty good.I have not decided if I want to do it up CSX or make it a clone of my HO unit.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I also just installed my antennas, which have come all the way from Switzerland. They are really nice, and I'm glad I got an assortment!

Now to let the glue try, and apply some paint.

These guys are looking really good. Like I've said, they may not be perfect, but the imperfections are ones that, at the moment, I can live with.

[Joetrain59]

So how do you remove cab glazing? It's all a really tight fit. It would aid in installing rear headlight, ala the Ebit method that he used on LL switchers.
 Did order new horns, as Mark stated they were fragile, and broke mine off:(  Has anyone put 905's on yet? Wondering how well 2 of these would couple with the Z's.
 Thanks
  Joe D

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Speaking of horns... I'm so pissed (at myself).

Last night, I was putting a decoder in mine and one of the horns fell off. No big deal, add some glue, and... ::ping:: off it goes from the tweezers and into the wild blue yonder.

Oh, why did I get a blue carpet?

Now, where do I order a replacement again?