Con Cor Southern Pacific 2-10-2

[Nato]

       Some photos of the Con Cor SP 2-10-2 locomotive that has been reworked by Bob Gilmore ,(see weekend update) and posts of the UP 2-01-2 from Con Cor also reworked the stock USRA tender was replaced with a Bachmann C&O vandy tender converted to oil.

Just to butt in here, the marker lamps are Athearn Big Boy lamps (I lost four of the six I ordered), I moved the bell from the smokebox face to the top of the boiler, replaced the whistle with a brass one from an old Atlas 2-8-8-2, then SP-ized the cab with awnings and armrests.  New paint (Polly Scale Engine Black, UP Dark Gray, Aluminum and Santa Fe Silver) with a little weathering applied with my airbrush (Polly Scale Tarnished and Grimy Black).  Replaced the coal load with an oil bunker from a Con Cor Great Northern tender and added a .022" vent.  Microscale decals, and custom numberboard numbers (which I haven't applied yet).

Turned out pretty good IMO, although not accurate for an SP F series 2-10-2, looks pretty close...which is the purpose of this exercise.

Nate Goodman (Nato) and Bob Robert 3985 Gilmore.

[Mike Madonna]

Nato,

That 2-10-2 looks a whole lot closer! What was done to the SP caboose regarding the rear marker lights?

Thanks!

[Nato]

      If I' am recalling correctly the caboose markers are MVP jeweled markers , they are available in solid and two color combinations. Nate Goodman (Nato).

[robert3985]

Nato,

That 2-10-2 looks a whole lot closer! What was done to the SP caboose regarding the rear marker lights?

Thanks!

Nate's got it pretty close.  To be more specific, the marker lamp bodies are custom brass investment castings made from my masters and I inject the wax masters, then let my local rock shop tree 'em up, invest 'em and cast 'em. 

I used the lantern that fits on top of the old Sequoia Scale Models "N Scale Switch Stands" kit as a pattern for the dimensions for my brass masters.  I also found a couple of examples of real caboose marker lanterns and took measurements so the completed assembly is very close to the actual size of several common styles of caboose marker lamps.

I solder a brass wire to their base, paint 'em, then mount MVP .046" diameter red and green lenses to the dimples in the brass bodies with a tiny drop of gap-filling CA. That scales out to a lens diameter of 7.36" in N-scale, which is perfect for these lanterns.

I mount the completed lanterns to the rear corners of the caboose by drilling an appropriate sized hole in the plastic body. I insert the soldered-on brass wire through the hole, then position the lanterns correctly, then apply another bigger drop of gap-filling CA to the end of the wire protruding into the interior of the body.

Because they're brass, they're very durable and the MV lenses makes them look like they're illuminated when ambient light is right.  Both Nate and I get questions about how we lit our cabooses marker lights all the time at shows.

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore