Are these worth it?

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Ok fellow detailing goons, I'm looking at finishing my Atlas GP30, and a while back I realized that the ex-pennsy units all had the mounting points for the train phone antennas still on them.

Take a look at it them in this photo. They're the little L shaped brackets that are hanging off the top rounded corner of the hood.



Now, tell me, in your HONEST opinion, should I even bother fighting with putting these on the N model, knowing that they're going to be VERY tricky to make, very tricky to apply evenly, and probably barely noticeable?

[engineshop]

My question is actually, did you apply the handle on the gray cover? How about the 2 different sizes of lift rings?

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Precisely. (although the gray stack cap wouldn't be there when the engine is in service)

No I haven't, but I have moved the horn to the side (like on this unit) and added the cab signal box.

[Sokramiketes]

I'm of the opinion that poorly rendered details are worse than no details.  So, if you can't come up with a good way of making these, then the locomotive will look better with out them.

If you started cutting overscale Evergreen L girder and gluing on chunks... you'd probably ruin the model.

Maybe you could try bending these out of .006" wire and inserting into drilled holes?  Tiny holes will be easy to fill again if it doesn't end up looking good. 

[3rdrail]

Are you building a contest model, to photograph blown up to O scale size, or something to run on your layout? I don't think they'd be noticed on a layout, anymore than the windshield wipers having a two rodded arm.

That's one of the reasons I left HO - infinitesimal details.  

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Mike makes a point I was thinking about myself.

The only way I can think of doing them is by using flat wire, bending it, and cutting it perfectly.

And Gregg does too, I think they'd be noticeable on the layout, because, while not a contest model, I am a fan of the closeup photos.

I think the only reason I'm debating it at all is because they'd make it a signature "Conrail" model, but I can't think of a sur-fire way to make them happen.

[DKS]

Ed, you might try using the supporting parts from an etched brass or ss fret. I tend to save everything from any etched brass products I get simply because you never know what can become useful. I suppose it's not much different from flat wire, except that it's "free." You might also be able to find some leftover parts that have an etched fold line so you can get a good sharp bend.

[nscalesteve]

Ed, you might try using the supporting parts from an etched brass or ss fret...

there was one faster than I, I've had the same thoughts when I saw this thread...   

[Bob Bufkin]

Believe Gold Medal makes the antenna supports for PRR locos.  Seems to me these could easily be adapted/modified for your use.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Bob,
I had thought about that, but the support kit doesn't really do a good job of modeling this part accurately. It just has you bend the ends and put them in. This wouldn't really work.

[amato1969]

Ed, I think you will run the risk of having bigger blobs of ACC than the parts.  Just my 2 cents!

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I agree.

I've pretty much decided that I'm going to skip them. Oh well, so much for that article I was going to write...

[tom mann]

Oh well, so much for that article I was going to write...

But a new opportunity:  "When Less is More: Knowing When to Skip the Details.  By Ed Kapuscinski"

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Speaking of which, I should go slap some weathering on that Beeyotch.

[wm3798]

You should slap yourself.

This is precisely my argument for cast-on grabs in some circumstances in N.  I wish that they would go ahead and put the maintenance grabs on F unit noses this way, instead of making me debate whether to risk drilling all those holes at just the right spots, and bending all those tiny grabs to just the right size, then installing them with just the right amount of glue...  I want to have a fleet of about 10 A units... I don't think they'll be getting done any time soon.

Lee