KATO ATSF F7 freight detail

[randgust]

My decisions were made a little easier as I'd decided to repaint everything anyway.   My passenger F's started either from Undec's or SOO Kato body shells; Micro-scale decals, and Testors (boo, hiss!) paint.   Once you get the lettering off, the red and white body paint makes and excellent primer for ATSF passenger schemes (sorry SOO fans!) That aged orange color shift that became so typical is Chevy Engine Red on mine, along with aluminum (to get the whitish-gray-silver) and Stainless Steel.   The Intermountain units got repainted with Floquil ATSF blue, it's generally darker than the IM blue.  So as long as it's getting repainted and relettered anyway, all grabs were carved off and redone with wire. 

My Canon does a great job of close-up on the macro settings, but when you get in that physically close it's darn difficult to light it.  It's easier to shoot it hi-res, back off a tad, and then crop out what you want with Photoshop.

My freight F7 is often a trailing unit in a consist, conventional MT's required for operations.   On the passenger ABBA consist, only the nose of the one trailing unit has normal MT's, between units is all unimates for close coupling.

[robert3985]

I also use MT Z scale couplers on all of my F's and E's and anything else I can fit them into, including my rolling stock.  I don't have a problem pulling freight or passenger cars with Z scale couplers...at all.

When I first started converting cars and engines to Z's I was big into Ntrak and 60 car trains were easy with them.  At the time, I also used the Magnematic feature for uncoupling and they work great for that, even coupled to an MT N scale coupler.

Nowadays, I just snip off the "dongle" and use a Rix uncoupling tool or a martini toothpick.

[arbomambo]

Hello all...
just a little update...pilot masked and sprayed Pollyscale Steam power black...then number boards decaled...also decaled the chrome kick plates on the cab steps. The macro photography shows that I may need to re-apply the left numberboard "2"...it seems just a wee bit crooked; not evident at 6-12 inch viewing distance.
I'll also replace the center numberboard numbers, but only after building and applying a panel for such...these were seperately applied lit numberboards and I want to reflect that with a seperately applied board, probably made of thin plasticard and painted black.
Thanks for looking,
~Bruce

[SP-Wolf]

Bruce,

Looking great!!

You mentioned the number board that is below the headlight was "lit". I believe that the numbers had reflectors in them. (If that is what you meant- I apologize). Check it out:

http://s3.amazonaws.com/rrpa_photos/16737/thumbnails/ATSF213-620615Vaughn.jpg

Thanks,
Wolf

[arbomambo]

Wolf, you're right about the center numberboard...the numbers were adorned with centered, circular reflectors; helping them to stand out.



Thanks,
~Bruce

[arbomambo]

Hello all...
quick update-stirrups have been replaced with GMM versions-BLMA mirrors added-Plano horizontal-style grills added.
All that's left is to renumber the center numberboard; I won't weather this one until I acquire and finish the B-B-A units I need to complete the set.










Thanks for looking,
~Bruce

[atsf_arizona]

Great job, Bruce!  Thx for the continued inspiration.

[arbomambo]

John,
I appreciate your thoughts...good to hear from you!
This is the part of N scale that I enjoy the most-the modelling- Engines, rolling stock, structures...even scenery is a 'model'.
As you may already know, finding your threads and pics of your 'weathered' ATSF warbonnet engines gave me a mighty motivational push to re-enter N scale after a hiatus of a number of years!
Hope you're enjoying the 'right' coast aspect of things....Florida is, definitely 'different'!
Thanks,
~Bruce

[Philip H]

So, I'm curious - what's with the one set of numbers on the number boards and the other under the headlight?

[arbomambo]

So, I'm curious - what's with the one set of numbers on the number boards and the other under the headlight?

I renumbered this locomotive to better represent the number range that  the KATO model portrays...a locomotive set from the first batch in the low 200's...
KATO's number represents a set in the 3rd batch, which had FARR-vertical grills.
ATSF, for their freight F units, had numbers in the cheek numberboards, and a third set, centered below the headlight, on a flat panel with reflectors....look at the proto pic at the top of this page....
I've noted that the last thing I need to do to this model is to renumber the center numberboard; I want to apply them on a seperate panel rather than just apply them directly to the locomotive as KATO has done.
Thanks,
~Bruce

[Cajonpassfan]

Nice job so far, Bruce. I'm curious how you intend to do the reflectorized center board, as I have the same challenge. Too bad we don't have a decal representing this accurately.

If I may chime in to answer Phillip's question, in this era,  Santa Fe ran all its freights as "extras", and designated freight trains by their road engine numbers, i.e. "Extra 210 West". Train orders, meets, OS reports and all other operations related communications depended absolutely on accurate and clear engine identification under all conditions. Misreading an engine number could and did result in collisions.

During the steam era, there were five engine numbers on each loco alone, plus giant 2 foot tall numbers on the tender sides painted silver, and yet another on the back. When the first FT diesels came, with their wimpy little number boards, Santa Fe added large backlit sidepanels with numbers on each A unit and also reflectorized number plates on the nose. The freight F3 and F7's which followed came with larger diagonal number boards but also  continued the tradition of the reflectorized nose plate. Safe operations depended on it, kind of a belt and suspenders phenomenon...
Bruce, keep the pics coming!
Otto K.

[FlyGuyB]

Bruce, as an ATSF fan, I just wanted to say that you have done some outstanding work on these units, much like I have admired the previous work on your passenger units. Very inspiring and might be the impetus to get me to attempt such an upgrade of my units even with my meager modeling skills. Tip of the hat to you my friend.

[robert3985]

Really nice job Bruce!  However, I've got a couple of suggestions.  (1) I'd paint the grabs on the body Santa Fe blue (whatever color that is...I'm not an SF guy) as the proto photos show that they're painted blue and really stand out against the yellow.  That should only take a few minutes and would look better than ones that have both blue and yellow painted on them, and (2) I'd install the "eyebrow" grabs up on top over the windows.  That'd take longer than suggestion #1, but would add just a touch of very obvious detail in a very obvious place on an otherwise nicely done model.  Being a big fan of UP "Covered Wagons" myself, F's always look really incomplete without their eyebrows and to my eye, your SF units really need 'em, especially since you've otherwise detailed the windscreen areas so well (which draws the eye to that area) and emphasizes the missing eyebrows.

Just sayin'..... 

[arbomambo]

Bob,
I'll definitely paint the nose grabs blue...all the Warbonnet units get these painted yellow per the prototype, however, the 'eyebrow' grabs weren't added to ATSF F units until 1959 at the earliest, when these units went through their regular service interval ( I'm not sure if they were assigned to Argentine or Cleburne-I know they ended their days at Cleburne)...my era, 1957, was one of the last years to see ATSF units fairly 'clean' as far as add-ons....
  Randgust models the 60's...he gets to add all manner of goodies to his covered wagons...those eyebrow grabs, nose grabs, lifting lugs, nose access doors, 4-hose mu cables either side of the coupler...even antenna platforms., and exhaust stack screens.
  i still want to model some UP equipment (I'd love to build some modules of the LA river, Mission Tower, and LAUPT, in 1957!)...in fact, some of my very first N scale modelling were UP E units, detailed as much as I could do at the time (1994)...even to the point of making my own snowshields from brass sheet. Of course, I just added everything I saw from photos in the 60's, with no real regard to modelling a specific era.
1957 was a year of change on the UP as well, regarding paint directives, snowshield additions to the E units, etc...in fact, I'm still looking for conclusive evidence that the E unit trucks were all painted silver by 1957...I believe the E units, during 1957, had the 'eyebrow' grabs/handholds, and a single ladder 'stay' on either side of the nose (for holding ladders in place for windshield washing), and the signature snowshields (?)...but not much else.
   I'd really like to also do a small layout (similar to my Kingman Canyon layout) of Sherman Hill (Dale junction and Hermosa tunnel being featured)...this way, I could rationalize some UP equipment E and F units, and those beautiful CA-3 'cabeese'.
Thanks,
~Bruce

[robert3985]

Can't argue with that reasoning!    I do the same thing, adhering strictly to nothing after 1956, although I run trains that wouldn't be seen together since my time "space" is between 1949 and December 31st 1956.

It really hurt when I decided to sell my three GTEL Supertubines off.  But, I recently found evidence that the earlier turbines started using oil tenders in 1955...which makes me happy (when I get a couple of 'em bashed!).

I've got some tentative evidence that snowshields were starting to be used in 1956 on E8's and 9's...so I'll be having them etched since JnJ is no longer in business (and I'm not happy with their design anyway).

As to cabooses, I've got an accurate kitbashed CA-1 on the workbench right now since the majority of cabeese on UP freights in my time period were either CA's or CA-1's.  Sometimes CA-3's thru CA-6's were seen (I've got a lot of those...brass and old, superdetailed Golden West Models kits).

One of the things that's really assisted me in my UP caboose superdetailing/kitbashing is the availability of the wooden Q-trucks produced at Shapeways by Eric Cox and his 1800's cars and parts on his Panamint Models site (here: http://www.shapeways.com/model/505609/t57sa-n-pass-trucks-5-ft-cbq-no-7-screw-x16.html?li=shop-results&materialId=61 ) which can be purchased either screw-mounted, pin-mounted or offset (for use under Intermountain CA-3's & 4's).  They REALLY make a huge difference in the stock Micro Trains Harriman era CA (wooden caboose) and together with Fox Valley lo-pro wheelsets, are excellent rollers.

Next on the agenda is a photo-etched fret of CA, CA-1 and CA-3/4 ladders, end rails and brake platform hardware.  Still doing the research on those.

FUN!