Building a GP9 in Proto:48

[ednadolski]

At long last, here is the finished unit.  I've installed the LED lighting and a variety of final details including the windshield wipers,  air horn, and of course the brooms. The LEDs being 0402s are quite small and delicate, so I am glad to have them finished and working.

The weathering turned out to be a lengthy process.  It is mostly done with water-mix oil paints, along with acrylics, gouaches, and powder pigments where needed.  I used a combo of brushes and makeup sponges to apply the paints, but what took time was that it needed a lot of layers to build up enough opacity to cover the dark areas.   I can only imagine how heavy the grime layers on the prototype must be!

I did not use a final clear flat sealer coat, since over the black it was just making the weathering disappear.  So the unit has to be handled very carefully to keep from wearing off the weathering paint.

I'm pleased with the way the blue color looks in these pics.  I used a different (newer) camera than previously, and it seems to render the blues more accurately and closer to how they look in person (at least to me).  As usual, the sunlight tends to wash out the look of the weathering a little bit, so in-person the weathering appears slightly more intense.

So here are the pics (note these are hi-res so may be slow to load):

Proto: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/pictures/56825/P5159881.jpg
























Here is a quick video of the unit in operation (sorry for the unfinished scene -- that remains a WIP ):

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Thanks for looking!

Ed

[glakedylan]

Ed
very fine work here
it is a spectacular looking locomotive
the detailing is superb
great job
thanks for sharing
sincerely--
Gary

[tom mann]

That is great Ed. I really like the short hood coloring/weathering and the partially washed off dirt on the black frame.

[wazzou]

Awesome Ed.

[Chris333]

I like the broom   

[ryan_wilkerson]

Ed, what coupler is that?
Also the cab glass really makes it. What did you use?

[Santa Fe Guy]

Excellent work Ed. I like the way the turnout operates as well no rocking at all as the loco and car went over the frog.
Rod.

[robert3985]

Spectacular work as usual Ed!  The only giveaway that this isn't a 1:1 engine in most of the photos is the background, and the too-clean ballast/dirt on the display base..which has nothing to do with the model.

Rod (Santa Fe Guy), I noticed the smooth transitioning of this model over the turnout's frog too, but I wasn't surprised since it's an Ed N. Proto:48 work of art.  I am completely sure that Ed's N-scale hand-laid turnouts are also transitioned by his N-scale engines and rolling stock in a similar manner!

Next challenge for this engine would be a 1/4" scale crew that looks as realistic as the engine!

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[GaryHinshaw]

Great work Ed!  Really hard to tell from the loco itself that it's a model.  I'd love to see a shot of it in front of a photo backdrop of the Clark Fork.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

It kills me. Every time I click into these threads, I see high praise for Ed, and I'm like "but I didn't do anything".

Then I scroll up and go "oooooh, yeah, I'm definitely the lesser Ed".

Amazing work man. Amazing work.

[Denver Road Doug]

Awesome.  Just absolutely a beautiful model.

[svedblen]

What shall I say? I'm stunned!!!

I also dig the track it sits on 

[Mastertech]

Ed. this loco is absolutely stunning, the weathering is perfect!! white glove only!!
JOHN

[ednadolski]

Hey guys, many thanks indeed to each of you for all your awesome feedback!  You are what makes TRW such a great place for modeling!

Tom, the weathering on the short hood is a variation of your 'dirty puddle' technique.  It's basically the oils with some pigment powders added in which tends to lighten the color.   I had to keep touching up the edges as it dried to keep the water marks from forming.  I used a slightly heavier mix for the sills, applying it with a brush and then smoothing it over with a dry fan brush.  Sometimes I would also use a lightly-dampened cosmetic sponge with vertical strokes.

Chris I was rather at a loss for a while on what to use for the broom.   At one point I was even wondering if I could scratchbuild one from a small flat paint brush! I eventually came across this part which is a metal casting, but finding detail parts in O scale can be very hit-or-miss.

Ryan the couplers are the "Clouser" operating brass coupler that is available thru Protocraft.  It has an operational pin and knuckle, tho it does take some careful filing to get it to work smoothly.  You might notice in these pics that the pin is unpainted...  that's intentional, since the paint would likely interfere with operation.  I might try out some graphite or neolube to see if it can tone down the brass and still operate properly.   The cab glass is simply 0.005" clear styrene sheet that I cut and fit by hand. If I had it to do again I'd like to consider some kind of laser-cut acrylic.

Rod & Robert, that frog is a P:48 casting so between that and the proto wheels it really should operate as smooth as the prototype. Since there is no "modeling compromise" in the flangeways or other dimensions, the wheel tread should just ride over the wing rail and not ever drop into the gap.  With this kind of casting it is hard to go wrong with building a turnout - just be sure to avoid kinks and maintain the correct gauge.  (Just to digress a bit -- I found out that the cast point rails are another matter.  Those do take a fair amount of filing and shaping to get them to fit well against the stock rails and avoid the 'bumping' of the wheels passing over them.)

I am hoping to get out soon and get some better pics without the 'giveaway' kind of background.   It was easier at my old house since that backed up to an open space field with no close-by trees or houses.   Some good points too about the track;  I'll see if some additional finer layers of scenery material don't help it out a bit.  I originally built it as just a proof-of-concept for P:48,  but it could use a little love if it is to serve in modeling pics

Gary it would be so cool to get a pic of this in front of the Clark Fork or perhaps the Paradise depot.  I'll have to look into what kind of drive that it takes to get to Montana from the Denver area (too bad it is the opposite direction from Tehachapi)

Ed aren't you the dude who has a Law named after him?   That is a pretty wizard feat in my book, mój przyjaciel

Lennart I'm glad you are liking this, but my dio track is only about 2' long.  I still have a long way to go to catch up to what you have done for your shelf layout (say, just how many spikes have you used for that?) 

Hi John, I think I'd have to be careful even with a white glove -- since I didn't use a final sealer the paint would probably rub off and then the glove wouldn't be white any more, lol.  Lifting this guy on & off the track is definitely a two-hander, those jack pads do come in handy


Thanks again guys!

Ed

[packers#1]

That is one gorgeous loco @ednadolski  , simply fantastic work! I love how the MRL paint scheme looks, and I'd definitely say the blue looks true to the prototype. Great weathering job too!