N Scale EMD Model 40 critter build

[johnb]

Jim, the one on display in Los Angeles was donated by McDonnell Douglas, here it is in 1976 actually earning an honest living

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[Jim Starbuck]

Great photo!
Thanks John

[Dwight in Toronto]

That little test run video had me smiling the whole time - wonderful, inspiring work!

[Cajonpassfan]

Yea, it's hard to not smile watching the little critter at work. Very very nice, Jim.
Otto

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Have I mentioned how nuts this is?

Cause it's nuts.

I love it.

[Jim Starbuck]

Have I mentioned how nuts this is?

Cause it's nuts.

I love it.

Thanks Ed.
I’m convinced, and have close friends who would agree that my spirit animal is indeed a squirrel named Ray.

[Jim Starbuck]

I got the decoder dialed in then mounted 905 couplers on the 40. I then spent the next hour switching cars. Although a novelty this little critter is a viable industrial switcher on a layout. After spotting the six two bays, it passed over to the adjacent track and coupled to the eight car string of boxcars, gons, hopper and flat and brought them around to the front of the layout. Electrically it’s rock solid even when one wheel drops in a frog. It handles five or six cars comfortably and will do eight depending on the type. It runs well so it’s time for detail and paint.

[Jim Starbuck]

I turned down headlight bezels from styrene tube then made a conduit for the headlight wires. Blocking off the hood sections offers a good opportunity to add weight using tungsten powder. I’ll add the powder after the grabs are installed and glued from the inside of the hood. As it’s shown running in the video it only weighs .536 oz.

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[Jim Starbuck]

Started adding some shell details.
Hood and battery box doors are .002” matte sign making vinyl with Archer louver decals. The near sand fill hatch is one I saved when I cut the back off the original cab.  I made a mold and the one on the far end is a casting of JB weld epoxy. Grabs are .008 phosphor bronze wire.

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[Dwight in Toronto]

This little guy just gets better and better … just wonderful work!

[Jim Starbuck]

This little guy just gets better and better … just wonderful work!

Thank you Dwight!

[SAH]

When my tank car model detail work gets fiddly I'll look up this thread and recalibrate to what tiny detail REALLY is all about.  And it runs (very well) to boot!  Awesome work Jim.

Steve

[Jim Starbuck]

I got back to work on this again today and the shell is detailed and ready for primer.
All the access doors, louvers and grabs are installed. The radiator grills are on. The round fuel fill on the cab side is actually the copyright symbol from the Archer decal sheet.
I drilled out the ends of .046 wire to simulate the hollow exhaust stacks then it seemed like rain caps would be cool so I soldered tiny brass washers on to represent those.
It’s coming along nicely.

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[Jim Starbuck]

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[u18b]

Jim,
This is very impressive.