How about an overhead shot? I'm a little bummed because the prototype unit was totaled last week in a Northern MN wreck...
Compared to the other Athearn models I have this CN model doesn't run well. I cannot figure out why it has very poor pulling power. The other Athearn FP45/F45 SD75I and SD70M run well though not as good as the KATO.
Here is some from me , I just realized I did not took many pictures of them lately : These were taken on a special executive run , the passenger cars were borrowed from VIA and a private owner , the superintendant decide to add a caboose at the end of the train in case of a backing movement , he really spoiled the look of this special for us fan !!!
Ah, the good old "Crash Naturally"..... GP 40 w/ van RS unit running backwards - must be shunting.....or it's just a "CN thing".....
BLMA 48" 10 blade fans. I use a black sharpie to color the grills. It really makes the white blades 'pop'.
Homebuilt Kato CN SD75i #5705 This unit started as a CSX SD70M flat rad, was chopped up putting the cab headlight in the nose, adding the right side blower duct, opening up the dynamic brake intakes, hand carving the rear plow/pilot, removing louvers, adding grabs, home-made horn, changing the anticlimbers to the CN style, BLMA roof fans, lift rings, pilot details, removed the Kato lighting system to open up the cab, painting the cab and adding crew, using SM LEDs for the headlight and microLEDs inside Kaslo resin porch ditch light housings. Rear ditch lights don't function. Painted and decaled to match the prototype unit, with appropriate light weathering. Digitrax DN163K1B decoder installed. This unit took a lot more work than I thought it would. The anticlimbers and the unusual rear pilot took a lot of time, as did all the detailing, painting and decorating. I have another one almost finished, and this one will have a sound decoder of some type. Richard.
CN C44-9WL #2517 The first 25 or so Dash 9s CN acquired (along with BC Rail) were equipped with these Bulldog-nosed 4 window "comfort cabs." After that they used the "teardrop window" cabs. This unit was cobbled together from the incorrect Kato CN Dash 9 by discarding the US-style cab and adding the Kaslo Shops NC-1 resin cab (still available). It builds into a nice representation of these early Dash 9s, and the cab fits well on the rest of the shell. It takes a bit of learning to get it right, but the result is worth it. Also done were removing the large inverter cabinet on the left behind the cab and altering the side handrail to fit the new cab. The fuel tank was altered to give the impression of a smaller tank (hence the L for "light"). Lots of details were added, including functioning ditch lights using 0603 size SM microLEDs placed inside the resin housings that come with the cab, with the wiring run under the front porch to the DN163K1B decoder. I believe this unit had a snowplow taken from an earlier engine as it has the white diagonal stripes painted on it, the only one of these with that detail, which is partly why I chose this road no. Also, the rear double light was changed to CN's single light using I think a short piece of brass tubing with fibre optics. I have a couple of these now, and am going to do another in BC Rail. They are uniquely Canadian units. It's too bad the far more common teardrop window style Dash 9 cannot be made properly, as the resin kit from Kaslo is junk-doesn't fit, doesn't look right, even John W. from Kaslo admits it's no good (he didn't make it). I am hoping to get Mark Gasson of Mark4Designs to RP one, but he's a busy man, says it's 75% done, but who knows when it will come out. Probably long after the last Dash 9 is retired- I hope not! Richard.
well, I'm waiting for the FVM Gevo's to grow my fleet up... But here's one of the few pics i've made : I still have some work to do on the cab...:ru-wink:
NICE!!! Very nice WIP! Is that cab similar to the ones on the BCR Dash 9s? Where can I get them to buy? Love the progress that you have made so far.
This thread is showing some unbelievable stuff! I have some Kaslo SD50/60F's, but cant seem to stay focused on finishing just one! Working for the big railroad doesnt leave alot of time. Thats an excuse, but I'm sticking to it! Thanks to all that have posted so far. dave t
So Sorry--forgot to add the pictures!! CN C44-9WL I keep hitting the submit reply button under the reply box instead of the additional options box, and the pictures don't get sent.
