One thing I did do...was to renumber all the units...I had to acquire cab units from different sources, all with the same number...so that was a no-brainer...then, when I finally did acquire an A-B set from this run, I realized that I don't want to duplicate numbers anyway (I used to do that to all my motive power when I was in austin...didn't want to duplicate other road numbers in the club)...so now, my 4 cab units are numbered 52, 57, 66, and 71.... I still have to change the tiny numbers on the side, under the cab, paint the trucks (this weekend, en masse, with the F trucks as well), and, by looking at these pics, tweak the etched ladders a bit... Thanks again, Bruce
Man, do you do good work! I believe the only difference in the trucks is the traction motors. The E-8m was rebuilt from the early E-1A and E-1B (on the Santa Fe; they were also done for the B&O from their EA and EB types and the UP's E-2Bs) and EMD reused the traction motors, if not the whole trucks. Indeed, those old traction motors were the reason they were derated to 2000 horses. They varied a bit. The idler (middle) axles, at least on the lead trucks, carried heavy boxes on their ends, outside the truck frames. Some of the other axles had covers on the ends with 'nipple' connections to which were attached cables, possibly for speed recorders. The others were very plain round covers with eight bolts around a flat outer edge and a dish shape in the center with an emblem (I think for SK Bearings) in the center like a car hubcap from the era. You can find some good views in Zimmermann's book Santa Fe Streamliners, The Chiefs and their Tribesmen.
They sure look grand. I may have to get of my duff and upgrade my PAs after seeing what they could become.:thumbs_up::thumbs_up:
Have finally painted the trucks on all the ATSF passenger units... IMO, this is the easiest and most effective way to make these units look more prototypical... I used Tamiya's Flat Aluminum acrylic... still need to replace the stirrup ladders, new lift rings, pfoto-etched grills, then light weathering... Thanks for looking, Bruce
Definently make it stand out!!!!! IIRC ATSF painted the truck silver on station stops on the big name trains.
First couple of F units have the new stirrup/ladders...even before painting these really do make a difference!...only 10 more units to go....lol...while doing these I also realized I'm going to have to paint the fuel tanks flat aluminum as well...oh well, the list keeps growing, although they're in the home stretch now. The next big detail will be simulating the car body openings before adding the Plano etched grills. Thanks for looking, Bruce
Three pilots done...two to go! The BLMA cut levers and MU hoses are beautiful....however, it appears that the only access to these is by purchasing the "E and F ultimate detail set"...which provides but 3 sets of cab unit cut levers...I really wish that these would be made available seperately, however, I'm sure I'll find uses for all the extra grabs and handrails that come with these sets... Thanks for looking, Bruce
just finished adding the roof-mounted centered numberboards on my last two Kato PA's...giving my eyes a rest before work!...after adding the silver trim (decal stripes), I'll be ready to lightly weather these! Thanks for looking, Bruce
final details to the PA's... a little silver trim on the numberboards ...this gives the effect of the 'lip' of the numberboard being 'chromed' as on the prototype... just used a bit of N scale 2" striping from Microscale... now for the lift rings, a little weathering, and we'll call these 'done'! Thanks for looking! Bruce
Hello all... last bit of modelling for a week or so!... I wanted to finish detailing the PA's before I starting celebrating... Here are pics of the PA's with the numberboards done...the silver striping 'around' the fron end of the numberboard gives the appearance of the silver 'outlining' the front face of the numberboard as in the prototype...(in some pics, it's apparent that this 'lip' was painted red and not necessarily left in it's original chrome) from 6 inches away, the silver appears to be on the face....so much in N scale can be 'suggested' with careful painting, rather than actually modelled seperately... Only the macro lens on the camera shows that the silver striping is actually applied 'around' the front edge of the numberboard... Thanks for looking and Merry Christmas! Bruce
Here is some preliminary work on my idea for replicating the carbody openings on the Kato F units w/o actually cutting the shell... I'll be using Plano Models photo-etched grills (even thought he molding of the Kato units is superb)...most of them the FARR type vertical slit, but some horizontal grills also, depending on actual photo references for the units I'm modelling during the era... The openings, or lack thereof, will be visible behind these beautiful photoetched pieces (especially the horizontal version), so I thought it would be advantageous to replicate the openings, especially considering all the other detail work I'm adding to these units. Microscale black, 1/8 inch stripes fill the grills perfectly, top to bottom, so, with the reference pics I've accumulated, and a pair of dividers, it's pretty simple to transfer the lengths needed for the '4' main openings...these were applied to the area, then lightly soaked with Walthers solvaset (considerably more powerful than Microsol...I use this for larger decals) I'm using various width silver striping from Microscale to replicate the 'structural' members visible withing the carbody openings per the reference pics... here are a couple of in-progress pics...I believe I'm going to try to replicate as much of the structure as I can, since I've come this far! Thanks for looking, Bruce
Thanks John.... I enjoy this aspect of modelling as well as any other! I was just posting some more 'in progress' photos... Here are a couple of pics of the F cab unit 'assembly line'...I think this is as far as I'll go with replicating the structural members in the 'openings'...in the proto pics, the diagonal members are visible behind the stainless grills, but it's tough to pick out other vertical members... Here the FARR grills are overlayed in place so I can gauge what will be visible or not visible under them... Again, Thanks for looking! Bruce
Progress continues on detailing the F units...srarting the first 3 of 7 boosters... Here, I've started the decaling of the 'openings'..... Bruce
Grills test fit... as one can see, one of the boosters has the horizontal grills from Plano (these are the ones modelled ny Kato and most F manufacturers in N scale and HO... A lot of the warbonnet-painted boosters kept the horizontal grills, when many, if not most of the F7 cab units were retrofit with the Farr vertical style at some point in their lives, certainly by my 1957 era... I wanted, at least, one booster with the horizontal grills to have more prototypical lash-up possibilities... Thanks for looking, Bruce
Bruce, that is some seriously STUNNING work!! Those grills look fantastic! Cannot wait to see an ABBA of these bad boys on your mainline!
Gee wiz. I've been banging my head against the wall waiting for the killer deal on IM ATSF sets on the 'bay, and here you go and show just how good-looking a detailed Kato unit can be! Terrific work!
adding some more grills...notice that these boosters don't yet have their GMM etched stirrups...those B units, with 8 stirrups sure do 'eat up' frets! (and there are 4 more passenger B units on the way!) pictured here on the foam (Man!...I sure do want to start laying track, but too many things to do to the layout before that happens...wire, feeders, terminal blocks, not to mention, a two inch extension to the OTHER side of the door to allow the 'rear' juction a little more space, and provide a little more 'continuity' that will be apparent when the fascia is added)...quite frankly, I don't yet have a plan, nor design, for providing a space for the power and throttles... Until then, I have tons of projects for the layout that don't require laying of track... Thanks for looking, Bruce
