Detailling a Con-Cor MP15

Here's the latest loco I am doing up. It's the Concor MP15 with more than a few bits of an Athearn SW1500 chucked in for good measure.

This is the one I'm doing.

Belt Railway MP15

First the frame. The sides of the frame have been cut back with plasticard strip to hide the gap between the metal and the underside of the body. The fuel tank has been built up with lead sheet to give some extra weight.








Jon

 

Next the body shell.

The Concor cab/battery box and the front end have been replaced with those from an Athearn SW1500. The ConCor handrails have been cut away to leave the plastic stanchions.

These were drilled out and wire fed through the holes. Finally, the crap chimneys have been replaced with brass strip to represent stovepipe ones. So far, so good.









More to follow.....


Jon

 

Great job so far Jon, looks totally different from the one I have, looks more realistic now. -
Can't wait to see more -

Although it would look better in the fictional NYC scheme like mine -

 

I'll do one right here for you, Bob. I have another to do after this one and, if the interest is there, I'll post pics of each and every stage, with an explanation.

Be warned though, I model from the 'well it looks about right' school of loco-bashing, rather than the '2ft 6 and 3/4" converts to blah-blah in HO' school

Jon

 

Great work Jon. I echo the request for a 'how to' type of explanation.
As long as you let it be known from the outset that you are using the 'good enough' approach, those who wish to be closer to prototype can make the modification along the way. The base idea will come from your work.

One day, there may be a MP15AC/DC in N!

 

Thanks guys. Photo article in the pipeline.

The body detailling is now complete, save a couple of bits which go on after painting. Of special note are the unusual sandboxes and the cab-end handrails.

Now to undercoat the shell and detail the chassis, while the paint is drying.

Jon











Jon

 

Hot off the spray booth (garage)

The primer/undercoat is now on and all those blemishes and unfilled holes show.











The chassis has also had a bit of treatment, with more to follow.

Jon

 

Here's the comparison with the unmodified MP15.











There's more work to do on the chassis before putting the motor and decoder in.

Jon

 

Thanks Bob,

I don't know about the interior yet, as I'm half-thinking of putting a soundchip in the loco, and the only place to put the 3/4" speaker is in the cab. I might still be able to fit one crewmember in.

Jon

 

Jon, the transformation is astounding, this is what modeling is all about. Great work.

 

Excellent work there, inspirational stuff!

 

Paint and decals added











Next job is to stick the decoder in and get the lights working.

Jon

 

Beautiful model, Jon. Great work.
Was the botton weathered or did you use some secret black paint to get that effect?

 

Thanks chaps.

Brian, I usually mix an acrylic soup consisting of three parts(ish) of black, with one part(ish) of earth brown, to get the starting colour for the frames, pilots, steps and trucks. I never ever paint the frames and trucks black first.

I then give it a black acrylic wash - 1 part black to 10 parts water - before drybrushing with a white/earth brown mix. Again, I rarely use straight white for highlighting, but grey or brown instead.

Jon

 

You and me both.

I must drag myself away from the loco detailling projects to build a layout to run the darn things on.

Jon

 

Just to finish off this little project, here's a few shots of the MP15 in action.







Now for the next lokie.

Jon