Hello! I'm an N-scaler, but I hope you don't mind me "visiting"... I'm looking to learn how to do some locomotive painting and detailing. My first "victim" will be my old non-functional, banged-up Tyco HO Santa Fe GP20 (silver/red warbonnet). Anyhoo, I figure starting out in the larger scale will help me learn the techniques, and starting out with a 30 year old loco that doesn't work anymore and whose other choice is to head for the trashcan, means I won't cry too much if I totally foul it up. So, I'm looking for pointers to sources of detail parts - in particular, railings, MU hoses, cut levers, that sort of thing. The loco in question still has its horn and bell (though I don't know how prototypical they are), but it's completely lost its railings, if it ever had them. I went to BLMA, but they barely have any HO at all, and nothing I could use. For HO railings, is there someplace you usually buy them, or do you just scratchbuild them from wire? If wire, what size and type is best? Whatever advice you'd like would be most helpful. I'll probably never get this thing running again, but I *would* like to detail it up into a display piece with my freelance railroad's custom colors and decals. Thanks!!
This is a start & will fill up some time and curiosity...you might even get to like the "BIG" stuff... http://www.google.com/search?source...O+Lcomotives&btnG=Google+Search&aq=f&aqi=&oq= ...Bob C.
Ha ha. First two responses are Walthers and Google. I guess I deserved that. Seriously, I know you guys were trying to be helpful and I do appreciate it. In fact, I was able to find a few potential sources from those links. Surprisingly little, though... Allow me to rephrase my request.... Without falling afoul of the forum's rules about discussing experiences with particular vendors, what are your favorite sources of detail parts, or methods of scratchbuilding them in HO scale? Especially w/r/t railings, since that's the most glaring omission on my poor old Geep.
A Line is my fav spot to purchase railings for HO Locos also many different detail parts. And since you probably saved it to your Favs I won't leave link once again. They also have Sunshades and many other Super Detail parts. BLMA unfortunately is more for the N Scale crowd which I also belong. One that I didn't see mentioned that I really like also for Fan Assemblies and Screen materials is Plano which is a excellent source for HO Super Detail items http://www.planomodelproducts.com/ Hope that helps sorry if I left any out but there are a few others out there. Unfortunately I'm unaware of any of the Trainboard sponsors that carry these items Good Luck and have fun It's built right in
Here's one I literally stumbled upon... We visited Louisville today to see the Titanic exhibit and IMAX. While there, we popped into L&N Trains and Stuff, an LHS. Chock full of new and old O-scale stuff, and some great antique tinplate trains. But I digress. I got the feeling these guys might be able to help, so I asked about my TYCO. The owner dug out a couple boxes of spare parts and in a few minutes produced this: The paint job is a little rough, but it has the handrails and dynamic brake I desperately need, and it was only $7. And as a bonus, we got held up at a grade crossing by a CSX local pulling some autoracks, flats, and boxcars! Unfortunately I wasn't quick enough with my camera. Whatever else I find is just gravy!
Hi, If you are modeling a particular road name & locomotive I would go to Fallen Flags Railroads.com This way you can see pictures of that unit,then go from there. I use this website,when I detail my units.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Again, Walther's is a good source if you take time looking around. There are: Details West Detail Associates Precision Scale. Some companies like Athearn sells parts also. Precision Scale has catalogs for N, HO, diesel, steam, passenger cars. The do not have catalogs on line. You have to buy the catalogs. I have the steam and passenger car catalogs but Walther's does show a lot of the parts as they do with the other manufactures as well as Grandt Line. Grand Line has its own on line site. I had to keep a car load of patience on hand when I first started using Walther's. Now it is easy to search Walther's and I am seventy to put this in perspective. Pay attention the the Walther's manufacturer number, such as 585 for PSC, because many on line sellers use that number with the part number. I wanted some roof top strobes for HO diesels and found them at Walther's quite easily. I used the full manufactures number and part number when ordering from my LHS. Rich
Decals I use Microscale for decals. They have a large selection and just about every road name you would want.
Details West and Details Associates are the 500lb gorilla in HO detailing. They've been around forever. I can't think of a superdetail article I've read in the past 30 years for HO that didn't include their parts. Canon for cabs and radiators and such too.
