New Project Kitbashing DRGW Ski Train in HO

Artieiii Sep 6, 2011

  1. Artieiii

    Artieiii TrainBoard Member

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    New Project Kitbashing DRGW Ski Train in HO
    I picked these passenger cars new in box off ebay for $55.
    [​IMG]


    When they arrive, my plan is to kitbash them into the Denver and Rio Grande Western Ski Train. Here is a pic of the prototype:
    [​IMG]


    I know that the Amtrak Budd cars are not a perfect match for the prototype but that doesn't really bother me. Close enough is OK. If it comes out well I was thinking about an HO Kato F40PH and repainting like this:
    [​IMG]


    I ordered one of these Kato F40PH engines for $69.99 from ...
    http://www.¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤.com/KATO-HO-376561-F40PH-Chicago-RTA-135-p/kat-376561.htm
    And a Digitrax HO SDH164K1C drop in decoder with sound and speaker for $47.99 at woo woo woo.
    http://www.¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤.com/Digitrax-HO-SDH164K1C-Drop-in-Mobile-Sound-Decoder-p/dig-sdh164k1c.htm
    So for about $180 total I can make my own with DCC and sound.
    Maybe add some fake snow on the snow plow.
    Apparently nobody makes this train model in HO scale. The Ski Train retired from service a few years ago.
    Any thoughts, suggestions?
    -Art
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 6, 2011
  2. rg5378

    rg5378 TrainBoard Member

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    I just want to say that you are on the right track (no pun intended) with the f40 and the passanger cars. FYI for your information the Ski Train was also ran with A-B-B F9's, gp-40s, and / or sd-40-T2s as well (this was when it was still owned by the DRGW).
     
  3. Artieiii

    Artieiii TrainBoard Member

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    Here is my progress so far. I painted the yellow wide stripe first:
    [​IMG]
    Then when the paint fully dried I taped and painted the thin black side stripe:
    [​IMG]
    When I get home from work I will tape off the sides again to apply the thin black stripe below the roof line.
    The yellow was the closest color I could find in a spray can at Home Depot. It will have to do.
    -Art
     
  4. Mike VE2TRV

    Mike VE2TRV TrainBoard Member

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    Nice job so far. Don't worry about the color match... even the model manufacturers don't agree on colors. I have a few Proto cab units in the old CNR green and yellow scheme, and none of them have the same shade of green - except those that are the same type.

    And even prototype photos can be off - lighting, exposure, film or digital.

    Keep up the good work.:thumbs_up:
     
  5. JNXT 7707

    JNXT 7707 TrainBoard Member

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    Looking real good. Not trying to be nit-picky but do you have plans to redo the current Amtrak blue number boards on the car sides?
     
  6. Artieiii

    Artieiii TrainBoard Member

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    JNXT,
    Still working out what to do with those. If I can find some matching grey paint I will put a few dabs with a brush on there. I ordered Ski Train decals so they will be covered with the car nameplate.
    -Art
     
  7. Artieiii

    Artieiii TrainBoard Member

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    Here is the latest update. I applied the yellow paint with black accent stripes. I think it looks pretty good so far.
    -Art
    blackstripes.jpg
     
  8. Artieiii

    Artieiii TrainBoard Member

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    Here is a pic of my decorated Budd dome. I made some labels with Illustrator and Photoshop and printed them on full page clear labels I got a Staples. It came out pretty good. If anyone wants a copy of the file I printed just send me a PM.
    -Art
    [​IMG]
     
  9. Artieiii

    Artieiii TrainBoard Member

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    Latest update: All 4 cars fully painted and decaled.
    Still waiting for the engine and sound chip from woo woo woo.
    -Art
    [​IMG]
     
  10. Mike VE2TRV

    Mike VE2TRV TrainBoard Member

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    Really nice work! :thumbs_up:
     
  11. Artieiii

    Artieiii TrainBoard Member

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    Thanks for the encouragement.
    -Art
     
  12. rg5378

    rg5378 TrainBoard Member

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    You are doing an excellent job! keep it up!
     
  13. Artieiii

    Artieiii TrainBoard Member

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    Got my Kato F40PH and Digitrax drop in decoder with sound. Painted it up and added homemade custom decals. It looks SWEET! Here is a video. Only thing left to do is add LED's to the 3 other budd cars (Budd dome has lights).
    -Art
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewEqpEJoQcw
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 11, 2011
  14. Artieiii

    Artieiii TrainBoard Member

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    Here is a closeup picture of the Engine with my custom paint job. I love the stripes and the ski train logo on the nose.
    -Art
    [​IMG]
     
  15. davec

    davec TrainBoard Member

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    This is a really cool project. I am doing this project in HO. I have 3 Kato units and managed to procure 3 additional shells with parts on E-bay over time. This way can use the Kato chassis and still keep the Amtrak shells. I have stripped the others and they came out beautiful. A badger grit blaster and a few boxes of baking soda works marvelous. I checked the shell with a strong magnifier and the detail is unharmed. I had decals made for me by E.L.S. Trains. I have some issues on which fans to use on the roof. The Ski Train units were phase II units. The stock kato shell is a phase III with "Q" fans I think the cannon fans will work, Not sure if I need the #1705 or the #1704 part# One is an 8 blade fan the other a 9 blade fan. Do you guys know which one to use? does anyone have a good roof photo to share? Not sure how to do the cars. Hopefully that will come later. What is a good paint mix to use? I have a good Rio Grande gold and an orange recipe in scale coat and several other brands. There was a color known as "Anshutz orange" which I think is dfferent than the standard Rio Grande orange or gold. What do you guys reccomend?
     
  16. James Fitch

    James Fitch TrainBoard Member

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    The ski train is a tough nut to crack any way you look at it, both pre-1988 and post 1988. The pre-1988 was old ex-NP heavy weight cars that are not availalbe in plastic so you have to use something that is not correct as stand-in's. As for post-1988, the situation is worse, the D&RGW bought Canadian Tempo passenger cars, again, nothing in plastic comes close. Jim Griffin kitbashed his own and did a pretty good job. The dome in the original post was probably only a rare guest on the Ski train but was not a regular. If a manufacturer wanted to offer a ski train, the pre-1988 would only require one passenger car be tooled since all 8 were basically the same car from the outside, or possibly two if they did the ex Prospector PS combine. The Canadian Tempo cars, there were more variations.

    Of course anything offered in plastic and called the Ski Train are just existing generic passenger cars painted in Grande gold/silver and don't really come close, that is unless you don't really car what the cars look like.

    As far as power goes, the Ski train was pulled by freight units with a steam generator for most of it's life. Even the Canadian Tempo cars were pulled by freight units until the last few years when the F40PH's were bought and painted.
     

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