N Scale locomotive details....

2slim May 30, 2014

  1. 2slim

    2slim TrainBoard Member

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    I am weathering and detailing a CSX 8-40C (Spectrum) locomotive for a customer. I'd like to find detail parts for the basics like, sunshades, wind deflectors, ditch lights, air hoses. Sadly I'm not finding much out there, so I'm here asking what you N Scale folks do for details. Do you scratch them? If so, can you direct me to articles, posts or what ever? I've seen a few guys who have done some pretty impressive stuff, far more elaborate than I plan on doing.

    I plan on posting photos as I go along so, I hope to get some good info to help me.

    Thanks
    2slim
     
  2. John Moore

    John Moore TrainBoard Supporter

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    If I remember correctly Gold Medal has several metal detail sets and BLMA is another that has detail parts. Also look to Kato for parts like plows and airhorns,
     
  3. Eagle2

    Eagle2 Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    2slim,

    A number of the stores in our advertisers section carry a nice variety of the detail parts I've used before. Etched parts from BLMA and Gold Medal are great, and there are also cast parts for items like plows and bells.
     
  4. robert3985

    robert3985 TrainBoard Member

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    BLMA Models has several details for both rolling stock and diesel engines. You can see what's available here at their website: http://www.blmamodels.com/cgi-bin/w...gories=02002-00014&c=search.red.htm&&scount=1 But, I'd order from one of the internet hobby shops, wherever you can find the best price and selection. I'm extremely happy with the BLMA parts, several of which I use when I super-detail my Atlas Geeps. Here's a photo of one of my GP9's on my Park City Branch:

    [​IMG]

    Unfortunately, the BLMA brake hoses are not available anymore and probably won't be re-introduced. You'd think such a common railroad item as this would be readily available, but the only other source I've been able to find them at is at Precision Scale Company ( www.precisionscaleco.com ) who force you to purchase an N-scale catalog, which they snail-mail to you...then you have to order a minimum of $30.00 from them. The parts are good, and some, such as the brake lines and freight car brake details are available in both brass and plastic. I am planning on stocking up on those items as you never know when they'll suddenly be not available forever more. I appreciate that Precision Scale also has several important steam locomotive parts available such as compressors and generators and other more esoteric items.

    Another source for etched diesel details is Gold Medal Models which you can look at here: http://www.goldmm.com/nscale/gmnorder.htm Buy these the same way you would the BLMA parts. I use the GMM wipers and handrail stanchions quite often as well as Loren's SP PA detailing kit.

    These are my recommendations since I have actually used detail parts from these sources. There are other sources I use also, but they're no longer in business or I haven't used them.

    I am sure there will other recommendations, but superdetail parts for N-scale engines and cars are becoming harder to get.

    Cheerio!
    Bob Gilmore
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 30, 2014
  5. 2slim

    2slim TrainBoard Member

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    Thanks for the info guys, I'll check them out.
    Bob, are you sure you didn't sneak an Overland Models GP and CA in on me? LOL, I know you better than that, I'm guessing the CA is brass, but you could definately fool somebody with that GP. Actually looks more detailed than my HO Overland GP-9. Fantastic job!

    2slim
     
  6. Jerry M. LaBoda

    Jerry M. LaBoda TrainBoard Supporter

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    [​IMG]

    Their perdy!!! Real perdy!!!

    (And that from a fella who stopped loving Uncle Pete way back when because of the licensing BS. Use to love the road, back when I lived in the Los Angeles area and really enjoyed not only seeing the DDA40Xs but also the UP coach yard...)

    You might want to also check Miniatures by Eric.
     
  7. arbomambo

    arbomambo TrainBoard Member

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    I can agree with all the comments so far...
    I've used them all, including Kato spare parts...
    BLMA and GMM produce great photo-etch, I especially appreciate that BLMA produces pre-formed step/grabs in a couple of different widths...and can echo Bob's lament about their plastic air hoses no longer being available...
    a little advice , if you DO order from Precision Scale, go ahead and get some brass detail wire to complete the $30.00 minimum when ordering their air hoses...you'll find ways to use it!
    ~Bruce
     
  8. 2slim

    2slim TrainBoard Member

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    Thanks for the good info guys, I seem to be stuck on trying to locate parts or scratch-building info for pilot mounted ditch lights. There is a guy producing them on Shapeways but MAN! $7 to ship them! $6.95 for 6 pair is fair, but that shipping!! Miniatures by Eric shows some ditch lights but the photo is kinda poor quality.

    2slim
     
  9. arbomambo

    arbomambo TrainBoard Member

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    yea....
    'back in the day'...(mid-90's...lol) a company called Sunrise Enterprises produced very high quality diesel details cast in white metal...and various types of ditch lights were part of their catalog. They were truly superb...
    it's possible some folks here may be able to help you if they can let go a little of their 'stash'...
    you can also find their parts on ebay from time-to-time....
    ~Bruce
     
  10. robert3985

    robert3985 TrainBoard Member

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    On my Geep, many of the parts are Sunrise Enterprises parts, such as the extended stacks, the all-weather cover over the last fan,the beacon and the hoses and MU receptacles on the pilots. The wipers and the mirrors are GMM and the armrest is my own brass casting. I fashioned the awnings out of .007" stainless wire forming a bracket somewhat like this " [ " then gluing a paper piece to it and the cab body then painting it a nice flat dirty gray color to represent canvas. I made the cut levers out of brass wire with eyebolts twisted from .003" brass wire. I also bent up all the drop-grabs out of .007" wire and exchanged the GP9 handrails for GP7 handrails...which is what many UP GP9's had. The horn is stock, but relocated, the cab vent I carved out of Styrene and the lift rings are JnJ.

    Shortly after Sunrise Enterprises disappeared, I happened upon a model train shop out in the middle of the high wheat fields north of Pasco Washington set up in old boxcars when I was visiting my mom in Kennewick. He had a full inventory of everything in N-scale that Sunrise made, and I bought him out of everything that applied to my era and locomotives. If I'd been smarter, I would have just bought everything because some of those items would probably bring a nice price on eBay today. However, for my railroad, I have a pretty good supply of Sunrise Geep and F-Unit parts, which pulled many of the trains in my area and era.

    I've got several old Hallmark Geeps, plus a GP9 "B" which I am going to re-power to run regularly on the layout. Frankly, much of the basic detail on the plastic Atlas models is better than on the brass ones. Where the brass ones shine is the truck sideframes (lost wax investment cast brass), and the separate grabs. Making the grabs and lift rings on the Atlas models is pretty easy and with the cab window detailing, goes a long way in giving them that UP "flavor". I'm pretty happy with how my Atlas Geeps run and pull too, as opposed to the very primitive drive trains and electrical pickup/wiper system on the brass models.

    Yup, the caboose IS brass, but highly modified. It's a Hallmark UP "welded" caboose, which roughly represented a UP CA-8/9 but it was pretty poorly done. They also had a "riveted" version which does not properly represent any UP caboose, so I took the parts off of five of 'em which I could use on future projects and scrapped the leftovers. I had two "welded" ones and I set about modifying one of them to be correct.

    Here's a photo of the stock Hallmark "UP Welded Caboose":

    [​IMG]

    Here's a photo after the mods and additions but before the interior and paint:
    [​IMG]

    I'm a real nut about getting the cabooses correct, and with my modifications and scratchbuilding over 80 parts, this turned into very close representation of a CA-8 I took photos of years ago sitting on a siding on the Pocatello line out of Ogden...even the obviously repainted panels on it. FUN!!!

    Cheerio!
    Bob Gilmore
     
  11. sandro schaer

    sandro schaer TrainBoard Member

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  12. craigolio1

    craigolio1 TrainBoard Member

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    The Miniatures by Eric part is a nice casting. I have used many. Find a photo of a CP Rail or BC Rail SD40-2. A later BCR unit will have a silver pilot and show the detail nicely. On the MBE part the CPR style integrated lift ring is a separate part so you don't need to modify it.

    The MBE part is different than what you would see on a lot of other locos. For your typical GE style with just the light in the center of a square (like the old Sunrise parts) it's so easy to scratch build.

    Craig
     
  13. jpwisc

    jpwisc TrainBoard Member

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    Sandros sinclairs are hands down the best out there. I'm about to use the rest of my inventory up on some CP and CN units.

    Don't forget to check into Trainworx details. They are now my preferred supplier of cut levers, mu hoses and lift rings (and they have a killer set of details for the SDD70ACe- check out the July/August 2014 N Scale Railroading Magazine for more info on that).

    Miniatures by Eric is my go-to guy for all my Canadian Details. Details Associates also has some useful parts.

    BLMA can't be beat for grab irons, cab shades and fan grills and blades.

    Even with the loss of Sunrise we still have some great detail parts suppliers out there.
     

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