Customized SD70ACe to SD70M-2

tin1197 Oct 27, 2009

  1. GaryHinshaw

    GaryHinshaw TrainBoard Member

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    mrlxhelper, could you say a bit more about how you milled the chassis for the rear vent, maybe with a photo? The effect is quite dramatic.

    There is some really great work in this thread! Thanks to all for posting.
     
  2. mrlxhelper

    mrlxhelper TrainBoard Member

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    The Trainworx instructions mention two ways to cut the frames on the ACe. The first is to use a Dremel which is what did and I can't remember the other way w/o the instructions here.
    For starters I'll admit I screwed this up a little, but learned for next time. After I cut out the molded on grills I put the chassis back in the shell and marked the frames where the grill was. After pulling all the stuff out of the chassis, motor, ect... I began cutting. In my haste I cut just a little too low on the right frame, the first one I did. The small piece that is left after you do the cutting eventually broke from fatigue on the right side. I wound up just super gluing that piece in the corner of the fuel tank/frame part where it goes naturally. If this happens to you, don't get rid of that piece as it is needed to support the pick-up which also acts as suspension for the trucks.
    I don't think the instructions recommend that you cut as deep as I did and you might want to leave a little meat on the frames so they aren't as paper thin as what I wound up with.
    After that part was finished I painted the chassis grimy black, just in the area that was going to be visible. Then I glued a small piece of .005 styrene in the front part of the grill form side to side so you can't see the worm gear tower and whatever else in there.
    This is/can be a very fragile process on this chassis but well worth the end results, imo
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  3. GaryHinshaw

    GaryHinshaw TrainBoard Member

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    That's fantastic, thanks for the tips and photos! I'm happy to learn from your mistakes too. ;) Beautiful work on the rest of the shell, BTW.

    Have you noticed any impact on pulling power due to the reduced weight?

    Cheers,
    Gary
     
  4. James Costello

    James Costello TrainBoard Member

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    Is the styrene on top of the shell to stop the lights being visible through the fans?
     
  5. mrlxhelper

    mrlxhelper TrainBoard Member

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    I haven't noticed any difference in pulling power, the amount of weight that came out really wasn't that much either. If you wanted to there is plenty of room in the dynamic brake section to add some weight, quite a bit if you use the moldable stuff. I'm not sure if it was the grill mod, but the unit does seem to be just a hair noisier than any of the other ACe's I have.

    As for the styrene in the roof, yeah it's to keep from lighting the fans. However, on the top side I usually paint it grimy black, dark gray or even as light as UP harbor mist gray. That helps stop light from coming through too but it also helps all the detail of the fans stand out a little bit. It gives the fans a little definition but you're not looking deep down in at a bare or painted frame or at a circuit board and solder dots.

    While I'm at it, what MT couplers are you guys using on the ACe? I thought I read somewhere to use the 2004, but on level track with a factory MT car the coupler on the unit is too high. The 2003 looks like it would be better for this, or is it just me? Can you even get a 2003 anymore?

    I've been using the short shank Kato coupler that comes on the front of the F-units on all the new big SD's I get, makes for great close coupling. They work pretty well, maybe just stick with these?
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 29, 2010
  6. sundowner

    sundowner TrainBoard Member

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  7. jpwisc

    jpwisc TrainBoard Member

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    The see through grill makes a huge difference! I'd like to see someone try that on an MP15AC...
     
  8. NSES40DC2775

    NSES40DC2775 TrainBoard Member

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    do you have any of those custom decals for some NS Sd70m-2 that put on the detail paint trainworx parts.
     
  9. DaveWonders

    DaveWonders TrainBoard Member

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    :thumbs_up:

    Looking good! Now you gotta pair it with a happy little friend in the blue/yellow scheme :)
     
  10. BNSF FAN

    BNSF FAN TrainBoard Supporter

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    Great work so far, I just don't have the nerve yet to cut into a loco frame.
     
  11. Scott Teague

    Scott Teague TrainBoard Member

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    You can get some off of the CSX decals.

    Scott
     
  12. NSES40DC2775

    NSES40DC2775 TrainBoard Member

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    Okay, Thank You all, I will get the microscale 60-527 hopefully by this weekend I will be able to apply them while at work during break.
     
  13. JDG

    JDG TrainBoard Member

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    Attached pics of the finished FEC/RA SD70M-2 unit I have been working on. My decal guy did a fantastic job on these.
     
  14. Bob Horn

    Bob Horn TrainBoard Member

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    Outstanding Jeff ! I think that is the way they should have been. Bob.
     
  15. NSES40DC2775

    NSES40DC2775 TrainBoard Member

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    I see that the NS units are turning out beautiful an dI was looking at some of them and like to see the NS Sd70m-2 front shots to see the detailing and painting of the cab headlight area.
     
  16. James Costello

    James Costello TrainBoard Member

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    Any news on this Hien? I am keen to start on some SD70Ace projects ;-)
     
  17. GaryHinshaw

    GaryHinshaw TrainBoard Member

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    James, the M-2 detail set has been available for a while now, set #901 on the Trainworx site:

    http://www.train-worx.com/details.htm

    These are very high quality parts. Can't wait to see your rendition. :)

    -Gary

    Edit - Maybe you're referring to a pure '70ACe detail kit, not the M-2 conversion. But most of the parts in this kit are useful for detailing the ACe, so it's worth the modest cost.
     
  18. NSES40DC2775

    NSES40DC2775 TrainBoard Member

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    Hello I was wondering about the glue used to hold the sd70m-2 kit. I tried zap glue and it's simply fell off I used the plastruct glue also and plate popped off too! I currently waiting for some more sd70ace bodyshells to try again. I'm looking for some advice fro making sure that the kit will stay.

    Thanks, Anthony G.
     
  19. JDG

    JDG TrainBoard Member

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    I used regular old CA (Loctite 495) and haven't had any issues.
     
  20. tin1197

    tin1197 TrainBoard Member

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    Anthony, I am using Medium CA and sanded the back panel to make it rough before I apply glue.

    Hien
     

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