I am going to start a project to build three SD38-2's and two SD9's. I have just about everything I need, but I do have a question. Since EVERYTHING except the window glass is orange on these things, it seems to me it would be best to install all details (lift rings,grabs,etc.) before painting. Now is your chance to tell me I've got it all wrong !!! Thanks !!!
That's what I do. The only details I leave off before painting are ones that would be in the way of either masking or decaling, otherwise I add everything possible before paint. Bob
That's the way to do it, just remember to post pics as you go. Are you using Mark 4 Design shells for the 38-2s?
I've wanted to do the Green and Orange SD9's for some time. Just a sharp scheme all around. Should be easy, just remove anything that's silver!
Thanks for the info !!! Sounds like I might be able to do this !!! Yes, I have Mark4 shells. Three for EJ&E,two for BN. Also found the last Sunrise "weedcutter" plows left on the planet !!! Haven't decided if I will shrink the fuel tanks or not. All will be orange with the "Around, not thru" emblems. Well, except #668. That will be the Bicentennial scheme. That should be simple to paint. It's just white, with four pounds of decals on it !!! Thanks again !!!
Can't wait to see them. Only thing I can think of to add after paint maybe, is the the weather windows. If you have them. Dave The Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Ry. Archive & Email List http://www.ejearchive.com
Don't know if you saw this thread, http://dieseldetailer.proboards.com/thread/7942/sd38-3-project# Bob
How long ago did you get the Mark4 shells? Last time I contacted him, which was about 2 years ago he told me he was having supply issues. I hope he has got those issues resolved as I would LOVE to paint to 2 SD38s for the Mc Cloud. I would paint one in the "as delivered" scheme and the other in the late scheme. I have no deisre to paint it in "the Bear $hitting on a log" scheme, as some call it. Ryan
Yes,I have the 2-pane all-weather windows. I'm waiting for lift rings, horns, and windshield wipers. I found a thread somewhere last week where these people were going on and on about the correct windows to use. 2-pane vs. 3-pane. They kept going back and forth and looking at the photos they were using it was obvious they were in two different time periods !!! They just never caught on !!! Eventually someone submitted a photo of a "J" engine with 2-pane on one side and 3-pane on the other !!! That REALLY got 'em going !!! That being said, I will use 2-pane windows. While some may sit and argue about what they think is right, I'll be runnin' my Damn trains !!! I am VERY familiar with the SD38-3 project and will be following it closely. I won't have the ditch lights, though. There is also another step in that project that I will omit. I'm sure you know what I mean !!! Anyone who runs ditch lights should check and see how this guy does it. Absolutely amazing !!!
Logtrain, I got my shells early last year. I had to wait quite a while, though. He was having a problem finding good plastic to work with. If I remember correctly, he had finally found some from Germany. Hope you can get your shells !!! Can't wait to attack mine !!!
Yeah, everything on the J was done in a very piecemeal way, by their own shops. Unlike the big roads that just buy hundreds of one part and change them all at once... the steel roads made due with what they had, and often came up with their own ideas. ie: they were very thrifty. So yes, the best thing to do is look at a photo for the exact unit and period you want, because they all had slight differences over the years. Including the paint. You could use any of a dozen shades of orange and probably still match a unit from some period.
It's nice to see someone start a thread on the EJ&E, my hometown favorite. I would truly have to say it was the J that got me started into trains way back in the mid 50s while I was growing up on the east side of Joliet. I remember as a kid walking down to the end of my street and walking up the stairs of the walkway overpass over the entire yard of the EJ&E and watching the switching action going on throughout the yard. I especially remember the big double cab Baldwins. Anyway here's my attempt at modeling a SD9, a former BN SD9 repainted and decaled for the J. As you can see I'm not one who solely goes by all the rules when it comes to modeling prototypical. I'm in it for the fun. I'll be looking forward to seeing how yours comes out.
Boxcab, someone did the center-cab, but I'm not too sure if I should throw his name out there. But I really wish he would do something with it, ya' know ??? EJ&E wasn't the only road to have them. AT&SF, C&O, PENNSY, and some others also used them. BTW, where did you get that stupid dancing banana ??? I laugh like Hell every time I see it !!! Ha,ha,ha !!!
thomas, I like The SD9 !!! Very nice !!! Mine will be the older "Around not thru" scheme. I also like the GM&O locomotive !!! I run those on my generic branch line layout. There are two rules to that layout. Your RR had to pass through the Joliet- New Lenox area, and your trains HAVE to have a caboose !!! The only exception is IAIS, but I have some pictures of their caboose, and they WILL be using it, eventually. Got any black-and-white GM&O ??? If you do, I'm jealous !!!
Very nice, Thomas. I too have fond memories of those J centercabs, as a young boy in the early 60's going to Michigan Beach/Joliet Beach Club and watching them come and go into and out of the yard. Didn't understand them then, they were so different looking from the locos on the other local railroads. And have always been a closet GM&O fan, took quite a few shots of the remaining units in the mid-70's. Was a pretty cool railroad till IC swallowed them up. I've got some shots of those J SD-9's I took around 1976 at Kirk Yard somewhere in my mess around here, but they're in the straight orange with no heralds scheme. Bob
Quote: Got any black-and-white GM&O ??? No I don't have any of those and I'm still kicking myself because back when they first came out, the place I go to for my railroad needs had a few of them just begging to be bought but like a fool I passed up on it. I did however recently purchase another red one as you can see below. Back in the day (early 70s) those black and whites would line up on Collins street with about six or seven lashed up pulling those Com Ed coal cars which were god knows how long and tie up traffic around the whole city. What memories. Quote: I too have fond memories of those J centercabs, as a young boy in the early 60's going to Michigan Beach/Joliet Beach Club That was one place I never got to go to since it was too far from where I lived, but I hear tell there's and old steam loco buried at the bottom of that pit? I was told one day when the crew arrived to continue their strip mining, there was nothing but water in that hole taking the loco with it.
Well, the traffic on Jackson St. and Collins St. still gets held up for years at a time !!! Not only do the coal trains come through, now we have double-stacks going to the container yard by Laraway Rd. They are going up (or down) the ramp, they are using the newer "gi-massive" engines on a line with curves that would challenge a Formula 1 car !!! If the gates come down for anything other than Amtrak or Metra, I hope you packed a lunch !!! As far as the Michigan Beach train, I've heard the same thing. I've been told by divers they have seen it. I've also been told if the sun is right, you can see it from I-80 bridge. The story I got was they hit a water pocket while digging and the workers barely got out. Left all equipment behind, including the train. Went by the "J" yard a couple hours ago. Another of the large buildings gone !!! Next to come down will be the office buildings. This area is going to be ANOTHER container yard !!! I remember the small yard off Collins being filled with coil cars, coal, or iron ore. Now it's just weedy old tracks.
