Patching Southern Pacific SD45T-2 #'s 9173 & 9191

Well, I have decided to do a little mini project while im waiting for supplies to continue working on my La Mirada Project

I have 2 Athearn RTR SD45T-2's lettered for Southern Pacific, Roadnumbers 9173 & 9191. Ill be patching them with the yellow UP patches on the cabs, and leaving them in the SP paint.

Here are a couple pictures:

 

Here are some pictures of the newely patched SD45T-2. This is former SP #9173 which has been patched for UP #4859. I failed miserably on the numberboards and trying to paint over them, I tried free handing them and that didnt work so well, so then i tried masking them and that didnt work out either and the paint ended up lifting the tape and bleeding under. I cleaned it up, but it removed some of the SP Gray paint, which will is alright because ill be weathering the units and it will be just part of the weathering. I ordered some Microscale Numberboard decals, so when those come in ill just put them over the old numbers and then add the new numbers over the black decal... One other thing you may notice is that both sides of the cab, the number "4", both of them got chipped somehow. Im not sure how it happened, but im not going to replace them. It will add to the weathering when the unit makes it into the weathering shop LOL

Until then, here are some pictures on my Photo Diorama

 

You gonna pull off the light package on those?

 

Which lights? There are 3 sets of lights on the front and a set on the back lol

 

Lol, "technically" if you want to be a rivet counter (I do not, I was just asking out of curiosity)
For it to be correct for a 1996 or later unit, you would need to remove the red beacon (I think the rest stay) and add ditch lights.

 

See SSW's thread here
Tunnel Motors and SD45Rs in 2010 - TrainBoard.com

Some units have nose lights, some have Cab lights, but the red beacon is gone and Ditch lights are added.


Again, I'm just curious as to your plans. Was not intending a criticism.

 

ahhh yes I see what you are talking about now lol. Ehhh i dont feel like taking them out and then filling the holes, so they will just have to stay. Ditch Lights might be a nice addition though, I have a few extra sets i think that I could mount real quick

 

Here are a few pictures of the other patched SD45T-2. This one has been patched for UP #4832. Like the last one, this one will also receive the same numberboard treatment when the decals come in

 

looks nice to me. If it had been me, i would have weathered the units prior to the patches being applied. But they do look nice.

 

He can still paint them black. Just mask off the UP logos.

-Mark

 

One other detail overlooked is that AFAIK, UP didn't patch any SD45T-2s. While there were a couple straight SD45T-2s repainted, along with a handful of units rebuilt into SD40-2 specs internally and repainted in the process, the SD45T-2s were fleet short-timers, and were retired without patches.

 

Over all I think they look really good. I can't wait to see what you do with the weathering. From what I've seen of UP's Patched locomotives, they look pretty worn out, . I was thinking of patching my SP SD45 with elephant ears, but I don't think I have the skills for it.

 

When I saw those beautiful SP Tunnel Motors patched for the Borg...I wept.

 

Your post made my day. At least they weren't fully assimilated into the collective, unlike some others that received a full UP paint job.

 

Yep some great locos making up lots of money.To bad Sp didnt buy them:mconfused:

 

Thank you both Weathering before they were patched is probably a good idea now that I think about it since most of the patches I have seen the yellow is brighter (newer) then the rest of the locomotive.

BUT, I decided to sell these, so they never made it into the weathering shop. Ive since sold one, and still have one available, the #4859. If anyone is interested in buying it, let me know

 

Thats where my being prototypical stops lol. I cant find enough strength to repaint a locomotive that is in SP, CNW, D&RGW, MKT, GBW, BN, SF and other fallen flags that UP and BNSF have taken over. Thats why I only patch them... I model the modern era, but I like the looks of the engines in their old paint with new patches on them, so while not 100% prototypical, I like them and it works for me

 

Thank you for the compliments As mentioned above, they never quite made it to the weathering stage. But I will be getting some new run SP SD45T-2's in the near future that I will be patching and weathering, so ill post them when I get them and start working on them