Reading Tom's thread on his beautifully detailed/weathered BB Rio Grande tunnel motors got me thinking. Or wondering. I have a Genesis F7 that is exquisite right out of the box, along with a UP gas turbine - not Genesis (RTR) but I can't tell the difference in detailing from the F7. I would never in a million years have the courage to apply any weathering to them, BUT if I spend countless hours bringing a older Athearn BB close to that Genesis level, I have no qualms whatsoever taking the next step of weathering them. There may not be the initial dollars spent on them, but in time and detail parts... it probably comes close. I wonder why that is?:question:
Same here. Poured my heart & soul into two BB Athearn GP38-2's added sound, hoses, people, detailed to the best of my ability and then weathered them heavily. The Genesis that I bought new, I can't bring myself to aim the airbrush at it.. yet I haven't toiled over it, sweat when i thought i melted the shell with soldering iron, haven't cobbled a speaker box and stuffed it in.. I haven't experimented on it and I don't have any stories to tell about the time I rescued it from some east coast vendor at a show. A new locomotive that doesn't need my help? What fun is that?
I have a couple Genesis Locos that are not weathered, not sure if I ever will, they are so nice, just like they are. I always use very light colors of water based paints airbrushed with many layers, and chalks to weather. Either can be lightened or even removed without damaging the original finish. I would also agree, that by the time you put all the details on, fill in all the holes, and all the other stuff you do, a person has at least as much $$ in the BB as a Genesis. You guys have brought up some really interesting stuff that I had not thought about.
Tell you what, I think the time and $$ that goes into these BB projects are well spent. I love to see examples that have been "massaged" into something special. And, they become "yours", and very unique in the process. Hard to describe, but the locomotives I have rebuilt become my favorites. The Genesis ones are great - no argument with those who choose to go that route - but I find I don't run them much. I agree, "A new locomotive that doesn't need my help? What fun is that?" :teeth:
I hear you I have so much of myself into those BB locos that I am afraid I value them much more anyone would ever give, even though on the open market they will never be worth much. OH well, I will continue to tell my lovely wife that they are worth something:blush:
I deal with this dilemma the same way I deal with what era to model or how to make my layout scenicked: I fudge to me widdo heart's content. I freelance, protolance, and mix 'em up as I needs to. We get a new engine, a nice BLI steamer, and gosh ain't it purdy. Well....lessee...it could have been just shopped and painted, so........sure, until I get the gumption, I'll leave it just the way it is. Within a year or two, it gets dirtied a widdo bit. Then, some more. I had to swallow really hard to dirty my prized PCM Y6b, but the loco finally won the toss.
I'm with you Crandell - only so far I've been winning the coint toss! Great weathering job, though....looks real. Maybe I'll try the 'little bit at a time' method.
It's always hard to potentially spoil something that seems so perfect as is. I think the ones you fuss over may end up being more realistic because there is a lot of variation in locomotives. I've been in thousands of them and each one is unique, especially the older ones, where upgrades were done by several different locomotive shops across the country at different times. But I try not to be too fearful of modifying my models, or they'll always just be the models sitting in a box, inside of a tote, on a shelf in the garage just waiting for me to get the guts to make it my own.
