03-22-2009, 04:40 PM
OK, I'm gonna stick my neck out and join the New Year's Resolution challenge even though I'm not completely sure how I'm going to accomplish the goal! 
Thanks to a suggestion by Charlie and my own interest in this unusual locomotive I want to bash an FL9 to head a passenger train on my layout. I've seen numerous photos of FL9s in Penn Central black (which would be easy) but I want to go with the interesting blue Metro Transit scheme.
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=813449">http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=813449</a><!-- m -->
As you can see in the photo, the yellow front and PC logo had a tendency to fade to near white. I plan to take advantage of that fact so I can use decals I already own. I plan to make a model of this loco. <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1022957">http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=1022957</a><!-- m -->
Scale model purists may wish to stop reading at this point. I'm planning to use available components and materials that may create more of an approximation of a model than a precisely accurate one. For example, FL9's are 59 feet in length. I'm going to use an Athearn dummy SD9 frame that I believe is close to that length. I've been annoyed at my inability to find length dimensions for an SD9 but it looks appropriately sized compared to an F unit.
To simulate the two axle front truck and three axle rear trucks characteristic of the FL9 I'll use one of the SD9's trucks and a truck from a dummy F unit for the front.
I'll be taking a razor saw to two F unit shells to create the FL9 body. I have some reference photos but roof details are a little sketchy. I'm encouraged by a recent thread in which Eightyeightfan1 sands and scrapes off roof details from an F unit so I'll do what I can to create a reasonably realistic configuration of vents, etc.
By now you may be wondering about the unit being a dummy. I don't have a motor for the unit or geared trucks. I DO have a powered RDC that I think is about the same length as full sized passenger cars. I'm considering buying two Penn Central passenger cars and replacing the RDC shell with one of those so the train is actually powered by the car behind the locomotive. Some of the undercarriage details of the RDC probably won't look like those of a passenger car though, so I'm also considering simply coupling the RDC behind the locomotive with the story that it has been added to the train for a return trip home.
So, there's my odd resolution challenge!
Its about re-using stuff I have to make something new.
Ralph
Thanks to a suggestion by Charlie and my own interest in this unusual locomotive I want to bash an FL9 to head a passenger train on my layout. I've seen numerous photos of FL9s in Penn Central black (which would be easy) but I want to go with the interesting blue Metro Transit scheme.
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=813449">http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=813449</a><!-- m -->
As you can see in the photo, the yellow front and PC logo had a tendency to fade to near white. I plan to take advantage of that fact so I can use decals I already own. I plan to make a model of this loco. <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1022957">http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=1022957</a><!-- m -->
Scale model purists may wish to stop reading at this point. I'm planning to use available components and materials that may create more of an approximation of a model than a precisely accurate one. For example, FL9's are 59 feet in length. I'm going to use an Athearn dummy SD9 frame that I believe is close to that length. I've been annoyed at my inability to find length dimensions for an SD9 but it looks appropriately sized compared to an F unit.
To simulate the two axle front truck and three axle rear trucks characteristic of the FL9 I'll use one of the SD9's trucks and a truck from a dummy F unit for the front.
I'll be taking a razor saw to two F unit shells to create the FL9 body. I have some reference photos but roof details are a little sketchy. I'm encouraged by a recent thread in which Eightyeightfan1 sands and scrapes off roof details from an F unit so I'll do what I can to create a reasonably realistic configuration of vents, etc.
By now you may be wondering about the unit being a dummy. I don't have a motor for the unit or geared trucks. I DO have a powered RDC that I think is about the same length as full sized passenger cars. I'm considering buying two Penn Central passenger cars and replacing the RDC shell with one of those so the train is actually powered by the car behind the locomotive. Some of the undercarriage details of the RDC probably won't look like those of a passenger car though, so I'm also considering simply coupling the RDC behind the locomotive with the story that it has been added to the train for a return trip home.
So, there's my odd resolution challenge!
Its about re-using stuff I have to make something new.Ralph