CSX F40PH Nscale Build

[Herc Driver]

Catt - Oh don't worry...I can throw down some CSX on my layout...just let me take 'em out of the boxes.

We see a lot of CSX move through this part of NC...sharing power with NS I suppose...so I made sure I had a fair number of CSX engines and equipment to make a good showing. I thought using those two cheap LifeLike Amtrak engines as "test models" for this CSX exec train would sure beat letting them sit in the storage box. Now, I can keep them on the rails, adding some interest to the yard or sidings.

[Herc Driver]

Added the snow plows today. Still waiting for the a/c units to arrive. And, I've got to fill those oval road number holes then add the numerals. (Still wondering the best way to go to fill those holes with a white background to apply the numerals to.) And finally, clean up that dreaded yellow bottom stripe so I can take some descent close-up shots. The second unit was painted better than the first...both in technique and in execution. (I learned from my mistakes on the first unit.) But right now, it needs more decals applied, so it hasn't been dull coated yet and is still painted glossy.









Still a lot of work to do on them...but the snow plows were a big help to improve the way the nose looks. I'm still thinking seriously of adding Zscale couplers as well. And the more I look at these close-up shots, the more I see places to touch up the paint. Honestly, from a foot away...you can't even see the defects in the paint...but the close-up shots don't lie.

[Herc Driver]

Got them numbered...MU hoses installed front and back...and snow plows painted. Just the a/c units to install...and a dull coat spray on #9999.

Oh...and never install the styrene number boards into tiny recessed holes, then try to add the numeral decals.

[Catt]

Looking good Mark,what plows did you use and how about a pic of the front coupler mount.

[Herc Driver]

#9999 Has it's dull coat on! Just a light or two, some weathering, and a/c units installed...and that's it!

My great thanks to you guys for visiting and watching this project. I've appreciated all the comments and thoughts.

Catt - The plows are BLMA "small" snow plows...and look very close to the Amtrak originals. The MU hoses are also BLMA produced...as will the A/C unit over the cab (when it finally arrives at my LHS.) I removed the hook-style coupler that came on the original LifeLike F40PH completely from where it attached on the truck, then replaced it with Microtrains assembled coupler. I hand-drilled a pilot hole and very carefully inserted the screw into the bottom of the frame (for the pilot coupler) and into the bottom of the porch (for the rear coupler). My hope is to remove both and replace them with an assembled Zscale Microtrain coupler. I think that would really help "sell" the look and appearance of these two units. If you look really, really hard at the rear shot of both units, you can see a small yellow bump on the porch by the door...that's the very top of the screw. It almost unnoticeable just looking at the engine and a compromise I decided to make when I first installed them several years ago (before they were banished to a storage box, then brought back out for this repaint). I should have glued on the coupler in hindsight. (Looking at the engine and how it compares to the Atlas Dash-8 next to it...I could clearly add more details to these F40PH's.)