Amtrak Full Dome Observation Car Concept Test

[Herc Driver]

This is my next project...Amtrak's newly reburb'd Full Dome. This started as a 30+ yr old Bachmann full dome that came with an old Amtrak set I got as a young teenager. There's a few pictures of this car, wearing the Heritage III colors and matched with the P42 Heritage III engine on the web now...and I thought it might be a neat car to model. I gave it a very quick paint job by hand last night just to see what the final product might look like. To get the windows tinted, I used three coats of Tamiya Smoke paint. The top is Model Masters Flat Black. The Amtrak colors were factory applied but not in keeping with what this car looks like today. So, I need to strip this car, file down the corrugated area between the trucks, repaint with spray paint, and add new decals. I really shouldn't have wasted the black paint trying to see what the end result might look like...but the boys and I were curious if we could pull this off convincingly...and if we should use this old car. I think when properly done, the car will look pretty good. The big question is the decals though. I ordered two different sets of Microscale's Amtrak stripes and hope one of the sets fit the gap on the car body, and look like the Phase III Heritage scheme that Amtrak is using today. (The red/white/blue stripes are of equal width and run from one end to the other on the real car.) If not, I might be waiting a while for Microscale to release the newer Heritage III decals in Nscale before finishing this car. A Kato P42 in Heritage III colors should be arriving sometime this month or early next month, and will get to pull this car along the layout.

[MasonJar]

Pretty convincing when viewed under the guidance of the 3-foot rule.

The problem with making your mock-up/stand-in/trial too good is that you may not get to the finished product...

Andrew

[Green_Elite_Cab]

Looks cool!

Also unrelated, but i was looking around and saw pics of your PC GG1 and E8, VERY NICE!

[Herc Driver]

Andrew - So true...but in this case, I'm so ticked that I botched that black window frame painting, I need to do it again. I kept hitting the window frames with my paint brush like small speed bumps. That sent the paint brush everywhere but where I wanted it. So to do it right, I'll strip this car down and repaint it correctly. If I can't get good Amtrak red/white/blue stripes, I'm even considering painting those on as well. I have the two versions of Phase III Amtrak stripe decals on order, and hope they'll fit on this car. But if they don't, I'll probably paint the stripes myself, then add the right Amtrak lettering. (This car used to wear the Phase IV colors...which would be another good car to model.) Plus, I still want to sand off the extra corrugated sides under the windows that no longer exists on the actual car body.


Green-Cab-Elite - the GG1 and E8 are Kato models...and run as good as they look. I must admit, I was never to pleased with the looks of the GG1 for a long time. But now, it's one of my favorite engines. Something about it's looks has a timeless quality about it. But, what do I know...I like the high hood GP30 too!

[MasonJar]

Andrew - So true...but in this case, I'm so ticked that I botched that black window frame painting, I need to do it again. I kept hitting the window frames with my paint brush like small speed bumps. That sent the paint brush everywhere but where I wanted it. So to do it right, I'll strip this car down and repaint it correctly. If I can't get good Amtrak red/white/blue stripes, I'm even considering painting those on as well. I have the two versions of Phase III Amtrak stripe decals on order, and hope they'll fit on this car. But if they don't, I'll probably paint the stripes myself, then add the right Amtrak lettering. (This car used to wear the Phase IV colors...which would be another good car to model.) Plus, I still want to sand off the extra corrugated sides under the windows that no longer exists on the actual car body.

I assume that the dome is one piece of clear(ish) plastic, and the frames are just a ridge? You might try this type of brush to run along the raised portion. I have had good success with them when painting tires, window frames, vehicle door handles. Anything where there is a slight difference in height seems to work well.

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Andrew

[Herc Driver]

I had those white brushes in my desk while I was painting...and did I think to use one???? No...of course not. That would have made too much sense and worked to well.

Next time...I'll try to use those more. They do work well...for painting and to move small Nscale decals around when being applied. I use them to hold down the decals too sometimes, or help slide them off the sometimes very small sheet. Those little things are great for painting the window sills on building kits like DPM.

[radivil]

I know this thread is semi-old, but I actually saw this car (or another like it?) last week. It looks pretty spot on to what it looks like from a good 500-600 feet.

[Herc Driver]

Yep...that's the one! Hopefully soon, I'm going to strip the car I did the "rough demo" on and will do a better job. It looks like the decals from Microscale are a good match to go with the Kato Heritage scheme.

[Tyson Rayles]

Ya know that car is so bizzare looking that even though it does exist in real life I don't think I would want it on my layout. One of the staff (or ex-staff) at MR once said not to model the unusual as you will have to spend too much time explaining it .

That said you are doing a nice job with it !

[Herc Driver]

That's some good advice.

I wanted to model it because I had that Bachmann full dome just sitting in a box not doing anything...and thought I could take it and give it the updated look the prototype now has.

Like I needed another project...