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

Here Ralph.
Trying to help out and did a search and found this pic of the FL9's roof detail. Looks like this one has a HEP unit.
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And also this: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.dieselshop.us/Data%20EMD%20SD9.HTML">http://www.dieselshop.us/Data%20EMD%20SD9.HTML</a><!-- m -->. I'm guessing "Length over couplers".
So, your choice of using the SD9 frame is a good one.

I'm real interested in this project, and want to follow your progress...So don't forget pics!

That was really helpful Ed! Thanks! I spent about an hour searching under "SD9 locomotive...SD9 locomotive length...SD9 specifications...SD9 dimensions...SD9 schematic drawings...etc. Thanks for the roof detail pic too! I hope to start this project soon. I need to work up the nerve to start sawing shells.

Ralph

Would a better starting point possibly be an FP-7 shell?

Ralph...you sent me lookin' for pics - to see the trucks...a couple of bits, if you can use 'em...
http://railroad.net/articles/railfanning...a/ad-8.jpg
http://naugy.blogspot.com/2007/10/new-ha...d-fl9.html
http://pc.smellycat.com/pics/equip/diesel-emd.html
Thanks for the impetus...loks like a neat project ! Bob C.

nachoman Wrote:Would a better starting point possibly be an FP-7 shell?

Maybe, but I don't have one and haven't come across one. If I remember correctly the FP-7 is four feet longer than the standard F while the FL9 is eight feet longer. Part of the fun of this project is making it out of materials I have so I'll try it with the F unit shells. At just a couple of bucks a piece I won't be too nervous cutting them up!

Bob, thanks for the pictures! I'm going to have to come up with some sort of scratchbuild for the shoes that ride the electrified third rail. I'll probably also have to manufacture the public address speaker styled horn peculiar to these units.

Ralph

OK, first things first. Since the real power for the train headed by the FL9-to-come is actually from a PK RDC that will be disguised as an 85 foot passenger car...I needed to see if I could create a passenger car body to replace the RDC shell. I still want to run the RDC by itself some time so I preserved the shell

I used Old Tyco short passenger cars as the base for the new 85 foot car. This photo was one of my possibilities. I eventually chose to use a combine baggage, coach car and the full coach instead of the observation car pictured below.


Here is the new bashed 85 foot car shell for the RDC chassis. I need to do a decent job covering the seams, repainting, decaling, etc.


I ran the RDC with the passenger car shell to see if it would do an OK job powering a dummy F unit in front and at least one more passenger car behind. So far so good. I'm encouraged and am ready to try creating the FL9 after I finish the passenger car shell.

Ralph

Nice looks good so far

Updates!
I changed my mind, as I often do while working on projects, and decided to go with the observation car and coach bash instead to create a more typical looking coach. I may use the remnant of the baggage car as a storage building near a yard.

Anyway, here is the 85 ft passenger car shell that will cover the RDC chassis and provide power to the small passenger train that will be headed by the FL9.
This pic shows the two car sections joined and puttied up to try and hide the seam.


Here is the car after painting and some lettering were applied. Some of the seam is still faintly visible but as a first time ever using the putty I'm not unhappy with the results. I weathered the car with chalks to give it that typically dirty PC passenger train look.


I felt confident about cutting a couple of F unit shells I found for a few bucks in the back room of one of my LHS's.


Here is the FL9 progress so far. I'll be gluing the two pieces together, filling the seam, attempting to remove the Santa Fe paint from the shell, and then it will be time to paint that faded yellow and white scheme! Oh, I realize some of the body details like the extra door over the trucks are not prototypical. I may attempt to sand it off if I can. I'll practice on a spare shell first. I'll also be sanding off unwanted roof details.


Ralph

Ralph Wrote:

nachoman Wrote:I'll probably also have to manufacture the public address speaker styled horn peculiar to these units.

Ralph

It's called a Hancock Air Whistle in case you need to Google search it for dimensions or photos.

This is looking very promising. Let me know when you plan on taking orders so I can order one.

Dave

Thanks for that information Puddlejumper! I did do a search and was able to get audio on what one of those horns sounded like.

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.fl9.com/horns">http://www.fl9.com/horns</a><!-- m --> a steam-like sound for diesels. Nice to get a close up photo in some of the sites I searched!

Thanks again!
Ralph

I've finished gluing, sanding, and painting the shell (except for the handrails). I'll be applying PC logos and numbers soon.

here's how it looks so far....





Ralph

Sweet looking. Have one in McGuiness scheme yet?
Found this earlier:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.riverpointstation.com/products/diesels/diesel_FL9_OR.html">http://www.riverpointstation.com/produc ... L9_OR.html</a><!-- m -->


No date. Can't wait to see what the model will look like.

Thanks Ed! No, I think this will be my only FL9. The McGuiness scheme seems pretty daunting to me for masking and painting!!

I ran across that company in the link and got excited about it too. so far no date and no pricing info though. i emailed them a while ago and they said they wee having problems with China regarding production so....? It looks like they plan a nice line of locos though. hope it woks out!

Ralph

OK, decals added and handrails painted. Now I need to create the "shoe" for the third rail electrical pick up and figure out some way to represent the horn. Maybe the Hancock Air Whistle is commercially available as a detail? I'll do a search.





Ralph