Current Projects

[TMo]

Glad to see that SP unit is getting some love! I'm glad to be a "part" of this, Matt!

[LiveSteamer]

Glad to see that SP unit is getting some love!  I'm glad to be a "part" of this, Matt!

Thank you. The SP unit is getting all the love it can. Thank you for sending me the engine so that I could do this project. There is a lot of work going into this engine and I think I found all the pictures I could of it. I will say this though, this engine is making me think pretty hard on this build and I will admit it that I have stayed up way later than I should have doing research. 

[LiveSteamer]

Well I have the trucks sitting underneath of the engine. It took some thinking after the previous idea I had didn't work. The front truck is able to turn like it should and in my opinion looks pretty darn good. After the joint compound ( yes I know it is weird but it works and you can't tell once painted ) I am going to sand it down and that will be done. After that I will move onto the cab of the engine get it as close as possible to the real 9950. Below is what I have so far. 

   

[LiveSteamer]

The joint compound is all dry and I sanded it all nice and smooth. The thing I found out using the joint compound is that it fills in all the cracks from where the polystyrene is glued together. Needless to say this has taken me all day just to do the front porch of the engine but honestly at the end of the day it was worth it and below is the final product. Not one seam is visible. Now that it is finished and waiting for paint, it is time to move to the cab to start cutting and getting it as close as possible to the real thing. One thing at a time. Once I complete the cab and add some details to the inside, it will be time to move to the long hood. After looking at all the pictures I saved, this is going to probably be a little difficult but I am up for the challenge. I have to raise up the long hood a little bit where the smoke stacks sit, sand down the fan and add two more. It's those little details that I overlooked before but seen it today after going over the pictures again. Ah well, it's a small challenge ( haha who am I kiddng  ) that should be easy to do.

   

While I was waiting for the joint compound to dry, I went and glued the new headlight on the long hood end and left that dry. I also pulled out one of the two shop switchers Conrail X481. X481 had some work done to it which was to close both ends up and get them ready for paint along with the frame. You can see X481 in the background in the picture below. 

   

[LiveSteamer]

Small update for tonight. I got the fans installed and the smoke stacks. I also painted the pieces black. I'm either looking to get a new cab or its going to take me some time to get the cab the way it should be. I've thought about taking one of my C&I engines that is a dummy engine and using that cab but I put to much work into those units. Below is what is completed so far. Slow and steady.....

   

   

[bdw9535]

Matt,

Are you looking for another RS-3 cab or a SW1500 cab?

Bruce

[LiveSteamer]

Matt,

Are you looking for another RS-3 cab or a SW1500 cab?

Bruce

Bruce,

The cab I'm looking for would be either a SW9 or SW1200 cab.

[jim currie]

Matt,

Are you looking for another RS-3 cab or a SW1500 cab?

Bruce

Bruce,

The cab I'm looking for would be either a SW9 or SW1200 cab.

what brand if a certain one.
Jim

[bdw9535]

Matt,

Have a Athearn SW7 cab, will that work?

Bruce

[LiveSteamer]

Matt,

Have a Athearn SW7 cab, will that work?

Bruce

Bruce,

Yes a SW7 cab would work.

[bdw9535]

Matt,

Sent you a PM.

Bruce

[LiveSteamer]

Tonight's project was making Conrail GP40 look like it is not a new locomotive anymore. I wanted to take a break from scratch building and focus on something different tonight and the GP40 just happened to be on the workbench. I also found a SW9 frame that is also now on the workbench and will be used to build a SW9. That darn scratch building bug has bit me hard and I don't mind it. 

Conrail GP40 looking dirty.....

   

   


Future Conrail SW9....

   

[jim currie]

Tonight's project was making Conrail GP40 look like it is not a new locomotive anymore. I wanted to take a break from scratch building and focus on something different tonight and the GP40 just happened to be on the workbench. I also found a SW9 frame that is also now on the workbench and will be used to build a SW9. That darn scratch building bug has bit me hard and I don't mind it. 

the doc says take two scratch build's and you'll feel better.
Jim

[TMo]

I love the weathering... it could fit right in with my fleet...

[LiveSteamer]

Tonight's project was making Conrail GP40 look like it is not a new locomotive anymore. I wanted to take a break from scratch building and focus on something different tonight and the GP40 just happened to be on the workbench. I also found a SW9 frame that is also now on the workbench and will be used to build a SW9. That darn scratch building bug has bit me hard and I don't mind it. 

the doc says take two scratch build's and you'll feel better.
Jim

Sounds like a plan to me