GEC's Layout Progress

[Green_Elite_Cab]

I had some time to tinker this week, so I worked on a few projects-

Amtrak ex PRR twin unit diners-

These got somewhat damaged by paint late last year, and when I stripped the paint off, the plastic was etched, making Alclad pretty much impossible to use. I attempted to polish the sides, but I didn't really get the results I wanted.

I have instead tried "bare metal foil", with limited success. It is essentially a very thin metallic foil, and it is an alternative to metalizing paints. I ended up wasting quite a bit of it because i didn't understand how to smooth it out, and once I learned, I made the further mistake of trying to use two separate pieces to make my life easier (it just left a visible overlap seem). Ultimately, the color I picked looked great in the store, but doesn't seem right on the model.

I'll probably have to rip it all off, but the foil seems like a good technique, and I think I'll try a more chrome foil next time. Live and learn!

These diners are a very important part of my New York Section of the Broadway Limited (not to mention they were expensive and are hard to come by!) So I am glad that the foil seems effective. I even tested some on the roof, which is fluted, and the foil did well pressing into the fluted ribs!

NJ DOT E8 #4253

I started trying to paint the body shell. I did a very, VERY good job polishing the shell after removing all the molded on rivets and battens, but for some reason, my Platinum mist paint didn't seem as silver as it normally does. Instead, I will use Polly Scale "Old Silver", (or maybe new silver), to paint the body.

Then, as DoctorWayne suggested, I'll mask this all off and spray the model dark blue. I might do some detail prep before I paint, but I'm happy I'm getting this E8 project moving again after having it sit so long.

NJ DOT GP7 #5681, ex CNJ 1523

I've also got one of my NJ DOT GP7s on its way now. I have two GP7s to do, so i'm trying to learn from the first one before I start on the second. There have been some challenges in representing a CNJ GP7.

one major spotting feature of the CNJ GP7s are the "light cabinents" on the long hood end. Custom Finishing made castings for these, but they are designed for the Atlas GP7, not the Proto 2000 GP7s i'm using. This means I've had to do some filling with styrene and puddy in order to properly install these castings.

As they were, they would "lean back" to far, and they wouldn't be straight across.

Another challenge was installing the CNJ marker castings I have, since I'm doing this only with the photos of the prototype I have.


Currently in the mail are some Plano Details GP7 intake screens and slats, which will look really cool compared to the cast on details of the Proto GP7. I have similar details coming in for my ex-LV GP18, but it already has see thru screens and slats, just not as nice as the Plano ones.

It looks like I still need to get some small body louvers, spark arrestors, cab-top smoke deflectors, radio antenna, Leslie A-200 horns, and potentially some truck and underframe details.

I'm also going to have to scratchbuild this mystery box on the deck, and modifiy a three-strap Cab Signal box to fit. I'm also going to have to get creative over the bell on the nose.

Because i'm all over, I forgot to take pictures of the GP7. I'll probably take them sometime soon, along with newere pictures of my ex-LV GP18, which I am working on side by side with these GP7s.