Model Railroading > Fresh & Ready for...Grime

Fresh from the work bench is the latest locomotive to join the fleet on the Onondaga Cutoff - this time Conrail 6437, an SD40-2 that wore its original paint for many years.  This engine upgrade was started by a fellow TO member from Austraila, and I continued where he left off.  He milled the frame to accept a Genesis motor and drive, installed the anti-climber, and purchased the Soundtraxx Tsumami decoder.  I adjusted that setup for my purposes and then upgraded the Athearn 'RTR' shell with diamond treads he supplied, as well as a new plow, proper short hood grab irons, lift rings, brake piping, wipers, and working ditch lights, as well as an upgraded plow.  

1.  6437 with construction completed, ready for the weathering shop.  Slow and steady progress is how we keep working even through the summer!

Thanks for looking!

~RGDave
Modeling Conrail in Central New York in 1994
http://onondagacutoff.blogspot.com/

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A very nice looking CR SD40-2!

Cheers, Jim Fitch

Very nice job I'll PM you so you can ship it to me. My b-day is in July. Really though it looks beautiful...

Steve

She's a beauty!  I always loved Conrail units when they are newly painted.

Well done.

Bruce



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/28/16 13:25 by brfriedm.

looks great was it factory ptd

Beautiful Dave!  I love it.  Terrific detailing, and quality work all the way around.

Joe Atkinson
Council Bluffs, IA
www.iaisrailfans.org/../Sub4WestEnd

Was this unit note one of the ones that received the "Star" on the cab as a test unit?

They did this with SD40-2's and C30's. Here is a picture of one 5 numbers higher.

http://conrailphotos.thecrhs.org/Images/CR-6432-SD40-2-star-test-unit-Youngstown-06-85

By the way....that thing is beautifully done. All of your work is that way - my compliments.

Bob



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/29/16 04:39 by navarch2.

Thanks for the support!

Factory paint, yes - Athearn is really turning out some amazing models these days, not just in Genesis but their 'RTR' line too.  This paint job is amazing.  The weakness was the handrails, which looked too purple and translucent compared to the paint on the body.  So, I used an adhesion promotor from Dupli-Color and followed that with a coat of model-master enamel that I custom mixed to match.  Turned out well!  Then I used the same paint to touch up the details I added - lift rings, modified grab irons, etc.

The white stars, from what I have read, were applied in the 1980's to a limited number of SD40-2's and C30-7's (not the C30-7A's), in a project to compare total cost to operate each class of locomotive.  The SD40-2's soldiered on, while the C30-7's were all off the roster before the end of 1996.

1.  Stock handrails before painting.
2.  Repainted handrails during the detailing process several weeks ago.
3.  The etched-brass steps I installed earlier in the process.  These really give the unit a very nice look - makes a bigger difference than I thought it would.

Thanks!
~RGDave
Modeling Conrail in Central New York in 1994
http://onondagacutoff.blogspot.com/​

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HUGE difference on the handrails and steps Dave.  I remember working on my first Kato SD38-2 a decade or so ago and asking here for tips on what else I should add, and one suggestion was Cannon steps.  I couldn't believe the way they transformed that model.

Joe Atkinson
Council Bluffs, IA
www.iaisrailfans.org/../Sub4WestEnd

Dave!
Looks great. Love the safety tread and the see-thru steps.  I bought a can of that adhesion promoter but haven't had a chance to try it yet.

One suggestion - the sand filler cap on the nose looks pretty cheesy now that the rest of the model is to such a high calibre.  Nice call on the ditch lights!
Best,
-Alex