Model Railroading > A pair of MRL SD40-2XRs in the works...

Fueled by the hurrahs of others, I'm multitasking for the next week until BAPM. Below, a few progress photos of a pair of HO Scale MRL SD40-2XRs (upgraded Kato SD40s) soon to be numbered MRL 251 & 261.

Much attention has been focused on the roof, replacing all of Kato's molded on roof details with an array of Cannon & Co. Details Associates, and Details West parts. The Kato renditions of the MRL logos have been blanked out, I will be repainting the blue sections on these units soon enough with my standard choice, CSX Blue. Work will now focus more on the front and rear pilots and on sprucing up the details below the frame including Cannon & Co steps.

Below, MRL 251...

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& MRL 261 with it's modified dynamic section from a Kato SD40-2, and rear brake wheel..

~ http://www.pbase.com/mrmrl/mrl_model_photos

Mr. MRL

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Looking good so far. I just got done adding decoders and LED lights to a couple of old Proto2000 E9's for a fellow club member. I think I'll charge more for that job next time.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

MrMRL Wrote:
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> Work
> will now focus more on the front and rear pilots
> and on sprucing up the details below the frame
> including Cannon & Co steps.
>

Nice! Going to do something about those atrocious Kato draft gear?

Elizabeth

Only got photos of the 251 both sides when it had the stripes. Should still have a sinclair antenna in the middle of the cab roof, also a knuckle on the top of the fuel tank engineers side between the filler and the sight glass. Worst problem is they have the modified cut levers with the welded on extensions.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

Congrats, Robby. I am looking for the 251 in my travels today.
arb

Betsy Wrote:
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> MrMRL Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Work
> > will now focus more on the front and rear
> pilots
> > and on sprucing up the details below the frame
> > including Cannon & Co steps.
> >
>
> Nice! Going to do something about those atrocious
> Kato draft gear?
>
> Elizabeth

And the atrocious oversized diamond tread?

Steel Wrote:
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> Betsy Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > MrMRL Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Work
> > > will now focus more on the front and rear
> > pilots
> > > and on sprucing up the details below the
> frame
> > > including Cannon & Co steps.
> > >
> >
> > Nice! Going to do something about those
> atrocious
> > Kato draft gear?
> >
> > Elizabeth
>
> And the atrocious oversized diamond tread?


Yeah, well I'd rather have that than nothing, (Athearn/RPP SD40...).

Mr. MRL - work work work...

Robby,

The luck of the Irish must be with you today, look what I found on the Jimbo work train shutting down for the day at West End, MT.

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I will have detail roof shots of the fans, horn and non standard exhaust stack for you tomorrow.

EDIT: I see these radiator grills are not a perfect pair which is the way the grills on the fireman's side are. Since MRL 251 and MRL 252 were the first two SD40-2XR units built and came from UP shells I guess we should expect some parts were from other cadavers.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/16/11 21:07 by fbe.

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Note the radiator grills on this side are not a perfect match. Both dynamic brake fans are the older type with the metal disk over the middle. The 3 radiator fan grills are the later noncovered style. The snow plow seems to be a large SP style narrowed down to clear the uncoupling levers. I should have these photos tomorrow afternoon or so.

I hope these are a help to the project. Feel free to make prints to display with the models if you like.

arb

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MrMRL Wrote:
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> Steel Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Betsy Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > MrMRL Wrote:
> > >
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> >
> > > -----
> > > > Work
> > > > will now focus more on the front and rear
> > > pilots
> > > > and on sprucing up the details below the
> > frame
> > > > including Cannon & Co steps.
> > > >
> > >
> > > Nice! Going to do something about those
> > atrocious
> > > Kato draft gear?
> > >
> > > Elizabeth
> >
> > And the atrocious oversized diamond tread?
>
>
> Yeah, well I'd rather have that than nothing,
> (Athearn/RPP SD40...).
>
> Mr. MRL - work work work...

Check out this post from Harry W on the Micro Mark thread. Decal tread detail for diesels would be perfect except we would have to start sanding off all the cast details manufacturers work so hard to include now.

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>
> They have broadend their footprint in the RR
> market, including GE Dash 7 and Dash8 & later
> treadplate in N, HO and O scales. Need to take a
> look at the website.
>
> NSTopHat

Indeed. I was quite pleased to see the treadplate. I purchased some of the GE treadplate, and i've found that the best match to existing HO scale Atlas GE U30B treadplate is using one of their O scale GE treadplate sets.

http://www.archertransfers.com/SurfaceDetailsMain.html

Cheers,
Harry
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Wow, on call modeling photos, Robby. Can't beat that. We all need to keep ARB busy in his retirement. ;-]

Paul Birkholz
Sheridan, WY

Al, thank you, thank you, thank you!!

Mr. MRL

Note the exhaust stack does not have tapered sides on the base. Perhaps a home made modification?

The horn sits up on a raised strap of metal and is fed by a flexible hose.

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The front pilot is a pretty busy place. Note the lift rings are a short piece of pipe extending through the pilot plate. On the rear side there is a larger washer of steel to strengthen the plate and add some welding area. Hopefuly, the steel plate will not tear out when lifted.

The MU plug is attached to a square tube attached to the bevel below the deck. You can see the conduit for the wires to the ditch light. The ditch lights are painted blue, some MRL units have these painted black.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/18/11 08:42 by fbe.

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The rear pilot shares many details with the front end though the FRA required lower plate is simplified.

So this concludes the photo study of MRL 251 for modeling use.

The photos of the MRL 261 are now two pages back. For those who need the link this should get you to the story and the earlier images.

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?3,2483168



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/18/11 08:50 by fbe.

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MrMRL Wrote:
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> Al, thank you, thank you, thank you!!
>
> Mr. MRL

Robby,

This seems like so little from me after I got you stood up front and center on the web like I did. I am so happy I was able to be where I was to provide the additional information you needed in a timely fashion. Isn't this the way the Internet is supposed to work?

So do us proud, Kid.

arb