Model Railroading > Current Project, a big "60"

I bought this Athearn SD60 to replace a current Proto2000 SD60 I have that has the "We will Deliver" slogan. I really want pre-SP merger equipment, so I'm detailing out this UP SD60 as before the horn got moved back to the long hood. Athearn put out this RTR unit in 2005 and it's missing a lot of detail, and some of the detail was in the wrong place such as the Fuel Tank details. I still have more detail to add when I get them in, such as speed recorders on the front truck. I also added a NCE DCC decoder and a LED headlight. I'm also thinking I will take some SMD LED's I recently received and add some ground and walkway lights to the model.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

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What brand are you using for MU hoses? I like how they look.

Ted is using a Details West plow and Details West air and MU hoses.
Charlie
MP 53 on the BNSF Topeka Sub

Nice detailing projects. That plow pilot looks awfully low like it could scrape the tops of the rails and cause a short. Could you file the tops of the mounting holes to lift it up a bit before you glue it in?

Posted from Windows Phone OS 7

fbe Wrote:
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> Nice detailing projects. That plow pilot looks
> awfully low like it could scrape the tops of the
> rails and cause a short. Could you file the tops
> of the mounting holes to lift it up a bit before
> you glue it in?

Yep, that's what happened. When I installed the plow on the shell, I made the backing framework of the plow flush with the bottom of the pilot on the shell. Well when I put it on the rails it was alright until it hit a vertical curve and then shorted out. I already had it glued on, so it took a little bit of work to pop it off and use an xacto knife to carve the mounting holes upwards a little bit. I'm rethinking the ground lights on this units because of the difficulty of installing them, but will have them on another locomotive that I converted from bulbs to LEDs last night. Still perfecting that project.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

I think the bottom flange of a KD coupler gauge is a bit high for a plow gauge based on prototype but it is a good guide for the links in layout trackwork. When you add the metal plow to the pilot the extension it adds emphasizes vertical curves. You can always follow prototype practice and run the big units into industry tracks to bend up a couple of spots on the bottom of the plow at track locations.

Posted from Windows Phone OS 7