Model Railroading > Union Pacific SD40-2 3275

This isn’t really intended to be a weekly thing.  I’ve been busy building various locos and freight cars, and when they’d get to a point of being ready for paint, I’d stuff them on a shelf and move on to the next shiny object.  That shelf (at one point the proper use was the plural) is still pretty busy, but I’ve tried to thin that backlog.  Weathering still slows things down.

Like a lot of modelers, I was pretty excited by the Scale Trains announcement of the SD40-2, what, three years ago?  None of the models offered in the first run were anything I had plans for, which were the fairly early Union Pacific versions, which were very common on the Overland Route in the 70s (and beyond).  One other possibility would have been a BN 6800 Locotrol master, which were leaded by SP and used extensively on Tehachapi Pass and the Sunset.  The closest match was the Southern version, so I ordered one.
 
I ultimately decided on an early UP snoot.  I disassembled the model and stripped the paint, which given the complexity of the under frame detailing, was a bit of a challenge to do and not lose anything.  The model is very modular, so there was no need to cut anything away.  Replacing the cab, sub-base, and short hood with Cannon parts was easy.  The traction motor cabling on my model was correct for one side, the other side appeared to be just a mirror image.  I discarded it and made my own, as I usually do.  The cast-on fans have the grill ring a slightly smaller diameter than the base, a style fan I have never seen on a Dash-2.  I removed the radiator fans and replaced them with Cannon fans.  The dynamic brake fans can be trickier to remove, and since the cast fan detail is really nice, I tried just removing the upper ring and replacing it with the Cannon part.  Other than that, all the work was just the UP specific detailing.  It was really nice to have scale draft gear and not have to make that myself!
 
The trickiest part was the really complicated coupler lift bar system EMD designed on these.  I’d avoided tacking this detail up to now, but with some photos and information provided by noted UP experts Dick Harley and Don Strack, I took a shot at it.  I’m not sure I’m going to repeat the effort.  The canvas sun shades are made from paper, wetted with water and attached to a wire frame with canopy glue.  That’s it.  I’m glad to finally have a UP SD40-2, it looks right at home with all the SP power, and some of those Pacific Fruit Express refrigerator cars I’ve been tinkering with.

Elizabeth

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More photos

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Still more

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And finally...

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Liz, 

Very nice.

J.

Forget Rembrandt and Picasso,,This is what True Art really is.

How you get parts to stay put without blobs of superglue and the like is fascinating.
All your work belongs in a museum,,(After a proper layout run that is).
Always in Awe
Phil

Damn, E- that weathering....     damn!
SR

That is awesome........................I remeber seeing them on Sherman back in the 70s. Thanks for sharing.

                                          Regards, Dave Dane

Simply amazing work!! Thank you for sharing. True artistry as others have mentioned. 

Mike ONeill
Parker, CO

BoilingMan Wrote:
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> Damn, E- that weathering....     damn!

Yes. Any chance for a clinic, Liz?

I'm also curious what you used to mount the coupler lift bars. The DA parts are rare as hen's teeth. Come to think of it, hen's teeth are easier to come by.

Keep up the good work!

Arved Grass
Fleming Island, FL

Great inspiring modeling. I think we'd all like to have a look at that "shelf" that you refer to.

Jim

Amazing - you are the master!

Awesome!

Posted from iPhone

Just wow   .   .   .   .
JB

Great work!  The 3275 was featured on UP commercials touting "we're a great big rolling railroad" so it was a star of sorts. 

Arved Wrote:
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> Yes. Any chance for a clinic, Liz?
>
Problem is, I've no  specific technique, other than only rarely do I use an airbrush.  With the exception of stuff like recently encountered dirt or exhaust, most "weathering" will have a worn and/or streaky look.  So I always look for ways to make that evident. Sometimes I start with oils, get frustrated and switch to acrylics, sometimes the other way around.  Rarely do I consistently weather a model with just one medium.  Some results I'm happier with than others.
> I'm also curious what you used to mount the
> coupler lift bars. The DA parts are rare as hen's
> teeth. Come to think of it, hen's teeth are easier
> to come by.
Detail Associates parts are run in groups these days, rather than being always available as in the "old days" you and I remember.  Most parts, like the coupler lift bar brackets, are still in production.  WHen they're available, I tend to buy a lot.  I have a pretty substantial detail part supply.  The coupler lift bar brackets are also available from Precision Scale, and they appear to be the same part.
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/22/20 20:04 by Betsy.

Jimmies Wrote:
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> Great inspiring modeling. I think we'd all like to
> have a look at that "shelf" that you refer to.

Well, here's the "locomotive shelf, the date on the photo is Jan 18, 2020.  For reference, the SD40-2 is second from right.  So this gives some idea of how long some of the projects just sit.   Note that I ran out of room, the freight cars were elsewhere.

Elizabeth

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Wow - that's darned nice!  Thank you for sharing and inspiring.

Gary B.
Waverly, NE

Quite the project list on your shelf.  Thanks for sharing the view of it.

Jim

Great post, thanks for sharing strategery.
t4p.