Model Railroading > ScaleTrains MCR SD38-2 #39 [HO Scale]

I've been assigned a job on Oahu the past month and was able to make it home just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday. Coincidentally the McCloud SD38-2 showed up not soon enough. I was pretty excited to see this unit released and cancled other pre-orders to lighten the pain on the cc statement for this unit. I was able to weather it and get some run time on my test track. Here's the final result. 

Weathering was done with a mix of TrueColor black to get a good coat of soot all over the locomotive followed by generous coats of Dullcote and Bragdon powders. I tried a new method of flicking Tamiya panel line accent color to get the effect of an MU'd unit spitting lube oil all over the locomotive. I used to same method on the trucks and pilots using other colors.

I used a prototype photo of the unit when it was leased to SP back in the 80s part of this TO thread here:
https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,4835823

Thanks for looking and feedback is always appreciated.

Alex Wilson
Castro Valley, CA
ApproachAspect's Flickr Photos



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/29/25 18:01 by east_bay_alex.

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WOW what a phenomanomaly detailed locomotive!!!  GREAT work!

Jerry
ATSF5669

Thats a fine looking job Alex. It is funny, McClould generally kept their locomotives fairly clean, but SP didnt exactly give them love and care when they leased them. Your photo is on a cleaner than normal SP day.

TomG Wrote:
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> Thats a fine looking job Alex. It is funny,
> McClould generally kept their locomotives fairly
> clean, but SP didnt exactly give them love and
> care when they leased them. Your photo is on a
> cleaner than normal SP day.

Thank you Tom! It must the lighting, if I turned it into a brick I couldn't enjoy the unique paint scheme! 

I appreciate the insight. Shop forces must've rolled their eyes when the units came back from SP...

Alex Wilson
Castro Valley, CA
ApproachAspect's Flickr Photos

Nice work, weathering can bring out details in models and still look like weathering.

The vertical wheel splash happens with open body log cars, very indicative of PNW logging operations and associated weather. Also happens with tank cars.

t4p.

Really super job on this one, congrats! And I know the cc shock all too well with other hobbies, but in the end it is mostly worthwhile.

Wow!

Posted from iPhone

Oahu? What a shame to work in Hawaii. Tomorrow is Pearl Harbor day on a Sunday December 7th. The day that will live in infamy. Great work. Bring this to BAPM. I'd love to see it. Thanks Alex