New Project - Proto 2000 SD45 to SP 7999

[jmupton2000]

Painting of the main body sections and the chassis frame is complete bar touching up:

Anyone able to recommend a suitable colour to paint the cab interior please?

 

[Smudge617]

If I'm adding a cab light I use Silver/Aluminium inside of the roof and either light grey or beige for the cab walls.

 

[Rico]

Cool project, moving right along!
This is a good time to check those Proto gears while she’s in the shop.

 

[jmupton2000]

Cool project, moving right along!
This is a good time to check those Proto gears while she’s in the shop.

The gears are fine, unfortunately one of the drive shafts has an issue, the black plastic socket has come out of one of the brass flywheels and won't go back in!

 

[KriegslokBR52]

The gears are fine, unfortunately one of the drive shafts has an issue, the black plastic socket has come out of one of the brass flywheels and won't go back in!

Why not?

 

[jmupton2000]

Looks like this at the moment:

It explains why when on initial testing, one trucks wheels were not rotating!

I may have to cannibalise a part off another loco I think.

 

[Smudge617]

Looks like this at the moment:
View attachment 185862

It explains why when on initial testing, one trucks wheels were not rotating!

I may have to cannibalise a part off another loco I think.

What parts do you need, I may have something.

 

[jmupton2000]

I have fixed it!

A little plastic scraped off the inside of the insert part and it pushed back on. I guess when it was originally made, some sort of machine, much stronger than I did the job.

Reassembly of the chassis is now underway.

The weight has been modified to allow clearance of 7399's nose handbrake indent which Proto never allowed for, annoyingly.

 

[jmupton2000]

The number boards are now numbered and back in the cab:

In a quandary about window edges, whether to edge the inside of the window apertures in black or go around the outside of the glazing parts. No time to do it now though, have to go out and drive some trains...

 

[Smudge617]

The number boards are now numbered and back in the cab:
View attachment 186087
View attachment 186088

In a quandary about window edges, whether to edge the inside of the window apertures in black or go around the outside of the glazing parts. No time to do it now though, have to go out and drive some trains...

Ok, I've got several locos that need number boards but I've never been able to either find any, or make my own, can you tell me how you do it, because they're perfect.

 

[jmupton2000]

Ok, I've got several locos that need number boards but I've never been able to either find any, or make my own, can you tell me how you do it, because they're perfect.

The face of the number board 'glass' part was "painted" using a black Staedtler Lumocolor Permanent marker, it provides the black surface yet gives it just enough translucency for the light to shine through as per the prototype.

The numerals are from a Microscale Decals sheet (number 87-1260 in this case):

Other sheets are available, UK availability is scarce however with my collection being made up of sheets found on ebay where modelers have cleared out their spares and some like this one direct from my preferred supplier, TMR in Canada.

Fortunately on the sheet where the number board numerals are, there was a 7396 at the end of four rows so I cut off the end 6 and added a 9 in its place.

 

[bnsf971]

Painting of the main body sections and the chassis frame is complete bar touching up:
View attachment 185850
View attachment 185851
View attachment 185852

Anyone able to recommend a suitable colour to paint the cab interior please?

This or machine grey would be good choices.

 

[Smudge617]

The face of the number board 'glass' part was "painted" using a black Staedtler Lumocolor Permanent marker, it provides the black surface yet gives it just enough translucency for the light to shine through as per the prototype.

The numerals are from a Microscale Decals sheet (number 87-1260 in this case):
View attachment 186098

Other sheets are available, UK availability is scarce however with my collection being made up of sheets found on ebay where modelers have cleared out their spares and some like this one direct from my preferred supplier, TMR in Canada.

Fortunately on the sheet where the number board numerals are, there was a 7396 at the end of four rows so I cut off the end 6 and added a 9 in its place.

I've got a similar permanent marker, I never thought of using it on the number boards, I'll have to try it, the number decals I might be able to get hold of something similar, Microscale are the best, but as you said, hard to get hold of here. TMR I know of, waiting on some CN decals from him.
Thanks John.

 

[TRAINNUT]

Looking great hope to see the final product soon

 

[jmupton2000]

Getting there...

Cab has had fittings fitted except the sun shades as they always get knocked off so will go back on right at the end:

I have an old Athearn Blue Box SW7 on the workbench for a freelance makeover, and this happened...

Can't help thinking a kind of what if kit bash may emerge one day...

 

[jmupton2000]

...and reassembled before a break for lunch:

 

[KriegslokBR52]

...and reassembled before a break for lunch:
View attachment 186224

I was gonna say with the previous post: now you've gone too far. This one looks good, if the hood in the rear was kind of like Erie Lackawannas SD45-P with space for heating equipment, that would look good with a set of double deckers in tow.

 

[jmupton2000]

Whilst the paint is drying on the handrails, I am just getting the transfers together:

On the subject of lettering, anyone able to tell me what these signs on the hood doors say please?

If I have them on a Microscale sheet somewhere then I will add them.

 

[KriegslokBR52]

From the front to rear; two doors behind the cab have high voltage warning lables:

Keep in mind some railroads marking might be different in style, but the arrangement inside the hood is generally the same. Next where the flared radiator starts is the "Fire extinguisher inside" label:

The mystery one is the last one right after the number, i can't read that one with the sun glare. I took those pictures along Montana Rail Link east of Helena, MT last august. You also have one on the walkway; white lettering on red field; "Emergency Fuel Shutoff". Good luck.

 

[bnsf971]

View attachment 186298
The mystery one is the last one right after the number, i can't read that one with the sun glare. I took those pictures along Montana Rail Link east of Helena, MT last august. You also have one on the walkway; white lettering on red field; "Emergency Fuel Shutoff". Good luck.

I think that label is "ENGINE START INSIDE".