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Here is Athearn Blue Box Switcher I'm working on now that I got from Atlas. I don't have any need for this other then it was cheap and a good way to learn weathering locos. I didn't do a thing below the walkway since it's going to be painted black so I "didn't forget" to weather that area or the roof of the cab.
I would love to hear your comments, good or bad.
Dave
Looks good, I also grab one of these conrail units when they went on sale. The only thing I would add is some more grime/blistered paint to the exhaust and I would dirty up the conrail logo some more.
Dave, the grilles look fantastic - exactly like rusty, grungy metal! If you could make the exhaust stacks look the same way, that'd be perfect.
For the "too clean" Conrail logo, maybe you could soak it in 91% and rub it straight downward only, i.e., make it look like hundreds of rain showers have made it fade and 'bleed' over the years...
I did want to have the white logos running down and now that I think about it I should have done it first.
Dave
Looks beautiful. I like the blue and the dark contrasts...really makes it "pop". We'd love to hear how you did it.
Allen
Dave, now I see it. Don't know how I missed this one!! Looks very good indeed!! Please explain how you did the fading and the rusting to everyone. Any more progress shots?? Are you doing the pilots, sills and air tanks black?
Looks beautiful. I like the blue and the dark contrasts...really makes it "pop". We'd love to hear how you did it.
Allen
X2..looks great..>I'd love to hear how you did it as well
Jerome -
Since I'm not sure what all the parts are you listed (now you can tell how "green" I am) but I have a good idea (i wouldn't mind some details to help learn here), I'll elaborate on my plans. The bottom of the switcher will be black like the prototype reference I was loosely working from. I thought the tanks above the fuel tank are the air tanks and they are black except I have them all rusty now. The rust was done with a mix of all kinds of paints. I used mostly burnt amber oil. The fad was simply white paint airbrushed over the entire loco before I did anything else. I used pastels and alcohol for the black dirt layered all over the sides.
I will add a more detail how I did this when it’s done on my web site. I have 3 Athearn BB models of the same switcher that I got as a great deal from Atlas so I couldn’t pass them up. I don’t have any plans to use these switchers myself since I’m DCC so I’ll likely sell these or maybe keep one and convert it to DCC. Have you ever converted one to DCC?
Kevin –
Thanks for the kind words. I’m not sure what “X2” is but as I mentioned above I’ll give more details on how I did this after it’s done.
Dave
Dave, here's a BB kit with LED's and DCC installed. I claim no credit for the work as I'm not that electrically smart. I send them to Mark to do his magic on them.
As for the remaining details you could use. The CR usually had 1 sinclair antenna on the roof, a bell, 2 fuel fillers on the tank, MU stand and drop steps on top of the end pilots. 2 sets of MU hoses, 1 air hose and 1 coupler lift bar on each pilot end. Most of my CR units are patched for NS, Here's an example.
Kevin –
Thanks for the kind words. I’m not sure what “X2” is but as I mentioned above I’ll give more details on how I did this after it’s done.
Dave
X2 meant I was agreeing with the previous poster on wanting to know how you did it.
got it - ty for the clarification.
Dave
got it - ty for the clarification.
Dave
no problem..can't wait to see more units from you
Here's some progress shots:
Dave
Looking well used Dave
Dave, coming along very nicely!!! Are you going to add the pilot detail parts?
Jerome,
What details are you referring to? I'm new(er) to the whole train models and do not know all the detail "parts" of things like locomotive parts. When I started this project I had no plans to add anything to this other than paint but now that it’s turning out so well I’m thinking I may want to add some details but not sure at this point. Like I said before, I have 3 of these and I may just complete this one and then detail out the other 2. I will most likely just sell this one on e-Bay since its DC and I run DCC unless I convert it to DCC. I’ve not done a DC to DCC conversion before but it seems like it’s not that difficult. For now, I think I’ll convert the other 2 and just sell this one as a DC model.
Dave
Dave, look back a page on this thread. I've got some pictures of a detailed pilot there for you.
I'm not sure what I'm going to do about the hoses on this but I may add them. For the window wipers I don't think I'll do much of that on this one.
Dave
I spent most of today doing taxes and I have family that just got to town. But, I did get some time to work on the switcher a little so here is the progress photo for today. This may be it till later next week as I have to drive a moving truck to Martha's Vineyard.
Dave
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