BLI SD40-2 BN to NS


B

bigB

Active Member
Hey guys,

Well, I successfully completed repainting my Broadway Limited Blueline SD40-2 from BN to NS. It was a pretty straightforward repaint, but it was my first. I think it turned out pretty well.

I started out by carefully taking the shell off and separating it from the chassis. I took the nose and rear light lenses out, took the cab windows out, and the cab details out.

I was unable to strip the paint off the locomotive using 91% isopropyl alcohol. Apparently BLI's are notorious for their excellent, stubborn paint job. I was able to melt the ditch light lenses (snake-fang shaped plastic pieces used to channel light from internal ditch lights to the light housing units on the outside of the loco). BLI was extremely nice and is sending out a replacement piece at no charge.

I gave it two coats of grey primer then two coats of gloss black laquer. I then painted the white safety stripe down the frame and put the handrails back on. I then painted the yellow safety parts of the handrails and reapplyed the nose grabirons. I used Microset and Microsol to apply the decals. Microsol does an amazing job to make the decals look painted on. It really pulls the decals in nicely to all the nooks and crevices. I then gave it two coats of dullcoat. I then reassembled the cab details, put the windows and light lenses back in and put the shell back on. The hardest part was putting the shell back on the chassis, truth be known.

Its not perfect, but its pretty darn good for my first repaint, and Im proud of it.
 
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You know, the dullcoat did a pretty good job making it look sorta old. The sides could use some. i think im just going to enjoy it for awhile though.

Cant say enough how impressed i am with Micro Sol. When I first put on the decals, i was like 'This is going to look half-assed.' then after a coat or two over the large decals like the nose, back, and sides, I was like 'Wow, that stuff works wonders.' Smells like vinegar.
 
looks very nice.. I think if this is your first attempt you did dam good on it. Yea the microsol decal set and decal sofner are a must have for any decal project
 
I liked this locomotive too much to sell it. I actually like the sound on it more than the newer Paragon 2 High Hood NS I have. Thats why i wanted to convert it and keep it. I know many people will prob disagree with me on that.

Now that I know how to do this, i want to do another one. Undecorated maybe the way to go...
 
Good job. I've found that you only need to strip the raised lettering off most engines, as long as the old and new colors aren't too far off. Covering BN Green with NS Black generally comes out looking fine with a coat or two of primer first. It's no coincidence that Micro-Sol smells like vinegar. After water, that's the main ingredient. It has a few more trace ingredients to help soften the decals, but I've used an 80% distilled water/20% household vinegar mix in a pinch, and works pretty good with decals that aren't too big.
 
I thought i remember hearing vinegar was the main ingredient somewhere. And to think-- I just made a huge batch of NC style BBQ sauce (white and red vinegar based); I couldve just taken a serving of that and applied the decals. I wonder what dried cayanne pepper and brown sugar would have on the model's finish? Hehe...
 
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