Custom painting on Fox Valley Models?

[MikeOwnby]

I originally posted this question in the general area, then realized it should have been here. Sorry about doing a re-post, but I wanted to make sure the right eyes got on it.



Since I'm finally on this forum, seems like the perfect time to ask something that's been keeping me from actually purchasing a GP60M in N Scale from Fox Valley. I'd like to get one or two and put my Midland Valley RY livery on them, but...

Specifically, how easy/hard is it to disassemble, paint and re-assemble a FVM loco? The reason I ask is that while I've had no issues at all with Atlas or Kato, I will never EVER try painting an Intermountain again. The main complaint is really just that IM railing won't stay back in once removed, the window glass can't be removed, and some detail parts also are just permanently welded to the body. It makes trying to custom paint one of them almost impossible. This is coming from my experience with their tunnel-motor SD40's and 45's, btw. I bought half a dozen of those with plans to repaint, and other than turning one into a patched HLCX unit (since I didn't have to paint the entire body), there's just no way the rest of the bodies are going to do me any good. I've found that Atlas SD60 bodies fit on those IM chassis, so I've painted two of those so that at least the IM chassis gets used. Still need to see if maybe I can also fit an SD70M body on there also because I could definitely use a couple of those.

But anyway...back to the original question. Are the FVM locos similar to Kato & Atlas in that railings can easily be removed and replaced, glass is removable, etc? I do have two FVM GE's, but since the only way to really tell if the railings go back on or not is to take them off and possibly NOT have them go back on like the IM, you can understand I'm a bit hesitant to experiment on brand-new and beautifully intact locos.

Oh, and if anybody has any use for some N scale tunnel motor loco bodies in Southern Pacific livery, give me a shout.

-Mike

 

[Brian K]

Mike,

The only thing I can't answer is on the windows. Didn't have to take out the glass when I changed the Santa Fe GP60M to a BNSF version. The shell comes apart like any other Kato or Atlas engine, no glue and the handrails simply come out and get pressed back in. I would have to assume the glass is not glued in as well.

This is the unit I took apart and worked on.

Cheers,
Brian

 

[nmaniac]

The detail on the Fox Valley is going to be tricky getting off as it's very fine,take your time and work slowlyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.
N

 

[MikeOwnby]

The detail on the Fox Valley is going to be tricky getting off as it's very fine,take your time and work slowlyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.
N

I'm fine with that aspect, but does it go back on and stay on? That's the issue I'm worried about. On Atlas and Kato things that come off also go back in and stay there simply by friction. With Intermountain, if you take off the railings, you just can't get them to stay back in without having to try and CA every single point of insertion. And with my gluing skills (which are far inferior to my painting skills for some reason), that's just always going to make a mess of things. I just don't want to spend a bunch of money buying a GP60M and then find out that I'm going to end up with a model that has gluing errors all over the place.

 

[nmaniac]

That is one I can't help you with I have never taken a Fox Valley apart,let me know how it goes for you .Try given Fox Valley a call and bounce that question off of them
N

 

[MikeOwnby]

Mike,

The only thing I can't answer is on the windows. Didn't have to take out the glass when I changed the Santa Fe GP60M to a BNSF version. The shell comes apart like any other Kato or Atlas engine, no glue and the handrails simply come out and get pressed back in. I would have to assume the glass is not glued in as well.

I don't know how I missed this reply. Well, I do, and it has something to do with email notifications and not looking around as well as I ought to. But ANYway...thanks for the information. I'm now going to have to work on obtaining a couple of those. Nice work, BTW

 

[Brian K]

I don't know how I missed this reply. Well, I do, and it has something to do with email notifications and not looking around as well as I ought to. But ANYway...thanks for the information. I'm now going to have to work on obtaining a couple of those. Nice work, BTW

Mike, you're not missing anything. When I posted this originally it said the mods had to review it before it would be posted. Guess that took longer than anything, maybe to make sure I'm real???

Anyway, if the handrails are giving you a problem, just use Woodland Scenics Scenic Glue. It is water soluble so clean up is easy. Just use a straight pin to but a little bit in the hole and wait about 5 minutes for it to dry. Once it becomes tacky, it will then hold the railings in securely without any problems. If you need to remove them, just use a paint brush and add water to the base. They'll pull right out.

Cheers,
Brian