John's Loco Workbench - More Projects Begin...

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Whilst waiting for hood end light parts to wing their way over the Atlantic from Canada, I returned to the E8 and tried applying the nose end transfers with mixed results.
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So I have put the E8 to one side again and started on an Athearn Blue Box S12 which I am fitting the mad Washer/Dryer lights to, a Details West set of parts:
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jmupton2000 said:
Whilst waiting for hood end light parts to wing their way over the Atlantic from Canada, I returned to the E8 and tried applying the nose end transfers with mixed results.
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View attachment 213235

So I have put the E8 to one side again and started on an Athearn Blue Box S12 which I am fitting the mad Washer/Dryer lights to, a Details West set of parts:
View attachment 213234
Click to expand...
While it's easy to dismiss that decal job on the E8 nose, i wonder what a picture of real one would present after thousands of miles in high speed service. In the past i did the Amtrak "Circus" paint scheme on a GG1. While not perfect, it did very well represent what was seen on pictures of real ones in service, and i didn't really mean to do that.
 


jmupton2000 said:
S12 2157 is done:
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That looks very good, especially compared to what you had to begin with.
Part of the reason for the "light up the landscape" lighting SP used was to attempt to see and be seen when operating in tule fog. I've driven in the stuff, and it's no joke. It can get so dense the engineer of your S12 wouldn't be able to see the front of his engine. It's also the reason many SP steam engines had air horns, they were more audible in that fog than regular whistles.
 
SSW GP9 Ph III 3644 has had its little makeover completed and joined 3642 on shed:
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It's odd to think that as both came from the same production batch some twenty years ago, that they once were in the same room or warehouse together and are now back together again.

I popped to my local model rail retailer this morning for some masking tape and varnish and this was added to my basket...
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Piko's absolutely stunning new Krauss Maffei ML-4000, the first brand new HO scale loco i have purchased in over twenty years, always been interested in the prototype since I first read about them some thirty years ago so this eas a must buy.

Whilst rooting around to extract my old KM ML-4000 Rivarossi bits for sale, I found a very unwell Proto 2000 GP30 in the pile:
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This is another spares/repair job, and as I unearthed it this morning, it is next for treatment. The cab area in particular is a mess:
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Fortunately the chassis is a runner:
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And all the bits seem to be there, all be it in a box...
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GP30 5010 has been disassembled and cleaned up with the various bits of glue and broken sun shade removed:
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This now requires installation of the usual Espee light parts and then a full respray. This will be my third Espee GP30, the other two were merely light parts fitted to factory finish examples some years ago and probably need some work now too, this will be the first SP full respray.

First those wondering what has been lurking in the background for the last couple of weeks, it's this:
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Atlas RS-32, the only other HO scale loco I have ever bought brand new. I have had this for many years now and have decided it is time it had its proper Espee parts fitted when I get the chance.
 
GP30 5010 is back from spray painting (except for the handrails which need attention) and almost ready for reassembly:
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One thing to remember when inserting an SP Details West HL200 nose lights is that it protrudes inside the shell so it is essential to cut off a bit of the nose weight casting otherwise it won't fit:
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Our house sale and purchase of new one has just gone through so workbench operations will be suspended fairly shortly pending moving to new larger and better facilities!
 
jmupton2000 said:
GP30 5010 is back from spray painting (except for the handrails which need attention) and almost ready for reassembly:
View attachment 214926

One thing to remember when inserting an SP Details West HL200 nose lights is that it protrudes inside the shell so it is essential to cut off a bit of the nose weight casting otherwise it won't fit:
View attachment 214927

Our house sale and purchase of new one has just gone through so workbench operations will be suspended fairly shortly pending moving to new larger and better facilities!
Click to expand...
You know...since you have this thing apart, now you have a chance to build the legendary and elusive SD30, which appeared on the drawing boards of...Moder Railroder😉
 


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