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

[Colorado Midland Modeler]

Both pictures taken by me when i lived on Long Island. Number 614 leading a train from Mauntok in summer 1992:View attachment 259601
Next number 609 trailing behind and leaving Jamaica on 08/08/92 and sporting Long Island written on its flanks: View attachment 259600Those FA cabs (and also F units) were running on borrowed time by then, with all of them disposed of in the next few years. I was very fortunate to be Living there at this time and being able to witness some of the last of the streamlined era on the US railroad.

Small world! My mother was born on Long Island, she was born in Southampton but grew up in Westhampton. She even rode the LIRR with her mother to Jamaica as kid.

 

[jmupton2000]

Still deciding what livery would work best on the FA, something black and yellow is favourite at the moment.

Meanwhile, a mixed bag on the workbench this Sunday, the bits of Atlas Alco S4 are now back together again:

And an acquisition, another old unused undecorated Con-Cor GP40 which unfortunately seems to have been dropkicked somewhere between the seller and my place:

The front end was completely broken off when it arrived:

The chassis is a non runner:

But it does have its original instructions sheet!

I think this one might be a write off...

 

[jmupton2000]

Update! The patient is out of critical condition! We have a heart beat...

 

[jmupton2000]

Two jobs ticked off the workbench list, firstly the return to service of one of my earlier Proto 2000 GP9 repaints which had suffered some mostly cosmetic damage in my recent house move:

Mostly handrail repairs, reinstatement of the cabside arm rest and I redid the number boards

The FA1 is now masked for painting at last too:

 

[bnsf971]

Update! The patient is out of critical condition! We have a heart beat...
View attachment 260469

That GP40 looks like one of the infamous "Hencho en Mexico" versions that were, to put it charitably, were not very good. It would take a lot more power than expected to get the motor to turn, it didn't have much power, and the gears would make a horrible plastic squeak when running.

 

[Colorado Midland Modeler]

That GP40 looks like one of the infamous "Hencho en Mexico" versions that were, to put it charitably, were not very good. It would take a lot more power than expected to get the motor to turn, it didn't have much power, and the gears would make a horrible plastic squeak when running.

Wow! I'll have to remember to avoid those.

 

[jmupton2000]

I have started to piece the broken GP40 shell back together but instinct is telling me to write this one off...

At least the FA1 is looking better though:

 

[jmupton2000]

The FA unit transfers are ready (unfortunately I ran out of time, had to go and drive some real trains this evening) and the chassis has been fixed, the usual cracked gears, easy fix:

Another arrival is this badly repainted Kato SD40:

It is complete and a runner, I put the temporary number and reporting marks on for it's debut test run. There are plans for this one...

 

[jmupton2000]

The Alco FA1 is done. It never really existed like this in real life but I take pride in the fact I managed to rescue a demic that many would have chucked in the bin and brought it back to life.

It's not perfect but I am very happy with how it has turned out!

Now, a cup of tea and some cake and then it is on to the next wreck...

 

[Kusojiji]

nice!

 

[Rubicon]

Looks real good, and I wish Brekina would bring back the FSJ in the lower right.

 

[jmupton2000]

Looks real good, and I wish Brekina would bring back the FSJ in the lower right.

That FSJ is in fact an old UK made Matchbox toy from the 1960's or 1970s.

It's not quite the right scale for HO (a little too big in fact) but they are dirt cheap, we're made in their thousands and benefit from a bit of paint.

 

[bnsf971]

That FSJ is in fact an old UK made Matchbox toy from the 1960's or 1970s.
View attachment 262049

View attachment 262050

View attachment 262051

View attachment 262052

It's not quite the right scale for HO (a little too big in fact) but they are dirt cheap, we're made in their thousands and benefit from a bit of paint.

I remember the marketing for those. "With Opening Doors!"

I think the scale is 1:75.

 

[jmupton2000]

That grey one cost me 25p in a jumble sale about thirty years ago, it has been on every HO layout i have built since. I just did a repaint on another one, this time in green:

 

[jmupton2000]

The next project on the workbench is a potentially complicated one, based on the inspiration got from an old copy of RMC, I am planning an SP SD39, converted from an SD40.

We have already met the patient:

A Kato SD40 that has been badly repainted and many would have probably chucked in the spares bin or even just the bin. When it arrived, I gave it a temporary number and reporting marks and sent it out on a run, we have a runner, that is the good news…

On the workbench, time to get a good look at what I am starting with, this is where my habit of buying old demics and resurrecting them comes into play!

That paintwork is horrendous and it hides a few extra horrors too of which more in a moment. Taking it apart (with the assistance of the original Kato instruction leaflet that was still lying undisturbed in the bottom of the box) was fairly straightforward.

Some but not quite all the parts needed for the conversion are on hand with more due imminently, the aftermarket horn fitted by a previous owner (one of many owners I suspect!!) is actually a decent example and is staying, the scratch-built air con unit that was on the cab (not required) pinged off across the workshop and has not been seen since…

 

[jmupton2000]

I am not quite sure what happened here though:

The grille looks like it has been chewed almost, fortunately this is one part that is due to be taken off and replaced anyway but by goodness, this loco has been used and abused!!

 

[bnsf971]

View attachment 262503

I am not quite sure what happened here though:

View attachment 262504

The grille looks like it has been chewed almost, fortunately this is one part that is due to be taken off and replaced anyway but by goodness, this loco has been used and abused!!

The term "rode hard and put away wet" comes to mind.
It's possible the area at the air intake was ground down to make room for snow shields. Or it was laid against something very hot.

 

[jmupton2000]

Well, a dip in IPA got the rough paint job off in a matter of seconds!

Seems it started life as a Algoma Central example.

One area of concern now revealed is the badly botched attempt at its previous identity removal with noticeable scratching on the long hood where the numbers were.

This may need extra attention too.

 

[bnsf971]

Well, a dip in IPA got the rough paint job off in a matter of seconds!


Seems it started life as a Algoma Central example.

One area of concern now revealed is the badly botched attempt at its previous identity removal with noticeable scratching on the long hood where the numbers were.


This may need extra attention too.

Sometimes we wonder what others were thinking while they were doing these things.

 

[KriegslokBR52]

Sometimes we wonder what others were thinking while they were doing these things.

They were probably working with different kind of IPA