Working on an SD9

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DakotaLove39

Always Improvising
Hey all. I'm planning to play catch-up with my SD9 and add some details to it, using this picture for reference:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=426602

I've mostly just got some questions about the actual parts I'm looking for.

Are the winterization hatches fitted onto SD9s the same as the ones on GP7's/GP9's? I'm hoping the thing fits snug inbetween the hoses on the roof since these are molded into the shell on the model an carving isn't my best skill.

I have gone looking for horns like the ones in the picture with no results. I don't know the type name, and nothing involving "SD9" turned up any results like those. I'm thinking I may have to cut down a pair of GP38 horns to match, right? The two SD9's in the background do not have horns like #6127 does.

The exhausts are weird. Does the prototype have some sort of baffling on its exhaust stacks or something? Again, the background SD9's don't have these.

Last, I seem to be unable to find white BNSF decals to put on the cab, and the same goes for the proper unit number decals. (Mine is #6147)

I'm not terribly nitpicky with details, but I like to atleast have similar appearances. I never thought I would care about making my models look like their real-world counterparts, but looking at pictures of BNSF GP38-2 #2099 and seeing how my model of it is similar has sparked that desire.
 
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For the horns it looks like you could get a pair of horns off an Athearn blue box F7, shave the front stem off and your good to go. A little longer than the prototype but it'll be close and like you said, you aren't too picky.

-Jeff
 
the baffling is actually spark arrestors. Detail Associates and Detail West have them. The horn is a Blat type, Details West has those also.
 


.. Spark arrestors? .. In diesel exhaust? Interesting.. Makes me wonder where in blazes that unit has been in its long life.
 


The Milwaukee road had spark arrestors on their units to prevent forest fires in the pacific northwest. I'm assuming the engine wanted to model came from that area as well. As for the horns, it seems your best bet will be to custom make em


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