Thanks. While waiting on parts to finish other models, I finally finished this flatcar for my freelance RR/leasing company.
I have been working on some Phase III Amtrak Heritage fleet cars kitbashed and decaled from Kato/Con-Cor cars (CZ, COLA, ATSF):
Just about finished with my few SP&S cars that are being redone into the later broad stripe scheme. Two diners, one heavyweight, one lightweight representing the former MKT diner acquired later and a MKT coach also. Baggage dormitory 76, a 60 foot RPO, a full heavyweight baggage that is carrying REA marks for the later years of the REA and a sleeper. These will be run for my all diesel era and the early BN era and will be the only cars I do in this scheme.
Also finished up today were my first BN diesels. Two RS-3s and one SW-9. New Atlas RS-3 shells were painted and lettered for BN and roof beacons added to both and a bell added to one on the short hood. MT pilot inserts added with MT 1015s. Will add corner number boards once I obtain some. Both were mounted onto Kato mechanisms and the original SP&S shells put into storage. The only modification to the Atlas shell to fit the Kato was to trim the body mount tabs. The Atlas shell fits snug so no tabs needed. The SW received a cab roof beacon light and spark arrestors for the stacks. This was cobbled together from my spare parts inventory to make a running loco. The two GP-7s in the photo are stock Atlas with no modifications.
Got any close up pics? Also what did you use for the high short hood? I got all the parts to do 7502, which is the one that BN moved the dynamic brake blister. 7500 and 7501 they stayed in the stock location, and 7501, in my opinion is the "easiest" of the 3, as it kept the stock location of the boxes that are mounted under the cab, 7500 they moved the batteries to inside the "short hood," same with 7502. TonyHammes has done both styles, and technically they are just B30-7A's. BN never added the B to the end, railfans did. I got two in the works, want to redo them a bit, probably just just out the cab area again and use hood doors off some spare shells.
Been working on a BQ23-7, using an Atlas shell and chassis and a Shapeways cab. This is the rear of the unit . . . And this is the cab. Still need to add the windshiled wipers up front, and drill the rear for MV lenses for the class lights. Then paint and decals before hand rail reinstall. Not sure about the MU cable for up-front . . . or about adding the cut levers. The BLMA one went on the back fairly easy though.
Looks good! Don't leave the details off, it would be a shame to do all that work and skip on a couple of easy items. You could always use Trainworx cut levers if you are looking for an easier way.
Finished my first BN business car so a 2nd BN passenger gets added to the fleet made from an old Concor car. On the Exacto case in back is the start of what I hpe will be a BN heater car based off of a Bmann F-7B. Sanded most of the details off the sides and then cut out a section of the roof. After studying everything I had laying around I took a section of old heavy weight clerestory roof and have grafted that in the opening. Comes pretty close to matching the photos in width and height. A lot more sanding and then fabricating vents and center doors and maybe in a month or two I'll have something.
Continuing with my evening project of converting a B unit to a heater car. Fabricated a door for the middle of the car since both original end doors are now gone and filled in the portholes. Applied styrene strips to the clerestory side to create two vents on each side. Fabricated a fan housing for each side and a louvered vent. Also made the side stirrup steps for the middle door but not applied yet. And drilled out and counter sunk water fill ports in each corner of the car, the white dots seen in the lower corners. And first coat of black paint to the roof after filling in some minor gaps. The before sets below the after. Some sanding remains and applying the corner and middle stirrup steps, some clean up, and then a coat of Cascade Green. This will be my 2nd heater car.
Finished the BN heater car. Had to cut letters out of the BN passenger car decal sheet to spell heater car. On the Exacto box behind is the 2nd B unit which will be a carbon copy of the first except in GN BSB and the start of the cut down of a steam tender for heater car conversion follow an NP design. Close up of the cuts made to a Bmann N&W J tender to start the NP style heater car. The tender front has several parts glue in and they need to be carefully removed before the rest is cut out. Part of the tender front that is glued in is reused to give the front of the car. And yes it did have the front recess. NP just fabricated a sheet metal extension and attached a diaphragm to it. When these get completed they will join a GN version in solid green, plus the BN unit, and a CB&Q generator/heater car and a CP generator/heater car.
Working on a Southern Railway high hood geep. Finally stripped some shells and got the GP35 rolling Puttin on the tux...
BQ23-7's I'm building for a guy. If these were being built for myself, they'd be sitting on EMD trucks
Laid up with a blown out knee so getting in some modeling time. Finished up the last of the heater cars one a NP tender conversion that is a probable foobie in that it doesn't appear any ever made it into BN service. And one B unit conversion into GN BSB. Dug them all out for a group photo below. The rear has the GN heater car made from some brass side cutdowns and a American Limited core kit. The other is a CP steam heater and generator car made from a Rivarrossi baggage. The middle has the two F-7Bs, one in BN the other in GN BSB, and the converted steam tender in BN colors. Front is a CB&Q steam heater/generator car from an old Atlas car.
