I took my SD60 apart this weekend to see how much work it was going to take to put in working ditch lights - turns out that wasn't too bad - so while I had it all apart I took a look at the side frame mounting points to see if it would be possible to get the side frames in a bit closer to the wheels. It wasn't too hard. The side frames as delivered don't have any more room for the axles so I thought about filing down the axles - yikes - closer examination indicated that I could get .5 to a full millimeter of extra clearance by drilling the holes out with a 2mm bit – much better idea than messing with axles. A bit of masking tape served as a depth gage do I didn't drill all the way through. The next step was to shorten the posts that the side frames mount in. I filed them down so they were all 1.5mm tall - I may go shorter, but for now I like how it looks. The hard part was the clip that holds the axles and side frames in place. I needed to add .5mm (.020 inch) to the pins that hold the side frames in place. The clip is made of engineering plastic so I had to first file the plastic where I was adding the spacers to give the plastic a bit of 'bite' for gap filling CA to grab on to. So far it seems to be working. The side frames no longer float out in space. They may still be a bit too far out and I think I have room to tuck them in another .5mm but I want to see how this holds up first. The ditch lights look great too! (DW parts with 15ma 1.5v bulbs) Now I just need to get a DCC decoder so I can run it at the club PS - replaced the brake wheel with a DW part - big improvement in the look of the nose) Picts will come when the plow and other details are in place.
Sounds exciting...don't you love those nights where almost everything goes to plan just like you want it to? I will love to see the pctures, and I am sure the decoders will make a sweet addition to the club running sessions.
Mmmm, yeah, don't forget to include a pic of the trucks so we can see what you've done, it sounds pretty cool! BTW I haven't forgotten that article for you, i'm just waiting for it to come back from the chap who promised to scan it, I really must get my own scanner! See ya!
No rush Martyn. I really should have taken a 'before' picture of the trucks. Guess I'll just have to go buy another SD60. Oh well DCC is a wonderful thing.
EDIT: New digital camera pictures replacing poorly scaned prints ...you should be able to see that the side frames don't 'stick out' so much. Anyway, here's the mod to the clip. Be sure to get all the grease off it and you will need to sand the surface a bit where the glue goes otherwise the CA won't stick. And here is the model as it is today. I am planning to strip the numbers off the cab and the SOO logo off the long hood and redo the white paint. But for now I am having fun with my first DCC loco - the ditch lights flash (successfully tested last Wednesday) so I have now wired in the beacon to the decoder and will test that out this Wednesday. Bit of repainting, some decals, dullcoat and some weathering and I'm done - just in no big rush. [ 15 February 2002, 23:07: Message edited by: yankinoz ]
If just keeps getting better...now all you need is to impose the fsecond one into a natural scene and I doubt many will know it's a model [ 11 February 2002, 15:39: Message edited by: Benny ]
New pictures with the new digital camera (I replaced image from above as well): Here's a close up of the front pilot showing the details I replaced. Did I mention the Coolpix 995 has a macro mode? This is the mod I did to the Detail Associates AW window (the DA part repesents and style used in the 50's - the new style is aluminium and has a much larger front and rear facing window. I'm planning to add windshield wipers over the molded on ones - got the idea from a Jim Six article in MR a while back. This is still a work in progress but I've been playing with DCC on it (the ditchlights work and flash when your press the 'horn button') and I just hooked up the beacon (not yet tested) and assuming all goes well I'll get back to the detailing and then weathering. But I want to get the electical stuff sorted out first.
Your a cruel man Rob Barker.Just when I have myself convinced I really don't need red and white SD60s in Nscale to go with my candy red ones you do this. Now to find some undec ATLAS SD60s.SOON!!!!!!!!!!!
