I picked up an I decorated SD45-2 shell. I need to pick up detail parts apparently. Not sure where to start. I do have an undecorated SD40-2 athearn blue box I can use. This is what I want to tie. It into.
That is what the Utah used to be until Genesee & Wyoming nought them and turned everything into a pumpkin.
My favorite of their locomotives were the F45s in that scheme, but if you want to get yourself even deeper into what you just started, I would suggest an MK5000C: Regarding detail parts, Details West makes some good stuff, as well as Canon, Detail Associates, and more. I find detail parts to be pretty overwhelming too because there are so many parts with tiny variations between them. If you want to keep it manageable, I would recommend grab irons, pilot details like cut levers and MU hoses, truck details, and good rooftop detail, since you will see the top of it a lot on your layout. (Unless you have a taller, eye level layout.)
I have built literally 100's of these kits, Mr. Trainiac has some great advise, My basic detail add on's are pretty much what he said and some more, photos are a must for the unit you want to build. I wish I knew you wanted a RRP SD45-2 shell, have one on the parts board (like 10 years). I may have some of the parts you need too. But you need at least A DW 155 snow plow, a DW 190 horn, DA 2206 eye bolts, DA 2202 grab irons, DA 2211 coupler lift bars, DA 2217 curved grab (behind #3 rad fan), DW #266 Mu Hoses, DA 2314 wipers, A-Line 29210 sun shades. Oh yea, unless you got some handrails with this, and RRP didnt include them, or at least mine didnt come with them. You need to plan on getting some #114 Rail Detail hand rails, or maybe some plastic ones from Athearn, or bend your own, (done this many times, it is not that hard). At the end of this you will have a world class model that YOU built. I will bend up some truck brake cylinder lines for you. Not sure what kind of antennas UR used, there is an Antenna plane atop the inertial cabinet on this unit too. I know it sounds like a lot, but you can do this, I will help you all I can. It is getting harder to get some of these parts, as there are fewer and fewer folks actually doing this kind of detail work any more. Matt Darling has built one of these, maybe we can get together at an op session, so you can see his work, maybe give you some ideas.
