So I got a wild hair up my arse about wanting some bigger NP steam. I acquired an A-4, which I love, but the fleet ain't done! I decided to buind a GHQ NP Z-8 as my first real foray into modeling (not just paint & decal work). Let me just say, what a task! The instructions are..... dated. More images (or better ones) would clarify everything. Nevertheless, I persist! Already found a half-dozen things I'd redo or do differently. Examples; -Template for grabs on sand domes- eyeballing it is not bueno -Check alignment of casting; Cab is about 15 degrees off-kilter, so lots of file & fill going in here. -Grind a channel inside boiler for wires to headlight, avoiding having to modify chassis -Use better fill putty in tender grind-down areas (behind toolboxes), and back it with styrene to strengthen. -Separate parts off sprues entirely, placing all details in ice cube tray, labeled The list will surely grow. The key to making this a quality runner? Code-55 friendly filed-down drivers, replaced pilot & trailing truck wheels, and using an Athearn Challenger tender chassis! I'll post pics of the tender/chassis line-up, but suffice it to say that with two small mods to the tender chassis, and some careful filing, the Rivarossi tender shell is the exact, perfect fit onto the Athearn's frame! I can't imagine an easier way to install DCC & sound (plug & play!). Wish me luck, dudes. I'll post with progress updates; I'm only 8 hours in so far.
By the looks of your mat, behind the boiler, you have already done quite a lot of filing and grinding.
That's all tamiya putty turned to dust..... the tender is coming along nicely though! Now to figure out the coal bin's interior shape.... "use scrap styrene".... really, GHQ? LOL
GHQ makes really quality stuff, should turn out nice, they are white metal though so they do require some tweaking. Is the tender resin? Or is that the stock plastic?
Saw one of these at the NP convention in Billings, MT a couple of weekends ago, and it looked very nice. My only pic is on my not-smart phone, but will try to get a pic up eventually. keep after it, all you can do is have fun at it! You going to put a sound unit in it?
According to Steamlocomotive.com, the NP Challengers were the heaviest of the type ever built. D&RGW's were similarly heavy, but the NP's were stronger. Beautiful engine, look forward to completion!
Heaviest doesn't surprise me. This baby is LONG. Not to mention the bigger boiler (than the original RR shell). More work done! Gettin' there...... and yeah, sound for certain! I'm starting with a Digitrax SDN144, which has the compound steam sounds, but may upgrade to a better decoderlater. I've already upgraded the speaker, it sounds good but not quite good enough for such a "keeper" of an engine!
That loco looks amazing EMD! will you be challenging the one that was just done in brass and reviewed by MRR?
Ah! HO is kinda what I expected, as they get all the cool toys. Hear that, Athearn? Funny, I've been using brasstrains(dotcom)'s photos of a nice HO Z-8 to actually match up details and such. What a learning experience!! I am far more versed in steam loco architecture and parts after this. I'll put up pics of my cab later, pretty good progress so far!!
I have a buddy who lives in Fairfield CA that use that GHQ kit to make Z8's using the Athearn Challenger. They all came out nice and could pull a stump!
So the tender's top deck is drying; needed a coat of Tamiya paste to smooth out after the file-down. After that comes the fitting of the Athearn chassis, and ounting the sound decoder. I've used thick sheet styrene as a coal bin, and plan on building in a sealed speaker enclosure to boost the sound a bit. The cab is really nice, and has a backhead from a Mikado and a couple bent-brass seats. A tiny golden LED will be lighting the cab, and another for firebox flicker. Those will be powered by the engine decoder, with the headlight. I decided to use a separate decoder for motor and loco lights, separate from the tender's sound decoder (which will run the backup light too); doing 2 decoders will minimize wiring between cab & tender, and eliminate possible current-draw issues of the older motor off the somewhat scrawny sound decoder. You can see I brushed in a bit of black acrylic around one of the air pumps, just to see the details pop..... this beauty will be glossy black, like a freshly "shopped" engine. Can't wait to do the real coal load!
A couple more passes with some fine-ass sandpaper, and the tender should be ready for paint! I look forward to the challenge of doing fiber-optic or LED corner markers, and I'll use a filament bulb for the tender backup light. By the by, what color were the rear corner lamps on these, guys?
Keep posting pictures and progress. I've picked up an Athearn Challenger and plan to put the GHQ kit on it. I've got a Mikado that I'm going to try to do first. I figure I'll learn on the less expensive one. Thanks for pioneering this. If anyone has used the Athearn chassis, I'd like to hear what modifications I need to make.
The Athearn loco chassis might be a challenge (haha!) but the tender chassis has literally made this project into a feasible runner; the extra pick-up allows smooth running, DCC friendliness, and quieter operation. I did file down the drivers, so it'll be code-55 for this big beast. I finished the details, and I hope to paint it this weekend! With the sound decoder, it should be worthy of a youtube video or two. I'll update soon!
OK dudes! Not that any of y'all care, but I have her all wired up and technically running! There's a short in the loco chassis I gotta hunt down. Otherwise, what a sight! Next things to do after the short is addressed; buy Sound decoder (ESU I believe), install that & a headlight, finish decals/paint/weathering, and make a rubber diaphragm for the walkway! Unfortunately with anything unter 18" radius she was binding the cab and tender shrouds, so those had to be modified. I have a semi-detailed interior in the cab, pics to come later!
