High Nose GP40 - Rescue Build - Part 5

Time for a long overdue update on progress with the GP40 rescue build.  I want to have this locomotive finished in time for the NMRA convention at Kegworth, I'm hoping to pick up some credit for my locomotives AP certificate.

Some clear weather this week and I managed to shoot the shell with gloss black and get the decals placed.

The fans are fitted and the top grilles will be on soon, I discovered I had made a rookie error in fitting the all weather windows before they were glazed, but luckily I managed to figure a method to fit the glazing in situ!

Next come the fibre optics and the handrails, my deadline for getting the model finished is friday and I still plan to weather the shell so I'm banking on a clear dry day before the end of the week.

 

 

Here is a shot of the shell with stage one weathering.  The dullcote and an initial grime pass.  Next stage will be localised dirt and streaking.

 



 

It's looking more like a hard working workhorse now.  :)

High Nose GP40 - Rescue Build - Part 4

I finally got some time to finish the remaining details on the GP40 rescue build, adding the high nose bell, all weather windows and the MU cables and pilot steps.

I filled the small gaps on the nose and gave the shell a shot of primer ahead of its trip to the RPM table at this weekend Holbrook show.

I've been brushing up on my airbrushing skills (airbrushing up?)  and the process was a lot less wasteful this time, previously I've ended up with a lot of overspray as a result of being a bit too heavy on the flow.

I'm pretty pleased with how it has turned out, aside from a small gap along the treadplate edge it is looking good and ready for painting.  Easily my fastest ever build, and although it's not going to be a contest winner, it's definitely a real improvement from how it looked when I bought it.

Next comes the paint and decals.  Watch this space.

High Nose GP40 - Rescue Build

I found this high nose Athearn GP40 going cheap on ebay and picked it up as a quick project.  The model has been fitted with a high-nose, which turned out to be a Cannon & Co part, but not much else has been done to the model.

It had one of the worst paint jobs I have seen in a long time, with really, really thick paint brushed on, followed by an extra generous layer of dullcoat.  A real mess!

 

 

I have an idea I might be able to spruce the model up in time to put it on the display table at the club show, this won't be a concourse model but I will add some basic details and
grabirons to make it more presentable.

First port of call is the dip tank, I sat the model in 91% alcohol overnight then scrubbed with a toothbrush, I couldn't prise the handrails off because of all the paint, so I left them on until the paint had softened enough.

I don't know what brand of paint the model has been painted with, but the thick N&W blue comes off fairly easily when scrubbed with a toothbrush, the original paint is underneath, revealing this was a Conrail unit when it left the factory.

The Cannon high-nose has been fitted in an unusual way, with the previous owner keeping the original Athearn hatches at the base instead of cutting flush with the deck making it apparent that the nose itself is very slightly out of place. 

There is a chance that it might need replacing but I will wait until all the paint is off before deciding.

The Athearn paint is proving harder to shift than the top coat, so I will leave the shell soaking for the rest of the day.