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Post by DAZed on Jul 1, 2022 8:35:45 GMT -5
Well, despite them not being a great fit for what I'm doing modeling-wise, I couldn't resist picking up a BN SW1500 with the idea of converting it to BNSF. (and then I also got one of the Heritage-I scheme BNSF switchers as a mate...it's on the way) The end-cab switchers just never have been prominent on the BNSF in Texas for whatever reason. It's always been some form of Geep doing the yard duties at least in my 40+ years of railfanning and research. There are a very few exceptions, and I'll show you one. Here's my new BN SW1500, and the transformation to BNSF has already begun... As you can see, the BN lettering has all been removed. This includes the large road number on the long hood, and the BN logo and "BURLINGTON NORTHERN" lettering on the cab. The end result will hopefully look something like this: www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=396979It will probably be awhile before I get around to the weathering. Aside from that, I plan to fabricate some RCL antennas, apply the proper decals, (including the red "Remote Control Equipped" warning labels) and call it a day. While in Texas, this loco was mated with some of the early BNSF genset monstrosities or standard Geeps, but instead I decided that a second SW1500 would be a nice little lashup. EDIT: Here's a "Before", courtesy of AZL.
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Post by cwrr on Jul 1, 2022 8:48:06 GMT -5
That's awesome!
How'd you get the BN and numbers off it, looks like you did a really clean job!
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Post by DAZed on Jul 1, 2022 9:04:03 GMT -5
That's awesome! How'd you get the BN and numbers off it, looks like you did a really clean job! Thanks! I use a technique involving Micro-Sol. (the decal settling solvent from Microscale) I'll try to dig up the specifics and post a link. I have had a lot of practice, and they don't all come out this clean, but yeah this one cleaned up nicely.
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Post by cwrr on Jul 1, 2022 9:22:26 GMT -5
Looks like it never had decals!
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Post by DAZed on Jul 1, 2022 10:24:18 GMT -5
Here is the basic technique I used:
And this is another similar method....this is how I started out before I saw the above using tape.
I use a mix of the two. It just takes a lot of patience and being careful not to accidentally remove something you don't want, or leave the solvent on too long (or rub too much) and cause paint failure. A good example is the ACF 2-Bays...they have a very "short fuse"...I left the solvent soaked paper towel on a minute or two too long and pulled the entire side of the decoration off, paint and all. So you have be conservative in your approach, especially with locos. Fire-sale covered hopper is a $20 mistake vs a $200 mistake with a loco.
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Post by cwrr on Jul 1, 2022 13:51:20 GMT -5
Aaaah, very nice!
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Post by DAZed on Jul 2, 2022 23:34:07 GMT -5
Another pic, now with the sister BNSF unit.
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Post by DAZed on Jul 18, 2022 22:20:32 GMT -5
Took them for a spin tonight. I started doing decoder installs yesterday for my fleet, and decided to bring the SW's out to play while I had the test loop setup. Obviously no real (practical) option for a decoder for them right now but eventually.
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Post by cwrr on Jul 19, 2022 15:13:29 GMT -5
That looks great Doug!
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Post by DAZed on Jul 19, 2022 16:15:02 GMT -5
Thanks, I love the lashup, AZL should be proud of their products. I hope they do the BNSF H1 like this for the SD40-2. I don't love my patch job...I'll eventually redo it but it'll do for now. But overall it looks great rolling down the track.
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Post by cwrr on Jul 20, 2022 9:33:40 GMT -5
The patch jobs on the real ones don't look great either, just give it a little weathering and it'll look great!
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Post by Edward on Jul 27, 2022 20:58:00 GMT -5
Great job! 👍🏻
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Post by rgs455 on Jul 28, 2022 12:20:06 GMT -5
She looks great👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼Congrats. BR. Boris
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Post by Scott on Mar 4, 2024 13:28:43 GMT -5
Doug A. et al,
Thoughts?
caboose solution • northeastern style red caboose • B&O, WM • Z scale MTL—Acquire one for each via Ebay. • Microscale: Ask for 220:1 in those road names. • MTL pad painting removal (Solvent? Eraser?) • Airbrush body color as necessary (thin passes). • Microsol
Mid-’50s–late-’50s onward—Seems things were kept simple: Red with a herald or logo/design with a road number in white.
Scott
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Post by DAZed on Mar 4, 2024 14:32:34 GMT -5
Doug A. et al, Thoughts? caboose solution • northeastern style red caboose • B&O, WM • Z scale MTL—Acquire one for each via Ebay. • Microscale: Ask for 220:1 in those road names. • MTL pad painting removal (Solvent? Eraser?) • Airbrush body color as necessary (thin passes). • Microsol Mid-’50s–late-’50s onward—Seems things were kept simple: Red with a herald or logo/design with a road number in white. Scott This is maybe worthy of its own post? Are you asking about a NE style caboose like the MTL offering or something else? The MTL's are really difficult to remove the lettering on...probably better off just stripping and repainting one. The normal process for MTL is to use camp fuel, and it normally works. But when trying to do the MTL caboose using camp fuel, it still wasn't budging and I started to rub off the paint. There are caboose decals on eBay for Z. Not sure about B&O/WM specifically. Other thing you can do is get a red caboose and print a decal of the entire side...still has the underlying red color, and you would want to get the overlay red as close as possible. But it might work.
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