Need Loco help

[lock4244]

Can any CN experts out there tell me if the top of the short hood on this would be black or red?  You can see that the grabs, etc, are red, but none of the pictures I've found is high enough up to get a look at the top.  I'm thinking it's black, based on some of the other models that I've seen factory painted, but I don't know for sure.

Here's the prototype of my model:

Top of low nose is anit-glare black on CN units in that scheme.

[nscalemike]

6409 is no longer on CN's roster, sold to Progress Rail in 2002. That shot is in Georgia on the Heart of Georgia RR, and the patch is there because it is not longer a GTW unit. Weird that the CN has not been painted out.

As I moved further into this project I learned that also.  So yes, prototypically this cn loco is no longer cn.  But, I had this gp40-2 that I did not need and was already into the project, and cn does not have any other gp40-2 either, so I'm continuing with this transformation.  How does the HOG engine make it back up onto central illinois rails, well,  if any one happens to ask I guess I get creative!

[cv_acr]

6409 is no longer on CN's roster, sold to Progress Rail in 2002. That shot is in Georgia on the Heart of Georgia RR, and the patch is there because it is not longer a GTW unit. Weird that the CN has not been painted out.

That makes a bit more sense. It would be the first example I've ever seen of a CN subsidiary unit that the original reporting marks actually got changed on otherwise.

[nscalemike]

It's all done!  I finished up a couple days back, took my photos yesterday, and get them up tonight!  Not perfect, but I'm very pleased with my first attempt, what you guys think. . .















thanks for all your advice and support!
Mike

[Philip H]

Mike,
Those are really nice.  I'll probably need to refer back here to do a couple of CN/IC units for interchange service.

[nscalesteve]

looking good Mike...

...one thing thou, the shell is not sitting propperly on the drive on the front. one reason could be the 'unmodified' spare part shell in combination with a new drive with additional parts on the ligth board. if you look on the picture, the two parts on the undecorated shell marked with arrows have to be removed, same as they are on the decorated shell (and you may cover that part with a piece of black duct tape so the front ligth/LED wont shine thru)...



 

[Bendtracker1]

Fantastic Mike!  Well done.   

I'm still having a hard time believing this is your first attempt! 

Allen...

[nscalemike]

Steve,  do you have a wider shot of that area?  It may be clear when I have my loco in front of me but I'm not real sure where you are talking about removing stuff.

Thanks mike

[nscalesteve]

Steve,  do you have a wider shot of that area?  It may be clear when I have my loco in front of me but I'm not real sure where you are talking about removing stuff.

Thanks mike

it's where the cab roof and the long hood roof meet (as you can see on the decorated Atlas shell these parts were removed from the shell so they fit on the newer drives) the undecorated shells are not modified and so they don't fit on the newer drives...



...when these two parts are removed sometimes the front ligth/LED will shine thru the gap and a piece of duct tape or foil atached on the inside prevents that from happen.

[TiVoPrince]

'Nashua'  
tape (aluminum foil tape for ductwork) is ideal for this.  Plenty sticky to stay in place and no light is ever getting through.  Potential downside is that reflective metal tape causes that glow to appear elsewhere on the model...