Detailed and Weathered NS SD75M Project: Feedback Please

[ednadolski]

Hi Everyone,

Here are some pics of my detailed & weathered Athearn SD75M, NS 2591.  I'd like to ask for comments & feedback but please be gentle as this is one of my first attempts at this sort of thing. I don't usually do the NS but this fits in with my Tehachapi layout as foreign power; plus I figured that the black paint scheme would be more forgiving. 

The detailing includes scale handrails that I made from 0.008" phosphor bronze wire, Gold Medal stanchions, and JNJ safety chain.  I hand-made the grabirons, cut levers, and air pipes from 0.005" stainless steel wire.  Nice grabirons & cut levers are available commercially, but the finest is 0.007" wire which is still oversized, and I wanted a noticable difference from the handrails.  I also used a number of BLMA parts including sunshades, mirrors, MU hoses, and trainline hoses.  Sunrise parts include ditch lights (non-operating), lenses , roof antenna, and brake cylinders.  I made the MU cables from 0.012" brass wire.  For weathering I used a combination of airbrushing, acrylic washes, and powders.

I took some licence wrt accurately representing the prototype NS 2591. Most notably, the Athearn model has the wrong cab; the prototype has the updated EMD cab.  I think the Kato model has the correct cab but I didn't know about it when I bought the model.  The Athearn truck sideframes are incorrect too, they are the older EMD type.  I painted the grabirons with yellow to make them stand out better visually (I have seen that on some other NS locos); however I did not put grabirons on the plow.  The weathering isn't as heavy on the model as it is on the prototype (at least in some pics).

I'm not too happy with the touchup paint in some areas, I coulda/woulda/shoulda been neater about that.  :'(   There are also a few spots that still need a bit more touchup.  Also I am not thrilled with the brake cylinders & air pipes, altho I like them better than the cast-on originals.  I'll do a better job with these my next model.  I'd also like to replace the factory windshield glass (esp. with those cast-on windshield wipers), but Athearn had that cab glued together pretty tight and I could not get it apart without too much risk of breakage.  :-\

I really do like the effect of scale wire handrails on N scale locos.  My own opinion is that of any single enhancement, there are few others that can do as much for a model.  One of the pics includes an Athearn loco with its factory handrails: to me those are almost enough to make one wonder when EMD decided to start building their locos with handrails made out of 4" PVC plumbing pipe.    I was also a bit surprised at how chunky Athearn made the cast-on MU hoses, it took a fair effort to shave those off.

BTW This is the first loco that I've ever really weathered.  I have to sincerely thank Tom Mann and Rich Yourstone for their excellent articles, tutorials, and advice on weathering.  Without these I would not have had the confidence even to attempt that.

Thanks all for taking a look at these!     








Here are some links to the prototype NS 2591:
http://www.locophotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=44375
http://www.locophotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=21402

[John]

Very nice .. I hereby dub you a rivit counter, proto police, scale modeler ...

Those handrails really stand out nicely .. and I love the ditch lights ..

[Sokramiketes]

Ed has the knack!

[tom mann]

Ed,

It looks really really great.  The scale handrails make it look massive, like o scale!

[hegstad1]

Very well done!  You've got to be proud of that effort!!

[Wlal13again]

I think it`s an outstanding effort. Very good job...

[Mark5]

Me thinks NS 2591 is a SD70-M.

Looks pretty good though. ;D

[cr6841]

Hi Everyone,

Here are some pics of my detailed & weathered Athearn SD75M, NS 2591.  I'd like to ask for comments & feedback but please be gentle as this is one of my first attempts at this sort of thing. I don't usually do the NS but this fits in with my Tehachapi layout as foreign power; plus I figured that the black paint scheme would be more forgiving. 

The detailing includes scale handrails that I made from 0.008" phosphor bronze wire, Gold Medal stanchions, and JNJ safety chain.  I hand-made the grabirons, cut levers, and air pipes from 0.005" stainless steel wire.  Nice grabirons & cut levers are available commercially, but the finest is 0.007" wire which is still oversized, and I wanted a noticable difference from the handrails.  I also used a number of BLMA parts including sunshades, mirrors, MU hoses, and trainline hoses.  Sunrise parts include ditch lights (non-operating), lenses , roof antenna, and brake cylinders.  I made the MU cables from 0.012" brass wire.  For weathering I used a combination of airbrushing, acrylic washes, and powders.

I took some licence wrt accurately representing the prototype NS 2591. Most notably, the Athearn model has the wrong cab; the prototype has the updated EMD cab.  I think the Kato model has the correct cab but I didn't know about it when I bought the model.  The Athearn truck sideframes are incorrect too, they are the older EMD type.  I painted the grabirons with yellow to make them stand out better visually (I have seen that on some other NS locos); however I did not put grabirons on the plow.  The weathering isn't as heavy on the model as it is on the prototype (at least in some pics).

I'm not too happy with the touchup paint in some areas, I coulda/woulda/shoulda been neater about that.  :'(   There are also a few spots that still need a bit more touchup.  Also I am not thrilled with the brake cylinders & air pipes, altho I like them better than the cast-on originals.  I'll do a better job with these my next model.  I'd also like to replace the factory windshield glass (esp. with those cast-on windshield wipers), but Athearn had that cab glued together pretty tight and I could not get it apart without too much risk of breakage.  :-\

I really do like the effect of scale wire handrails on N scale locos.  My own opinion is that of any single enhancement, there are few others that can do as much for a model.  One of the pics includes an Athearn loco with its factory handrails: to me those are almost enough to make one wonder when EMD decided to start building their locos with handrails made out of 4" PVC plumbing pipe.    I was also a bit surprised at how chunky Athearn made the cast-on MU hoses, it took a fair effort to shave those off.

BTW This is the first loco that I've ever really weathered.  I have to sincerely thank Tom Mann and Rich Yourstone for their excellent articles, tutorials, and advice on weathering.  Without these I would not have had the confidence even to attempt that.

Thanks all for taking a look at these!     








Here are some links to the prototype NS 2591:
http://www.locophotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=44375
http://www.locophotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=21402

looks great! the weathering is awesome too. i am building one of those in HO scale, and have done so for many, and it's a fun-to-build project. i have done the NS #2616 with the ph 2 cab and flared radiator. i have built about 12 or so of this type in many roads. the 2591 is an sd70m (T-1). KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!

[nscalesteve]

wow, nice engine, looks great, and the handrails, awesome...

[ednadolski]

Thanks everyone for the kind words.  NandW you're quite right, it's an SD70M  (not sure how I overlooked that... BNSF on the brain, perhaps?).  Thanks, and sorry for the confusion.

I'd also like to add a big thanks to Paul Brennecke for his inspiration & advice on constructing scale handrails. Paul's work has been featured in MR, NSR (http://www.nscalesupply.com/NAN/NAN-NSR0505.html), and other notable mags -- truly impressive stuff!

cr6841, I too have one of these in HO (ATSF #226) that I've been working on.  Have you tried the photo-etched steps and/or the DW underframe details?  I think these are awesome.

[Iain]

One thing I notice-something I am still guilty of despite attempts to the contrary-is that in a couple of places the middle of a panel or door is dirtier than the edges.  This is the opposite of how it is most of the time on the prototype.
Just something for you to work on.  Like I said, I myself still do it even though I don't mean to.

I love the weathering on the trucks.