CPR F unit Icicle Breakers - Super-detailing Intermountain locos

[JMaurer1]

What they look like to me is just a variation of SP's icicle breakers and those you CAN get. Gold Metal Models has them in the SP PA detail set. They're items 10 and 11. I know its a lot of unneeded detail parts just for them, but they look really nice when done.

http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Gold-Medal-Models-N-160-49-Con-Cor-Alco-PA-PB-Dies-p/gmm-160-49.htm

[mandealco]

Hi
I made these for my IM FP-9 using small office staples. a relatively simple process with the rear facing braces superglued to the actual breakers.  They are secured inside the shell with superglue as well.


Cheers
Steve
NZ

[CNR5529]

Well done @mandealco , that looks great! I'll keep the staples in mind for sure.

That park car looks intriguing as well. Is it a modified Concor obs?

What they look like to me is just a variation of SP's icicle breakers and those you CAN get. Gold Metal Models has them in the SP PA detail set. They're items 10 and 11. I know its a lot of unneeded detail parts just for them, but they look really nice when done.

Indeed, there are some similarities, but I think I will have to roll my own to get the distinctive CPR look. Thanks anyways though!

[Paradise275]

Fredrick, I'm surprised you didn't remember the Park Car shell I showed you the other day! LOL You just have to decal it.

Rick

[CNR5529]

You just have to decal it.

Lol. That "park car" you showed me was a stock Kato car, which is a nice model on its own, but requires a lot of work to become a true park car. The Concor car is not as nice straight out of the box, but would be easier to work with imho, because among other things the Kato model has those cut down trucks to accommodate the full skirting on the Cali Zephyr. You can also see the work that was put in to fix the tail end of mandealco's car, to remove the CZ style tail light and put in the right ribbing and grab irons.

Just appreciating the work that went in to it is all... 

[mandealco]

Hi
I made my Park Car starting with a Con-Cor car as it is much closer to the prototype.  I modified the window layout a little, removed the Cal. Zephyr style tail light, removed the side skirts as appropriate, added grabs and the VIA style class lights and tail light.  The car was built to be the Tremblant Park, which was one of 2 cars that received trial lights built into the rear of the cars, on either side of the tail door.  The lights were removed and stainless steel panels added to cover the holes.  New lights were then added to all Park Cars above the rear windows.   I chose this car because it was the one Laura & I travelled from Vancouver to Toronto on in 2012.  There is no better rail car view than that in a true dome car.
Cheers
Steve
NZ

[CNR5529]

Hi
I made my Park Car starting with a Con-Cor car as it is much closer to the prototype.  I modified the window layout a little, removed the Cal. Zephyr style tail light, removed the side skirts as appropriate, added grabs and the VIA style class lights and tail light.  The car was built to be the Tremblant Park, which was one of 2 cars that received trial lights built into the rear of the cars, on either side of the tail door.  The lights were removed and stainless steel panels added to cover the holes.  New lights were then added to all Park Cars above the rear windows.   I chose this car because it was the one Laura & I travelled from Vancouver to Toronto on in 2012.  There is no better rail car view than that in a true dome car.
Cheers
Steve
NZ

Very cool, it's the small details like the panels which cover up experimental tail lights that really make your model your own. Only you will have a proper VIA Rail Tremblant Park. Awesome!

We just did the westbound journey last year, with Kootenay Park bringing up the markers on a 24 car train. Indeed, much of the 4 day trip was spent in that dome, at least when we weren't indulging in the culinary experience that is fine dining aboard The Canadian. Can't wait for the next opportunity to ride it.

Thanks for sharing!

[CNR5529]

Got a package from Shapeways! I'll be able to start work on the models now. There are enough parts to detail an FP9a, F9b and FP7a, which would have been the original power on the Canadian between Sudbury and Vancouver. If I run the Montreal section, I would only need the FP9a and F9b, and the FP7a will end up in commuter service. The Toronto section would have had a pair of FP7a locos.

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[cbroughton67]

Hi
I made these for my IM FP-9 using small office staples. a relatively simple process with the rear facing braces superglued to the actual breakers.  They are secured inside the shell with superglue as well.

I love the headlight! How did you model the dual-beam insert?


Chris

[peteski]

I love the headlight! How did you model the dual-beam insert?
Chris

. . . and are the headlights illuminated, or non-functional?

[mandealco]

The headlight was made using a casting of an Atlas RS-3 headlight sanded to fit inside the F-unit headlight opening.  It was painted black and the lenses can either be painted chrome or made using MV lenses.  The whole thing can then be covered with a clear resin or Weld Bond in this case.  Not sure you'd get as good a result if they were illuminated, but it could be done.
Cheers
Steve
NZ

[robert3985]

The headlight was made using a casting of an Atlas RS-3 headlight sanded to fit inside the F-unit headlight opening.  It was painted black and the lenses can either be painted chrome or made using MV lenses.  The whole thing can then be covered with a clear resin or Weld Bond in this case.  Not sure you'd get as good a result if they were illuminated, but it could be done.
Cheers
Steve
NZ

It's possible to light MV lenses by locating and drilling a hole in the metal reflector, and inserting a fiber optic strand into it after melting the tip of the strand, which gives it a lens of sorts.

I did this with my admittedly much larger headlight on an N-scale Key brass Big Boy I was superdetailing, and the result was quite good.

I'm in the process of superdetailing both a bunch of F and E units and they've got dual beam lights in their nose casings, and I'll be using the drilled MV lens, fiber optic technique to light 'em up.

Only problem is locating the hole properly in the rounded metal reflector, then holding it while you drill.

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[Ed Kapuscinski]

You know, those twin sealed beam conversions seem like another good @Lemosteam project.

[SP-Wolf]

You know, those twin sealed beam conversions seem like another good @Lemosteam project.

Or - you can use these:

http://store.sbs4dcc.com/SBS4DCCNScaleTwinBeamSealedHeadlightLens.aspx

Wolf

[sirenwerks]

Hi
I made these for my IM FP-9 using small office staples.

I remember seeing that trick in one of the very first N scale superdetailing articles I saw, in MR some 30+ years back. Writer used part of a sleeve of staples for a rather tall weatherization thingamajig, on a CP F unit too. I need to dig that article up and marvel at how far N scale has come.