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The Beginnings of a BNSF (BN) GP28M
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- Written by Josh Baakko
- Category: Diesel Projects
- Hits: 23
The Beginnings of a BNSF (BN) GP28M
I've chosen to use a Life-Like Proto 2000 GP20 chassis, and Kato Walkway
The Morrison–Knudsen built for BN, GP28M has its beginnings in retired GP9 and GP18 models from EMD. I've been tossing around the idea of building one, because they looks like a cross between a GP35 frame, and GP38 hood. But that's not the case! That's only where the complexity begins.
The GP7/9/18/20 all share a common frame length and truck centers. The GP28/30/35 again share a common frame and truck centers. Where the confusion begins to arrive is the frame length! Every EMD GP from the 7 through the 35 line shared a common frame length, but to accurately model the GP28M, not the EMD built GP28, we need the correct frame length and truck spacing.
Tank Car Data Upgrade
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- Written by Josh Baakko
- Category: Freight Projects
- Hits: 83
Tank Car Data Upgrade
Published in the December 2011 email newsletter, with updated material in 2012.
Recently I was working on a few Walthers 16,000 Gallon Funnel Flow tank cars, decorated for Procor-Sulphur, blue with UTLX reporting marks. These tanks cars are numbered randomly in the UTLX roster. After a considerable amount of searching, I came across a few, though not the same numbers Walthers used on the 3 cars I have.
Prototypes:
UTLX 66373: http://www.railcarphotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=23413
UTLX 71651: http://www.railcarphotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=6926
I noticed that both cars had the emergency call placards, and the more recent photo of #66373 showed the new tank car testing placard. Though very hard to see, but present was the appearance of reporting marks on the top of the car, required on tank cars now.
I set to work, updating the data on my cars. To begin, add the emergency placard, from Microscale set 87-1236. Look closely, as there are placards in French on the sheet as well, I used the English, 800 number version.
I then added the top reporting marks, using Microscale 87-1320, stencil lettering. The last decals, the testing data placards, come from Highball Graphics, #F-163. I used the white version, but the sheet also includes black, which I used on an Atlas ACFX Kaolin tank car I'm working on at the same time.
Stripping Paint from a Decorated Model (Version 1)
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- Written by Josh Baakko
- Category: Painting Projects
- Hits: 11
Stripping Paint from a Decorated Model (Version 1)
Using 91% Isopropyl Alcohol
Have you ever wanted to paint a locomotive, fright car, or other item, in your favorite, or custom paint scheme, but the cost or availability of undecorated models are interfering? Have no fear, you can easily remove paint from models without damaging the underlying plastic.
This article features a Life-Like Proto 2000 GP20, however this concept works equally as well with other Proto 200 models as well as Athearn. Kato requires a slightly stronger paint remover, which will be covered in future articles. Other manufacturers I don;t have much recent data with, so I cannot speak for them at the time of this article.
I prefer to use 91% Isopropyl Alcohol for most paint stripping as it dries fast after, and does not leave any trace residue. However as you can see in the photos, and a later article to come, Pine-Sol will also do the trick. Avoid the brake parts cleaner idea once toted by hobby magazines, as it can often attack the plastic. And definitely avoid spray, or brush on paint strippers from hardware stores, they will quickly turn your plastic model into goo.
Read more: Stripping Paint from a Decorated Model (Version 1)
Layout Planning Lesson
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- Written by Josh Baakko
- Category: Layout Construction
- Hits: 64
Layout Planning Lesson
Learning from a mistake in my layout planning.
A short lesson in testing your track plan in real life before committing to laying track permanently. I managed to short myself on round around space, and how I could have avoided it.
Recently I came to a revelation when running some test ops on a small portion of my layout. I had planned the main portion of the layout to include a passing siding, but since the layout ends yet the railroad “continues on” past the edge, I needed to use some of the space for a run around tail track.
I planned my layout using XTrkCad, and included what I believed to be a long enough tail track beyond the switch from the passing siding. Years later (two or so) I finally laid the track, but I was so elated that I failed to test fit everything. I now know that the tail track fits about 90 scale feet of equipment.
