Ontario Northland #1809 - GP38-2

[diagnosis]

Hi.  I am relatively new to the hobby, and for some reason my focus has been on the Ontario Northland Railway.  I really like their paint schemes, and the wide variety of rolling stock and locomotives used throughout the roster.  The 'arrow' scheme is unique to only #1809 and #1733, and the decal set is available from Highball Graphics, which is why I chose this loco to model.





I picked up an Atlas Trainman GP38-2 from ebay, in NS livery, and assumed it would be a good starting point.  It was stripped of paint, and the cast detail not needed were carefully removed and scraped flush.  The blower housing was removed and replaced with Cannon and Co's angled blower housing. This is where I realized the discrepancies with the Trainman model.  The housing sits a little high off the walkway, but shouldn't be a problem once etched treadplate is installed at some point.

A visit to the Atlas parts site found the non dynamic hatch and a spare set of handrails, while a visit to Miniatures by Eric found the bell, horn, lights, brake wheel, exhaust stacks, mu stands, anticlimber, sand hatches, re-rail frog, and a bunch of parts that I will probably never use. (Ordering from MBE is like going into Ikea for one small thing..... $70 later......)

I also picked up a Cannon and Co. toilet hatch, to finish off the top of the hood.

As soon as I figure out how to post images, I'll get some up of the (lack of) progress.  Hopefully this site will inspire me to move a little quicker on this project, as I've been slacking a little.

Edit: Figured it out. and realized I am further behind than I realized!







Graham.

[efram]

Nice work on the unique winterization hatch.

[tamaman]

Good start!

[dablaze]

Nice start and good work planning. Yes, the ONR bits you can buy are plentiful enough to put "Eric's" kids through both college, pay for their braces and cover their private ski memberships...but I am definitely glad they are available!

Will be fun watching your build!

Craig

[cpcnguy]

How's this coming along?

[diagnosis]

It's pretty much at a standstill right now. I received the Q-fans from Athearn this week to be added once the weather starts getting colder again. I've been working on some 40' boxcars, practicing decal application and painting, to get my confidence up before tackling this one.
I'm looking forward to updating the thread once I get back at it, and hope the ONR doesn't make any more changes to the proto before it finally sees some paint

[diesel]

nice going! that's gonna look cool school.
I think the trainman was a good place to start,
the only other phase 3 on the market is the
P2K and I'm under the impression those are rare.

this thing looks like it's had a lot of work done
to it. there are more traction motor cables on
this thing than an out of the factory p38-2.
Also, I can't tell what they are, but there are
some wild brackets mounted to the front of
the fuel tank.

And this does have notched pilots, but they are
pretty shallow. Are those a factory version or
did they get cut somehow? -I really have to
move out from the BNSF only thing.