Call me crazy.... Kitbashing a Bowser SD40-2
Mar 24, 2023 13:47:35 GMT -5
icghogger, EMDX6043, and 2 more like this
Post by cemr5396 on Mar 24, 2023 13:47:35 GMT -5
Back in 2019, I had the good fortune to chase and shoot CP 6062 - a 1985 built GMD SD40-2, leading a grain train on one of my local lines. Ever since then, I had wanted to model it. So a year or two ago, I started giving some serious thought to just how I would do that.
After a bit of brainstorming and looking at Bowser's SD40-2 offerings, I came up with two options: one easy but possibly costly one, and one probably more difficult but cheaper one.
Option 1: Bowser had made a model of CP 6062, but in its mid 1990s appearance when it was in dedicated Locotrol II reciever service and had most of its lead engine features (including the ditch lights) removed and the cab windows removed and replaced with painted sheet metal or wood (sources differ on that). The solution would be get a similar model which had the same sill and was ditch light equipped, swap that sill onto the 6062, and then replace the painted window glass for the clear glass from the second model. Probably would only take an hour or two but would require buying a second donor unit.
Option 2: just take that simliar unit (that I would have to buy either way) and make the changes needed to match the 6062. In the interest of saving money I decided to go this way. That being decided..... this is where I started:
An RTR unit from Bowser, this body style was offered in two road numbers: 6051 and 6053. Both real locomotives were built almost exactly two years before the 6062 but matched it in most respects.
Because the model came equipped with class lights, the first step was to remove them. I disassembled the model, and pulled the light tubes and associated interior bits for the class lights out. Once they were out I dipped the ends of the tubes in CA and inserted them partially back into the holes in the class light housing. Once dry I cut them off and sanded everything down until it was flush.
I also installed the 4-pack of Locotrol antennas on the roof. Some units lost some or all of these antennas after being phased out of Locotrol service, but the 6062 was not one of them. Always check photos! At around this time I re numbered the cab sides as well.
The next step was to replace the battery box doors. First the top walkway tread pops off:
Then, I cut off the battery box doors:
Next, I got a Cannon and Co EMD Dash-2 sub base set with the correct doors and removed the appropriate doors for each side from the rest of the sub base, since I did not need to replace the whole thing. I added a thin piece of styrene to the back and filed and test fit it a couple times to make sure it sat flush.
Next, a test fit of the cab back on the body without the door. I added another piece of styrene on the inside to give the new door something to rest on and help it sit properly.
And now, with the door installed:
I did everything in mirror on the other side.
Complete model pics in the next post!
After a bit of brainstorming and looking at Bowser's SD40-2 offerings, I came up with two options: one easy but possibly costly one, and one probably more difficult but cheaper one.
Option 1: Bowser had made a model of CP 6062, but in its mid 1990s appearance when it was in dedicated Locotrol II reciever service and had most of its lead engine features (including the ditch lights) removed and the cab windows removed and replaced with painted sheet metal or wood (sources differ on that). The solution would be get a similar model which had the same sill and was ditch light equipped, swap that sill onto the 6062, and then replace the painted window glass for the clear glass from the second model. Probably would only take an hour or two but would require buying a second donor unit.
Option 2: just take that simliar unit (that I would have to buy either way) and make the changes needed to match the 6062. In the interest of saving money I decided to go this way. That being decided..... this is where I started:
An RTR unit from Bowser, this body style was offered in two road numbers: 6051 and 6053. Both real locomotives were built almost exactly two years before the 6062 but matched it in most respects.
Because the model came equipped with class lights, the first step was to remove them. I disassembled the model, and pulled the light tubes and associated interior bits for the class lights out. Once they were out I dipped the ends of the tubes in CA and inserted them partially back into the holes in the class light housing. Once dry I cut them off and sanded everything down until it was flush.
I also installed the 4-pack of Locotrol antennas on the roof. Some units lost some or all of these antennas after being phased out of Locotrol service, but the 6062 was not one of them. Always check photos! At around this time I re numbered the cab sides as well.
The next step was to replace the battery box doors. First the top walkway tread pops off:
Then, I cut off the battery box doors:
Next, I got a Cannon and Co EMD Dash-2 sub base set with the correct doors and removed the appropriate doors for each side from the rest of the sub base, since I did not need to replace the whole thing. I added a thin piece of styrene to the back and filed and test fit it a couple times to make sure it sat flush.
Next, a test fit of the cab back on the body without the door. I added another piece of styrene on the inside to give the new door something to rest on and help it sit properly.
And now, with the door installed:
I did everything in mirror on the other side.
Complete model pics in the next post!
