FINISHED - - Milwaukee Road SD10 #545 Build

[Wammi]

My build of the Milwaukee Road SD10 #550. This will be the first of 3 SD10s.

I couldn't find a good photo of the 550 online so here is the 551 as an example.

Photo credit: www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1569847

Here are a couple detail shots of the 543, which has the typical SD10 rebuild details:



Photo credit for the two photos of the 543 above: www.rrpicturearchives.net/locoPicture.aspx?id=95609

Locomotive History:

Built by EMD as Milwaukee Road SD7 #2217 (10/1953), renumbered to MILW #517. Rebuilt and upgraded to SD10 standards (4/1974) and renumbered to MILW #550. Acquired by SOO through merger (1985). Unit was to become SOO #6109 but never applied. Retired (1/1987), sold to DME, became DME #550, named "Larry Pressler". Sold to Indiana Railroad (1997), became INRD #550. Now stored and out of service. (Credit: www.mountainrailway.com/SOO%20Line%20Roster%20Archive/SOO%206100%20Page.htm )

Our starting point is a Proto 2000 SD7:



I invite you to follow along as we recreate in miniature one of the Milwaukee Road's unique branch line work horses. The SD10 #550.

Thanks for looking.

-Bob

[Wammi]

A selection of detail parts to be used. I still have a couple to purchase, but this is the most of them.


Chemicals to be used.


Cuts are made with Exacto razer saws with fine teeth.


Preparing the shell for disassembly.




Short hood chop job.






Next we'll strip the shell using isopropyl alcohol. I like to use 99% which works very fast, but takes great care. 70% is a safer option. I'll have to test the 99% on the P2K plastic to insure it is safe to use on it.

While we are waiting for the shell to strip, We'll hack the frame to pieces!

Thanks for looking! I'm happy to answer any questions.

[Wammi]

So, one of the really distinctive things that make many of the Milwaukee Road's diesels to model is the fuel tank configurations. The SD10 is no exception. Serving as primary branch line power, the SD10s were equipped with a single 1750gal fuel tank, just as the SD7s were ordered. (The last 3 SD7s delivered to the Milwaukee Road had 2 1750gal tanks and were equipped with steam lines for passenger service. 2209, 2210, & 2211 The front tank was to be used to hold water for the steam generators which were never installed.)

The reason behind the single fuel tank is simple. Reduced locomotive weight. The branch line tracks were in terrible shape and were built with cheap light weight rail to begin with. Just take a look at the track in this photo and you'll see what I mean:


So, now to cut the front fuel tank off of the frame. We'll need to completely disassemble the model prior to cutting.










Thanks for looking.

[Wammi]

While the unit is completely disassembled, I chopped the weight. Now you don't have to remove as much as I did. You only need to remove enough so the weight will allow the new lowered short hood to fit properly over it. I chose to remove the entire short hood portions for 2 reasons. 1. I was pretty sick of sawing soft metal. 2. Typical operations involving SD10s on the branch lines, Northern Montana Sub in particular, would not require the extra weight in the model. It was common to see 3 SD10s pulling rather short trains. This is especially true just prior to, and after the bankruptcy of 1977. This is the era I model.

So, here's a couple pics of the weight chop:



Finally! Enough with the frigg'n razor saw already...

[Wammi]

Peir, Details Associates makes the Horst Air filters that you see on the 551. The low profile version I'll have to scratch build when I build up the 558 later on.

[Wammi]

Here we go on the cab now the we have the shell stripped.


Need to fill in the imperfections on the short hood chop job.



While the putty on the short hood is drying, I start building the cab.
I use the Cannon & Co thin wall cabs for the windows and number boards.











On to the long hood next while things cure-up on the cab.

[gnsteve]

Thanks for slowing your progress to document your detailing steps. There's alot of good stuff here. The Un Cure looks to be just what I need to disassemble some P-2000 shells.

[Wammi]

Thanks Steve. Glad you are finding some useful information here.

[diesel]

Hey Bob,

I don't know if you've already found out, but when you strip the P2k body in alcohol, it usually unglues the body parts if not almost all the way through.

Dan

[stewarttrains98]

Very nice step by step. Very interesting model that you are building. Looking forward to seeing more of the unit.

[Wammi]

Hey Dan thanks for that tip! I didn't know that. I'll try just the alcohol next time.
Thanks Stewarttrains. I appriciate the kind words.

The latest update is posted on my web site here:
www.agawamsouthern.com/?q=node/80

[icghogger]

Sun on a Beach, Bob, that is coming together nicely!

[Wammi]

Thanks Robert! I appreciate your kind words. It has been a fun project so far.

Managed to get some good progress accomplished last night.











That's the work for the shell and cab until finish painting is complete. Next we'll move on to the pilots.

[dekon]

Great job, I really like how you are showing your build step by step.

[Wammi]

Thanks Peir and Richard.

Well, I was busy last night and this morning work on projects. Got quite a bit done on the SD10 build...

Working on the frame detials...



and some work on the pilots...



On to some misc. things...


Next I'll begin the painting process... Thanks for reading...

[graftonterminalrr]

That would look TERRIFIC in CP Rail System red



Interesting fuel tank.

In all seriousness, now I know what to do with that basket-case Proto SD7 I have lurking in the pars box.

[Wammi]

Haha... not in a million years in my fleet! It does look sharp in that livery, however.

[gtw4633]

I am so glad you posted this. I've been considering building 1 in HO and I've been researching a couple in N. I'm not sure what unit I'll do for HO, but in N, 534 is one of them. there was a couple more that survived into CP and kept their MILW Bandit Job. I was planning on doing all of those for local power on my layout

[Freightrain]

Lookin good man!

[rdg5310]

Bob, real nice job on this build!