BNSF 9-44CW #4560

[lunatic]

I've been wanting to build this particular loco ever since becoming interested in model trains 5-6 years ago. I've never built any trains and don't have a layout or any track (yet ) but I'm hoping my 20yrs of experience with scale models can do it some justice.



This train has interested me since I first saw it - mainly due to the Conrail door. I went with a Kato unit for it's smoothness and it will be copping a fair chunk of the Details West catalogue, with A-Line steps, Detail Associates Wipers and Decals from Microscale.







After a few reference comparison's I've realised that the rear radiator grilles on the prototype are the longer/larger type. I considered leaving it as is, but ultimately I know it would annoy me, so I'll be grafting in the grilles from an Athearn AC4400 - unless somebody knows of an easier way? I'll also be changing the front windows for the BNSF 4-window type from DW.

Thus far I've stripped the paint from the upper radiator and attempted to strip the cab. Being a Kato shell, the paint's proving to be a tad stubborn against the pure Isopropyl that I've been using - plus trying to scrub a shell with only one usable hand is near on impossible! So I've ordered a Paasche Air Eraser which will hopefully prove more successful

I believe I've got most details sorted, but if anyone believes I may have missed something, I'd love to hear from you.

- Mick

[kcs1967]

Mick, I have no experience with Katos, but maybe this wil help

dieseldetailer.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=que&action=display&thread=5436

as far a stripper info, understanding that the arm is not usable at the moment, the air eraser is probably the best avenue, I got one from Harbor Freight for about $20, I use standard Baking Soda, it got the stubborn blue off my SD40, in all the nooks and Crannies, pressure is king of being effective, I shot starting at 20 psi and built up to about 50psi, scared something would damage the plastic, but not a single detail lost, in fact more detail kept, because only my paint will be on the shell. Good Luck.

Great Bag of goodies, and it looks to be a fun project.

[puddlejumper]

Are you going to build the unit that this door came from? Not coincidentally, NS 8447 has a BNSF door, aquired sometime in 2006, same as when this unit got it's CR door. Likely they were shopped at the same time and... for some reason... the doors got swapped.

www.trainorders.com/images2/view.php?284293

[lunatic]

I've only read good things about the air erasers, so I think it will be a good investment.

I've considered building NS 8447 also. I've got a few sets of decals, so why not

[danielsokyrail]

Looks like you have a good start. I my self have never used a air eraser, but will the 91% rubbing alcohol not lift the paint off a kato shell?

[diesel]

Mick, are the grilles you're refering to on the right side of the long hood? Those on the Kato are correct for some -9s but not this one; 4560. I will actually be changing some #s because of that. I like how you have just about all the details you can add to this at the start. I can't wait to see this in progress.

Have you seen the -9s on the details west site? -can give you some insight on what the model looks like when done. Also there are a few on the pbase.com albums of the WPMs.

ya, Kato shells are notoriously difficult to strip. But, now that I've heard of this air eraser I'd like to get one as well.

[lunatic]

Yes, the grilles I plan on replacing are on the right hand side - though there is also one on the left also. I was planning on replacing the whole section with one from an Athearn shell, but after some measurements it appears that the Kato doors are a tad longer. I may cut out individual grilles instead - even though it's more time consuming.

The -9 gallery on the DW site is what originally got me interested in a -9 build

[peter]

Mick, the pattern in the grilles from the Athearn unit does not match the Kato pattern, so you may end up having to replace all the radiator grilles if you want them to look consistent. It may be more practical to model a BNSF unit from the ATSF 600-699 series (which match the grilles on your Kato shell) which has been repainted into heritage 2 paint.

This is an ambitious project; good luck with it! Looking forward to seeing how it turns out!

Peter

[Ridgeline]

Guys, about the grills... I've been having the same issue with Kato only making one variation for the Dash-9. From my observations it seems that there are three different variations over the Dash-9's lifespan and, since I intend to use the Kato shell for my models, I'm also going to need a solution... I'm working on building a resin long hood replacement for the Kato model... It seems like, short of cutting up two hard-to-find Kato shells, that's the only way to go.

As for stripping the models, I've had success with 91% alcohol.

Good luck with this project! I've been eye-balling the same prototype for a while now.

[drgwguy]

Mick-

Should be a fun one........I started with an Athearn RTR. The hardest part was the 4 window cab conversion. I can't believe that DW doesn't supply pre-cut "glass" with the kit though! Keep us posted on the progress...

Rick

[peter]

Mick, this may not be practical, but if you want to match the Kato grilles, you could cut them from a Kato AC4400 shell, but good luck finding that shell!

Peter

[drgwguy]

Hey Mick-

I was looking through you parts pix, and though you have an antenna array, you have the wrong one from DW. The one that 4560 needs is the Hi-Tech Details octagonal dome. Other than that, it looks like you have everything else! As I stated before, you'll need a little bit of clear, thin sheet styrene for the side windows too.

edit: it looks like the antenna array you have will still work; it sits behind the octagonal dome. So, you will still need the Hi-Tech part.

Rick

[lunatic]

I realised I ordered the wrong antenna once it arrived in the post - I've since ordered the correct one. Rick, do you happen to have a reference pic with a shot of both of the antenna's in use? All of the pics I've got only show the Octagonal one.

I've been going crazy over what to do about the grilles. I've already cut the doors off of an Athearn AC4400, but now that I look at the two side by side the pattern is slightly different. Cutting up a Kato AC4400 isn't really an option for me, so I had planned on moulding a resin master from the -9 to modify ........... but now that I think about it I might just pull a mould off of a Kato AC4400. Much easier!

I've been flat out with work for the past few days, so I haven't achieved much with the project. So far I've removed some detail from the trucks and have begun replacing it with brass wire and styrene. I'll post pics once the details are complete

I wish my Air Eraser would hurry up and get here. I want to start on the shell! HAHA

[lunatic]

P.S. I'd like to thank everyone for their help and advice. Most appreciated!

[peter]

Mick, I think making new doors/grilles from a resin master cast from a KATO AC unit would be the best way to go. You could actually use a block of doors for the right side, and for the left side, just cut the grille from the single door and graft in that one larger grille. Then the grilles should match really well. Let us know how that works out for you as I have some of the original dash-9 KATO units where I'd like to go back and extend the same grilles (BNSF and NS).

Peter

[lunatic]

Peter, that's most definitely the way I'll be going................ though I think I'm just using it as an excuse to buy a Kato AC4400

I've got a fair bit of Urethane Resin on hand, so I'll make sure to make a few spares

[drgwguy]

Oct 20, 2010 4:48:53 GMT -5 lunatic said:

Rick, do you happen to have a reference pic with a shot of both of the antenna's in use? All of the pics I've got only show the Octagonal one.

Let me see if I can find it. It wasn't for 4560, but it was the rooftop of another Dash-9

Rick

[drgwguy]

Mick-

I can't, for the life of me, find the cab roof shot that I had, but here are a few more distant shots; they should give you an idea of the placement of the smaller GPS dome behind the antenna dome. also, the conduit should curve from the GPS towards the outside back corner on the engineer's side of the cab roof.

Rick

[drgwguy]

another....

[drgwguy]

another.....