Economy SD-45

[Randy Earle]

I'm going to re-start this thread again.

Times are tough, so here's a project most people can afford. I'm building an SD-45 a from Rail Power Products shell, and the drive will be a simple Athearn Blue Box drive that can be had for a few bucks. I picked up a Cannon Cab, Sub-Base, and High Hood at a Train Show for less than 10 dollars. The RPP shell cost $7.50, and the Athearn Drive was 10 bucks. You will need a Dremel for this project. If you plan on doing diesel detailing one tool you must have is a Dremel.









I have used an Xacto Razor Saw to remove the nose and battery boxes. As I'm building an early N&W SD-45 I had to remove the area where the rear handbrake was located and fill the area with .020 plastic. I purchased a set of Cannon & Company radiator section doors to get the door I needed to replace. Once this door was located I cut a piece of .010 styrene to surround the area and level out the surface. If you cut carefully you shouldn't need to apply filler.

[Randy Earle]

Following the instructions provided with the RPP SD-45 Shell, get out the Dremel and a fiber cut off disk and remove the areas on the Athearn frame to provide clearance for the shell.



Once you get this done, the shell will sit down level on the frame. (you will have to trim back the coupling pads a bit to clear the pilots)

[antlorch]

Looks good so far Randy,at the end post a list and price of each item so we can get an idea of how much the total package cost you.......That looks like a lot of frame removal...is the frame just as strong as it was before?

[sarge]

Looking good Randy. I have several cheap builds in the line up, just have to get to them.

[upnick]

Great build up Randy .... gives me ideas for some projects as well

[Randy Earle]

Those would be former Erie Lackawanna SD-45s wouldn't they? I don't know what I'm doing with the fans and grilles yet, I've got 38 other projects going. lol

[Randy Earle]

As you can see, I've done loads more to the Cheap Build SD-45. The side sills of the RPP shell had bosses molded on for the old Athearn pins molded on to hold the shell on. Those were removed as were the cast on air tanks. I've had to install another cab after putting my pin vise through the side of it. I have filled all the stanchion holes and re-drilled them for the modern version Athearn railings, installed the Cannon turbo hatch, Detail Associates fans from the parts box, my own lift rings, Detail Associates all weather windows, and Plano Photo Etched radiators and grilles. Though the Plano grills were made for the P2K SD-45, I added plastic to support them on the RPP shell. I've also drilled a ton of holes for grabs and what not. I also removed the cast on sand hatch and the area around it on the Details West high mount bell. I have a ton of these in the parts box.

[Smoke]

Looking good Randy! How did you go about making your own lift rings?

[riss2509]

very cool Randy, makes me wanna drop doing BNSF stuff and go do some NW!!!

[Randy Earle]

Apr 18, 2009 0:08:21 GMT -5 Smoke said:

Looking good Randy! How did you go about making your own lift rings?

I've got those jewelry making pliers that have very small round jaws. I took florest's wire (found at craft stores like JoAnn Fabrics) and made the little eyebolts by hand. They are another expense I don't have the money for. This is a "cheap build".

[Randy Earle]

Now that the Dremel is fixed, I had the time today to cut off the old Athearn cast fuel tank to mount the KATO SD-40 fuel tank. Makes a big difference.

So far, except for the Plano Grilles, I haven't spent much money on this build. Most of the parts used were laying dormant in my parts box, some for over 10 years. The Cannon parts were parts I purchased from Gordon back in the mid 1990s and the cards they were attached to were yellowed with age. The Kato fuel tank was from an auction I won that was just a box full of train parts. That box in all reality probably had over 100 dollars worth of detail parts in it and I got it for 20 bucks. I would have to estimate that I still only have about 40 dollars into this build, and I already have everything I need to finish it.

The N&W SD-45 is the one that was the super glue blob. I've cleaned it up but I haven't detailed it yet. Also lurking in the background is the GP-15X.

[cf7]

Looks good Randy! I agree that the Kato tank is a great improvement.

[rdg5310]

That does look good with the Kato fuel tank! I have several of those tanks on hand for various projects. Nice work Randy!

[Randy Earle]

I'll tell ya what, when you do that much cutting with the Dremel it gets hot and starts howling.

[Randy Earle]

It will be in the sheep dip black N&W scheme, one of the Phase I units in the low 1700s and low cylinder trucks. I have the Smokey Valley sideframes, I just haven't installed them yet.

[upyardrat]

Nice work.... After you cut the old fuel tank off...how did attach the Kato tank and did you add any weight back to the frame as a result of the loss?

[Randy Earle]

I used epoxy and lead shot.

[Randy Earle]

Here are some more photos. I'm not to far from having the shell ready to paint. I've added the Smokey Valley low mount sideframes but it's hard to see.

[graftonterminalrr]

Lookin' good!

[icghogger]

That is really a sweet build, Randy!