Athearn Santa Fe C44-9W Build

[eriejeeper]

I've mostly been lurking on the boards so I figured I would post up my first build. The purpose for building this is my uncle is retiring from GE Transportation this Dec. and I wanted to give him this as a present. He has built locomotives since the mid 70s and for the last six months was in QC checking over the finished products.

His favorite scheme is the warbonnet Santa Fe which is why I chose to model it. Hopefully I can make it as accurate as my skills allow. I will be weathering #611 pre-graffiti as I dont want to ruin the paint scheme.

Here are some progress pictures:





Radiator tread plate


Filling in the sand filler hole






Adding the etched steps




I still have a ways to go but Im hoping to have it done before his retirement party in December. Any tips and suggestions would be appreciated since this is my first real locomotive build.

Anybody have any tips on installing the laser cut window kit? Ive never been good at gluing windows without it looking like I did.

[mosteam3985]

Hey Jeff! This looks like an awesome start dude. The steps are done really well and they can be finicky at times. Are you using the LaserKit window set? If so no gluing is required. They have always been a snug enough fit for me for no glue. If you do glue them model master makes a glue specially made for windows. I think it's a milky white color. Keep plowing away on this man I hope you can get it done for your tight deadline!

[c415rock]

Hi Jeff,

Great start, If time will allow you might want to look at adding detail associates photo etch grills for the radiator sections. P/N: 2724

Here is a link to a old post, if you look down the page and see the photo's of a EL what if unit I did. It shows what the grills look like on a unit.

dieseldetailer.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=theme&action=display&thread=4939&page=2

I sure do miss the ATSF they were a very friendly RR and I my opinion had the very best paint job on a wide cab GE.

Erik

[eriejeeper]

Thanks for the compliments! I am indeed using the LaserKit window set and thats good to know about them just press fitting in. Its going to be a static display so I don't have to worry too much about them falling out.

I just ordered some more detail parts (including a couple sets of the photo etched grills, thanks Erik!) so I should be good to go for parts now. I need to order some paint to touch up the parts I added and then I'll just plug away at it! I'm off the next few days so I will be sure to post up my progress of it. It'll be nice to finish one of many locos I keep buying but dont really finish them, lol.

[eriejeeper]

Well I did make a lot of progress on the Dash 9 although I didn't make my initial deadline. Work managed to get in the way as usual. I still have to finish some of the details on the front and rear pilots, install the Hi-Tech GE Dash 9 exhaust, install the open bearing caps in the side frames, paint and install the handrails, put in the windows, and then weather it. Didn't turn out too bad so far for my first super detail.







I also built a base to display it on and created a small scene.

[drgwguy]

Sweet! Great stuff, those Athearn GE sideframes leave a lot to be desired, but it sounds like you're already thinking about the fixes.

On an aside; who makes the line/boom truck on your diorama? I used to operate one of those in a past life and always wanted to model a few of them.

Thanks,
Rick

[icghogger]

Lookin' Good, Jeff!!

[eriejeeper]

Jan 6, 2012 19:27:28 GMT -5 drgwguy said:

On an aside; who makes the line/boom truck on your diorama? I used to operate one of those in a past life and always wanted to model a few of them.

Thanks,
Rick

The truck came from Boley and was created from a combination of a crew cab International dump and a GMC utility truck. I had to lengthen the frame to fit the utility box on it.

[eriejeeper]

Its been a while since I've posted any updates so here are some pics of the finished product.





Didn't turn out too bad for my first super detail. The next unit I'm building is a NS C40-9W which will be a powered unit. I'll post some pics of that build as well.

[tlbeers]

Looks great, how did you install the radiator grills? I am working one now but it does not look right.

Tim

[eriejeeper]

Mar 24, 2013 16:39:32 GMT -5 tlbeers said:

Looks great, how did you install the radiator grills? I am working one now but it does not look right.

Tim

I first began by cutting out the molded in grill on each side leaving only the walkway on the front, middle, and rear which is the white section shown here:



Then I CA'd the lower grills to the bottom of each side as shown above. I then used some small pieces of scrap styrene to space the upper grill sections away from the lower grill.



The finished product.



I had to fix the spacing in the last pic so I decided to snap a few pics to give you a visual of how I did it. You could go a step further and put strips on all four sides of each upper grill section but I saw it as overkill as you don't see it anyway.

[c415rock]

HI Jeff,

Excellent Job on this build! I am sure your NS unit will come out just as good.

Erik

[c415rock]

HI Jeff,

Excellent Job on this build! I am sure your NS unit will come out just as good.

Erik

[tlbeers]

Jeff, thanks for information. Now if someone would answer my post about Detail West parts.

Tim