Amtrak's first painted E8a

[c415rock]

Hi Everyone,

This one is a bit of a rescue project, before I striped it. It looked like it was painted with a full gallon of black paint and a house roller. I have completely rebuilt the steam generator roof details and the rear end of the unit. I moved the roof pipes out to there proper location per the prototype. I have also added the Plano winter hatch screens, what a major improvement over the PK2 originals.

I also rebuild the pilot added coupler cut bars and steam lines, cut out opening for the nose m u connection, and fabricated nose ladder step from some flat brass stock.

Next up is a trip to the paint both for primer. That is it for now, I will post more photo's as this unit progresses.

Here is a photo link to the prototype
donsdepot.donrossgroup.net/dr0103/amt4316.jpg

Erik

[drgwguy]

SWEET!

I may have to roll mine out of the deadline now.

Rick

[c415rock]

Here are some updated photo's of the project as it comes along. The nose stripes are painted and taped off. Now the broken arrow blue will get taped off and red and black will be painted next.

Erik

[c415rock]

Now the unit is ready for decals, just waiting for the custom decals to get here.




Erik

[John]

Very nice work so far. I really dig these old streamliners.

[CentralVermontGuy]

I like the "rebuilding" Amtrak did to these units.

[canadaandsouthern]

very nice

[m a y o r 79]

Nice. I didnt know Amtrak had a mostly black scheme. Were there a lot painted like this before they came to the phase 1 scheme? I assume these were pretty common on the rainboe era trains?

[Jack Napier]

Mar 10, 2012 8:53:26 GMT -5 m a y o r 79 said:

Nice. I didnt know Amtrak had a mostly black scheme. Were there a lot painted like this before they came to the phase 1 scheme? I assume these were pretty common on the rainboe era trains?

Actually, only the 4316 was painted in those colors. It was mainly used as a way to give Amtrak an identity on its first day of operations, so it wasn't repeated. Infact, 4316 was just a quickie patch job of a Penn Central unit, hence the black paint.

[jmlaboda]

I remember the first time I saw photos of this unit. Found it to be quite interesting even though it was a "Quicky."

[deez]

Nice job on the E8 Erik! Did that unit remain in that color scheme for a long time?
I see behind the E8 is another "first". That ICG SD45. Did you build it as the Ex-demo?

[c415rock]

Mark,

Thanks for the comments

No the E-8 did not last very long on the paint. As I understand it Amtrak wanted a unit painted and lettered for the first day of operation. So this is what happened to a ex PC unit.

As for the ICG SD45 yes it is modeled as the EMD Demo unit with the large air intake on the engineers side. I just finished the hand rails and the side frame just came in today. So I plan to start a new thread on this build some time this weekend.

Erik

[brian]

I have never saw that paint scheme before. nice work

[grandtrunkfan]

I like the Amtrak E8. Id love to do a circus Amtrak train one day. But Erik......You need to stop teasing me with the ferry in the fog in the background!! I see that Annie stuff! ;D