Post by nsgevo on Apr 29, 2012 16:01:25 GMT -5
Hey guys,
Well heres the beginning of a project that I am very excited to get started on. Ill be customizing 3 Tower 55 ES44ACs and painting them in a few different Norfolk Southern Heritage paint schemes. I havnt decided on exactly which ones, but I am thinking Southern, Conrail, and the Interstate unit. I already have 1 of the locomotives and the other two should be here within a few weeks. I chose the Tower 55s because of the 4 window cabs and the high quality shells.
All 3 locomotives are starting out as Tower 55 Nothern Pacific ES44DCs. The grab irons on those Tower 55 units are a major pain in a** to get out...
The folling pictures show the first unit without its paint. I dismantled the shell and soaked it in 91% alcohol from CVS for about 2 days. The paint left a yellow hue on the plastic of the cab, but that won't effect the paint later. After the paint is removed, I always make sure to wash the shell with soap and warm water to get rid of any Alcohol residue that could be left over.
I also purchased some Athearn AC4400 shells. I will be using the anti-climbers from them to use on the rear of the locomotives, which is prototypical for the NS units. I will also be using portions of the AC4400 shell to redo the rear section of the radiator/fan section of the ES44ACs. Unfortunately no one makes the second phase of ES44ACs so ill have make my own.
I have also rebuilt the headlight / number board section above the windshield with the original number boards, styrene, and DA horizontal head lights.
Well heres the beginning of a project that I am very excited to get started on. Ill be customizing 3 Tower 55 ES44ACs and painting them in a few different Norfolk Southern Heritage paint schemes. I havnt decided on exactly which ones, but I am thinking Southern, Conrail, and the Interstate unit. I already have 1 of the locomotives and the other two should be here within a few weeks. I chose the Tower 55s because of the 4 window cabs and the high quality shells.
All 3 locomotives are starting out as Tower 55 Nothern Pacific ES44DCs. The grab irons on those Tower 55 units are a major pain in a** to get out...
The folling pictures show the first unit without its paint. I dismantled the shell and soaked it in 91% alcohol from CVS for about 2 days. The paint left a yellow hue on the plastic of the cab, but that won't effect the paint later. After the paint is removed, I always make sure to wash the shell with soap and warm water to get rid of any Alcohol residue that could be left over.
I also purchased some Athearn AC4400 shells. I will be using the anti-climbers from them to use on the rear of the locomotives, which is prototypical for the NS units. I will also be using portions of the AC4400 shell to redo the rear section of the radiator/fan section of the ES44ACs. Unfortunately no one makes the second phase of ES44ACs so ill have make my own.
I have also rebuilt the headlight / number board section above the windshield with the original number boards, styrene, and DA horizontal head lights.
