Athearn U28-B hi hood project

[catt]

Since I need handrails for the BQ23-7 and lights ,plus lights for the Dash 9-44 CW AND lights for both GP38-3 project locos I have decided to work on something I have been wanting for a long time and actually have 90% of the needed parts to build.

The hi short hood is cobbled from the low hood and some sheet styrene to get the single side windows for the cab I carved up an old Athearn SD45 cab that I had replaced with a cannon after slimming surgery to the SD45 hood.



Since this is a club layout bound loco I am going to use the stock Athearn metal handrails.Other than grabs ,wipers and some pilot details this is going to be a simple project.It will be DCC with LED lighting (current plan).The loco has the stock Athearn motor with shortened brush springs and the trucks have 40" Jay-Bee nickle silver wheel sets.



Number boards on both ends will be Shell-scale decals and ditch lights are a possibility.This like the BQ will be painted and decaled for my freelanced Grande Valley Railway.

[danielsokyrail]

I like that, ive been thinking about trying to convert one of my old U30c into a hi hood just never got around to it.

[nssd70m]

Reminds me of a high hood project I did about 20 years ago. Earl...

[catt]

Nice looking NS unit.I have two C's and two more B's that I may just do this conversion to.But first I need to finnish this one. ;D

[catt]

Small update on the U28-B.I got the grab irons done on the rear and the rear coupler box done.



Grey primer is so I can see how the work looks.Once all the mods are done loco will be stripped then primed with a flat white primer then doused with Krylon Fusion Burgundy paint.

[catt]

Everything that is needed is now done,I have a few more details to do but at this point she's ready for primer.Unfortunately West Michigan weather is not co-operating as it is cold and wet.The cold isn't really a problem but the wet is.



Oh well,I can at least install the decoder and get it programmed.

Well it stopped raining long enough to get a coat of primer on.Looks like I have a bit more work to do before I paint.Anyway this is how she looks now with the primer .



Oh, I got the decoder in too. ;D

[diesel]

nice job on the high hood, can't even see where you spliced in the styrene and the coupler pockets came out good too. I've been told you should primer sooner rather than later and it'll show you what you need to fix right away. Just a thin coat. I still haven't done it but I don't see the harm, -next project!

[danielsokyrail]

Did you use the back end of another loco for the hi-hood? I want to do a couple of these. The majority of my sOKy locomotives are of Southern heritage, even have a version of there tuxedo.

[catt]

I used the original short hood,I just cut it off and raised it up and filled in the gap with heavy sheet styrene .Before I do the other two I am going shopping on ebay for shells so I don't have so much cutting and fitting to do.

I just did some rough measuring and if you cut the low hood off a doner shell even with the top of the battery boxes and cut the top of the hood off the project loco you should be in the ballpark on height.Remember even with the high short hood the cab roof is slightly taller the the hood.

Maybe I will do the next one as a "How I do it thread". Who knows maybe even I will learn something. ;D

[danielsokyrail]

Thanks man. Thats how I turned some of my old blue box SD45s into high hoods. I've actually done it both ways, I've used two short hoods to get the extra height and the long hood end to make the hi hood.

[catt]

I did a hi hood KATO SD45 in N scale using the long hood end from a LifeLike GP38.In stock form the LifeLike is to wide but by the time you sand all the detail off the sides and top it is a perfect fit for the KATO unit.



I need to take a new picture of that beast,with the flash off.

[danielsokyrail]

Yep, sometimes you just cant buy the parts you need to do what you want

[catt]

I'm getting closer,colour is Krylon Fusion burgundy.I need to decal RR logo,road # and safety stripes paint the ends of the railings,edge of bottom step and roof white.I'm thinking that painting the straight part of the grabs white might be a good idea too.



Oh,and I need to do something about front and rear number boards or at least the numbers.

Then there is the horn,bell,wipers,and window glass.

[catt]

Making more progress.I have the decaling done safety painting done.Lights and windows are next .



I also plan to weather the trucks and fuel tank though very lightly as the GVR units are well maintained. ;D I also need to rust up the couplers some too.

[catt]

This little burgandy beast has been a real PITA the last few weeks.But two bad decoders in a row and two cracked axle gears later she is running great.I just picked up some more detail parts for her will posts pics when done with that then all that remains is lighting (need to figure out what to do about ditch lites).

[deez]

That suckers lookin good though catt. How about some black & white chevorns on the pilots only. Or black & yellow like your safety stripes. It would really spice up the ends. Lookg good no matter what though bud.

[trainnut1945]

Putting some light on the subject,next mode will be ditchlights.Do ya think they are bright enough?

[icghogger]

VERY Nice, Johnathan!!