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Post by edwin87 on Sept 28, 2014 16:23:23 GMT -5
I've been hunting for a good entry-level diesel detailing project and have decided to start building one of the Clinchfield Railroad U36C locomotives that were purchased in 1971. I have done some reading and viewed several pictures of the units on Railpictures.net. I also have ordered a copy of the Detail Era magazine featuring these locomotives. I'm pretty excited to have finally made a decision of what to build. Here are my options for a starting point: I have two of the Atlas U33C locomotives and I have an undecorated Athearn blue box U33C (dummy). Everything I have found says the U33C and the U36C locomotives are the same externally. Even the instructions for the Atlas kit shows them listed as U33C/U36C.  I've done some searching here on the DD and Google and can't seem to find any articles that have been written regarding the detailing of the Atlas/Athearn kits into a Clinchfield unit. Does anyone have a link to what detail parts should be used? I'm just looking for a good place to start. I found the decals are available from Microscale. I will need to look for the appropriate colors for painting the black and yellow. Is there a website dedicated the modeling the Clinchfield? |
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Post by enginseer on Sept 28, 2014 22:21:01 GMT -5
Sounds interesting, I look forward to seeing some photos!
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Post by jbilbrey on Sept 29, 2014 22:22:13 GMT -5
Good luck with your project. I detailed one, well a SBD/CSXT U36C, back in 2007. Some of the changes/additions that I made to the Atlas model was a new cab [optional], air & MU hoses, MU cables, a front plow, a bell mounted under the walkway on the engineer's side, and a new horn. Unfortunately, I didn't write down exactly what parts I used.
James Bilbrey
LaVergne, TN
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Post by along on Oct 1, 2014 16:28:40 GMT -5
There is a Clinchfield group on Yahoo and their is also a group on Facebook. Check them both out. They're both good groups. Hope this helps you out. God Bless, Andrew
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Post by edwin87 on Oct 1, 2014 21:59:25 GMT -5
I found a Facebook page called "Modeling the Clinchfield Railroad". I will have to do some digging for the Yahoo group.
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Post by along on Oct 4, 2014 9:19:29 GMT -5
Also wanted to mention that Shellscale Decals makes the correct numberboard decals for Clinchfield
. I also wanted to mention that I saw a Clinchfield U36C for sale on eBay priced at 50 dollars yesterday. Hope this helps. Andrew.
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Post by edwin87 on Oct 4, 2014 16:22:21 GMT -5
Thanks for the link to ShellScale Decals. It looks like the HO-133 set has the proper font for the U36C GE locos. The book I have (Morning Sun Appalachian Coal Mines and Railroad - Vol 2) shows pictures of 3600 and 3603 with this style. Seems like all the EMD's used the numbers like in set HO-132.
Thanks for all the tips guys. I was hoping my Diesel Era backissues that I had ordered a week ago would had come in. I want to study the images on the Clinchfield U36C's and see what kind of changes and detail parts I'm going to need for them.
I did compare the BB Athearn to the Atlas and for the most part everything looks like they are the same, just slight differences in the depth of some of the engraving on the shells. The biggest difference is on the long hood end. They are quite a bit different regarding the placement of the class lights, rear door, and pilot but nothing that can't be modified and upgraded.
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Post by edwin87 on Oct 22, 2014 10:27:46 GMT -5
I received the Diesel Era July/August 2003 issue (vol 14, No. 4) that has an article on the Clinchfield U36C's. The article only has one color image of #3602 but lots of black and white images of all of the units.
There is some basic information listed in the article such as they uses Leslie 5 chime horns, Adirondack floating bolster trucks (standard GE C-C)with brake cylinders mounted below the truck sideframes and between the wheelsets, M-381 draft gear, type E couplers, front mounted snow plows, and dampening struts on the trucks.
What color of black and yellow are good matches for the Clinchfield colors?
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Post by hotshot3305 on Oct 22, 2014 13:22:04 GMT -5
I received the Diesel Era July/August 2003 issue (vol 14, No. 4) that has an article on the Clinchfield U36C's. The article only has one color image of #3602 but lots of black and white images of all of the units. There is some basic information listed in the article such as they uses Leslie 5 chime horns, Adirondack floating bolster trucks (standard GE C-C)with brake cylinders mounted below the truck sideframes and between the wheelsets, M-381 draft gear, type E couplers, front mounted snow plows, and dampening struts on the trucks. What color of black and yellow are good matches for the Clinchfield colors? Edwin, I don't know what paint you are wanting to use, but if you choose to use a solvent based paint, Scalecoat II Chessie Yellow and SC II Black would be good colors to use. On another note, do your best to find a set of the "older" Clinchfield decals to use on your model as they were the correct yellow color. MS screwed up the yellow on their newer CRR decals. Bob |
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Post by edwin87 on Oct 22, 2014 21:45:27 GMT -5
Thanks for the paint recommendations. That will give me a good starting point.
As for the Microscale CRR decals, how far back do I need to look? I have a friend with a set purchased a little over 4 years ago. Would these have the correct shade of yellow?
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Post by hotshot3305 on Oct 23, 2014 8:08:33 GMT -5
Thanks for the paint recommendations. That will give me a good starting point. As for the Microscale CRR decals, how far back do I need to look? I have a friend with a set purchased a little over 4 years ago. Would these have the correct shade of yellow? The older, correct colored decals are more of a lemon color whereas the newer, incorrect decals are more towards the "orange" side of the spectrum. The four year old decals are more than likely incorrect. Bob |
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Post by along on Feb 3, 2015 12:32:04 GMT -5
Hi I've been following this thread for awhile and haven't seen any updates so I wanted to ask how things were going with your models. I did some checking and found out the Clinchfield only used Leslie 3 chime horns on their GP38's,SD40's,SD45-2's&U36C's. The U36C's also need the details west GE style bell. I hope to see an update soon. Thanks, Andrew.
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Post by edwin87 on Jul 25, 2015 12:53:09 GMT -5
It's been a while since I have thought about my Clinchfield U36C. A friend notified me that they were having the RPM meet in Kennesaw, GA in September and that got me to thinking about this project again. Then I found some pictures of Brian Banna's MoPac U30C when researching the RPM meets.
I found several pictures and detailed information on how to rework the radiator screens. The way Brian and others have addressed this really worked out well.
I have ordered the Aber S02 photoetch to build the screens over the radiators. I have also ordered the HO133 decals from Shell Scale. I still need to go through and see what other detail parts I will need.
I have two sets of the Microscale decals and unfortunately both seem to be the later printings with the orange tint to the yellow lettering. I'm not sure what other options there are.
Now to review images and make a shopping list for the detail parts. I still need to strip the shell and order paint.
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Post by edwin87 on Jul 30, 2015 21:15:48 GMT -5
Does anyone know what kind of antenna I need for the Clinchfield GE's? I can't seem to find a good picture of the roof.
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Post by along on Jul 31, 2015 8:05:57 GMT -5
They used the whip style antenna. You will need a very thin piece of wire and a round styrene base to mount it. There's a good roof shot of U36C 3605 in Steve King's Clinchfield book by Old Line Graphics. Hope this helps.
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Post by hotshot3305 on Jul 31, 2015 8:06:01 GMT -5
Edwin, you need a Detail Assoc. 1802 antenna and according to the accompanying photo it looks to be placed within 12" from the rear of the cab roof. Bob  |
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Post by edwin87 on Aug 5, 2015 22:30:48 GMT -5
I placed an order for what I think are the detail parts I need for this project. I have decided to build two of the Clinchfield U36C locomotives.
Some parts arrived today. Photoetch steps arrived from Mike Rose Hobbies. They look really good and will add a lot of detail to the Atlas frame.
The only major component I didn't buy was the Hi-Tech cab. At first I decided this was a must have but I think now I will just stick with the Atlas cab.
I still need to decide on the paints to use on this project. I want to use something that is easy to strip if I mess up the paint or decals. I've never painted a HO scale locomotive before. My experience in paints in basically Model Master enamels used for 1/25 scale models. I do have an airbrush (actually a couple of different ones).
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Post by edwin87 on Aug 7, 2015 15:46:42 GMT -5
I've decided to look into using Sergent couplers. I'm going to use the Details West 377 coupler buffer plate. What part number would work best? EC87A?
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Post by nsc39d8 on Aug 7, 2015 16:19:56 GMT -5
Edwin,
I would look more towards the narrow shank Sergents' to fit the scale buffer plate. The EC87 will have to be filed down to fit thru that buffer plate.
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Post by edwin87 on Aug 8, 2015 8:35:37 GMT -5
After looking over Sergent's website, it looks like the EN87A is the ones to use with the buffer plate. It looks like it includes the coupler box which may or may not work with the buffer plate. I'm sure I will figure it out.
I also ordered some Archer GE U-Boat/-7 treadplate and a starter rivet set of decals the other day.
I'm going to get some 91% alcohol today so I can start stripping the shells.
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