ILSX 1374

I caught ILSX 1374 taking a cut of empty hoppers up to Hinckley to interchange with the BNSF. We brought this engine in to help out with the expanding traffic at Horizon Milling and Petersons Mill. The venerable SD9 was brought back from the Dakota Quality Grain Co-op in Ross, ND to assist in operations on the Skally Line.This is the first unit on the Skally that wears the "official" ILSX paint scheme. It is a Soo Line inspired scheme. 1374 has been outfitted with an Atlas air horn, strobe, MbE antenna, fans, BLMA grab irons, lift rings, cut levers, air hoses and mu cables as well as GMM All-weather window and rear ladders. The decals were custom made for me by Scott Wright at Solidesign. Hopefully I'll have time to get the matching ILSX 1384 done before the end of the year.

1374 Progress

As I wait for an email back from the decal guy, I made some progress on some other small things. Some things worked, some need to be re-worked. I added J&J etched metal ladders on the rear of the unit. That was good. The tool box side of the weights (by the fuel tank) I like how this side turned out. I might remove a little metal from the frame later.

The rack side of the fuel tank, I need to do more material removal here and add the posts for hanging parts from. Hopefully next week I have a little time to work on it.

Hopefully by the end of Thanksgiving weekend I'll have some progress on two of my other project engines to show you (SCXY GP9 1363 and ILSX SD40T-2 203).

1374 Update

After some time away from home I was able to get some things done on my SD9. I got the appropriate fans installed, paint mostly done, mild weathering, sand hatches, cut levers, mu hoses, wipers and train lines installed. I need to get the decals made, rear ladders installed and get the mods made to the fuel tank so you can tell its DM&IR past.

ILSX 1374

My latest project is an ex-DM&IR #155, ILSX #1374 chopped nose SD9. I've gotten some of the details on and the cab is mostly done. This one has a mix of BLMA, Miniatures by Eric, Atlas and J&J details. I cleared off the pilots after these photos and will get the cut levers mounted this afternoon.Here you can see the prototype in this Robert Garton photo taken in Ross, ND. The paint scheme is Soo Line inspired and I may use the earlier ILS badging on the long hood.