SOU SD45s Part IV

The SD45s are done and they have all made it to their proper home in North Dakota! I got a little excited when I finished the second engine, so I didn't get pictures of it before I shipped it away. I tried to capture the look of the engines as best I could. I found a shot that showed that SOU 3114 had a different grill on one of it's fans, so it has one oddball, just like the prototype. I like to add warning labels on where they go, I think it is a nice detail.

SOU 3114 has white number boards so crews know it is equipped with Locotrol, and early Southern method of using radio control to run mid-train helper engines.

I also want to say thanks to Donnie Dixon and Allen Stanley, I used a copy of the 1983 SOU Locomotive Description & Equipment guide they put together as a reference for some of the details on the engines.

SOU SD45s Part III

SOU 3167 rolled out of the Skally Shops today. The Shapeways cabs were a little difficult to work with (I wish Mark 4 Design was still up and running), but the results are pretty good. All the details came together for a nice finished product.

I painted the class lights, mu glad handles and fuel caps. I also added the wind deflectors and the wipers. I used fibre optic tubing to get the lights working on the new short hood.

 I had to modify the coupler openings a bit to get smooth operation from the MT 1015 couplers. These engines are good pullers, so it is important the couplers are up to the task.

One down, three to go!

SOU SD45s Part II

More progress on the SD45 (SCXY and SOU). I got most of the details done on SOU 3130 and 3114. 3114 comes from a slightly different line in the SOU SD45 roster. It will be the only one of the four I'm doing with white number boards and it also has more antenna than the other 3. UPDATE: I got an email explaining that the white numberboards indicated a Locotrol Unit. These engines could control midtrain pushers via radio signals to a mu'd boxcar. Pretty cool stuff for the time period. Thanks for the info Tyler!

You can see the conduit on the roof as well as some of the other details I added (like the T Vent between the front (long hood forward, remember) firecracker antenna. A also found one shot where I could see the one oddball radiator grill. I had to model that too.

SOU 3130 is a little more mainstream. You can see the new electrical cabinet behind the engineers side of the cab. I have to add that to the two units I already ran through the paint shop.

More progress coming soon!

SOU SD45s

These are two of a four engine set I am building for an N Scaler up north. I am actually heading back to work on them as soon as I finish writing this post. I took today (I'm writing this on Friday) off to get a bunch done on these. I will have to run to pick up a temporary compressor to finish painting parts and the other two shells as I can't wire my big compressor in at my current location. I'll get better shots once I get the next round of decals on.

These are cool engines. The toughest part of this project was getting off the GN Big Sky Blue. That stuff does not dissolve easily.

SOU 2597

The Skally shops have finished another custom job. SOU GP30 has finished its restoration and after it finishes it's final inspection by the CEO of the CRR Blue Ridge Division it will be shipped to that line to be ushered into service.

 

This Southern GP30 was an Atlas GP30 that received extensive work. The short hood was raised, BLMA fans were installed. The raised roof over the cab was cut back to match the prototype. It also recieved custom cab shades as well as a high hood bell, firecracker antenna, airhorns, lift rings, grab irons, mu hoses, air hoses, mirrors, wipers, walkway lights, an Atlas sand hatch on one end and a custom sand hatch (in front of the conductors cab window). Did I miss anything? I also used a pair of MT 905 Z Scale Couplers for the photo shoot.

This engine is off to work the Southern Interchange in Marion, NC on Ken Borowski's Blue Ridge Division Clinchfield Layout. This layout is fantastic and deserves a look if you haven't check his site out before.