BNSF GP40M 3018, Page 5
Chris Lastovich photo. Used with permission.
Now it is time to work on the pilots. I need to make the Atlas pilot represent what is seen in the photo above.
Photo is from RailPictures.net and is much larger than what is seen here so the detail can be seen better.
Photo is from RailPictures.net and is much larger than what is seen here so the detail can be seen better.
Starting with the front pilot I needed to make a few changes. I needed to lower the coupler lift bar brackets. I
also needed to add an additional bracket to each side. You can see this by the closely spaced brackets. The
brackets are Detail Associates 2213 COUPLER LIFT BAR BRACKET. Lowering the brackets posed a slight
problem. Basically one of those modeling compromises you have to make because of the way the
manufacturers design these things. They are not exactly 100% to scale so we have to make minor
compromises sometimes to accomplish our goal. Lowering the brackets caused me to have to slightly lower the
MU hoses and train line pipe & hose. The MU hoses are Details West MU-294 MU HOSES, APPROX. 36"
LENGTH, PRE 1980 LOCOS, 3 CLUSTER. The train line air hose is Details West AH-302 AIR HOSE
LOCOMOTIVE, DROP ELBOW STYLE.
I had to change the MU stand. I cut off the one that Atlas cast in place and added a new style. To help secure it
better, I drilled a small hole in the deck and put a pin into the stand. Now I have a pinned attachment. The MU
stand is Detail Associates 1505 MU STAND - 'EMD' LATE SINGLE TYPE. You will notice two large holes
drilled either side of the upper pilot. These are for the dummy MU cable sockets. The area under the top deck
and above the coupler lift bar brackets needs to be painted white. So I left the dummy MU sockets off as well as
the coupler lift bar until after being painted. The sockets will be silver anyway, not white. The sockets are
Details West MU236 MU CABLE W/DOUBLE ENDED RECEPTACLE. I also left off the drop step. It is the
stock Atlas part and needs to be painted green.
Next up on the front pilot is the plow. This is Details West PL-303 SNOW PLOW (NO MU DOORS). I first
located where the attachment holes needed to be and drilled them through. After that I removed the lower pilot
plate so the pilot was the same thickness all the way down. After that, I attached the plow. You will also notice
the grab handles on the plow. The DW location for the grab irons was to far out so I filled the dimples and
drilled new holes and made grab irons from 0.010" brass wire.
That is it for the front pilot. The parts that appear missing will be attached after paint. One feature you do not
see will show up in the rear pilot photo.
also needed to add an additional bracket to each side. You can see this by the closely spaced brackets. The
brackets are Detail Associates 2213 COUPLER LIFT BAR BRACKET. Lowering the brackets posed a slight
problem. Basically one of those modeling compromises you have to make because of the way the
manufacturers design these things. They are not exactly 100% to scale so we have to make minor
compromises sometimes to accomplish our goal. Lowering the brackets caused me to have to slightly lower the
MU hoses and train line pipe & hose. The MU hoses are Details West MU-294 MU HOSES, APPROX. 36"
LENGTH, PRE 1980 LOCOS, 3 CLUSTER. The train line air hose is Details West AH-302 AIR HOSE
LOCOMOTIVE, DROP ELBOW STYLE.
I had to change the MU stand. I cut off the one that Atlas cast in place and added a new style. To help secure it
better, I drilled a small hole in the deck and put a pin into the stand. Now I have a pinned attachment. The MU
stand is Detail Associates 1505 MU STAND - 'EMD' LATE SINGLE TYPE. You will notice two large holes
drilled either side of the upper pilot. These are for the dummy MU cable sockets. The area under the top deck
and above the coupler lift bar brackets needs to be painted white. So I left the dummy MU sockets off as well as
the coupler lift bar until after being painted. The sockets will be silver anyway, not white. The sockets are
Details West MU236 MU CABLE W/DOUBLE ENDED RECEPTACLE. I also left off the drop step. It is the
stock Atlas part and needs to be painted green.
Next up on the front pilot is the plow. This is Details West PL-303 SNOW PLOW (NO MU DOORS). I first
located where the attachment holes needed to be and drilled them through. After that I removed the lower pilot
plate so the pilot was the same thickness all the way down. After that, I attached the plow. You will also notice
the grab handles on the plow. The DW location for the grab irons was to far out so I filled the dimples and
drilled new holes and made grab irons from 0.010" brass wire.
That is it for the front pilot. The parts that appear missing will be attached after paint. One feature you do not
see will show up in the rear pilot photo.
The rear pilot is pretty much the same as far as the MU hoses and cable sockets go. Same goes for the coupler
lift bar brackets. What is different of course being no plow. Instead there is a lower bolted on plate. I searched
many photos for a rear view of the pilots and the plate is what I came up with in my research. I drew a picture of
what I needed and then used rubber cement to attach it to a piece of 0.010" sheet styrene. Then cut it out. The
rubber cement of choice is by ROSS. I used to use Elmers and then finished up the bottle. The store I went to
did not have any Elmers rubber cement so I bought the ROSS brand. I like it much better because it is thinner. It
does not glob like the Elmers does. The bolt heads are Detail Associates 2203 HEX NBW - 3/4" DIA. BOLT
W/2" HEX WASHER. After the glue dried, I nipped off the tip of the NBW and made it a hex head bolt.
I mentioned above there was a feature that you cannot see on the front pilot. The prototype has a zig-zag pilot
plate. The Atlas model I was using did not, but it had a large nub pilot. I cut the nub at an angle to somewhat
represent the zig-zag. Again, one of those compromises we have to make.
Now if you are wondering how I am going to get the coupler lift bars in place, I will tell you. Normally I build my
own coupler lift bars in three pieces. Two outer pieces and then the center loop. For this "club runner" I am
using Cal Scale 522 COUPLER LIFT BAR SW, GP, SD. It is preformed so I can't just slip it through the
brackets. What I will do is carefully slit open the brackets and fit the lift bar in place. Then ACC the brackets
closed and lift bar in place. Once glued all back in place, you cannot see any of the slit. The front coupler lift
bar I had to modify. I made the handle legs shorter to allow the installation of the plow.
lift bar brackets. What is different of course being no plow. Instead there is a lower bolted on plate. I searched
many photos for a rear view of the pilots and the plate is what I came up with in my research. I drew a picture of
what I needed and then used rubber cement to attach it to a piece of 0.010" sheet styrene. Then cut it out. The
rubber cement of choice is by ROSS. I used to use Elmers and then finished up the bottle. The store I went to
did not have any Elmers rubber cement so I bought the ROSS brand. I like it much better because it is thinner. It
does not glob like the Elmers does. The bolt heads are Detail Associates 2203 HEX NBW - 3/4" DIA. BOLT
W/2" HEX WASHER. After the glue dried, I nipped off the tip of the NBW and made it a hex head bolt.
I mentioned above there was a feature that you cannot see on the front pilot. The prototype has a zig-zag pilot
plate. The Atlas model I was using did not, but it had a large nub pilot. I cut the nub at an angle to somewhat
represent the zig-zag. Again, one of those compromises we have to make.
Now if you are wondering how I am going to get the coupler lift bars in place, I will tell you. Normally I build my
own coupler lift bars in three pieces. Two outer pieces and then the center loop. For this "club runner" I am
using Cal Scale 522 COUPLER LIFT BAR SW, GP, SD. It is preformed so I can't just slip it through the
brackets. What I will do is carefully slit open the brackets and fit the lift bar in place. Then ACC the brackets
closed and lift bar in place. Once glued all back in place, you cannot see any of the slit. The front coupler lift
bar I had to modify. I made the handle legs shorter to allow the installation of the plow.
Only item I added to the sill is a bell. It is Detail Associates 1202 BELL - UNDERFRAME MOUNT. I liked the
look of it much better than the Atlas bell.
As you can see in the prototype photo above, this unit has ditch lights. Because of the location of the ditch
lights, they will not be added until after paint is done and the handrails are in place. I need to make a shelf that
fits around the handrail stanchion. Ditch lights are Detail Associates LT 1207 DITCH LIGHT STAND - SP
LOW TYPE. I do not know why they are called SP Low Type, they seem to be used on roads other than SP.
That sums up the pilots and sill. Pretty basic, but effective. Now I can get to work on the hood.
look of it much better than the Atlas bell.
As you can see in the prototype photo above, this unit has ditch lights. Because of the location of the ditch
lights, they will not be added until after paint is done and the handrails are in place. I need to make a shelf that
fits around the handrail stanchion. Ditch lights are Detail Associates LT 1207 DITCH LIGHT STAND - SP
LOW TYPE. I do not know why they are called SP Low Type, they seem to be used on roads other than SP.
That sums up the pilots and sill. Pretty basic, but effective. Now I can get to work on the hood.