The DB hatch is pretty much done now. I only have to add the fans and grill, but that will be done after paint.
The white line you see above the DB grill is a piece of styrene filler that I used to fill any gap that appeared
when gluing the grill to the hatch. I cut a small sliver of 0.005" sheet styrene and laminated it over the seam. I
added liquid cement and while the plastic was still soft I carefully pressed it into the seam so as to not ooze to
much plastic out, but to fill the seam.
The white line you see above the DB grill is a piece of styrene filler that I used to fill any gap that appeared
when gluing the grill to the hatch. I cut a small sliver of 0.005" sheet styrene and laminated it over the seam. I
added liquid cement and while the plastic was still soft I carefully pressed it into the seam so as to not ooze to
much plastic out, but to fill the seam.
Now that the DB hatch is done I can go back and start detailing the hood. Can anyone pick out the mistake in
this photo? OK, I'll tell you. I used the wrong long hood end. I need to but a blank out where the class light is. I'll
cut them out and put one in before I add the grab irons. In this photo you can see the bell bracket. Although it
does not look it, the bracket is on straight and level. I used a Details West part. I cut the bell off and carved out
the inside to create the bracket cavity. I then cut all the details off the top and drilled all the attachment holes.
You can see I added the lift rings as well. The white sticks in the fan grab hole are to plug the oversize holes
and I will then drill new holes for smaller diameter wire.
this photo? OK, I'll tell you. I used the wrong long hood end. I need to but a blank out where the class light is. I'll
cut them out and put one in before I add the grab irons. In this photo you can see the bell bracket. Although it
does not look it, the bracket is on straight and level. I used a Details West part. I cut the bell off and carved out
the inside to create the bracket cavity. I then cut all the details off the top and drilled all the attachment holes.
You can see I added the lift rings as well. The white sticks in the fan grab hole are to plug the oversize holes
and I will then drill new holes for smaller diameter wire.
Here you can see the top of the bell bracket with the gussets glued to the inside. I cut the sheet out that is
molded with the part. The gussets are from 0.010" styrene sheet. The sand hatch is a Cannon & Co. part.
molded with the part. The gussets are from 0.010" styrene sheet. The sand hatch is a Cannon & Co. part.
As you can see here, I fixed the long hood end. I drilled out the class light and added a knock out. Basically I
used a drill just under the size of the hole needed. I then used a round file and slowly filed the hole larger until
the knock out barely fit in. In order to get it to fit correctly, I had to cut off the square backing plastic on the
knock out. Then it would fit in the way I wanted. I glued it from the back and then to blend the plastic around the
gasket so there was no hint of a seam. I used a very small amount of liquid cement and went around the gasket
with it. This causes the plastic to melt together and make the seam disappear.
used a drill just under the size of the hole needed. I then used a round file and slowly filed the hole larger until
the knock out barely fit in. In order to get it to fit correctly, I had to cut off the square backing plastic on the
knock out. Then it would fit in the way I wanted. I glued it from the back and then to blend the plastic around the
gasket so there was no hint of a seam. I used a very small amount of liquid cement and went around the gasket
with it. This causes the plastic to melt together and make the seam disappear.
The long hood is done. The white tabs you see above the radiator are the left over walkway light bracket. On
this prototype there was not one on the DB blister which leaves me to believe the DB hatch was not from the
same Southern SD40-2 long hood. Maybe it was the same one from the 45T-2 doner. (I do not know for sure
though). Also you can see a piece of styrene coming off the leading edge of the dust bin. I have no idea what
this was for and I have not found anyone who can tell me either, but on the prototype I can distinctly see a piece
of sheet metal coming off this leading edge, so I used a piece of 0.005" sheet and added this feature.
I was going to say now that the hood is done I can move onto the pilots, but as you can see the pilots are done.
So I'll move onto the pilots and coupler draft gear box.
I just realized. On the previous page I mentioned about building a clean air room. I lied. I decided to go ahead
and use the clean air room from the Athearn model.
this prototype there was not one on the DB blister which leaves me to believe the DB hatch was not from the
same Southern SD40-2 long hood. Maybe it was the same one from the 45T-2 doner. (I do not know for sure
though). Also you can see a piece of styrene coming off the leading edge of the dust bin. I have no idea what
this was for and I have not found anyone who can tell me either, but on the prototype I can distinctly see a piece
of sheet metal coming off this leading edge, so I used a piece of 0.005" sheet and added this feature.
I was going to say now that the hood is done I can move onto the pilots, but as you can see the pilots are done.
So I'll move onto the pilots and coupler draft gear box.
I just realized. On the previous page I mentioned about building a clean air room. I lied. I decided to go ahead
and use the clean air room from the Athearn model.
It was pointed out to me by a fellow modeler that there were two different inertial filter screens on this unit. The
brakeman's side had what was molded on the model, but the engineers side had the additional stiffener along
the bottom edge of the v shaped screens. I cut a piece of 0.005" styrene and glued it in place. That is about it
for the clean air room. Although I think I am going to add a door handle detail tot he electrical door on this side.
I'll use a handle from a Precision Scale cab door handle kit.
brakeman's side had what was molded on the model, but the engineers side had the additional stiffener along
the bottom edge of the v shaped screens. I cut a piece of 0.005" styrene and glued it in place. That is about it
for the clean air room. Although I think I am going to add a door handle detail tot he electrical door on this side.
I'll use a handle from a Precision Scale cab door handle kit.
On just about every model, there is a big open space between the end of the truck and the inside of the pilot.
You are not supposed to see lots of light through this area behind the step wells. I never liked that so I set out
to fix it on my models. While I lived in AZ, I was fortunate enough to have at least three different sidings near
where I lived that had motive power parked on it every day. So I took this opportunity to go out and measure a
number of things and on of them was the coupler draft gear box. What you see above is the result of this. A
scale draft gear box.
I want to assure you here. The coupler is not pulling off the draft gear box. I milled the coupler pad in order for
the draft gear box to fit around it. So the coupler is still pulling off the frame. Although you can not use a
centering spring in this box. But then again, the prototype does not use a centering spring either. I took the
Dave Hussey approach and built a better looking model and sacrificed the spring.
When the shell is put on the frame, then the coupler is slipped in through the pilot and the screw is put in to
hold the coupler in place.
You are not supposed to see lots of light through this area behind the step wells. I never liked that so I set out
to fix it on my models. While I lived in AZ, I was fortunate enough to have at least three different sidings near
where I lived that had motive power parked on it every day. So I took this opportunity to go out and measure a
number of things and on of them was the coupler draft gear box. What you see above is the result of this. A
scale draft gear box.
I want to assure you here. The coupler is not pulling off the draft gear box. I milled the coupler pad in order for
the draft gear box to fit around it. So the coupler is still pulling off the frame. Although you can not use a
centering spring in this box. But then again, the prototype does not use a centering spring either. I took the
Dave Hussey approach and built a better looking model and sacrificed the spring.
When the shell is put on the frame, then the coupler is slipped in through the pilot and the screw is put in to
hold the coupler in place.
Starting out with the front pilot. I bought the Details West SD45T-2 detailing kit. The plow and MU hoses are
from this kit. The plow comes with dimples cast in the top for grab irons. The grab irons you see are from
Cal-Scale.
I am sure you can tell the coupler pocket is not the same as cast with the model. It is of my own design. As I
stated previously, I went to the local sidings and this is another feature I measured. I cut the cast on pocket off.
I then filled the opening with sheet styrene and after that dried I cut the new opening out for this pocket.
The coupler lift bar is 0.012 brass wire. After a discussion with Arved Grass, it was pointed out that the outer
leg of the coupler lift bar below the bracket is shorter than standard. This is because if it was longer, it would
interfere with the plow. The length is 0.14" The model came with small support brackets under the pilot. I had to
cut them off in order to fit the coupler lift bar on. I fabricated new supports from 0.010" sheet styrene. Now the
coupler lift bar passes through the bracket as it should.
from this kit. The plow comes with dimples cast in the top for grab irons. The grab irons you see are from
Cal-Scale.
I am sure you can tell the coupler pocket is not the same as cast with the model. It is of my own design. As I
stated previously, I went to the local sidings and this is another feature I measured. I cut the cast on pocket off.
I then filled the opening with sheet styrene and after that dried I cut the new opening out for this pocket.
The coupler lift bar is 0.012 brass wire. After a discussion with Arved Grass, it was pointed out that the outer
leg of the coupler lift bar below the bracket is shorter than standard. This is because if it was longer, it would
interfere with the plow. The length is 0.14" The model came with small support brackets under the pilot. I had to
cut them off in order to fit the coupler lift bar on. I fabricated new supports from 0.010" sheet styrene. Now the
coupler lift bar passes through the bracket as it should.
To make the coupler lift bar loop I bought a pair of bending pliers from Micro Mark part #60398. This is a set of
four. The one you see above comes in this set. The brass wire in the photo shows the shape of the bend. The
width is just a tad to wide so what I did as you can see by looking at the tip of the pliers is on each side file a
notch to make the width correct. Put the wire in the pliers, clamp down and bend the ends up against the jaws.
The result is what you see. I then measure from the loop back and make my downward bend to loop around the
left and right lift bars mounted on the pilot face. This simulates the three pieces that make up a coupler lift bar.
four. The one you see above comes in this set. The brass wire in the photo shows the shape of the bend. The
width is just a tad to wide so what I did as you can see by looking at the tip of the pliers is on each side file a
notch to make the width correct. Put the wire in the pliers, clamp down and bend the ends up against the jaws.
The result is what you see. I then measure from the loop back and make my downward bend to loop around the
left and right lift bars mounted on the pilot face. This simulates the three pieces that make up a coupler lift bar.
Another feature that is VERY prominent behind the steps is the pilot plate support tube. This is a 3" pipe that
goes from the outside bottom of the frame. I simulated this my adding a 0.035" diameter rod in place.
If you look in the photo above with the coupler draft gear box, you can see that I cut the frame in the area
where this pipe would be. I glued to the underside of the walkway a filler piece and added the support. I did this
in all four corners and now the shell can be removed without the frame being in the way of this detail.
goes from the outside bottom of the frame. I simulated this my adding a 0.035" diameter rod in place.
If you look in the photo above with the coupler draft gear box, you can see that I cut the frame in the area
where this pipe would be. I glued to the underside of the walkway a filler piece and added the support. I did this
in all four corners and now the shell can be removed without the frame being in the way of this detail.