The rear pilot construction went about the same as the front.
The rear pilot does not have a plow and it has a standard type coupler lift bar. I also angled the bottom of the
MU pockets to match the pilot lower plate. If you look closely just under the deck to the right of the coupler lift
bar loop, you will see the MU socket. Since the deck is solid under here, I cut the MU socket in half and glued it
in place. It is very difficult to see, but it is a detail that needs to be added. It is on the front as well.
MU pockets to match the pilot lower plate. If you look closely just under the deck to the right of the coupler lift
bar loop, you will see the MU socket. Since the deck is solid under here, I cut the MU socket in half and glued it
in place. It is very difficult to see, but it is a detail that needs to be added. It is on the front as well.
Just another view of the pilot. This one showing the support tube behind the pilot plate.
With the pilots done (and I could have fooled you in this photo :-). I know I work out of sequence, but I am
writing in the sequence I plan my work) it is time to build the cab and nose. Lucky for me this model is not of a
rebuilt SD45T-2 so I do not have to worry about the battery box doors. I drilled a series of holes in the battery
box notch so I can glue them in from behind.
writing in the sequence I plan my work) it is time to build the cab and nose. Lucky for me this model is not of a
rebuilt SD45T-2 so I do not have to worry about the battery box doors. I drilled a series of holes in the battery
box notch so I can glue them in from behind.
When I put the battery box door section on, I noticed the bottom edge did not sit down even on the sill. To
correct this I needed to scrape away just a little of the raised walkway tread from where the kick plate rests on
the deck. The area is marked with the "A" in the photo. After that, the battery box piece fits nicely into place.
correct this I needed to scrape away just a little of the raised walkway tread from where the kick plate rests on
the deck. The area is marked with the "A" in the photo. After that, the battery box piece fits nicely into place.
You will notice that the cab is already in place. It is glued in as well except for the roof. Well, by doing this I also
locked the nose in place so I thought it best to get done on it what I wanted to do. You can see the Cannon &
Co. parts on it because they are darker gray. I had to buy a nose kit to get the brake pump detail. You cannot
see it all that good in this photo. What I had to do was trim the outer wall away from the recessed part and then
take down the thickness of the wall so the recess fit in the proper depth. I did all this on my mill. I assembled the
brake detail and then glued it all inside the nose.
The vent on the top of the nose is from the Cannon & Co. nose kit as well and so are the blank out plates. I
drilled the class lights out and then filed them till the blank out piece just barely fit in. On the blank out part, I cut
the rectangular area off the back and then stuck it in so the front edge just barely stuck out the nose. I then
applied a small amount of cement around it to melt the area so you will not see any edge. It is key o make the
opening a snug fit. Careful filing with a round file will do this. You want to remove only out to about the cast on
gasket. Also you can see I set in the grab irons.
locked the nose in place so I thought it best to get done on it what I wanted to do. You can see the Cannon &
Co. parts on it because they are darker gray. I had to buy a nose kit to get the brake pump detail. You cannot
see it all that good in this photo. What I had to do was trim the outer wall away from the recessed part and then
take down the thickness of the wall so the recess fit in the proper depth. I did all this on my mill. I assembled the
brake detail and then glued it all inside the nose.
The vent on the top of the nose is from the Cannon & Co. nose kit as well and so are the blank out plates. I
drilled the class lights out and then filed them till the blank out piece just barely fit in. On the blank out part, I cut
the rectangular area off the back and then stuck it in so the front edge just barely stuck out the nose. I then
applied a small amount of cement around it to melt the area so you will not see any edge. It is key o make the
opening a snug fit. Careful filing with a round file will do this. You want to remove only out to about the cast on
gasket. Also you can see I set in the grab irons.
Here you can see the brake detail better. Also if you look into the cab you can see the cab floor. It is split
around the gear tower. The sand hatch is the stock Athearn as well as the gyro light blank out plate. Be careful
when putting in this blank out plate. There is an up and down to it. There is a triangular bolt pattern on the face
of the plate. The single bolt is up.
around the gear tower. The sand hatch is the stock Athearn as well as the gyro light blank out plate. Be careful
when putting in this blank out plate. There is an up and down to it. There is a triangular bolt pattern on the face
of the plate. The single bolt is up.
Just a photo of the other side. Nothing to mention here.
Mr. Cannon has not yet put out a step kit for this model so I had to kitbash a set. I used sets #2004 and
#2009. From #2009 I used step #2 for the top step on my model. From #2004 I used step #2 for the bottom
step and step #1 for the middle step. You have to trim about 0.010" off the back end of the middle step for it to
fit in properly as well as take just a small amount off the angle. For the bottom step you have to take just a
small amount off the angle. I kept the cast in kick plate and took the kick plate off the Cannon & Co. steps. As
you can see, they fit nicely and look pretty good.
#2009. From #2009 I used step #2 for the top step on my model. From #2004 I used step #2 for the bottom
step and step #1 for the middle step. You have to trim about 0.010" off the back end of the middle step for it to
fit in properly as well as take just a small amount off the angle. For the bottom step you have to take just a
small amount off the angle. I kept the cast in kick plate and took the kick plate off the Cannon & Co. steps. As
you can see, they fit nicely and look pretty good.
A