Seattle & North Coast F7A #101: Update 5

SNCT #101 mostly completed.

Well, it has certainly been quite awhile since I last posted any updates. I do have a number of excuses though. I moved, I got a new job, I’m currently helping remodel a basement for a model railroad (not mine, unfortunately) the list actually goes on. I have been doing some modeling as well now that it’s no longer pleasant to be outside, what with the cold and the dark and all that. These photo’s are a little old, but I feel they deserve a more in depth explanation.

An Election Day Surprise… from Canada!

Railflyer Model Prototypes Wide cab photo-etch.

My latest shipment of Railflyer parts arrived yesterday. Included in this shipment were some really neat things I’ve been waiting on for awhile, like the Canadian wide cab photo-etch pictured above. Apart from the fact that the cab is a one-piece thin wall kit, the photo etch is whats really exciting about it. This new multi media approach lets modelers get into a level of realism and detail that hasn’t really been available before. I’ve labeled most of the parts in the photo above, though there were a few that I couldn’t identify, I’ll label them once Christopher tells me what they are. Possibly the coolest parts are the window gaskets, which are designed to fit right inside the openings on the plastic cab, not shown because it’s clear and I didn’t think it would photograph wellis a fret of laser cut clear plastic “glass” for the windows, number boards and wind deflectors. Check beyond the cut for a few other things I received

New Hood Door Kits from Railflyer!

One of the new Railflyer Hood Side kits mounted on styrene and posed on my BN 2154 GP38-2 walkway module.

One project I’ve been working on for awhile, but haven’t yet posted about or mentioned much, is the GP38-2/GP40-2 Hood Side kit that Railflyer is developing. I received the kit a few months back and assembled it in a few hours over a couple of weeks in August. It’s a very interesting and well thought out way to do engine room doors, and I’m looking forward to seeing how it will work with the Railflyer hood cores currently under development.

Railflyer Model Prototypes Construction Update, Part IV

BN 2154, now with tread!

I’m getting to a point with BN 2154 where it’s nearly done (as far as the Railflyer portion of the build is concerned. The tread and most underframe detail parts are on, and I assembled a test ditch light (which works!). So there’s just a few final things to add, and I’ll be at a stopping point. Of course I still need to add the air line and my piping, but I’m still doing research on that aspect. It’ll also be getting RFMP trucks, drive and hood, but that’s still down the line a bit.

Seattle & North Coast F7A #101: Update 4

The nose of SNCT F7A #101 with grabs and pilot steps.

My posts recently have been very Railflyer/second gen EMD oriented, so it’s about time I made a note of my progress on SNCT F7A #101. Not a lot has been done, but some of the major hurdles have now been cleared.

Canadian Cab!

Front quarter.

I received the plastic parts for the Canadian cab I ordered from Railflyer awhile ago, and just today sat down to take a really close look at them. There’s still a lot of photo-etch that is in production, which I haven’t yet received, but there’s enough here to get an idea of hwo this kit goes together.

Railflyer Model Prototypes Construction Update, Part III

My Railflyer GP Walkway Module with traction motor cables, bell and lots of fuel tank details added.

More progress has been made on BN 2154, not as much as I’d like, but since I’m taking my time and trying to determine the best assembly method for this stuff, a little delay won’t hurt.

Railflyer Model Prototypes Construction Update, Part II

A DP6053 pilot installed on the rear of my SD40-2 walkway module.

A new shipment of Railflyer parts arrived the other day. And with what little time I had over the weekend I managed to make a bit of progress on my SD walkway Module.

Railflyer Model Prototypes Construction Update

SD and GP walkway modules, almost fully assembled.

Work has progressed, albeit slowly, on the various Railflyer bits and pieces I’ve received so far. An in-law invasion last week, and various other commitments have limited my time at the benchwork, but since this stuff is all in kit form it doesn’t require that I waste any time brainstorming solutions to problems as I generally would were I working with a model from other manufacturers. As further inspiration, Ryan Harris has posted photo’s of his progress with two SD walkway modules: http://www.pbase.com/mecrharris/railflyer.

Railflyer Model Prototypes Detail Parts

DP-6052, the $12.49 Pilot plates I ordered from Railflyer, with which I’ll be able to exactly model the pilots on BN GP38-2 2154, without any modification, measuring, cutting, speaking with the Atlas parts department or other tedious activities.

I arrived home from work last night (at midnight) to find a long awaited package from Canada sitting on the porch. With all thoughts of sleep banished from my mind, I opened the box to find most of what I need to complete my two RFMP Walkway Modules. More photo’s and descriptions are under the cut.