Painting

The SW1500 was an Athearn blue box that I had gotten from a friend and was painted in his fantasy road scheme.  I was a little hesitant to strip off the paint from something that he had done, but it is going to be more useful now.  The locomotive was originally numbered 125, so I chose UP 1025 as the prototype, which is one of the ex-NS SW1500s that UP leased beginning just before my 1998 era.

First I stripped the locomotive is 91% isopropyl alchohol.

Then I added a few more details, including ditch lights, coupler cut levers, and a firecracker antenna. I also added new holes for RTR plastic handrails and puttied up the old ones.  Then I painted it primer gray.

Then I painted it in UP Armor Yellow and UP Harbour Mist Gray.

Then I added the handrails and the white trim.

Next up are the decals.

Weathering and Operation

I added a very small amount of weathering because this unit is so new, which would also help it stand out from the dirtier GP38-2.  I used newer RTR trucks and added an RTR circuit board and lights and used a SoundTraxx mobile decoder plug to just control the lights.  Since the engine is the same as the GP38-2 (a non-tubo EMD 645), and I already have the GP15-1 with its sound, I decided to leave this as a soundless dummy.

I also finished up a Bluford Shops transfer caboose to go along with the transfer.

I have fun fixing up old Blue

I have fun fixing up old Blue Box units also. Great job.

Thanks!

Yes, most of the blue box shells are pretty good.  Actually, I like most of them better than the RTR units, which seem a little too fragile.