Project Summary

I seem to have an affinity for repeating projects.  This is the third SPSF switcher that I have painted for my Meadow Subdivision in the last couple of years, which were preceded by other switchers that I was using for this part of the layout, not to mention the Athearn blue box kodachrome SW1500 that I bought back in the late 1990s.  I suppose it is all part of my attempt to nail down the perfect switcher for the Meadow Sub and I think I have finally got it.  I don't plan to paint another kodachrome for my layout in the near future... famous last words of course.

To recap, here are my recent projects since redirecting my layout to the SPSF Railway in 2012:

1. First I was going to use a pair of ex-Rock Island SW1500s, or an SW1500-SW1200 combo.  This idea was soon discarded because I felt that I had too much unrealistic and confusing Rock Island presence on the layout.  I wanted to revert to having the Rock Island exist as it really did, liquidated in 1980 and railroads like the ATSF and SP picking up the leftover pieces.
2. So then I scraped together an MP15DC, which I reasoned was an ex-Rock Island that the ATSF purchased from the estate.  This too was a bit of a stretch since the Rock Island never had MP15DCs (although they reportedly had a letter of intent in to EMD for an order of MP15s).  And since the MP15DC didn't have any SP details, I couldn't use it for that.  I ended up salvaging the parts for other projects.
3. Then I came up with the MP15AC idea as an ex-SP locomotive.  But then I decided this was too modern for my branchline and that an older switcher would fit my layout better.  So I sold this one.
4. Which leads us to the current SW1500 project.

As you can see, this has been a real struggle and perhaps I was overthinking all of this, but the result is that I now believe I have the perfect switcher for my layout.  What helped me in this quest for the perfect switcher is to go back to the basics and figure out what I really needed the switcher for. I have a pair of four-axle locomotives that handle the bulk of local switching in the area, so I didn't need something like a heavy hauler.  However, I do have a couple industries with short spurs that are difficult for the 4-axles to switch, so something small would be appropriate.  I have some miscellaneous work around the yard and diesel shops that a small switcher would be perfect for as well.  And I was looking for something that could switch out cars at the nearby ConAgra flour mill.

Looking at the prototype, I wanted something to represent the Southern Pacific, since I had a couple ex-ATSF locomotives, but nothing that showed the SP influence on my SPSF layout.  The SP would have brought 233 SW1500s to the merger, so that, plus the fact that you could obviously tell it was ex-SP with the light configuration and large numberboards, brought me to that decision.

The trick would be adding a CurrentKeeper, which I really wanted in this unit for it to be reliable.  I thought through it and figured I could get it to fit if I used a PNP circuit board Tsunami decoder.  Plus the tiny Mashima drive, which is a big plus for operations, leaves quite a bit of room in the shell.

Another thought was to look at another prototype, the BN/BNSF in my era and locale.  They operated a branchline across the Missouri River in Iowa that is similar to my branch, the ex-MILW Bayard Sub.  At the time, they were using SW1000s for switching in the Council Bluffs area.  So something like for my South Omaha/Bellevue area would fit well.

In conclusion, the SW1500 would be perfect because it was modern enough for my late-90s era, yet it would still be an older switcher that is appropriate for a branchline that doesn't get a lot of attention (less Class I like).  And the Athearn SW1500 is a really nice model and a smooth runner.  So onward with this latest project!

The Prototype

Since my SPSF Railway is a fantasy concept, I try to stick to the prototype as much as possible and not deviate from what really happened.  In real life, the SP painted two SW1500s, 2539 and 2575 (and four total switchers) in the kodachrome scheme.  It was an evolution of sorts and each locomotive had a slightly different take on the proposed merger paint scheme.  I decided to largely follow the SP 2575, but mix in the paint scheme from the SP 2700, the MP15DC that was the last kodachrome switcher to be painted.  These two locomotives shared the larger yellow bonnet on the front of the locomotive, small SP lettering, and a mostly red cab.  The MP15DC had a red front to the cab, so I used that on this project.

Here is a photo of the 2575 (by Rob Sarberenyi), which I found on the Espee Modeler's Archive website, for reference:

http://espee.railfan.net/picindex/kodachromes/2575rs_sp.html

Photos of SP 2575 helped me with lettering placement, size of the yellow bonnet, and data details.  I also found some photos of UP ex-SP SW1500s in my era to decide on details.  I decided to forego the ditch lights, which were just becomming required in my era, kept the MU cable/quasi-foot boards, and took out the extra SP lights based on looking at these photos.

The Model

I found an Athearn Southern Pacific SW1500 on the HO Yard Sale Facebook group.  The model is Athearn ATH96669, which is SP 2528, which came out in 2010.  I wanted to paint my own kodachrome for a few reasons.  The most important is that I wanted to get the coloring right and have it match the rest of my fleet.  Other reasons included the fact that I would need to reletter and renumber it, plus the weathering would involve me taking apart, so even if I started with a kodachrome SW1500, I would end up repainting it anyway.

Here's the innocent bystander at The Bellevue Station, just before disassembly and stripping of paint:

And here is a "test fit" of how I planned to place the Current Keeper with the Tsunami2 PNP sound decoder (similar in size to the Athearn circuit board).

Disassembly and Stripping Paint

The first step is to completely disassemble the model, which means taking off the details from the shell (which could get lost during stripping the paint and also need to be taken off during painting) and taking apart the trucks and drive.

The chassis and drive/truck components should look like this after disassembly:

And here is the shell, cab, and handrails soaking in a 91% isopropyl alcohol bath to gently remove the paint:

During this process, I place the small detail parts, including the window glazing, in a small plastic dish so they don't get lost and are easy to access for installing back on the shell later.  I ended up taking off the radiator grill while stripping the paint to get everything out of the grill area.  After I let these components soak in the bath for a few hours (I ended up leaving them in there for about a day), I gently scrub off the paint using an old toothbrush and clean it all off with warm water.  Athearn RTR paint comes off very easily this way.  I also scrubbed off as much paint from the handrails as I could (basically the white part of the handrails).

The final stripped result looked like this:

After stripping, I added on the rear cab steps, cable stand, drop steps, and MU coupler levers that I had taken off before, as shown in the photos.  I waited to add the windshield wipers and MU hoses until after the unit was painted.

Painting the Kodachrome

One of the most common questions that I get asked about my custom kodachrome paint jobs is how I do the curves.  I do not use the Microscale decals, since they don't exactly match the paint, and they don't have the part of the curve that is black on the top.  Instead, I made copies of the Microscale decal set 87-476 at 160%, then cut out the curves from that to use as templates for the blue tape masking.  Here is a video that I made showing the process:

Before that, I start with a primer paint, which is especially important when painting yellow and red.  I usually use SP Letter Gray.  I always use Badger ModelFlex paints when I can.  Here is what the shell looks like with the primer.

Here is what the masking looks like after painting the yellow and applying the warbonnet curves.

And here is the result after painting the red, black (including the frame and fuel tank), silver (trucks), and some touch-up paint:

Decals

The next step is applying the gloss coat for the decals.  For this one, I used all factory Microscale decals.  I used MC-4273 caboose decals for the SP and SF lettering, 87-12 ATSF diesels for the cab side numbers, 87-496 SPSF diesels for the numberboards and tiny red end numbers, and 87-527 EMD/GE diesel data for the data.  I wanted this to represent an older unit, so I went with the original kodachrome scheme with the railroad roman numbers and logo sans "Railway," as opposed to my modern changes that I have on a couple of my units.

Notes on the unit number: SPSF SW1500s were planned to be numbered 601-833.  I like the number seven, so I chose 752 because those were in order on the ATSF decal sheet.  (The other option was 789, which seems a little unoriginal.)  It's cool how they are the same three digits from 2575.  And it represents a mid-phase SP (as opposed to SSW) SW1500, similar to the 2528.

Weathering

I like to use pastels/chalks to weather my locomotives.  It allows me a little greater control than using paints, which I usually use for my freight cars.  The colors that I use the most are nut brown for dirt, white for fading the undercarriage (which gets beaten by the sand), gray for some grime/light soot, and black for soot/exhaust.  I used all four colors on the SW1500.  I wanted this one to look more used than my other locomotives, yet somewhat clean since it still gets taken care of and works close to the diesel shops.  In between pastel applications, I spray the shell with Rustoleum Frosted Glass, which helps fade the model.  Then I seal everything with Testors Dull Coat.  The outdoor sun helps everything dry between coats (which is at a premium this time of year).

DCC and Sound

As I mentioned earlier, I intended to use a SoundTraxx Tsunami2 PNP for this project, which is item number 885013.  I also purchased a sugar cube speaker and a CurrentKeeper, all from Streamlined Backshop Services.  Here is the equipment to install:

The PNP is really easy to install in the Athearn SW1500, although only one of the screw holes lines up with the frame.  For the other end, I used some double-sided foam tape, which helps keep it just above the Mashima motor.  The wires from the trucks install easily without have to adjust the wires and I reused the incandescent bulbs, of which I only needed to use half of the bulbs that came with the model since I took out the extra SP-style lights.

Here is what it looks like with everything installed:

Then I gave it a test and programmed the decoder.  I use JMRI to program with my NCE Power Pro system and it was a little trickier than usual with this model.  I couldn't get it to work on the programming track or with JMRI, so I had to program the new number, 752, using programming on the main.  After that, I was able to program everything else with JMRI programming on the main.  However, JMRI did not have the CV to change the EMD motive power option (CV 123), so I had to do that with the NCE cab as well.

Here is a photo testing it out:

Now it is time to see if everything fits under the shell... and it didn't.  With the CurrentKeeper on top of the Tsunami2 PNP, I had about half a scale foot too much under the shell.  So I voided the CurrentKeeper warranty by removing the purple wrapping and then I filed a little width off the circuit board to get that half foot.  Then it worked!

Here are some photos of how it looks like with everything tucked in:

After this, I used silicone adhesive to secure the incandescent bulbs back in the locomotive, as well as the sugar cube speaker.

Unfortunately, after a few minutes of testing the locomotive, the speaker started sounding very scratchy.  I tested it with another speaker, and it sounded fine, so at least the decoder is ok.  I emailed Streamlined Backshop Services to see what the problem could be.  So even though I am basically done at this point, it looks like I will need to swap out the speaker.

Finished Photos

Here are some finished photos.  When I resolve the speaker issue, I'll post a video.  Hope you enjoyed this kodachrome custom painting project!

Looks great!

That looks great Eric!  Your custom painting is really first rate!

Amazing work!

That looks fantastic! Thanks for sharing!

Wow

I like your work, you did great on this locomotive.

But most of all, I love your concept for the layout, where the SP/AT&SF merger went through. Great idea!

Great job Eric

I really enjoy your step by step discussions. This would be a wonderful article. Thank you for sharing. 

Superb

Sweet looking motor !!! Excellent job !!

Yellow?

Which yellow did you use?

Thanks!

Thanks for the compliments, Joe, SD90, and Nick!

Thomas - glad you liked the step by step, and I agree that it would make a nice article.

Lee, glad you like the concept, it is a lot of fun to model!

nydepot, I used Badger ModelFlex ATSF Yellow.

Nice work!

Eric, that's great work to produce an interesting and distinctive paint scheme.

I rarely saw any of those short-lived Kodachrome schemes in the real world. This may be my only photo of one:

Thumbs up

Nice work, Eric. Used but not abused.  The low-angle ground level shots are especially effective. How many cars in the 752 good for in regular service?

Thanks!

Thanks, Ace and Graham Line!

That is a nice photo of an old SP SD, Ace!  I was able to catch photos of ex-ATSF C30-7s in BNSF lease service, but that's it...

Graham Line, I agree about the ground level shots.  I like trying for photos that a railfan would take if he/she were on my layout as a 1/87 scale person.  I haven't tested the pulling load of the 752 yet... I'll definitely give it a try soon.

And an update regarding the speaker, I tried turning down the volume, but it was still scratchy.  I ordered a slightly larger sugar cube speaker, 11X15 mm, so hopefully that fixes the scratchy sound and it should still fit easily in the shell.

It's a long shot, but...

...If the speaker that is sounding scratchy is below the etched metal radiator grilles, perhaps that metal is where the scratchiness is coming from.  I have a Rapido GMD 1 (yes, different loco and manufacturer, but they share the same prototypical GM Switcher style radiator grille arrangements)  that had a similar issue, the sounds had a slight "tinny" echo and almost a vibration to them.  Upon VERY close inspection, one corner of the radiator grille on top had come loose, presumably by my rough handling (or my 7 year old!). I found it by carefully pressing down on various parts of the engine until it stopped, and discovered it was the top grille, where it bends down around the side and attaches. A small corner had come away from the side of the model.  I was able to carefully bend the grille back into place and with a dab of ACC, fix it into place.  That seemed to eliminate the sound issue for me!  Your results may vary...but it's a shot. It could be rattling against the capacitors in the keep alive...maybe some foam tape would help...

I understand the frustration.  My wife rolls her eyes often because i'm the one that will STOP a car when we are driving if I hear something rattling around in the back.  Noise like that will drive a man insane, and force him to play with model trains all day!

Also, I have to say, I appreciate the time you take to make these tutorials, and your masking template idea is just what I was looking for for my proto-freelanced pike as well.  Your layout signage, and displays on the fascia really tie it into a cohesive "look" that is very convincing!  Keep up the good work (and sharing it with us).

Thanks

DRLOCO, thanks for the thought on the metal radiator grill; however, it is definitely the speaker.  I tried turning the volume up and down and the scratchiness would get louder and quieter depending on how loud I had it.  And it is a really awful scratchy sound, like scraping something against the ground, so it couldn't be something on the shell.  It's so awful that I have to turn it off after listening to it for a minute.

Thanks for the compliments on the tutorial video and the look of the layout!  I really like making the videos and will plan to keep that up.

Finished (Again)!

The new speaker arrived last weekend, so I got to work replacing the smaller sugar cube with the larger one.  I have tested it quite a bit and it still sounds nice, so I think this one works.  Here is a short video of it running:

Since the speaker was a little larger than the one before, I decided to file down the metal tab on the front of the frame a little, just to be sure it didn't touch the locomotive.  I also decided to take a razor blade and shave off some plastic on the underside of the shell (you can see where the paint is missing in the below photo).  This would give a little more room for the CurrentKeeper.  When I put the shell back on, it fit much better.

Here are a couple photos showing how the decoder, CurrentKeeper, and new speaker are installed.

And some photos of it as I was testing it out near its stomping grounds at the Bellevue Station.  Naturally, the testing attracted the neighborhood railfan.

Railfan figure

Great detail, one that very few layouts ever have.

Thanks!

Thanks, Lee!  That one is from my late friend Ron's layout and was always a favorite when I visited his layout, so I am glad I got it and can use it on mine.