Anyone have an idea of how to model the nose coupler cover on an E-8 locomotive? Or know of a drawing of such? I'm in N scale, but any kind of a diagram would do. Or a model magazone article. Thanks, Tom
Tom - The HO Proto 2000 E8's come with a nice set of clamshell doors to use as an option on the pilot. I've used them on two of my E8's that I always put in the lead position - SLSF 2016 and SLSF 2020. They look great. I don't know if the N-scale Proto 2000 E8's include these optional parts or not. If they do, there is your answer. Ken ps - I have a Rock Island Proto 2000 E6 as well - RI 628. It also has a solid pilot option which I installed. That really looks great - a true "Chislenose". ps#2 - The Frisco E8 painting diagram is a fairly decent scale drawing of an E8 (EMD drawing 8159004). It does show the clamshell doors and I think will provide a good guide for modeling them - it has top, side and front views. The Frisco remodeled E7 painting diagram (SLSF drawing 512A16226) also shows the pilot doors on it, though these are not clamshell shaped, but flat (though later on, it does appear that at least a few of the E7's received clamshell doors - not the same, but similar to the E8's).
On the Life-Like N scale version there aren't any covers because the couplers are too big. I think I can probably craft/carve one though. If the L-L E-8 was as nice as the HO, I'd just put a Z scale coupler on the nose and leave it open. (*) I might do some version of that anyway. I have E-8 scale drawings I can refer to. Tom (*) I've seen "HOers" (Not "w-h-o-r-e-s") do that, using an N scale coupler when a smaller would look better.
For the clam shells you might check a Walther's N/Z scale catalouge in the details section. As for the Z-Scale couplers, I saw a magazine article about it. They are supposed to be prototypical for N-Scale (like the Kadee #58 couplers for HO), but for me that sort of conversion is way too time consuming.
I've already done several Z couplers on diesel noses. Blind ends as well. I'll check their catalog. But my life's too short to try to bother with Walther's user-un-friendly website. I just use it to order only after I find the number in their paper catalog. I ordered a Frisco RS-2 there on sale just the other day. Tom
