My First HO Frisco Diesel

Discussion in 'Diesel Locomotives' started by Jim James, Mar 23, 2012.

  1. Jim James

    Jim James Staff Member Staff Member

    Just my luck. The shipping labels were mixed up and my SD40-2 went to someone else and I got their Walthers Sleeper passenger car. I gotta wait for a new address label to get things mailed to the right person and so on. Dang it.
     
  2. SAFN SAAP

    SAFN SAAP Member

    See! Ain't Karma a bee-otch! You're not supposed to have powered box cars!!!!!
     
  3. Jim James

    Jim James Staff Member Staff Member

    I'm thinking you may be right, Manny!
     
  4. Jim James

    Jim James Staff Member Staff Member

    I finally received my SD40-2 today! I think it's great because the SD40-2 has always been my favorite diesel. I like the fan detail. I think I need to paint the top railing white but do I need to correct any other details? It sure does growl at first.
     

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    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 16, 2012
  5. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    Jim, nice choice. I love the SD40-2 as well. As far as details I don't know of any other than the handrails. Athearn did a nice job detailing them. One thing I can can thing of is install a decoder, and a light in the gyrolight housing, and wire everything up so it works right a. I have had problems in the past with the Athearn running performance. Get some conductive contact lube. It helps a ton.

    Ethan
     
  6. Jim James

    Jim James Staff Member Staff Member

    Yes I could get a nice decoder with sound and it it already has the plug for it. Couldn't hardly be any simpler. It runs well around the Zalam Branch's 18" radius curves without any trouble. It certainly looks out of place on my layout.
     

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    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 16, 2012
  7. meteor910

    meteor910 2009 Engineer of the Year Staff Member Frisco.org Supporter

     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 12, 2012
  8. Jim James

    Jim James Staff Member Staff Member

    Thanks Ken. That's the stuff I needed to know. Part numbers and all!
     
  9. Jim James

    Jim James Staff Member Staff Member

    I bought the Details West #191 horns. My favorite hobby shop had one left but then I forgot to get orange paint for them. I bought the bell but found out it's already on the model. I'll do a search for a good paint match. I also bought a yellow Frisco 50' box car kit made by Roundhouse.
     
  10. SAFN SAAP

    SAFN SAAP Member

    OMG! Quick! Somebody grab the Holy Water and bring a 44 with a silver bullet. Jim has gone powered boxcar and on the Zalma Branch no less! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! [​IMG]
     
  11. gjslsffan

    gjslsffan Staff Member Staff Member

    Manny,
    I dont know where you come up with all those animation things you have but they are sure funny to me.

    Jim, you might consider using a couple of Details West PL130 Pilot Plows too, the Frisco had them on the Sd40-2's.
    As far as the paint match goes, that subject alone has started more debates than it has ever stopped. Just as info I included a couple photos.
    I will upload them and try to show what worked for me.

    The photo including the SD70. I painted with Model Masters Boyd Cottington Sunburst Orange over White.
    The Genesis GP 15-1 Is in factory Athearn "recent Orange" paint.
    Both un-weathered, and the SD70 has a Glossy finish.

    The SD38-2 in the other photo is also painted with Boyd Cottington Red over White, and is weathered a bit.
    The SD45 is a factory Athearn paint job with details added painted Boyd Cottington Red and weathered that unit weathered a bit.
    You could use the Chevy Red like has been said on many occasions, when you weather it, even a hint they bland together.
    Anyway I am not going to repaint any of these, what ever Red they have:D:D.
    Thanks
    Tom Holley
     

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    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 16, 2012
  12. meteor910

    meteor910 2009 Engineer of the Year Staff Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Yep! Tom is right - you will need two of the DW #130 plow pilots. Forgot all about those! My advanced age is showing.

    Regarding the issue of the correct shade of red/orange - the prototype units rarely were perfect matches either. EMD had their shade - which got darker (more red) on the GP40-2's. GE had their shade, and the Frisco re-paints had their shade. Then, all of them weathered differently, like any light color shade does.

    The model manufacturers are doing a much better job now of getting the "correct" shade on their models, so it is no longer the issue it once was, IMHO.

    Tom's locomotive fleet really looks good! Note he corrected the horn on his Genesis GP15-1, as the Athearn horn it comes with is bogus - looks like a five-chime, all forward Nathan. I've kept it on mine, so that when it runs with my heavily modified Walthers GP15-1, with all the correct details, I can say the Walthers looks better. Ha! FYI, they run well together as the Walthers is a very nice runner, and I no longer notice the too-red color shade Walthers used.

    Ken
     

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