dibber25 Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 I've just spent half an hour doing a post about this - in the wrong section - and it seems to have disappeared. Prompted by a £39.99 Walthers F40PH from Model Junction I've set about creating on of the VIA rebuilds with the body extended over the rear platform. I had trouble finding rear view photos on the internet. There were only two, 6400 which was the first rebuild and retained the rear platform (subsequently wrecked and broken up) and a rather distant view of 6444, which was in the recent Burlington crash. I didn't want to model either of those so I got a friend to take some shots for me when the opportunity arose. She got me some good views of the rear of 6416. The pics show the work so far, with 30thou styrene sheet for the revised rear end, after sawing off the body end but not the platform. The filler had only just been applied so it looks a bit messy. The winterisation hood is from Ericparts. The cab roof has been sanded ready for the air con box. Someone makes a suitable fitting but I can't get hold of one, so I'll make my own. The US-style lights were removed with a knife and file. Two sets of triple horns will be needed and a third light in the nose end. I'll try to post more pictures as the job progresses. CHRIS LEIGH Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibber25 Posted April 1, 2012 Author Share Posted April 1, 2012 Apparently the end platform/side doors rebuild was something to do with the aftermath of 9/11. My friend says it's not a great idea as they used the end door/platform for access to the baggage car and it had a lock and sensors for security. Looks to me like they needed extra equipment space for whatever is mounted on the roof above the doors. Have now done all the conversion work that I plan to do - the rear end, the cab roof air-con pod and the front light alterations. I haven't tried to move the mid-side door on the left side which seems to have been moved one panel further back on the rebuilds. I figured I'd too easily ruin the side of the model, for very little gain. Resprayed using aerosols - British Racing Green metallic. Car paints are not ideal but there's no VIA 'Ren' green available in the UK, I don't fancy trying to bring it and the necessary thinner in by air (even if it is available in Canada) so I opted for trying to get as close as I could with a car colour. It's not easy to match, either, because by the time a shot of the real thing has been through camera, computer and printer, it's a completely different shade from the real thing, anyway! In fact, so much of the green is covered by the grey and yellow decals that it doesn't look too bad in the end. Micro-Sol is essential for settling the decals down over the raised details. CHRIS LEIGH Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibber25 Posted April 2, 2012 Author Share Posted April 2, 2012 More progress: alterations done, handrail holes drilled, horns, antenna and air-conditioning pod added. British Racing green metallic was used for the main paintwork and is the least satisfactory aspect of the whole job. However, it had to be an aerosol as I've lost my airbrush compressor (probably at some point during the house move two years ago) and there is not much choice in green car colours. I've started to apply the Microscale decals but before I go any further I need Micro-Sol to make them settle down over all that raised detail. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibber25 Posted April 4, 2012 Author Share Posted April 4, 2012 Adding the decals certainly starts to 'lift' the model. Not easy to get the decals to lie down over all those raised details. will be necessary to retouch the exposed rivet heads. Once the main yellow/grey decal is in place and dry, a second layer of decals has to be added. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
doctor quinn Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 Nice modelling, Chris, the green looks to be a pretty good match. Nick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerald Henriksen Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 Apparently the end platform/side doors rebuild was something to do with the aftermath of 9/11. My friend says it's not a great idea as they used the end door/platform for access to the baggage car and it had a lock and sensors for security. Looks to me like they needed extra equipment space for whatever is mounted on the roof above the doors. The removal of the end platform was necessary as they added a separate HEP generator during the rebuild, which is much more fuel efficient than taking HEP off of the main engine. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibber25 Posted April 5, 2012 Author Share Posted April 5, 2012 The removal of the end platform was necessary as they added a separate HEP generator during the rebuild, which is much more fuel efficient than taking HEP off of the main engine. That makes sense, I recall being told that they had to put concrete in the nose to balance up the weight of the new generator. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibber25 Posted April 10, 2012 Author Share Posted April 10, 2012 The rebuilt 6416 entered service on April 10 complete with TCS decoder. For a £40 loco, and a few evening's work, I'm quite pleased with it. Could have done with the big decals settling down a little tighter but by trying to force them I was on the limits of making holes in them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibber25 Posted April 11, 2012 Author Share Posted April 11, 2012 Finished off by painting the orange light on the cab roof, the multiple-working sockets (some of which are placed differently from correct Canadian practice) and 'Glue-andGlazed' the new rear doors. Makes a big improvement. Now to tackle the 6404 which will remain in original condition and livery but needs various mods including winterisation hood, repositioned horns, all grab irons etc and third front light. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 Super, Chris! Thank you very much for sharing. Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 Definately! Looks excellent! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjgardiner Posted May 1, 2012 Share Posted May 1, 2012 Nice work, defintiely captures the feel of the rebuilt F40's on Via. For more on modelling Canadian F40's, including canadian specific detail parts and info, there is a website run by a guy in Winnipeg (i think) with loads of information on the VIA Rail f40's. http://www.execulink.com/~railbus/ Cheers Stephen Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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