Well I've finally settled in enough to start modeling again. In June I moved from Colorado to Illinois, so life's been a little hektik. Still don't have a work area set up, but I've been moving my plate-glass work-surface from table to table. While rummageding through some stored stuff I found a older bachmann F7 B-unit and decided to strip it and rework it as a BN F7B. Figured this would be an easy project to do. Basicly removed the end over-hangs, added back-up lights, installed wire grabs, shaved down the skirts, and painted and decaled. Still need to order stirrup steps and scratch build a new chassis(Original Bachmann chassis has an improper fuel tank and trucks are too far inward). This is a project that doesn't hold a great value to me, but instead is a valueable tool in honing skills. I will be finishing the scratchbuilt gondola with a paint job, decals, and weighted load. I also have a new article in the works, its how to take a cheap car (life-like) and turn it into a Quailty car. I'm also gonna do a mini-how-to on how I make my grab irons. so plenty to see in the future.
until later, Joe
Looks pretty decent
Joe, your B unit brings back a lot of memories. I used to live in and around the Vancouver Washington area. I saw a lot of B units pass by and saw them in the shop area too. At the end of the lives of the F units, a lot of them looked like your model does. NICE WORK!!
By the by, Vancouver was a mecca for ALCO units, most of the Alco's got serviced there.
Jacko
Great work, looks like it's
"mecca for ALCO units"