Union Pacific 1996 Olympic Torch Relay train

[spruslayer]

Thanks to E-bay and my self inflicked obsessive compulsive disorder i have aquired 2 Kato SD40-2 snoot nose Locos and will atempt to turn then into the 1996 Olympic torch relay train.Microscale has the decals for the locos but the next hurdle will be making the flat rail car that had the torch.
Other than scratch building the car body from the ground up would anyone have a suggestion on a n scale car that could be bashed into the torch car?
Here is some photos of what i am atempting to do
torch car.jpgtorch car1.jpgtorch car2.jpg
And of course what Spruslayer post would be complete with out checking in on Hild's antics
Today we find Hilda serenading the wild life with a soothing melody
hilda guitar.jpg

[Intermodalman]

Just as a heads up, it might be easier to to the 2002 train. There's prints readily available for the torch car

[spruslayer]

Thank you Inter modal man
In searching for the 2002 torch car I found a 1996 torch car on etsy
Now to figure out the 5 passenger cars in the consist
Looks like my spring project is a go ��

[el Gato Gordo]

Today we find Hilda serenading the wild life with a soothing melody
hilda guitar.jpg

Shouldn't she be playing a harmonica?

[spruslayer]

I think Hilda is a girl with many talents
��

[bobo1160]

oh my ...

[ChicagoNW]

Found something on Etsy. UP MOW cars, at $80 apiece not friendly kitbash fodder. But looking at those cars reveled a possible car base. Depressed well container cars. They have the blocky construction and low trucks plus, with the shipping companies constantly lengthening the containers, the well cars become obsolete fairly quickly. Freeing them for MOW and other duties.

[spruslayer]

I have found a 3D printed 96 Olympics car and decals on Etsy. I ordered it this morning along with the trucks and couplers.
Its a print to order deal so it will be several weeks before it will ship. The 2 SD40-2 shoots should be here by Saturday so I can work on the painting.
Now I'm looking for better pics of the 5 passenger cars in the consist. UP has a page on their site with what looks like a computer rendering of the train thats not very good, it shows the locos with 3 axel trucks on the front and 2 Axel trucks in the rear
ppl

[ChicagoNW]

The passenger cars may be part of their executive fleet. Many of the cars are formerly C&NW exec train.

[spruslayer]

I now have the 2 loco victims for my Oylmpic train
A quick question for the trainiacks
dose the "ref" sticker on the bottom of the fuel tank indicate a refurbished model?
The person i bought it from on E-slay advertised it as brand new with no mention of factory refurbish.
olympic train 4.jpgolympic train 5.jpg

[donzi]

Dunno...might it be the last owner’s initials so he could keep track of it at a club layout?
I did not know that Kato sells refurbished locos.
I’ve never seen refurbs advertised on their site.
I guess it’s possible someone else refurbished it.

[kingmeow]

To the best of my knowledge, no Kato refurbs. Never seen them, never purchased one, never saw one advertised as such. I know Kato themselves do not sell refurbs.

[spruslayer]

Moving along with the Oylmpic train project,todays progress includes disassembeling and striping the paint.The paint Kato uses is some tough stuff,after soaking overnite in 91% alcohole, it only removed the lettering. So two 30 munuet sessions in the ultrasonic cleaner still left most of the paint on i broke out the Bakin soda blaster to finish the job.
Tommorow ill try and get the primer on.The grey was not paint but it is molded in the grey color so i may try to leave it as is.
And in other devolopments,Being a fair day here in the low 60s Hilda thoght it a fine time to do some maintainance on the barn.

olympic train 9.jpgHilda painting.jpg

[spruslayer]

The Post girl delivered the Olympic train torch car and i have freed it from the supports it was surrounded in
This is a 3D resin print i found on Etsy.Had a senior moment and cut off two of the speakers on one end but i was able to find them and will glue them back on
The car and a set of decals was crazy money but the quality and detail is excellant.
The paint work on the SD40-2s is colplete and will start to decal them tommorow
And today we find Hilda scaling the mountain and having a wardroab mishap on the way up,modesty is not on Hilda's top ten list of personality traits
olympic train 30.jpgolympic train 31.jpg
hilda mountain climb.jpg

[spruslayer]

Its been fair weather here the last couple days so i was able to work in the garage. I have milled the frame on the SD40-2 snoot to be able to mount one of the speakers in the fuel tank,the other will go on the top of the rear part of the frame under the led.I only did one incase this turns into a disaster. I have started to decal the bodies and have encountered some issues.Firstly the white stripe that gose down the side under the walkway is 5/8" short.Secondly, the decals that are on the front and back with the multi color design......the first one i tried to apply disentagrated so now i have to try to have some copies made of the ones i havent used yet.Theres a mom and pop printing shop about 4 blocks away so ill give them a call monday and see if they print a replacement, i would use my copier but the decal has white in it and my inkjet printer cant do white
Heres a few shots of the frame
In other developments,after finding out how much i spent on trains this month, the beter half is preparing my sleeping quarters.

olympic train 32.jpgolympic train 33.jpgolympic train 34.jpg
doghouse.jpg

[spruslayer]

Today i have the decoder installed with 2 speakers and the LEDs on the AUX 1,2 outs.Took a chance on some speakers from Digi-key that are 9mm X 16MM ten pack that was $16 deivered to the door. They sound every bit as good as the dedacated name brand train speakers that cost ^ or more dollars each. The only cavet is that i have to build the speaker box but im good with that.Heres a linkie if anyone would like to check them out
https://www.digikey.com/en/products/...LA-8B/13683680
olympic train 35.jpg

[spruslayer]

This is the 1996 SD40-2 olympic train finished
The decal job is rough and i have to get the body together better but it is what it is
The 1886 Is painted and decaled but im waiting on the decoder to be delivered.
In other developmants we find Hilda Taking a break from her daily chores
olympic train 36.jpgolympic train 37.jpgolympic train 38.jpg
hilda sleeping.jpg

[thebaldylox]

both the ETSY models are my designs. They print fantastic and I've got the custom decals to go with both models. the 96 has to torch columns and if you have steady hand and eyes the raised version has the lettering. the 02 had a 2nd cauldron as well that can be fitted with a LEGO fire piece and illuminated from underneath with a light source. the deck has all the highlight can lights open to all fiber or micro led too.

good kits

[spruslayer]

Moving along with this project ,i have the torch car done. Not shown is the torch flame in the extended position
I have been gathering passenger cars for the 18 car consist and will start to paint and decal them
olympic train 41.jpgolympic train 42.jpgolympic train 43.jpg

[el Gato Gordo]

Excellent, @spruslayer! Very well done.