Sow's Ear Part Zero: Prior Projects

This didn't start out as a Program of improvement, just a few seemingly random improvement projects. Little did I know where it was leading...

1. ATSF E-6 as it appeared in the 30s and 40s.

I was not documenting builds when I did this. Always loved the EMD cab units,  since riding behind them on the Chief in 1962. Decided in 2018 I had to have one. Found someone else's unfinished project on eBay, an AHM E8 chassis and a Bowser cast metal prewar E unit body. Microscale decals, paint, LED lighting, and a few detail parts, voila! I am biased, but I can't think of a better looking diesel locomotive. 

2. ATSF FP7. The result of going down the prototype detail rabbit hole. As I have a collection of ATSF lightweight passenger cars for both the various "Chiefs" and the postwar hi-level El Capitan, I naturally discovered that ATSF didn't use thise beautiful E units on many of those trains, feeling that the shorter bulldog nosed F units provided better performance on those routes. So I looked for an F on a budget. This is a Bachmann (made in China) F unit with a too toy-like appearance which I could "accurize".

The too-small decals, cast on grabirons, etc. woukd have to go. Which means new paint on the nose. Filed off those nose grabirons,

 repainted, 

Micro-Scale decals, 

a new set of grabirons hand bent from 

.015 wire, 

and number boards via homebrew decals. Should have printed them on white rather than clear,  in retrospect. 

NOTE: I have come to understand that these were delivered with a single headlight, and were shortly after converted to have a second as shown here:

(picture courtesy of railfans.net)

I will not be making that conversion ;-)

Here it is shown on the old layout, in situ, as it were:

3. Union Pacific FP7

This project of converting a vintage Life Like F unit to a UP F7 has been covered here.

She still needs an anti-glare nose and number boards added.