|
bkoch
Switcher
Status:
offline
| |
 Posted - October 05 2008 : 9:16:59 PM
|
Did Tyco ever make a caboose to go with the GT Alco 430? If so, what color was it? I know the locomotives are in short supply, but I've never seen a GT caboose.
|
Country:  USA ~
Posts: 47 ~
Member Since: February 04 2008 ~
Last Visit: March 22 2021
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - April 19 2009 : 6:53:55 PM
|
Those are beautifully done handrails. If there are cabooses I can't remember seeing them. I have one GT Alco, MIB, and one that I have worked on and run, and it would look great with nice handrails like yours.
Alco Fan
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 2496 ~
Member Since: August 03 2006 ~
Last Visit: December 06 2021
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
bkoch
Switcher
Status:
offline
| |
Posted - April 20 2009 : 7:15:12 PM
|
Hi, and thanks! This is actually a repaint (if you couldn't tell already) of a former Rock Island 430. I haven't been able to find an original GT yet. Below is a photo of it during handrail fabrication.
I recommend buying some 0.020" music wire to make your own handrails because the stock ones aren't always quite right. You know, if the angles aren't in just the right places, you can get some strain and buckling of the rails.
Form the handrails with needle nose pliers and install them to check for fit and alignment. Then take them off, but leave the stanchions in their respective positions on the rails. Paint everything so that you have coverage of the areas that won't be accessible when the handrails are on the locomotive. Keep the paint thin, though, because you will still need to slide the stanchions around a bit to get them back into place. Wrap your locomotive in one layer of plastic wrap, then re-install the handrails by poking the stanchions through the wrap. Make sure everything is straight (use some CA here and there to hold it if necessary). Paint again to even out the color and repair any installation damage. Pull the plastic wrap off around the stanchions and you're done. It's a fair amount of work, but completely worth it. I've used Testor's Model Master flat or Series 1 gloss enamels for all my handrails so far.
I posted a photo of all three of 430's with painted handrails on Brianstyco's Siver Streak post from Feb 18. Right now I'm working on handrails for a Chessie 630, and a Super Spirit of '76 630. The tough part for the Chessie is matching that Vermillion Orange, but I think I'm getting close. I'll post some pics when they're done.
Regards,
Brian
quote:Those are beautifully done handrails. If there are cabooses I can't remember seeing them. I have one GT Alco, MIB, and one that I have worked on and run, and it would look great with nice handrails like yours.
Originally posted by Alco Fan-April 19 2009: 6:53:55 PM
|
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 47 ~
Member Since: February 04 2008 ~
Last Visit: March 22 2021
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - April 20 2009 : 9:27:28 PM
|
Wow. as alcofan said, beautiful handrails. I'll try the music wire method.
-Jacob
Quote: "I didn't fail, I just found 1200 materials that won't work"
-Thomas Edison
Edited by - Dorptrains on April 20 2009 9:28:19 PM
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 232 ~
Member Since: March 29 2009 ~
Last Visit: March 22 2010
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - April 20 2009 : 9:56:24 PM
|
Excellent work, Brian. Those look much better than the stock handrails. Athearn blue boxes sometimes needed some tweaking as well.
The Tyco Depot
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 3927 ~
Member Since: June 20 2007 ~
Last Visit: November 19 2015
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - April 21 2009 : 5:37:23 PM
|
bkoch,
That is a terrific custom paint job on the GT clone. I thought it was original. Look out ebay. The paint looks factory and I'm sure some will say better than factory and are right. Crisp handrails too.
I painted my driver GT Alco's handrails cause yours looked so nice. Mine are OK and I may post a pic.
Care to share the GT paint details? BTW just paint up a Tyco caboose in GT ,don't wait for one.
I had to strip the weathering, you can see some on the pilots. I bent some of the handrails from .022 I thought.
My pic was an attempt to imitate yours in a complementary fashion.
Alco Fan
Edited by - Alco Fan on April 21 2009 7:47:00 PM
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 2496 ~
Member Since: August 03 2006 ~
Last Visit: December 06 2021
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - April 21 2009 : 7:38:09 PM
|
Excellent handrails guys. Very nice! 
    
- Matt -
|
Country:  Canada ~
Posts: 1021 ~
Member Since: August 24 2008 ~
Last Visit: January 05 2020
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
bkoch
Switcher
Status:
offline
| |
Posted - April 21 2009 : 11:20:56 PM
|
Alcofan,
Those handrails look great! That's a nice original GT.
After a lot of experimentation, I ended up lightening Testor's 1111 Dark Blue with 1145 White to get the right color. It's difficult, though, because when you see Grand Trunk Blue in the field it's appearance varies a lot as it goes through the various stages of weathering. I looked at a lot of photos and even talked to a guy who had pulled a paint chip from one sitting in a yard! I quickly became convinced that there was no pre-mixed color on the market that hit it on the nose. I'm not sure if I got it right either, but I finally gave up and just painted it. Sometimes it seems like Tyco used a paint that was nearly gray, but the blue on yours seems right to me. That is, it would certainly fit into the spectrum of Grand Trunk Blue that you would see in real life.
I airbrushed the blue, then masked the ends and primed them white. I have found that Tyco always used white primer under light colors to keep them bright and even. I mixed Testor's 1127 Orange and 1103 Red to get good match for Morency Orange and applied that, then added the white stripes. The great thing about Testors paints is that they give a finish that is comparable to the original Tyco paint. If you're a Tyco fan, you have to love that outlandishly glossy finish, right?
I finshed with decals from Microscale, set #87-650. As you would expect with their decals, they're nice and thin yet perfectly opaque.
I guess it seems like I lavished a lot of attention on this one, but I had to. I live in the heart of Grand Trunk country and I pass under a bridge every day on my way to work that heralds the "Grand Trunk Western Railroad" in faded, almost illegible letters.
Thanks for all of the positive feedback and the suggestion to repaint a caboose. I think I will do just that.
Brian
[quote]bkoch,
That is a terrific custom paint job on the GT clone. I thought it was original. Look out ebay. The paint looks factory and I'm sure some will say better than factory and are right. Crisp handrails too.
I painted my driver GT Alco's handrails cause yours looked so nice. Mine are OK and I may post a pic.
Care to share the GT paint details? BTW just paint up a Tyco caboose in GT ,don't wait for one.
I had to strip the weathering, you can see some on the pilots. I bent some of the handrails from .022 I thought.
My pic was an attempt to imitate yours in a complementary fashion.
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 47 ~
Member Since: February 04 2008 ~
Last Visit: March 22 2021
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - April 22 2009 : 05:58:19 AM
|
bkoch,
BTW excellent pics as well. Love the glossy "Tyco" finish. What are you cloning next?
Thanks for responding.
Alco Fan
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 2496 ~
Member Since: August 03 2006 ~
Last Visit: December 06 2021
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
bkoch
Switcher
Status:
offline
| |
Posted - June 01 2009 : 6:37:37 PM
|
Hi Alco Fan. Here is the finished Super Spirit of '76 with painted handrails. Chessie 630 is up next.
quote:bkoch,
BTW excellent pics as well. Love the glossy "Tyco" finish. What are you cloning next?
Thanks for responding.
Originally posted by Alco Fan-April 22 2009: 05:58:19 AM
|
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 47 ~
Member Since: February 04 2008 ~
Last Visit: March 22 2021
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - June 01 2009 : 8:34:17 PM
|
Awesome. You repainted this? Is this a clone? How did you protect the decals. Sweet!
Alco Fan
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 2496 ~
Member Since: August 03 2006 ~
Last Visit: December 06 2021
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - June 01 2009 : 9:26:00 PM
|
Amazing work...so clean and shiny looking! 
- Matt -
|
|
Country: Canada ~
Posts: 1021 ~
Member Since: August 24 2008 ~
Last Visit: January 05 2020
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
bkoch
Switcher
Status:
offline
| |
Posted - June 02 2009 : 10:59:33 PM
|
Thanks! It's a partial repaint. I painted around the base of the long hood where the white didn't quite cover completely. I also removed a lot of red overspray by buffing with a cleaner wax. Finally, I sanded and repainted the cab roof because it had some huge pieces of debris caught in the original paint that looked like carpet fibers.
The decals were loose and split, but completely intact. I used some Micro Sol to soften them and get them to lay down smoothly, then sealed them with a coat of Micro Gloss.
quote:Awesome. You repainted this? Is this a clone? How did you protect the decals. Sweet!
Originally posted by Alco Fan-June 01 2009: 8:34:17 PM
|
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 47 ~
Member Since: February 04 2008 ~
Last Visit: March 22 2021
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
 Posted - June 02 2009 : 11:51:57 PM
|
Hi Guys,
That is some GREAT work you have done there. The only thing I have tried my hand at repainting is my Hot wheels and matchbox cars for my layout. I take that back, I did paint a Tyco caboose green for Christmas one year. Whoever had It before me slopped alot of silver paint on it so I had to do something.
Mike
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 790 ~
Member Since: April 30 2006 ~
Last Visit: July 21 2015
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - June 27 2009 : 06:18:20 AM
|
Great tip about wrapping the shell in plastic to add the handrails.
Terrific 630 restoration!
Alco Fan
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 2496 ~
Member Since: August 03 2006 ~
Last Visit: December 06 2021
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
bkoch
Switcher
Status:
offline
| |
Posted - August 12 2009 : 11:32:38 PM
|
Hi Alcofan. Here's the next installment in the painted-handrail Alco 630 series. This Chessie was a tough one - it was all about matching the orange. I experimented over a series of weeks and finally settled on a mixture of Testor's FS12197 International Orange and 1127 Orange. It's darn close to the Tyco color. In fact, I sanded and re-sprayed a couple of spots with it. The orange stripe on the side of the cab facing the camera had been badly re-touched with a brush at the factory and there was a chip in the orange stripe at the bottom edge of the cab. I'm surprised at how the repairs just disappeared.
I primed those spots and the handrails with straight-up Testor's 1169 Flat Yellow, which contributes a lot to the brightness of the orange topcoat. I also enhanced the paint elsewhere, by cleaning the factory orange overspray off of the blue paint (a very common problem with this locomotive), masking and repainting the Chessie System logo, and touching up the yellow at the base of the long and short hoods to give a nice crisp line between it and the blue walkway. I have a couple of nice Chessie SD-24's that I really like, but I think this one is my new favorite.
Up next is the D&H 630 shown below. Obviously it'll be much easier than the Chessie, but probably not as rewarding. I've got an older ICG 630 with the darker orange paint scheme waiting its turn as well.
Regards,
Brian
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 47 ~
Member Since: February 04 2008 ~
Last Visit: March 22 2021
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - August 13 2009 : 12:02:51 AM
|
are you using the stock tyco stanchions? your handrail jobs are awesome. great eye to color match like that too. i love those 630's.
jerry
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 553 ~
Member Since: January 14 2009 ~
Last Visit: August 29 2020
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
bkoch
Switcher
Status:
offline
| |
Posted - August 13 2009 : 9:30:25 PM
|
Thanks Jerry. Yes, they are the stock stanchions. So far I haven't found a good substitute that installs without modification of the mounting holes.
Regards,
Brian
quote:are you using the stock tyco stanchions? your handrail jobs are awesome. great eye to color match like that too. i love those 630's.
Originally posted by smokie-August 13 2009: 12:02:51 AM
|
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 47 ~
Member Since: February 04 2008 ~
Last Visit: March 22 2021
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - August 14 2009 : 2:04:15 PM
|
Whoa, how did I miss all the follow-ups to this? Your work is amazing! As if the handrails weren't sharp enough, I'm even more impressed with the touch-ups and paint matching. Really well done!
I've paint-matched one unit, for a custom. I made a "catfish" (Chessie Shark, yay for puns) in the vein of what Tyco might/should have. The colors were almost pure dumb luck and by now I can't remember what I used for the vermillion. Some mix of SP daylight orange and a little more red and possibly yellow, I think. Custom decals and a little bit of oversrpay and edge fuzz in the right places, and I think it looks pretty convincing.
I have a Canadiana Shark shell that was an absolute basket case, chewed by a dog. I have filed and filled all the holes and will need to paint-match it soon to finish the restoration. But that's a project still off for the future.
I think I will definitely have to paint my handrails now, though. Thanks for sharing.
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 2175 ~
Member Since: July 15 2006 ~
Last Visit: January 31 2010
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - August 14 2009 : 5:22:09 PM
|
how about a The Rock or Route Rock paint scheme? 
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 14689 ~
Member Since: February 23 2009 ~
Last Visit: April 19 2024
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - August 14 2009 : 6:25:01 PM
|
if you try a set on a golden eagle, please be sure to right down what you use. that's the only thing keeping me from putting handrails on the two i have. i think they would look good gold or blue.
what size stanchion matches the tyco length? medium?
GIC, the shark you did looks great.
jerry
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 553 ~
Member Since: January 14 2009 ~
Last Visit: August 29 2020
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - August 14 2009 : 8:33:27 PM
|
Great stuff Brian. Very artfully done. Shows a great deal of skill and patience.
Here's a custom painted Canadiana C430 I did earlier this summer. It has MU2 power.
Alco Fan
Edited by - Alco Fan on August 14 2009 8:36:33 PM
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 2496 ~
Member Since: August 03 2006 ~
Last Visit: December 06 2021
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
bkoch
Switcher
Status:
offline
| |
Posted - August 14 2009 : 11:34:51 PM
|
What a great idea! Nicely done too - very convincing! I like it so much that I may have to give it a try myself. Do you remember what you used for the yellow? It looks like a perfect match as well.
I really like your super-detailed Rock Island shark also. It's a very effective transformation from toy to model.
Regards,
Brian
quote:Whoa, how did I miss all the follow-ups to this? Your work is amazing! As if the handrails weren't sharp enough, I'm even more impressed with the touch-ups and paint matching. Really well done!
I've paint-matched one unit, for a custom. I made a "catfish" (Chessie Shark, yay for puns) in the vein of what Tyco might/should have. The colors were almost pure dumb luck and by now I can't remember what I used for the vermillion. Some mix of SP daylight orange and a little more red and possibly yellow, I think. Custom decals and a little bit of oversrpay and edge fuzz in the right places, and I think it looks pretty convincing.
I have a Canadiana Shark shell that was an absolute basket case, chewed by a dog. I have filed and filled all the holes and will need to paint-match it soon to finish the restoration. But that's a project still off for the future.
I think I will definitely have to paint my handrails now, though. Thanks for sharing.
Originally posted by GoingInCirclez-August 14 2009: 2:04:15 PM
|
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 47 ~
Member Since: February 04 2008 ~
Last Visit: March 22 2021
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
bkoch
Switcher
Status:
offline
| |
Posted - August 14 2009 : 11:41:37 PM
|
Alcofan,
Very sharp, and a difficult one to tackle! Well done, and keep 'em coming!
quote:Great stuff Brian. Very artfully done. Shows a great deal of skill and patience.
Here's a custom painted Canadiana C430 I did earlier this summer. It has MU2 power.
Originally posted by Alco Fan-August 14 2009: 8:33:27 PM
|
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 47 ~
Member Since: February 04 2008 ~
Last Visit: March 22 2021
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - August 15 2009 : 5:52:32 PM
|
Love your repaints, and your handrails with those razor-sharp bends. They almost look too perfect, especially after dealing with those noodley Delrin railings.
The Tyco Depot
Edited by - NickelPlate759 on August 15 2009 5:53:57 PM
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 3927 ~
Member Since: June 20 2007 ~
Last Visit: November 19 2015
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - August 20 2009 : 9:21:41 PM
|
quote:Alcofan,
Very sharp, and a difficult one to tackle! Well done, and keep 'em coming!
Originally posted by bkoch-August 14 2009: 11:41:37 PM
|
Brian,
I probably wouldn't have thought of it but I had to try after seeing your GT 430 clone.
Alco Fan
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 2496 ~
Member Since: August 03 2006 ~
Last Visit: December 06 2021
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - August 21 2009 : 09:38:18 AM
|
[quote]Hi Alcofan. Here's the next installment in the painted-handrail Alco 630 series. This Chessie was a tough one - it was all about matching the orange. I experimented over a series of weeks and finally settled on a mixture of Testor's FS12197 International Orange and 1127 Orange. It's darn close to the Tyco color. In fact, I sanded and re-sprayed a couple of spots with it. The orange stripe on the side of the cab facing the camera had been badly re-touched with a brush at the factory and there was a chip in the orange stripe at the bottom edge of the cab. I'm surprised at how the repairs just disappeared.
I primed those spots and the handrails with straight-up Testor's 1169 Flat Yellow, which contributes a lot to the brightness of the orange topcoat. I also enhanced the paint elsewhere, by cleaning the factory orange overspray off of the blue paint (a very common problem with this locomotive), masking and repainting the Chessie System logo, and touching up the yellow at the base of the long and short hoods to give a nice crisp line between it and the blue walkway. I have a couple of nice Chessie SD-24's that I really like, but I think this one is my new favorite.
OUSTANDING! I really could'nt tell you had painted the GT locomotive! If I would have really studied it I would have eventually caught it. All the GT C430's I have seen do not have a glossy finish on them. Once again you did a fantastic job here.
Something that may help you out. Since I model the Chessie System I found that the TESTORS orange paint pens are VERT close to most of the oranges that a lot of manufactures use. That paint pen has bailed me out on a lot of ocassions. Thought I would just mention it. Looking forward to seeing the ICG you are going to do.
A lone amature built the ark! A large group of professionals built the titanic!
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 423 ~
Member Since: September 25 2006 ~
Last Visit: November 08 2012
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
 Posted - July 08 2020 : 3:18:26 PM
|
Nice photos especially the possible rare Grand Trunk engine.
If custom painted even more rare. Well done.
Edited by - wks on July 08 2020 3:53:33 PM
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 5849 ~
Member Since: February 12 2014 ~
Last Visit: April 20 2024
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - July 08 2020 : 4:14:25 PM
|
OH WOW! A custom Chessie Shark - I'M IN LOVE! PLEASE MAKE ME ONE 
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." - Matthew 5:16
Youtube Channel: www.youtube.com/rpmodelrailroads
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rp_model_railroads/
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 4669 ~
Member Since: August 11 2017 ~
Last Visit: July 20 2023
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - July 08 2020 : 4:50:42 PM
|
quote:OH WOW! A custom Chessie Shark - I'M IN LOVE! PLEASE MAKE ME ONE
Originally posted by RP model railroads - July 08 2020 : 4:14:25 PM
|
If covid didnt exist I'd pick up a shark shell at a train show and make one for you
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 1549 ~
Member Since: October 10 2019 ~
Last Visit: January 04 2024
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
 Posted - July 08 2020 : 5:50:47 PM
|
Certainly an attractive looking engine.
Same photo from bkoch. Just changed a bit to enhance this beauty.
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 5849 ~
Member Since: February 12 2014 ~
Last Visit: April 20 2024
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - July 08 2020 : 6:20:42 PM
|
Chessie shark is nice as well.
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 5849 ~
Member Since: February 12 2014 ~
Last Visit: April 20 2024
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
|
|
Posted - July 08 2020 : 6:28:42 PM
|
quote: quote:OH WOW! A custom Chessie Shark - I'M IN LOVE! PLEASE MAKE ME ONE
Originally posted by RP model railroads - July 08 2020 : 4:14:25 PM
|
If covid didnt exist I'd pick up a shark shell at a train show and make one for you
Originally posted by BlaxlandAlex3-July 08 2020: 4:50:42 PM
|
You, among others, are quite talented with painting & detailing. I, not so much. Although I have done a few custom locomotives that turned out fairly well, they certainly pale in comparison to what you see above. All of us have different gifts....
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." - Matthew 5:16
Youtube Channel: www.youtube.com/rpmodelrailroads
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rp_model_railroads/
|
|
Country: USA ~
Posts: 4669 ~
Member Since: August 11 2017 ~
Last Visit: July 20 2023
|
Alert Moderator
|
|
Home
Forums
Events Calendar
Forum Admins & Mods
Register
