Right, CSX won
, just, as I so wanted a UP non dynamic version or BNSF blue bonnet.....next time, however neither have nose mounted headlights as the primary reason for this build is to make sure parts fit, not much point if you don't test all the pieces really is it
So out with the tools after a total strip down of the work bench and tidy up, new project, fresh start.
A couple of issues became very apparent early on, none of which I have easy and quick solutions for at the moment, they are all linked but after thought the root issues is the half etch overlays. To offer as many options as possible for doors and covers the main cab structure is half etched at the lower level (5thou thick) this has shown to be very fragile whilst handling, the second issue is the half etch overlays, these have all curled or are not flat. I'd heard of this issue before, but you only really notice it with parts that have large areas of half etch and when the parts are cut from the frame.
The next problem is how to flatten them, no matter how gentle or careful you are they are never perfectly uniformly flat, this of course then presents a problem when affixing to the cab, small gaps appear at the joins and edges, worse yet when cleaned small lumps and ripples appear due to the soldering and attempted flattening (I'm wondering if heating in an oven at a high temp and letting cool, either slowly to soften them or quickly to keep them hard would balance the skin tension on the side not etched). The slight distortion is not much of a problem for the cab window side sheet or battery box covers as these are often bent and rippled, in fact the end result looks pretty realistic and would probably take a long time to replicate if you were trying....as others have shown here with their distressing of bodyworks on diesels to get that rippled effect. However that effect is not going to be good for the cab front and rear overlays.
The final problem is fixing them, I've had them on and off and the only real effective way is lots of heat and solder paste, everything else just seems to cause one issue or another, I've tried low melt solder, tinning and normal temp solder and there's always an issue somewhere, the other down side is that when cleaning the fine dust mixed with flux gets in the stirrup latch recesses and is the devil to clean out!
Thus it would appear I have developed an etch that currently and rather annoyingly exceeds my techniques and skill level.
Problems to solve are material thickness and half etch parts curling, or a better solution to flattening them, a better method of fixing them, soldering whilst the 'done' thing may not be the best option, an adhesive (more experimentation) may well be better, some of these half etch parts are rather large, whole cab front and rear for example. Finally, fundamental concept of offering half etch parts fixed to more half etch structures, I.E. structural redesign.
Anyway a couple of photos of left and right cab sheets, close up shots are something to avoid as they show every little niggle, most of which is almost invisible to the eye, well mine anyway LOL
You can clearly see that the cab side sheet isn't flat and that there are lumps and nicks in it and it's not that obvious of the same issues on the battery box cover (bolted slotted cover), it's also obvious that both cab sub compartment doors are not quite square, which truth be told if still annoying me tomorrow will see them off, cleaned up and attempted refitting. You can also see the window arm rest ledge which has come out rather well and crud still stuck in the stirrup latches.
Below are close ups (excuse large visual size, but compressed for forum use) of the two locos I took photos of the same area.
First CSX 2808
Note heavy rippled and distorted cab window side sheet, this one is welded, mine is bolted, this is a Phase II, mine is a Phase I, note also heavy rippling on nose side sheet. It can be seen that the main cab side is flush with the sub compartment door cover, thus the metal work under that has to be recessed (half etched), note also the cover platework around the front stirrup latch is clearly bent inward a bit. The battery cover is also flush with the cab side sheet and sub compartment door, but horror of horrors I've just noted the cover is above the forward sheet that supports the hand rail bracket, I've made mine flush
.
Here's a close up of UP 1949 although she is a GP60 the same rules apply to the GP38-2 and pretty much all Spartan cabs.
Note welded cab window side sheet with rust blisters to the rear and this shot shows very clearly how the cabside sheet cuts under the sub compartment doors with a distinctive lip, hence the half etch area on the model side sheet, the very one causing all the recent woes. It would be very tempting to remove that half etch area under the cab sub compartment doors and battery cover on the art work to strengthen that area, then just leave the half etch doors on top, but that'd be cheating and would annoy me as much as the current problem does.
To conclude, free house point to all who are still awake at the end of this lengthy, reflective, sorrowful narrative, I wonder if I'm trying to achieve something that isn't possible or practical. Trying to take something positive away from this evening and moving forward, the stirrup latch etch does look flippin good when it catches the light, though Steph's comment about fixing rivets has me thinking about that for V03 art work LOL.
Addendum, updated with daylight etch photos and separated Taft rail fanning part out.
It's not that noticeable in practice, in fact the first time I clocked it was when I got my SD40 - it stood out more with the longer trucks. On good easy curves it wouldn't be too bad.
So an open door on this model is not to be. To be fair that missing part of the core structure has complicated the build in that area and factory finish this will not be.
) but isn't the GP38-2 longer than the GP35...? As per on this old thread of mine from some way back.... (scroll down).
