Cadillac Time

I recently purchased a pair of Railpower Products SD90mac shells with the idea that I could convert them into ex Conrail SD80's in Norfolk Southern livery.  The detail parts for them are tricky to get hold of, especially the trucks, but I've continued to collect parts as and when they pop up on eBay.

In the meantime I had the chance to pick up a dismantled Kato SD90mac from one of the chaps at the club, a beautifully detailed locomotive which I had thought I could also convert into an SD80.  The frame for this locomotive also comes pre-milled ready for a speaker.

However when I looked at the Kato model I realised that the rear dynamic brake section on the Kato shell was a seperate piece.   I started investigating the availability of a replacement part for that section, which would be easier than attempting to alter such a detailed part.

Kato don't do the dynamic brake section as a seperate part, so I would need to spend $40 on an undecorated shell just for the part, but after a few online 'wanted' ads I was lucky enough to find a forum poster with not just a dynamic brake, but an entire SD80 shell going spare.

It arrived today and it is even better than I expected, the shell is a Conrail version and it is pretty much mint condition, complete with detail bag of handrails and other parts.  So all I need to do is get a Sound decoder and then put it all back together and my first SD80 will be hitting the rails.

Close up view showing the Conrail high numberboard cab and the attractive white stripe paint Conrail Quality paint scheme.

The rear of the shell with the dynmaic brake and sanding box that caused all the problems.  Having one of these will also make it much easier to kitbash my two Railpower SD90 shells into SD80's.