# SW8 Coors switcher



## mhutson (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi all,
I am getting back into the swing of large scale a bit. For many years I have wanted to kitbash one of these:

into one of these:


So far I have done some work on the trucks. I bought a set of Aristo trucks off of eBay and relieved them of their roller bearing caps. I then drilled out the USA Trains sideframes. The result is this:


Sorry for the discombobulated post - I haven't done this in years. Stay tuned!

Cheers,
Matt Hutson
MP 215 on the Rio Grande's Royal Gorge Route


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

Matt,
Glad to see you back. I wondered from time to time if you were still in the hobby.


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## mhutson (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Paul,
Still in the hobby, if only a bit.

For my next act, I had to fix the front of the cab. The intent of this project isn't to make a perfect SW8 with all the right vents, battery boxes, etc, but just a reasonable facsimile. The front of the USAT cab wasn't even close to a match for the prototype, so I made a new front from .015 styrene. I glued the new cab to the old cab front with Plastruct Plastic Weld.

I then filled a bunch of holes on the long hood with Testors contour putty. The radioator and vents were covered with aluminum screen to match the prototype, and then the whole thing was painted.

Graphics were drawn up in AutoCAD and then converted into dry transfer lettering. More on that later!

Later,
Matt


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## Richard Weatherby (Jan 3, 2008)

Nice job!! I am convinced that I need to do this to pull all my Coors Cars. The real one at the Colorado RR Museum is damaged, but the sign says it has a Phoenix sound unit in it.


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## WCRR152 (Dec 26, 2015)

That's starting to look like one nice loco.

WCRR152


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Nice loco.
Want to embed your pics?
After you add them as attachments, but before you post your reply open each one and copy it's location > right click and pick the closest wording to copy image location(depends on your browser) and then open the pic icon mountain/sun and paste the location and ok. Use the Enter key to move the cursor down to locate the next pic. After they are in place post your reply.
For a demo I just opened your last pic....








Welcome back.
John


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## mhutson (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks guys.

John, I will try the imbed trick for my next update...I usta know how to do this stuff! 

Cheers,
Matt


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Matt, 
Everything got changed when the site was sold.
At least with the attachments we have unlimited uploads.
John


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

I really like your project. Many times, I drive up the Clear Creek Valley in Golden I saw the Coors yard diesel working. 

In about 1980 my son was playing Little League Baseball in Lakewood, Co. His coach was the engineer of the loco for Coors.

Thanks,

Chuck


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## mhutson (Jan 2, 2008)

Okay, time for an update. First let me back up a little bit. Each part so far has been primed with Krylon gray primer. The red paint is Krylon Banner Red; the black is Krylon flat black.

I have painted and lettered the cab:









I also did a bit more painting and lettering on the long hood. The yellow railing is painted with Testors 1114 yellow:









I ordered some GP38 railings from USA Trains and added them to the sides; they each had to have their length reduced a bit:









Once the railings were in place, I added 3M Scotchlite reflective tape along the edges. The white part is one long piece, but all the red ones were cut one little tiny piece at a time:









For my next act...this thing has a very distinctive Pyle headlight. It's commercially unavailable of course, so my son and I set out on our first 3D printing adventure. Stay tuned.

Cheers,
Matt


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Cool! Now, put a Phoenix sound system in it, and it'll be just like the prototype!  (Not that I've ever been in the prototype when the Phoenix sound demo was working.)

Later,

K


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## mhutson (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi guys,
Here's another update. I went down to Golden in November and measured up the headlight. I then drew it up in AutoCAD in 2D. Over the holidays my son created the headlight in 3D in SketchUp. We then uploaded the file to Shapeways for printing. The 3D file looked like this:









With shipping, the two headlights cost a bit over $22 - not bad! Here are the results before priming:









Here is one of the headlights in place after priming:









Today I added stripes to the steps and the ends. The stripes are made from 3M Scotch Colored Plastic Tape. The ends were pretty much ground and sanded away and new ends made from styrene to match the prototype. One of the painted 3D headlights is resting on the platform:









Still haven't figured out the **** embed thing...

Cheers,
Matt


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## mhutson (Jan 2, 2008)

*oops*

Forgot to post a pic of the prototype's headlight:


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## Dylanfreeski123 (Apr 13, 2008)

*Pyle Headlight*

If anyone is interested in purchasing the SW8 headlight; here is a link to the store on Shapeways. 

https://www.shapeways.com/shops/highcountryhobbies


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## jokensa (Dec 4, 2014)

looks great!


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## Richard Weatherby (Jan 3, 2008)

I am really impressed! I may have do this also. I doubt that it will be any where near this good.


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

mhutson said:


> Hi guys,
> Here's another update. I went down to Golden in November and measured up the headlight. I then drew it up in AutoCAD in 2D. Over the holidays my son created the headlight in 3D in SketchUp. We then uploaded the file to Shapeways for printing. The 3D file looked like this:
> 
> 
> ...




If one wanted to add a pair of additional headlights on a GP-9, can you tell if this assembly would fit within the narrow section of the nose?

Can you take a measurement across the attachment surface?

SP used to add additional lighting to their engines and this would be a nice way to show off the Sierra lighting effects without affecting the stock system.


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## mhutson (Jan 2, 2008)

All y'all are too kind! Thank you for your compliments.

toddalin, the 3D print measures about 3/4" across the back. I don't have any GP9's any more (or any other large scale diesels, for that matter), but I would guess it's way too wide for the narrow flat surface at the end of a GP9. The prototype measures 1'-9 1/2" across the back.


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

The GP nose is 0.45" across. I guess this would be too narrow even if the light housing was turned 90 degrees.


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## Doug C (Jan 14, 2008)

Fine lookin' creation ! Inspirational !!

doug c 



p.s. Another variant of a dual pyle headlight (maybe usable for a GP); 

http://www.miniaturesbyeric.com/collections/g-guage-parts/products/gl2-rear-dual-pyle-light 

Too bad their pic' is not more oblique for a sideview. 
http://www.miniaturesbyeric.com/collections/g-guage-parts/products/gl2-rear-dual-pyle-light


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

Doug C said:


> Fine lookin' creation ! Inspirational !!
> 
> doug c
> 
> ...



Thanks for the link!

A few to select from.

Have you seen their stuff in person? (Looks very rough.)

Do you know if there is a difference between the dual pyle lights for the front and rear other than a bit of detail?

The single could be interesting to mount up on top of the hood.


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## mhutson (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Richard,
I'm sure you'd do just fine if you decided to build one. I would be happy to provide the artwork for free, and I'm sure my son would sell you a pair of headlights.

Cheers,
Matt


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## on30gn15 (May 23, 2009)

Pretty neat project. That 3D printing has really helped people's hobby projects.


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## mhutson (Jan 2, 2008)

*an update*

To all:
Here's a little update on my project.

I have been kicking around what to do about the air tanks. The ones supplied with the locomotive just won't cut it. I finally hit upon the idea of using CO2 cartridges. The pic linked shows the air tanks it came with, a pic of the prototype, and the CO2 cartridges. More on that later!

Today my headlight lenses arrived. Since this is a static model, I decided to go with MV Products lenses. If I ever get back to actually having track again someday, I will retrofit accordingly. Couplers have also been installed at prototype height.

Cheers,
Matt


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Matt

Nice looking engine! Maybe sometime when I'm passing through Salida I could add some cars for your engine to pull.










Chuck


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## on30gn15 (May 23, 2009)

mhutson said:


> Today my headlight lenses arrived. Since this is a static model, I decided to go with MV Products lenses.


The HO scale sized ones I got in the 1990s have yellowed, even unused in the package. You might have to renew them every 15 years or so.


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## mhutson (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi all,
Thank you for the kind comments. Yesterday I wrapped up this little project.

All windows except those on the rear are microscope slides. I used the original rear windows, but removed the silver trim supplied by USAT with brake fluid.

I made new wipers from brass wire and other stock. The beacon on top of the cab is an old LED. Air tanks are from empty CO2 cartridges.

Cheers,
Matt


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Turned out great, Matt! 

Later,

K


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## MJSavage (Dec 27, 2007)

What a beauty. Well done!


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## Scott (Jan 29, 2008)

Looks good, love the resourcefulness in repurposing non-traditional modelling items.


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## mhutson (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks guys. Now I just need a little bit of track...

Cheers,
Matt


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