# SP U-Boat Detailing Project



## supagav (Feb 8, 2008)

Hi folks,

I'm currently in the process of re-working our SP U25B to improve the overall level of detail and bring it a little closer to the prototype. I just wanted to share the progress so far, although the full building log is over on G Scale Central, our garden railway forum here in the UK. I've attached a link but I'll also try and upload some photos here as well when I can. Many thanks in advance for looking!

Kind regards,
Gavin

http://www.forum.gscalecentral.net/...72813.aspx


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## Jethro J. (Apr 4, 2012)

Looks great, You do nice work. You should post this over on L.S.C. as well, they need some diesel guys over there.

J.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Very interesting the "visors" on the center lights are on the bottom, must be to keep light off the hood and out of the cab? 

Greg


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## supagav (Feb 8, 2008)

I'm not sure on that one Greg, I'm no expert but I guess that you must be right! I was just following the prototype photos I found online and in my Strapac SP books, but I think you must be on the right lines. Here is the prototype showing the same thing:










and here are some progress photos so far:









































































Thanks, G


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## Michael Glavin (Jan 2, 2009)

Gavin,

Nice work… The added detail work really gives your engine the SP look!

Are you modeling SP #3101 U25BE as rebuilt or an unadulterated as delivered unit in the #6700 series?

Michael


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## supagav (Feb 8, 2008)

Thanks Michael! It's going to hopefully be one of the #6700 series, but I don't have the decals yet. We have an open house this weekend so I'm just trying to finish off all the detail work then I think I'll come back and re-number the loco in the next few weeks, including replacing the large SP herald on the nose for just the white number. Incidents I made a school boy error on the nose. I modelled the handbrake detail and made new chain etc, only to find out that the prototype photo was actually a u28! Doh!!! Again I'm gonna leave it as is for this weekend then attack it fresh next week!


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## supagav (Feb 8, 2008)

Hi folks,

Just a quick question if I may? I'm needing to make new hand rails for the u boat and I'm wondering how best to this? The problem is that on the Aristo U-Boat the hand rail stantions are of U channel, similar in style to those used by EMD, but this wasn't used on the SP U25s. I believe that it wasn't until the later U28s and beyond that GE switched from pipe formed hand rail stantions to the cheaper U channel style.

My question is how to join the stantions to the rails themselves? I'm guessing solder is best route for this but how and what? Does anyone have any tips, tricks or suggestions? I've started to make the individual pieces but I just need some advice on how best to join it all so that it looks nice and neat.

Many thanks in advance for your help,
G


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## bnsfconductor (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By supagav on 10 Jun 2013 09:22 AM 
Thanks Michael! It's going to hopefully be one of the #6700 series, but I don't have the decals yet. We have an open house this weekend so I'm just trying to finish off all the detail work then I think I'll come back and re-number the loco in the next few weeks, including replacing the large SP herald on the nose for just the white number. Incidents I made a school boy error on the nose. I modelled the handbrake detail and made new chain etc, only to find out that the prototype photo was actually a u28! Doh!!! Again I'm gonna leave it as is for this weekend then attack it fresh next week! 
If your going to redo the hand brake chain anyway, can I point out an error on your original photo? 








The chain that hangs from the handbrake is the end of the chain. This has a weight on the end of it. The way you modeled it, the chain simply runs nowhere. On the prototype the chain winds through the mechanism and hangs down. 
If you want to model the hand brake released then it should look similar to this...









See how the chain has a weight on the end, and then travels up inside the boxy looking thing. Then in drops down through the frame and the truck. Some loco's have a view porthole that you can see the chain. Not a big deal, but something I noticed. So I figured if your redoing it, you might as well redo it right. Other wise I wouldn't have said a thing.







Most people wouldn't even know the difference, but when your on locomotives every day you tend to notice details like this...

As for the handrails, if your ending them out of brass why not solder them? Are you making new stanchions as well? Keep up the good work. It looks like a fun detailing project.

Here's my complete rebuild thread...
http://www.mylargescale.com/Communi...f/8/aft/127018/afv/topic/afpgj/8/Default.aspx

Craig


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## supagav (Feb 8, 2008)

Thanks for the info Craig! I really appreciate a critical eye, especially from someone who knows, so please don't be afraid to speak up if it's not right!  Sometimes we learn more from fixing our mistakes then we ever did from getting things right first time!

Here are a couple of photos of the new front and rear handrails:



















Thanks again,
G


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