Improving Bachmann GP40

Since I recently receive my new Atlas GP40-2, I wanted to run her in consist. A few months ago, an old friend of mine whom did some modelrailroading with me as when we were teenagers gave me a box with his original cars and trains. It contained an old metal-truck Athearn GP9 and a rundown Bachmann GP40. The first one runs like a clock as it always did. The second was so bad I don't remember we ever used it on the layout back in the mid-90's. Every details was already broken on it and the motor was worthless.

Original model as received and as I always knew it.

I was a little bit reluctant to kitbash these old models. They are full of memories and remember good times when I first learn to make "real" operation sesson with my friend. However, the Bachmann engine was always an eyesore to both of us, I didn't mind to rebuild it. I even remember asking him to do this back in 1997! This long overdue work had to be done.

The model as it was prior to any work. Even the pilots were destroyed.

I replaced the missing pilots with a set of kitbashed stairs from an old C424 shell from Atlas. Handrails are made out of brass wire and Athearn stanchions. The bell was kitbashed from a brass steamer bell and bits of styrene. Shields were made out of styrene too and others details are remnants from previous superdetailling projects.

The redetailled model.

 Everything was repainted with Krylon black primer and True Line CN Orange and sealed with a coat of Dullcoat. Decals are from various sheets from Microscale.

Rear with new handrails. Marker lights still to be painted in silver.

Weathering was done with a light wash of Citadel Chaos Black acrylic thinned in alcohol and pastel chalks. I tried to not overdo the weathering and to stay close to the original prototype.

Locomotive CN #4009 in 1979, cnrphotos.com (Don Jaworski), 2011