Building a classic cab unit–the MLW FPA-4: Pt. II THREE PHOTOS: JIM WIGGIN; MONTICELLO, IL, NOV. 2012
A surviving MLW FPA-4 can be found operating at the Monticello Railway Museum in Illi- nois. The extra ventilation grille located on each side beneath the radiator shutters is the eas- iest spotting feature when it comes to differentiating the FPA-4 from earlier FA models (above and page 71). The unit has been restored in its “as delivered” paint scheme. The added ditch lights on the nose of the loco are a now required detail that the original FPA- 4’s did not have. Note the narrow toe walkway and extra grab irons on the engineer’s side of the cab on this unit (below). These details were added later in the unit’s service life and were not removed when the museum backdated the FPA-4 to its original scheme. If you are modeling a particular unit it is best to check period photographs for details.
mist of black or Grimy Black, or even the predominant body color, as on a freight car, but blending the slight dark- ening effect into the clear coat itself seems to produce a more realistic result. The number boards may be lightly sanded to remove the original printed- on numerals. After the decals are in place, several coats of Testors Gloss- cote applied at daily intervals with a brush will provide a reasonable repre- sentation of glass in them. Air, signal and m.u. hoses come next. Their retaining chains may be simulat- ed with a strand of .006″ soft copper wire stripped from 18-gauge lamp cord. Fold about two (actual) inches of wire in half to form a tiny loop, then place it over the glad hand end of a hose. Twist the free ends of the wire to- gether but do not damage the hoses by over-tightening the loop. Once the hoses and their chains are adjusted to sit realistically on the model, secure them with cyanoacrylate cement. The fine chain we normally use for models, even at 40 links per inch, is simply too coarse for this application.
I airbrushed on a little weathering at this point to represent the engine as if it had been over the road for several months. These locomotives were still rel- atively new when CN changed to its new scheme, so weathering one to appear as a derelict is not called for. I used flat paints by Floquil: Rail Brown, Grimy Black and Engine Black. The carbody sides were typically quite clean, but the yellow on top of the nose appears some- what dirty in photos. (These were out of reach of the automatic car washers which were, at one time, used to wash the entire consist of premier trains en route.) The roof, particularly around the exhaust stack, should receive general shading with black and Grimy Black, but, again, do not overdo this. The semi- gloss finish should still be partially visi- ble because the curved roof didn’t have too many places to trap water and dirt. The trucks, fuel tank, pilot and lower rear fittings may be lightly weathered with Rail Brown. Additional “detail weathering” is probably best left until the model is fully assembled.
side of the nose with the adjoining sec- tions. Any tiny ridges of paint between the color separations can be gently smoothed out beforehand with your fingernail. Handling the long pieces of striping will be more manageable if they are cut into sections. Once the decals are dry, clean any excess decal adhesive off with a damp cotton swab, then cut the toe kick plates for the cab and engine room doors from self-adhesive aluminum tape. Use prototype photos and the sur- face features of the model as guides.
70 The satin clear-coat was mixed to in-
clude some “pre-weathering” using a technique borrowed from the British. The formula is as follows: two parts Testors Glosscote, one part Dullcote, three parts lacquer thinner, one drop Floquil Engine Black. The slight amount of black provides just a hint of darkening to tone down the paint and decals, blending every- thing together and making the transi- tions between colors seem more realis- tic. This produces a similar effect to overspraying a model with a separate
Glue the number boards in place using cyanoacrylate cement sparingly from be- hind. Also, install the “light pipes” and line them up with the new bulb. Attach the cab windshields and side windows using G-S Hypo Tube watch crystal cement applied very sparingly, or use canopy cement. They are better choices than cyanoacrylate cement, which can easily stray onto the glass or body. Installing the glass windshields is a ticklish job, one best not attempted af- ter a long day spent engaged in other ac- tivities. (Although extra care and atten-
FEBRUARY 2013
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