face. While it was possible to in- clude both graphics, it looked crowded and resulted in an odd, low placement of the CENTRAL BELT slogan. I chose to move the stylized stars to the locomotive side and to apply only the CEN- TRAL BELT lettering, adding it in the standard location for CWE hood units. To preserve the clean look of the locomotive sides, I re- located the bicentennial stars on the battery box covers centered below the road number, which ac- centuated the cab without causing crowding of any graphics. Entering the homestretch now, completing the model was a mat- ter of correcting a few minor paint deficiencies, as well as adding a few accents. The first correction was making a crisper transition from white to red at the top of the number box and short hood.
The model had some very minor paint bleed, which on a “normal” locomotive would be something easily disguised with weathering. Specialty schemes such as this one usually received more atten- tion from railroad personnel; us- ing weathering to correct a paint issue was not an option. One way to ensure a clean transition is by using decal film, in this instance three-inch white frame stripes cut to fit across each area. Applying the decal striping quickly provid- ed the clean white edge I desired without having to return to the paint shop. It was now time to add sever-
al accents, including painting the MU and trainline hoses black with silver tips. One issue encountered when painting detail castings such as these is the potential for ruining the surrounding surfaces
with stray paint. I placed a small square of paper beneath each casting to ensure the blue pilots were not marred by the black and silver paint applied to the hose castings. The paper effectively caught any stray paint, and after the castings had dried, I removed and discarded each square. Af- ter reinstalling the handrails, we placed the colorful hood unit into service, successfully filling the void within the CWE roster. As this project has proven, cre-
ating a one–of-a-kind multicolor paint scheme does not require one to be an artist, nor does it have to be difficult in any phase from design to execution. By com- bining creativity, technology, and modern materials available to us, we can all bring our individual vi- sions to life, allowing us to create unique miniature worlds.
No. 2000 is dressed to thrill and ready to be released to the operating depart- ment. GP38 2000 will spend the next few years helping the United States celebrate its bicentennial.
JULY 2015 71
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