'Nother Critter, Pt.3

On the rear of the cab was a small, but annoying, gap between the roof and back wall. I covered it with this piece of .010 square stock. Kind of tricky using a strip that small, but it was worth it. If you look inside the cab you  can see where I glued two pieces of .020 x .250 styrene, to strengthen and square the cab. And probably add magnets.

Next I added the number boards and headlights. (I also added the hand rail under the window.) These headlights are spaced closely together, while the kit's are farther apart. Ooops, can't have that.

This meant I needed to plug the holes in the front . I didn't have any rod with the correct diameter, so I chucked a larger piece in my drill.

Squeeze the trigger, apply a file, and PRESTO, instant hand lathe. Work slowly and keep test fitting to the holes.

Eventually, you get a perfect fit.

Glue them in leaving them shy of the surface. Putty will make everything flush.

On the first critter, I shortened the chassis drastically. This one I'm thinking of leaving full length. I envision this one moving hot-metal cars in and out from under the blast furnace's casting floor. That's why it needs to be so short, to fit in those small confines. But no one wants to be too close to a hot-metal cars, so the longer the chassis, the happier the crew. Of course there will always be an idler car between them, and the engine will probably be radio-controlled close to the furnace, but I look out for my crews and every inch counts.

And shortening the chassis on the first loco opened up several cans of worms. I think I'll leave it long. (It'll give me room to model corrugated heat shields.)  Don