Since MTH does not offer the 2 rail pilots as a purchasable part (which many members on here have wished for, for a few years now), I am thinking about writing a letter and referencing this thread to run extra 2 rail pilots whenever they do a run and offer them for purchase through Margie in their parts Dept.
I know I need about a dozen pilots : 4 SD70Ace's, 2 Dash 8's, 2 Dash 9's, and 4 ES44's.
What does everyone need?
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Good luck with that.
Good luck with that.
Exactly!
Unfortunately, MTH maintains a tight reign on spare parts, so it's virtually impossible to get replacement parts for purposes of customizing a locomotive, even an MTH unit. I was going to re-do some CNW GP9's for passenger duty, but couldn't get the right fuel tanks without sending my originals back.
Doug K. (Laidoffsick) did a tutorial on fixing pilots which is probably the most practical approach.
Since MTH does not offer the 2 rail pilots as a purchasable part (which many members on here have wished for, for a few years now), I am thinking about writing a letter and referencing this thread to run extra 2 rail pilots whenever they do a run and offer them for purchase through Margie in their parts Dept.
I know I need about a dozen pilots : 4 SD70Ace's, 2 Dash 8's, 2 Dash 9's, and 4 ES44's.
What does everyone need?
NS Pirate:
I need 2rl GP40-2 diesels or even GP38-2s would be fine.
Al Hummel
Yes, I would buy parts and sign on, but as others have said, not gonna happen 
I cast some myself after failing to get more from MTH. The molds weren't perfect and had tiny air bubbles trapped at the stairs. After about ten casts, the molds got so bad that they were unacceptable.
I was waiting to find a good material to try it again. I found some with better time and less trapped air, but I failed to get the portions correctly weighed out and the molds again failed. After trying for the fifth time to make molds, I abandoned the project and just sought two rail models. The last three engines I got for conversion, I just did the spacer and coupler pockets from scratch. It was much easier!
Someday, when I'm willing to risk another $50, I'll try to cast again. Sooner or later, I'm bound to get them right! I think the new 3D printer technology, will make them smooth before I learn to make molds.
I cast some myself after failing to get more from MTH. The molds weren't perfect and had tiny air bubbles trapped at the stairs. After about ten casts, the molds got so bad that they were unacceptable.
I was waiting to find a good material to try it again. I found some with better time and less trapped air, but I failed to get the portions correctly weighed out and the molds again failed. After trying for the fifth time to make molds, I abandoned the project and just sought two rail models. The last three engines I got for conversion, I just did the spacer and coupler pockets from scratch. It was much easier!
Someday, when I'm willing to risk another $50, I'll try to cast again. Sooner or later, I'm bound to get them right! I think the new 3D printer technology, will make them smooth before I learn to make molds.
You might have better luck with "Composimold" to make the mold. The up side is that when the mold is worn out, you can melt it in a microwave and re-use it.
Maybe if they offered them in unpainted versions? As posted above, I still don't see them offering this.
Dave
Since MTH does not offer the 2 rail pilots as a purchasable part (which many members on here have wished for, for a few years now), I am thinking about writing a letter and referencing this thread to run extra 2 rail pilots whenever they do a run and offer them for purchase through Margie in their parts Dept.
I know I need about a dozen pilots : 4 SD70Ace's, 2 Dash 8's, 2 Dash 9's, and 4 ES44's.
What does everyone need?
It's Midge.
So you want them to crank out 12 fixed pilots in the colors/schemes you specify?
Good luck with that. I don't think this campaign will go anywhere, but I'd like a black fixed pilot for my GP38-2!
I found no problem at all simply spacing them properly and carving brass coupler pockets to fill that giant hole. But then I am not all that picky when it comes to plastic Diesels. Are the two rail pilots really all that much better?
Not in my opinion. for me it would be just about repetition of fabrication vs ready made part simplifying the conversion. 
Well, I agree with that. If you can get ends for under ten bucks, it would be silly to make them. But if you cannot buy them, you only have two choices.
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