Question for Scott Mann

Have you checked out the Precision Scale catalog? I thought for sure they used to have them.

normally Sunset has not brought in many spare parts for the latest offerings, other what they might keep around for repair work. I've asked a few times for a couple different items over the last few years, to find out this answer.

but Scott may have something else to say about it.

Hot Water posted:

Have you checked out the Precision Scale catalog? I thought for sure they used to have them.

Yes sir, I have catalog #6 (which may be out-of-date).  It does feature the castings I am looking for.  I have been biding my time hoping something more complete might come along since there are a lot of LED accessories being offered these days. 

GRJ once did a PS2 upgrade on a CB&Q SD24 for me, and it features some of the nicest headlights I have seen thus far.  However, he wasn't able to house them in a Pyle type casting to give it the proper Q look.  

If all else fails, I may resort to gathering all the needed components from Precision and other sources to cobble a Q headlight together. There is still the matter of finding or making the triangular transition piece for mounting the assembly on top of the hoods for an SD7/9.  3rd Rail did a great job on their Q units.  I am guilty of wishing out loud for for a way to make some of my other Q road switchers look more as they should. 

Not meaning to be a nitpicker, Rob, but you might be disappointed if you notice this later:  if you intend to buy oscillating headlight castings for locomotives operated by the Burlington and its subsidiaries, get the Mars housing.  The Q was a rock-solid Mars figure-8 customer and never had a Gyralite on the property.  The Pyle Gyralite twin sealed-beam housing has hinges on one side and a single threaded knob on the other side.  The Mars housing has two threaded knobs on each side.

And I second your comment about Sunset/3rd Rail's headlights.  They have become excellent.

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Photo credit unknown.

Good information, Number 90.  My small amount of research has found that some of the earlier Q SD's had only one mars light high on the short hood (in Don Ball's Portrait of the Rails, there is a two page spread of a Q caboose hop with two SD's configured that way).  And C&S or FW&D had SD9's with mars lights affixed the way they were seen on Q SD24's and all GP's.  What my MTH road switchers lack is that Q profile of mars lights above the regular headlight.  That two page Don Ball photo I referred to is one of my favorites, and the photo is dark and lacking contrast on the locomotive paint, but it best captures that CB&Q profile that I love.  To me, it's the same with ATSF Ce- cabooses...they have that Santa Fe outline that some other roads' cabooses had yet are often referred to as "Santa Fe styled" .  I mean, you can't take some NEastern sloping cab caboose with porthole windows, slap red paint and a Holy Faith cross on it, and expect it to look like the Santa Fe.  Right?  Not for us, anyway.

I don't think I would be picky about hinge detail if I could simply find the correct shape of light casting to add in the proper position for those "undressed SD's".  It would be so nice to stumble onto the same detail parts that 3rd Rail used to make their Q SD9's.

The correct spark arresters also plays a part in this thread.