"Super Detailing" O scale locos

Go to the Precision Scale website and get their O Scale diesel parts catalog.  They have the most items.

Will, you can also check this out...no pics so I would call them...

 

http://www.desplaineshobbies.c...-Scale-Detail-Parts/

Try P&D Hobby in Michigan

Precision Scale has three catalogs. Steam, Diesel, and General.  All have pictures of every part that you might consider. You also in some cases have a choice between diecast and plastic.   There are also detail kits that would included most of the part you would consider. For example:  A backhead detail of a steam locomotive. A detail kit needs to be reviewed. It may or may not contain the parts you are looking for.  It takes awhile to become familiar with these catalogs.    The catalogs are a charge item, IMO well worth the cost, if you are considering detailing or super detailing. 

Mike

Im thankful for you guys! Thanks for the help!

That's a Phase II Gp40. Mth's is a Phase I. Desplains Hobbies will have the Rear Fan Grills for you to kitbash.

 

also O Scale Trains did an article on how to convert the Weaver Gp38-2 to the Gp40-2 Phase II

Apart from what has already been mentioned there is Bowser manufacturing, and you might take a look at  William K. Walthers, once a mainstay of "O" scale.

 

Keep in mind the more you add, the more there is to break off! Certain things like some hand rails and antennas can be thin to the extent that they are a PITA! I'm sure you will acquire a threshold for that sort of thing!

 

Simon

I order direct from PSC. They are a bit slow but I always get what I ordered.

 

I still purchase detail parts, but they are indeed hard to come by sometimes. For GM&O I always replace the stock horns with accurate castings as well as adding the firecracker antennae. In my case, this is usually Des Plaines Hobbies RS5T's.

 

I recently began replacing lift rings on my diesels with the Des Plaines Hobbies ones since they are thinner and more accurate. I wish someone would begin making drop in handrail replacements for Atlas diesels with thinner rails and stanctions. 

 

Adam

Great info here thanks! David I tried finding your MTH detailing article that you mentioned on your blog but unfortunately I cant get it from OST right now. 

 

It's been over a year since I started looking for parts for a project I'm working on.  PSC STILL hasn't got their locomotive catalog ready and I'm not about to order what could be a couple of hundred dollars worth of parts without at least seeing what they look like and verifying they're what I need.  Having a copy of the catalog in front of you is the way to do it, it's not the same as talking to someone on the phone or quickly checking  checking someone's copy.

 

In the interim, I've been ordering parts from Bob Stevenson at SPL, he has photos online and ships quickly.

 

OTOH, I have had success ordering parts from Atlas.  I found the correct 10-foot doors for my SAL double-door boxcar project and managed to get a couple of nice brass single-chime whistles (from their USRA 0-6-0) for locomotives that didn't have a whistle.  Here's their link:

 

http://www.atlaso.com/parts.htm

 

We don't get many/any O-scale shows down this way (or shows at all, maybe 2/yr) and it's almost impossible for me to travel far to a show (wife's health prevents it).  I can only hope there are O-scale vendors at shows like Greenbergs or the local NMRA annual show, but most of the time it's a crap-shoot.

 

The other issue is decals.  If you model an unpopular RR such as the Seaboard Air Line then you have to search out someone who can/will make them for you.  I recently got Jerry Glow to make some decals for my SAL double-door boxcar and I hope to have them next week:

 

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ejerryglow/decals.html

 

(you'll have to look under "full list" and go to SAL)

 

They're $30 a set, but if you're just dying to do something like this then you must pay the price.  Some decal guys won't touch anything but HO or N.

Bob, I can send you my catalogs for a few weeks if you want to order sooner.

THAT, is a very generous offer , but I couldn't possibly ask that of you, I would take you up on it, but I would die if anything happened to your copies.

 

There's only a few more parts I need to get anyway so maybe I'll post on the forum and see if someone can give me the PSC part numbers I need to order them.

 

The parts I've received from SPL have worked fine, but Bob doesn't have all of what I need.  Keil-Line also has come thru.  I was going to order from Wiseman Model Services, but something (maybe the minimum order reqd?) stopped me.

 

Thanks again for the offer, but at this time I'll pass (but will keep you in mind, just in case in need a fallback plan ).

what do you members use to drill holes in diecast-would a pin vise work-what type of bits -micromark-do i order to drill in diecast-i wanted to add cab curtains and cab drop plate.

Joe,

I have used a pin vise and small bits in diecast, but be prepared to swap bits frequently.  Oil (lubricating the drill) helps.  I've also used my drill press.  A Dremel will work IF you can slow it down enough so that the bit doesn't seize or burn up.

 

Sharp bits and lube go a long way in helping when drilling in diecast or most any other metal.

Bob I have a PSC Diesel Parts catalog. Maybe I could scan the page or take a photo so you could see the parts. I've ordered a ton of stuff from their catalog, only because I could see what I was ordering.

If you dont mind plastic parts, you could use the parts trees for Red Caboose GP7's. Lots of parts to super detail a geep.

I got some of Ebay years ago.

Dan

Thanks, but I was after their Steam Loco catalog, 9745.  Their diesel catalog is still in stock I believe.  Plus, I think PSC makes their $$$ on catalog sales (that is if they'd get this one out) plus there might be some kind of legal mess against copying their catalog pages.

 

I don't mind having to wait, but a year is just a little too long IMO.  Maybe they're going to put it online or on a CD, now that would be cool!

Bob

 

I'd like to give you my steam catalog until the new one is out.  I have ready access to another copy just a few blocks away.

 

 

Ed Rappe

Ed,

 

I appreciate your offer too, but I hate borrowing stuff.

 

PSC can't possibly take much longer to get the catalog out so I'll just wait them out.  This time of year I doubt I'll have much time to work on the model anyway.  I check the PSC site every day, hopefully I'll see the catalog up soon.

 

Thanks to all you guys, your offers to help are greatly appreciated