Okay... chores are all done... supper's over... shower's taken... time to relax a bit!
Yup, for me it's finally SWSAT time!
Every now and then, things just come together and you think: Serendipity.
Case in point: One of signature KC roads for my KC Lines theme is the Kansas City Terminal. For some time, I intended to represent the KCT by modeling a couple of their Alco S-2's. I intended to paint/decal them in the following schemes (which are quite different):
Note that the hazard stripe angle on the #58 is 30 degrees, and there's no side sill stripe. The hazard stripe angle on the #52 is 45 degrees and there is a side sill stripe. These things are subtle, yes, but enough different to be noticeable to my eyes. I like variety, so given the choice, I almost always will choose two paint schemes w/variations for a pair of engines over one identical scheme on both.
Then there's THIS little KCT engine, one of their first:
Now, as pictured, this is the "original" delivery paint scheme for the KCT's HH900 #50. The other two engines purchased about the same time (EMC NW's #60 and #61) were also basic black, but with only a pinstripe on the hood and a white side sill stripe. Notably absent was the intricate pinstripe "boxes" and double pinstripe w/bow wave on the upper hood portion as is on the #50 HH900.
Yup, I carefully AVOIDED any of the Alco S-2 schemes that had the pinstripe boxes. What a pain those would be! There would be no KCT HH900 or any of the S-2's on the layout that had still had vestiges of the pinstripe box scheme in place.
Then that "serendipity thing" happened...
First, Atlas came out with their Alco HH models (before I returned to HO) but then last year something BIG happened. They released their HH in the Tennessee Central livery.
Now, why is a Tennessee Central livery on an HH model a big deal? Well, let me show you a pic of my latest acquisition and you'll see why, to this boy, that's a REALLY big deal! Take a gander at what arrived on my doorstep this past Friday:
See anything AMAZING? Yup, the Tennessee Central used the EXACT SAME "catalog" paint scheme for their HH as did the KCT... and wonder of wonders, even used the same NUMBER!!
Soooo... here's a'what I'm a' gonna' do:
First off, my non-DCC/Sound TC HH is going to be sent off to my DCC/Sound guy for a Tsunami 539T sound decoder to be installed. Then, once I get it back, it will wait its turn to appear on the work bench to have the "Tennessee Central" lettering removed and part of the bow wave pinstripe (on the nose) removed. It will then be decaled for the Kansas City Terminal (decals on hand!) and PRESTO: I have a very unique model that I didn't figure I would EVER have on account of those intricate pinstripe boxes!
See?
SERENDIPITY!!
Now... maybe "one these days" I'll share the detective work I had to do in order to figure out what paint scheme the little KCT #50 was wearing during the early 1960s.
However, that's all fer now!
Andre