Working on the Phase IIa (really Phase III) 44 tonner

After pulling out the 44-tonners, I was surprised to see how little remains to be completed on the one I started modifying a few years ago. So I sprayed on a coat of gray primer to see where I needed to smooth out some of the modifications. Most of it looked pretty good.

So tonight I completed the uncoupling lever, and replaced the large grabs across each nose. Since it's so easy to drill with the Dremel Stylus I recently picked up, I actually drilled holes to mount the NBW castings above the end grab irons. Now that I'm writing about it, I probably need to do a few on the nose.

Next I wanted to figure out how to complete a detail that's visible in a photo in Diesel Locomotives of the NHRR. Originally I thought that it was some sort of extension of the stack onto the roof. They look like a mirror image of the shape of the stack. After looking more closely at the picture, I think they are actually hinged covers for the stacks. When the locomotive is in use, they are obviously open, and rest on the cab roof.

Anyway, to model these, I cut off the very top of the stacks from a spare 44-tonner, then sanded them very thin. I sanded the bottom and the top, to make it as thin as possible, but still retain the shape including the interior circle. I think they came out pretty well.

Even if I complete it this year, I doubt I will be entering it into the NHRHTA Reunion modeling contest, since I agreed to be a judge again. But I'll at least be able to display it. I should try to complete the modeified NE-5 and NE-6 models as well...

Note - I have since verified this is a Phase III 44-tonner.