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Author Topic: Custom MU Hoses for F-Units  (Read 2098 times)

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Custom MU Hoses for F-Units
« on: September 22, 2013, 09:42:07 am »
Hello again!

I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions or ides for creating custom MU hoses and other detailing for Lionel Santa Fe F-Unit Diesels. Particularly, FT Diesels?

I am wanting to start adding more detailing myself to make them more prototypical.

Also, any ideas on adding windshield wipers.

Thanks

(PS- I do have to floquil railroad paints for ATSF Red and Silver where I am going to do some additional painting for extra detail such as the gauges on the gas tanks)

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Re: Custom MU Hoses for F-Units
« Reply #1 on: September 23, 2013, 09:52:53 pm »
Saturnmist09,

Here's what I came up with for the MU hoses:
For the hoses themselves, take a piece of solid core wire with a black covering, cut it slightly longer than you want the hose to be.
Strip one end 1/16" or so then bend the stipped wire at a 90 degree angle.
Strip the other end 1/8", then cut the covering 1/16 and slide it up on the stripped almost to the end, leaving a small piece of the stripped wire exposed, say 1/32 " or so.
Take some brass paint and paint that end, to simulate a glad hand.
Take an appropriately sized piece(s) of plastic/styrene cut into a rectangle & drill holes the same size as the stripped wire, paint it the  color you want it, then glue the other end of the wire that you made the 90 degree bend into the holes.
Glue the whole thing to your locomotive.  If you want to simulate bolts, an escutcheon pin or track pin can be cut to the right length, holes drilled into the rectangle of plastic/styrene near the ends and glue them in place., then painted.
OR
You can purchase an MU set, I believe they're available from MTH and mount them.

Hope this helps.
Dave

« Last Edit: September 24, 2013, 02:55:05 pm by djacobsen »
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Re: Custom MU Hoses for F-Units
« Reply #2 on: September 26, 2013, 11:19:24 pm »
Thank you! Great ideas. Also, any on windshield wipers that I can place over the molded in clear plastic one's? My goal is to get a premiere line set of f-units until I can purchase a true set of Lionel Legacy or MTH Premiere line Santa Fe Warbonnet A-B-A F Unit Diesels.

 

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