Number Boards for #5305

Well, progress continues on NWP SD9 #5305. Today, I put the number boards on #5305. I used a system I recently learned about from an internet site. This system was created by John Sing.

Easy N Scale Locomotive Number Boards

Basically, I made a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet where I typed in "5305" seveal times in three different font sizes (#6 / #7 / #8). I used Century Font as this font resembles the Southern Pacific (NWP) number lettering style. I blacked out the background of the cells using "black" and changed the font color to "white." I then printed the spreadsheet on printing lable sheets from Avery. I went out to the garage where I have been working on my HO scale model of #5305. I took the clear plastic number boards and compared them to the three font sizes I printed out. Of the three, Font Size #7 appeared to work the best. I carefuly cut the number boards from the sheet using an Xacto knife. I then peeled the baking tape off the rear of the label and then stuck the number board to the clear plastic.

I was very surprised how easy this method of doing number boards was. I do not like having to paint the clear plastic and then using decals, especially on locomotivs that require individual numbers to be placed on one at a time. The Microscale NWP deal set allows you to place all four numbrs on at the same time, but this system appeared to go a lot quicker.

Surprisingly, the shipping label system still allows light to shine through the number boards. This is a plus because I plan to have operational directional lighting on my SD-9's. I will most likely continue to use this method for the number boards on my other NWP Athearn blue box SD-9 kits.

NWP SD9 #4327 Goes to the Shops

As progress continues on NWP SD9 #5305, I have begun work on NWP SD9 #4327. Once again, I am using an older Atearn blue box kit as he basis for this model. I recently applied several white-metal detail parts from Detail Associates and Details West. SD9's #5305 and #4327 are only two of four SD9's that I intened to model for my HO scale "Redwood Empire Route" model railroad I am building in my garage. I have aleady posted some photographs of how #5305 is turning out. Here I have included some photographs on the beginning stages of #4327. The next thing to do on #4327 is to paint it and apply the Microscale NWP decal set.

Progress on NWP #5305 (Chop-Nose SD9)

Well, after a long break from working on this model railroad, I recenty became motivated in working on it again. I have been working on some older blue box Athearn SD9 locomotive kits. Last weekend, I painted my NWP #5305 black. This week, I have been applying the deals from Miroscale's NWP decal set. Here are some pictures of my progress.