Door open on engine

[thpbears]

Any suggestions on how to model engines with the front foor open?

[NSMoWandS]

Are you asking about the door on the cab? I haven't tried to do that yet, but i have been thinking about it. I would start by removing the cab and CAREFULLY scribe the outline of the molded door. Then keep scribing until the old door is removed. If the door is in good shape... then paint an mount it in the open position. If the door is un-useable... I would make a new door out of styrene or any other plastic that would be useable. Add some little details( handle, watch your step decal, rain wiper ) paint, add clear plastic for the window and attach in the open position. I have an old cab from an atheran GP50 and prob will practice on that first... unless it comes out great on the 1st try. (yeah, right.) Hope this helps.If you have any other questions... just ask.

[thpbears]

Thanks I will try that. I have saw a few on ebay with the cab door open and it looks great.

[NSMoWandS]

If you don't like the first one... keep trying... that is what I do. Then I either make something I like... or i forget about it and move on! haha!

[MP15NUT]

BLMA makes them, or is that only n-scale?

[NSMoWandS]

BLMA makes spartan EMD cab doors and hood doors in N scale only. Hopefully they will make both of them in HO scale.

[Badhorse79]

Yeah N scale gets it all just to think Kato makes all kinds of nice locos in N ACes Flaired 70s hmmm flaired 70s nice name for a rock band huh sorry got sidetracked but let's all get together and start our own HO company call it J-enaration REBels lol I need to stop sorry I just cut out the molded door and buy cannon hood doors and file and fit the drill a hole and shape it to satisfaction 

[NSMoWandS]

I just tried cutting out a cab door on an old atheran cab... the cab came out ok but the door itself got a little messed up... I would recommend making a new door out of styrene. Hope this update helps.

[thpbears]

Well I just finished painting a undecorated engine Conrail blue and have cut the door out. For the first one I have done I think it looks pretty good. For future door cutouts I would say just take it slow and use a sharp razor. My door came just a tad weird looking also. I am going to mount a conducter coming out of the cab so that should hide that flaw. Other than that so far it looks like a pro did it. I am really amazed at myself. ;D

[Kentucky & Indiana Terminal RR]

I never gave this any thought at all until you guys got to talking about it, but in my opinion this would be even extra neat looking on a switch engine.  You all have me pondering whether I could pull this off now ;D

[thpbears]

I have just done one and it didn't trun out bad. I have seen them on ebay on engines but they usrally get outbid on at the last minute. They do look great.

[NSMoWandS]

 Never sell yourself short. All it takes is time, practice and patience. If you do not have those... you can always use money! HAHA!

[thpbears]

Yep money is always able to get ya a top notch engine. But I love showing people stuff knowing I made it. Now if I could just figure out how to fit through that open door on my athearn engine and let my wife run me around the layout a few times.