This project started in late 2006/early 2007. There was an article written up in Railroad Model Craftsman in November, 2006. I purchased four locomotives, two FT-A and two FT-B. The B units would be turned into FTSB units. The S stood for "short". Stewart FT engines were used for this project. I started the first B unit shortly after the article but never finished the second unit. I'm trying to finish these up during the winter of 2011/2012. I'm also going to add DCC. A first for me.
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The two A units and the two B units with the body removed. The one on the left has been modified. The one the right has not. |
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Closer view of B uits. Left modified, right not modified. |
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Cut off the step with a single edge razor blade. |
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Next I took a razor saw and just cut deep enough so I could use the saw cut as a mark to scribe a cut line on the side panel |
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Eyeing up the previous mark use a straight edge to scribe a line about 1/32" from the previous cut mark. |
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Cut through the side 1/32" from the scribed line. |
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Cut all the way to the roof line. |
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Then cut straight down until you run out of saw. This will leave a saw cut line to line up your saw for the cut across the roof. |
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Here you can see the saw cut lines that will be used to line up the saw for the cut across the roof. |
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Making the cut. |
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There you have it. The rear portion cut off. Now it needs to be trimmed flat. |
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Next a section needs to be cut out to make the shell 41' 9" in HO scale or 5.760" inches long in human scale. |
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I had made a couple of light scratches on the shell with the verniers to line up the scale with and scribed a cut line. Do this on both sides of the shell. |
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Then I cut through the shell approximately 1/32" from the scribed line. Again do this to both sides. |
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Again cut all the way until you run out of saw and used the lines created in the roof to line up the cut across the roof. |
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Then cut through the roof using those previous made cut lines to line up the saw. |
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The finished cut. Discard the scrap piece. |
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Now for a bit of trim work and some liquid glue. |
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Here's were some of you will have to use a bit of elbow grease and a file, plus some sand paper. I used my Sherline lathe/mill combo to do the work. Here the mill is set up to mill off the portion left after the cut to make the back flat. |
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Back all nice and flat. Some clean up with a file and it's done. |
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Side is lined up square and the cut is made to the previous scribe line. |
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Same procedure for the roof. |
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All cleaned up and glued to the shell. Next step is to do the frame. |
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Remove all the plastic parts. Even if you don't have a mill to do the job. Makes it much easier to trim off the end if you have to hold it in a vise to use the hack saw and file. |
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Trim off the end so the shorter body will fit on snugly. |
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All cut off and trimmed up with a file. I did cut a large portion off with a hack saw before milling. The mill complained a bit cutting that much waste of the end. |
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The shell mounted back on the chassis. Next, open up the roof to fit the panel. |
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