Model looks great! Question, isn’t that the GE air conditioner?

Very impressive dash 9 model from Athearn Genesis, the GE dash 9 is a very popular freight locomotive and this Genesis series model is fantastic. Athearn has really improved their locomotive detail features and their lighting over the past 5 years and hopefully Athearn will continue producing more great quality locomotive models such as this dash 9 model, excellent product review- Tom.

Nicely done. What did you use on the body to tone it down?

Dan , have you ordered any of the stratolite type rotory beacon inserts from either Aaron Heine or more recently Rapido trains? They are game changers in the visual effects dept.I know Aaron Heine quit making them and rapido copied his design. I checked their site and they seem to be back in stock they were out for awhile…

I've found that oftentimes I suffer from overplanning and not wanting to start a project until I can finish it. I used your TSG series on superdetailing an Athearn Blue Box SD40-2 as a guide to detail 4 I had lying around into CNW units. All 4 are currently sitting in their test coat of primer with no other work done beyond some minor fixes to the geartrain of one of the units' trucks. I'm stuck because I planned on buying all the major Cannon body components at once and doing the major work assembly line style, and I've been having a run of bad luck at getting some money set aside for the parts. Edited to add: If you see this Nichole, thank you for your service, ma'am.

Nice work and excellent sound Thanks for the show

That’s absolutely gorgeous. I love how you have the front and rear headlights set up to be both on at the same time. That is very prototypical for yard operations.

Great video.... If possible, could you do a step by step video on how to superdetail a diesel locomotive? Again, great video..

Hey Dan, really like the SSW engine. The modifications done are sharp. That unit looks a lot more prototypical. The overall weathering job is nice and most of all "just enough". I was not worried running it after a long time. It's an Atlas engine. Fading grey color is not that easy. SP units are most of the time under the sun of the South. The red color gets it too. A lot of modelers (and people not involved in the hobby) have NO idea how much work was done here. Fans, class lights, removing the rear number boards, installing fuctional ditch lights, putting a more accurate plow and uncoupling levers, repainting... it takes time. HOURS and skills ! Nicely done man. Keep on your good work.

Atlas engines run great. Detail they lack. You did a great job on adding details. I like the F13 and F14 for the lights. Like it is in yard mode for switching. The weathering is also spot on, however since SP never washed their locos it could of been really dirtied up more. More grime. Liked the video.

I am so in awe of your talents and abilities!

Why is the coupler sticking out so far out like that? I’ve never seen a real boxcar like that.

Thanks for the non-directional headlight tip. I'll use that. Love my Atlas engines and I do the same with the numberboards and headlights. Relatively simple to separate them. Thanks for sharing.

Fantastic model Dan. I actually want to model one of these GP40M-2’s (SSW 7291) as I actually got a numberboard that came from that unit.

Excellent projects like the Southern Pacific & SSW COTTON BELT Railroad & your models shown here. I enjoyed watching Daniel as always. 👍✅

Hi Dan, great video, I like cotton belt locos, have a couple myself

Gotta agree. As an SP fan, going to look for one of these kodachromes to add as a black sheep to my roster. Thanks again Dan.

Very nice job Dan. Lots of goodies ideas for an upcoming winter project I hope. Big SP, RG and NW fan. Thanks for sharing.

I don't think you need to upgrade the decoder at all!

For what these cars are, they look alright for many people, but not for me. For what these are, i feel that the price is much too high per car.

What is that object between the cab and the blower known as?

That's a good looking unit! those subtle little touches really add up to more than the sum of their parts when looking at the entire model.

Love the historical notes, particularly on rolling stock. I’m just getting back into the hobby and appreciate the guidance. Keep up the good work

It looks so good, forever impressed with your ability to capture realism in all aspects 👌

hi! I was wondering if you could make your own flexible track instead of buying ?

I see you referenced author Joseph Strapac. I have 3 Rio Grande Diesels books, two of them since the mid-1980's that Joseph Strapac authored. I haven't gotten any for SP so far. Atlas really needs to up their game with the snowplows. The plows on the RIo Grande GP40-2's I have are disappointing as well - I need to swap them out. You did a very nice job upgrading this model to the prototype. Some well thought out modifications there. What DCC system are you using? Wow, the horn sounded really good. Did you swap out the speaker for one from Scale Sound Systems?

Hello Dan, I love the side-by-side comparison for weathering a great video hats off to you. Also, I would recommend scale sound speakers if you haven’t already used them out of Marion Ohio they improve the the sound.🚂🚂

Great looking locomotive

Nice, I really like it. When I was growing up, there was an SP branch about 2 blocks from us that hosted a 2-3 times per week local. The power was usually either one of these GP40 rebuilds or an MP15AC. SSW 7277 appears briefly in the Pentrex video “SP’s Central California Mainline” which is a great watch if you haven’t seen it. Always enjoy your vids

Another great video! Thanks Dan

Iam so happy to see this video it gives me ideas for the old blue box stuff I have. And how to up grade it. Only thing I need to figure out is a list of normal parts I need to get and what to upgrade. So I know update the fans to cannon ones. Then change things as needed.

Lovely model & great video as always!

upon desiding what I wanted to model I laid some track about 5 times until I decided what I really liked what I have now will be ok but its still not quite right. lol I keep wanting to add more room to the layout. were building a house next spring and we keep looking at the plans and thinking whet we can do to accommodate the layout. I realized OMG I'm building a house for the train not me ;>/

I´m not a bay window fan at all. But those are quite yummys😊

Atlas is great. Still have many Roco built "yellow box" from early 80's and they all run perfect. Yes..i am a proud dc runner😁

Oh boy, you opened quite a big complex box here. All Canadian and American cars, i don´t know about Mexican ones, are listed in ULMER. It means Universal Language Machine Equipment Register. Railroads or private car owner must pay fees everytime there is changes. That´s why you can see CR for Conrail even if it doesn´t exist anymore. Like you said, all cars with an X at the end are private. But why private, non railroad freightcars ? Well many reasons : - You´re a lumber company that ship cut lumber. Your domestic railroad at your door have plenty of those cars, fine you use them. Loading and unloading is fast ? Excellent choice. - Your company makes foam mattress. Well here it´s a different dance. Your railroad doesn´t have the type of tank car you need. Oups ? What do you do ? you make an agreement with a leasing company like GE Capital that will finance and have built cars following your special needs. GE will bill you the same way you pay for your leased automobile. Then you do whatever you want with them. Just like your automobile. You pay railroads for movment of your car. It´s yours, so you´re sure of never missing car for your shipment, AND you have no delays for loading or unloading them. In the example of foam mattress, it can take weeks to empty a tank car. Railroads cars are 48 hours maximum. After that delay you pay demurrages fees, usually by day you´re late. That penalty cost can be pretty high after a while. It´s your car on your piece of track, you can take years if you want. You just pay the leasing company. - you are a speculative fund or in propane industry. You lease tank car the same way. But where to put loaded cars ? You have no track ? Well you store them on railroad track. Class 1 are highly expansive or refuse harmful commodities. Starving branchline / shortline have far better rate and sometimes miles on unused track just perfect for you....if allowed....if not, there is specialised company for storing your propane car, usually at reasonable fees. Why you may be ask, to load a tank car of propane.....and not delivering it to a client ? You´re too fast my friend. Value of propane, just like car gas change with season. Farmers need it in fall for drying corn. Household use more gaz for heating in winter than in 90 degrees of summer. So these tank cars can sleep loaded for months before moving to a customer. - your plant close and you don´t need your leased cars anymore. You send them back to let say again GE Capital, or your leased is expired, just like your automobile. GE have no tracks for thousands of unused cars. They´ll go in a storage company, waiting for a new lessor, or being modified accordingly. I remember a molten sulphur tank car that was in storage in summer 1991....and there it stayed until finally scrapped in 2006 because closure of storing company. Otherwise it would probably being sitting there in 2024. And for those curious of usual black color of tank car, it´s not for no reason. It´s to keep content warmer. Propane is cold. Tar need steam heated insulated tank car for loading / unloading. Same with petroleum products. White ? To keep content cooler with less vapor. Green or other color ? No idea ! Railroad cars have a life expectancy of about 30 years. Private ones have no expiration date as long as they pass inspection. Tank cars are a good example. They must pass tank, valve, pressure test at predeterminated date written on the tank. That´s just few examples of the "why" private cars. On car sides you have the date the car was builted. It´s written BLT in that "black square" and often also on the side NEW. REBLT means rebuilt. Most of the time there is no date. To put a date, the car must be rebuilt. It means major structural changes. For heavier load, or major repairs after a wreck. Cost of repairs must exceed certain amount compared with an equivalent brand new car. Your flat car converted in autorack can probably fell in that category of modification for a new type of handling. Reporting marks can look like a real zoo. As usual there is exceptions...or some delinquant use, but if i take CN, Canadian National let´s see some examples. CN is for CANADIAN made cars to be used only in Canada. CNAA is for AMERICAN built cars to be used exclusively in the US. CNIS is for cars in international service only. From Canada to US and vice versa. It´s always a custom fees story. Same system is in use with CP Rail. Just different letters codes. For those remembering CP green boxcars it was written "for newsprint service only" they carried only that. No canned food, lumber etc... just newsprint. Some had a pine tree on them, they were for lumber only. Back to custom duties, i don´t know if it still applies, but in the 50´ 60´ locomotives couldn´t stay more than 48 hours in the country where they weren´t builted. That explain that CP kept its Alcos in the US in Vermont, Maine territory, and all its MLW counterpart in Canada. Otherwise custom fees had to be paid. That explain also why EMD builted GMDD plant in Ontario, to feed Canadian railroads with Canadian locomotives. For the same reason, Baldwin and Fairbanks Morse locomotives where builted in Canada by CLC under licencees. About Mexican freightcars, many years i haven´t see one of their boxcars. But Autorack mostly daily. So i´ve no idea how does it work for them. Probably an agreement with commercial treaty US/Canada/Mexico ? I have one question. I´m sure i already know answer. In shipping industry, container lenght are made in 20 foot lenght. That means that 20 foot long containers can run on train, truck and ship. Same for 40 footers that equal 2 X 20 footers. So does that mean that 45 and 53 feet long never leave the continent on a ship ? I suppose they stay aground and will never sink in the middle of the big blue.... Hoping that it help your modeling and knowledges. Thanks Daniel for that subject that is so weird for new comers. There is so much to say about "plate C" or "F" and many markings actual or those of the past that we don´t see anymore. But it´s for an other day.

Nice review you made and comparaison. You mentionned that prototype have cushion underframe. That means a long coupler travel in and out. That explain may be why underframe is well detailed but without uncoupling lever. To be prototypical space betwen two of these cars should vary in lenght betwen pulling and pushing. On real cars, uncoupling lever lenght adjust to coupler extension contraction. On model There is no coupler movement. Keep in mind that betwen two real ones, you can talk of at least 4 feet of play. It´s a lot ! On all model, couplers don´t show that play. May be it would be destructive in operation but cool it would be to see train lenght vary. Couplers are fake, so why wonder so much on uncoupling lever ? And air hoses always hanging + the fake one on Kadee....when too much is too much. About see through panels, or not always sharp lettering, these cars are the more loved by vandals that don´t use spray paint. "Their" canvas is so huge, they often go with gallon of paint and roll to hide almost completely car sides minus id. Then are those tiny holes so important ? Giant lenght and height, what really matter i think is their stability on track. We don´t always just like prototype have perfect track. Also elevation change must really be gradual. I agree with Daniel about overweighting them. It probably improve performance. Thanks for that rrview of common see cars.

Hi Dan, as a neighbor of your railroad, i am complaining about your train crew horning and whistling non stop late at night while switching. All neighbors around would like to have your railroad shut down for good. Hence we could sleep ! Or start a GO fund me to get cash and buy them radio. We´re no more in steam era before worl war 1 when brakemen was hand signaling and with light at night with engineer answering with whistle code . Where else modelists got that habit ? In a more serious note there is one (D&H ?) Boxcar with that diagonal line on Google Earth at 7643 Forest av, Lowville, NY. In point of interest is that small yard with few boxcars, a turntable remnant and nowhere to go since going south there is no more track. North toward Carthage it´s also dead. Is there hope ? Bleak future will tell since north east track is still there up to Croghan. But no exit. In fact the Lowville Croghan belong to the Lowville and Beaver Lake railway defunct paper mill in Beaver lake roughly in the middle. Small railroad museum in Croghan with a shay and nice equipment. Proof for freelancers that there is always option for small layout. In 1880 a 11 mile branch was planned betwen Lowville, Beaver Lake and Croghan. Modelers must use patience to build their own empire. So did the real world and first train to operate with 300 guests was in 1906, 26 years later ! How much action there was on that 11 miles branch ? According to Lowville and Beaver Lake railroad, 1922 timetable shows 2 trains each way daily and only 1 each way on sunday, each run about 30 minutes with a small steamer .thete was express and mixt. Dieselisation happened in 1947 with a GE centerbab 44 tons. You don´t need massive real estate eater loco. The 44 tons is preserved. For infos : Lowville and Beaver Lake railroad. Croghan railroad museum. Hope that it gives you idea of interchanging in Lowville (or any place you like). Even if paper mill is close with dormant track. From 1906 to today, 1 steam locomotive, replaced by 1 GE centercab where the only locos used. Who say you must own a dozen ?

For someone that goes back to the blue box of the 80´ and slowly come back to the hobby, did you or someone else made a review on different sounf system ? What´s thebdifferences betwen Paragon, ESU, Soundtraxx, Tsunami and how many others ? Is it just sound quality, easyness of programming, price, reliability, compatibility ? Real railroads try to standardize. Those old enough to remember dieselization, there was so much MU incompatibility among models and builders that it was an headache. Baldwin being pneumatic couldn´t match with no one, except Baldwin. What are the differences in HO ? Thanks again for sharing your knowledges.

It seems a gorgeous model. Less fuñny detail is for Canadian modelers who must pay in US $, at roughly 15% rate + rate for credit card for an item shipped from Toronto in Canada. The 300 $ is now 360. Then add 15% sale tax and it´s 414. I just would prefer 2 prices. In US and in Canadian $ Is it too hard for them to manage that ? When they´ll convert it in Canadian they also get charged. So them and us loose at the end. In actual harsh economy with inflation, that´s harder for new comer to join us and doesn´t help the hobby. Thanks Dan for that review of an impressive unit. Reliable ? Only time will tell.

1- to control cost, just like Daniel said, don´t act in hobby shop like kids in candy store. Far too much power and cars that end up in box, staggering yard etc... 2- small layout ? Better to model the past, 60, 70, with smaller/shorter locos and cars. Perfect for tight radius curves and turnout. It´s a bit a nonsense, big monster power of today pulling 89 feet long autorack on a 4 X 8 layout (HO). 2 of these are longer than 4 40 footers boxcars. 3- cost and rivet counter extra detailing is mostly a scale philosophy. In small scales (N to O) super detailing and often wheatering is the norm. We love to WATCH our trains just as if they are real. In 1/8, many modelers are happy with 1, just 1 loco. May be 2. Most of the time, plywood made that look more or less like a specific model. You can get a highly detailed SD40 if you´re ready to put on the table as much cash as a new automobile ! and that beast is more than 9 feet in lenght, 400 pounds etc... but you don´t watch them, you RIDE them. So different perspective. And if you go full scale size....it´s an other different story. 4- unprototypical oddities happen. Yes Dan even on your SP you could run that NYC engine. May be you´re short and leased it. Or being sold, it´s in transit on your line. Or need repairs in your shop ? In the 90´ CP was so short that retired locomotives were put back in service. Some were even retired à second time and put back in service again ! For a very short period, CP even leased LRC locomotives from VIA Rail for its freight run. It didn´t last long cause of gearing issues. Minimal speed in throttle 8 isn´t the same in 65 mph and 100 mph units. You´ll burn the passenger unit, being too slow. On you´re railroad you can also lease foreign power for testing comparison, cause you lack power, for pooling reason (very common these days). Again CP bought the only Canadian E8 to match it´s passenger run with B&M or MEC (i forgot). Only 3 E8. One in each direction and one spare. Each one among us should enjoy its scale, vision and accept limitations. Be the happy kid that sliding an eraser or pen on its desk was a dream world. 😊 Thanks Dan for that relevent topic.

Naw man, i cant justify these Lionel prices.

I would love to see your workspace where you work on models and organization. I always struggle with that aspect and end up letting my workspace collect dust because there’s junk everywhere. Haha

Wouf....i´m afraid doing it in HO. You did it in N plus narrow gauge ! May be i shouldn´t be afraid and try it ? 😊😊 Thanks for your excellent work in a complicated turnout.

$99.00 for a Fn' cabooses that's not even new other then the DCC.Can you say price gouging?

While I'm a railfan, and I enjoy your videos, you don't see too many PCF exterior post boxcars, even with the WP PCF boxcar built in 1980. Nevertheless, I like trains and enjoy your videos.