SD70ACe and SD70M-2 repaint project

[CSRX]

Not sure what happened to my previous response.. anyways.
Just a few helping observations on the 431.
The step tops should be red, while the backing plates and edges are yellow.
All the handrails on the front and back should be yellow, but understandable if the mapping doesn't permit that.
Hard to tell on my phone, but the font seems a bit odd. Maybe placed differently. Are you using Pete W's font? His is font matches pretty well for both numbers and letters of the VTR families.
I'm sure the mapping doesn't work with having the sun visors removed and the nose sand hatches being all red versus black. At least on the 432 is all black, so that's a bonus.

I got to get some shots of the warning labels and such too for you. Got the cab shots of the 431, at least the engineers side, for you. Conductors side is pretty basic and the recent cabviews for that from TS is spot on.

If there is anything else, let me know what you would like, I'm sure I can help out!

[=FI=Ghost]

Not sure what happened to my previous response.. anyways.
Just a few helping observations on the 431.
The step tops should be red, while the backing plates and edges are yellow.

I have a selection of photos of both 431 and 432. They seem to differ in several aspects when it comes to their paint job. I see the top of steps really being red on 431, while they appear to be yellow on 432. Is this still the case?

All the handrails on the front and back should be yellow, but understandable if the mapping doesn't permit that.

I am aware of this fact. However, the authors of the model made some quite odd choices when they assigned textures to these models. Therefore, I cannot make them all yellow. I could make some of them yellow, but I don't think this would look good.

Hard to tell on my phone, but the font seems a bit odd. Maybe placed differently. Are you using Pete W's font? His is font matches pretty well for both numbers and letters of the VTR families.

This is Pete Willard's font indeed.

I'm sure the mapping doesn't work with having the sun visors removed and the nose sand hatches being all red versus black. At least on the 432 is all black, so that's a bonus.

This is a very good observation. I hadn't realised that 431 had red "chimneys" (I like to call those sand hatches like that ). I have to check it out. Maybe I could make them red. As for the sun visors, I'll try to alpha them out. Maybe it will work.

I got to get some shots of the warning labels and such too for you. Got the cab shots of the 431, at least the engineers side, for you. Conductors side is pretty basic and the recent cabviews for that from TS is spot on.

If there is anything else, let me know what you would like, I'm sure I can help out!

I've sent you a private message regarding this.

[CSRX]

As far as I remember, neither had yellow stairs, just the edges and back platings. Maybe in their FEC paint, they were all yellow.

That's what I figured about the grab irons on the nose and back, it's bothersome how some models are like this in the ORTS world, but I guess it is what it is with that situation. No harm no foul.

As a mentioned, looked odd on my phone. taking a look on my computer seems better, though for some reason it just seems odd. Maybe I am not use to the clean look. Our locomotives are really gross looking with oil and dirt. Side note, I never did like the fact we went with all white lettering EXCEPT the SD70M-2.. why they did that in black made zero sense to me, but I am simply just a conductor/engineer, so not my call I suppose. haha.
However, I did notice, you want to extend the mountain logo a bit. They actually almost go from the top hinges of the side doors, to the bottom hinges. This photo gives a closer look. Maybe that's why it seemed a bit off to me.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=4780298

One of 432, where you can see the mountains are hinges to hinges.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=5487130

The warning labels I think are making it seem strange too. I will see about getting pictures of all those.


When the 431 was painted, it was done by the Providence & Worcester Railroad, before the G&W buy out. P&W and VTR had a really good partnership. The paint actually has an orange tint to it, while the 432 has a darker shade of red that matches the rest of the VTR red fleet. That of course, is due to the fact, it got painted by the NECR in St. Albans, VT. So with that said, some details such as the sand hatches, are red versus black. Even the cab interiors are different. 431 desks and what not are still all brown while 432 is all black, though the paint is definitely chipping and peeling to the original brown. Not entirely sure why NECR went this route.

If you are able to alpha out the sun visors, great, if not. no worries at all. I wish the handbrake was different though, I wish TS kept the original that came on the first SD70M-2/ACe's they did, as those are the style we use versus the style seen on many NS and UP units.

Not sure if you are going with freshly painted, or current, but if you are going with current, 432 now sports a black plow. (the red one got damaged from a boxcar knuckle & drawbar mismatch)

Also, not sure if you are aware, as there is very little overhead shots, but both units, their roofs are black. Actually all our units are black. Hides the oil on the roofs better.. Obviously the middle section where the horn is, is red, well... unless it gets covered with oil.. hah.


Anyways, got your PM, and will send the cab photos over as soon as I can.

Sorry for all the information, I just want to see them done correctly, considering I work with them almost every day of the week, and, unlike Athearn lately, I hope someone is willing to listen to reason.

[flanker]

Hi,
I agree with Borislav with the handrails. With my SD70ACe from TMBL, it took me forever to find all the areas that were important for the color of the handrails. Danny Beck's skins were sometimes more clearly structured.
But this model from TS has an advantage. It is suitable for locomotives with 5 and 6 steps on the stairs.

[=FI=Ghost]

Hi,
I agree with Borislav with the handrails. With my SD70ACe from TMBL, it took me forever to find all the areas that were important for the color of the handrails. Danny Beck's skins were sometimes more clearly structured.
But this model from TS has an advantage. It is suitable for locomotives with 5 and 6 steps on the stairs.

The problem with grab irons on this model is that half of them don't have their own textures. Instead, they share them with other parts of the locomotive. For instance, the top three grab irons on the back of the locomotive do have their own textures (shared with the top three on the front placed horizontally), but the bottom three share the textures with the back of the locomotive, so there's no way to make them yellow (in this case) without painting half of the back of the locomotive yellow as well.

The front grab irons positioned vertically are even tougher. Some share the textures with the front of the locomotive, one shares texture with the side, and the remaining share the textures with those placed on the top (in horizontal position).

This problem can only be solved by making a proper FA. However, I have no 3D modelling skills. If I did, I would have already made a new SD70ACe/M-2, as well as GEVO models myself

[=FI=Ghost]

Nice Job With these can't wait to Run Them By the Way What SLI Shape will i need?

I apologise for the late reply, but I did not see your question earlier. This locomotive uses the same shape file as my previous SD70ACe/M-2 paint scheme releases, i.e. one that comes with Trainsimulations' Norfolk Southern SD70ACe Heritage Trainset Vol. 1 or Vol. 2.

[CSRX]

Testing out the unit from Borislav. Looks pretty darn good! Can't wait to see the finished product with the warning labels and all new cab interior.

[drjayyyy]

Is this what you were talking about?

SFCAN018.jpg (181.3 KB) SFCAN019.jpg (180.9 KB)

[flanker]

SFCAN018.jpg (181.3 KB) SFCAN019.jpg (180.9 KB)

Yes Jenerro. Is this the SLI SD70_M2? Show us the solution of this.

[=FI=Ghost]

It could be Trainsimulations' "CN COAL AND SULPHUR TRAINSETS." I first thought it only included SD70M-2s with headlights positioned on the nose, but I am looking at their web page now and it seems that the set contains a version with headlights positioned on the roof as well.

I didn't know this was the case, or I would have bought this set as well and used it for my M-2 repaints.

[drjayyyy]

Here ya go.

This is from the TS CN SD70M-2. Take note of the yellow around the headlights. I discovered this by accident putzing around one night with textures on various shapefiles. Also this addition of the yellow only works with this shapefile. I tried it with the TS NS Heritage pack and it won't work.

[drjayyyy]

Frankenloco

This has the CN SD70M-2 shapefile and the TS NS Heritage Penn Central texture converted to a blank with alterations to the left side behind the cab to make it a SD70Ace.

[MsSheare]

Is this going to be released?

[=FI=Ghost]

This is from the TS CN SD70M-2. Take note of the yellow around the headlights. I discovered this by accident putzing around one night with textures on various shapefiles. Also this addition of the yellow only works with this shapefile. I tried it with the TS NS Heritage pack and it won't work.

This is the problem, yes. I am using the NS Heritage Pack shape file for my repaints, and almost half of the grab irons share their textures with other parts of the locomotive. I thought that the CN SD70M-2 only comes with headlights on the nose and those red lights above the windshield. Only yesterday did I notice that the pack contains another version. One that would, indeed, serve my purpose quite well.

I guess I am going to have to wait for a discount and then just buy this pack as we..

[ddcat2004]

I want some more CSX engines too. Some more SD70ACes and the SD70MAHs or whatever they are called in the 7000s and 8900s.