$3.50 IN CANADA SEPTEMBER 1986e$2.75 _ The MODELER'S Magazine of Prototype RAILROADINGt--' THE NORTHERN PACIFIC SD45 BUSINESS IN BLUE AND BRUNSWICK 09 o 74470 19381 4 The Pikestuff Distribution Center in HO Scale Here's our newest structure in HO Scale, able extra to further individualize your building. Pikestuff the Distribution Center. It measures 70' across You can also elevate 'em by making a first noor the front, 40' deep (combine two or three for a of our concrete block wall sections and using PO Box 6406 great looking industrial plant!) and 25' high at the kit walls above them. Evansville. Indiana the roof peak. It comes with all doors and win­ Join the fun! Get that industry going on dows shown, plus more. The truck loading bay your pike tOday! New! Highway Guardrail was made with bits of balsa scrap for the walls, kits now available in 3-Paks painted gray to simulate concrete. We've also HO Scale Distribution Center and 6-Paks at a real savings! got lots of different doors and windows avail- #0010 $11.95 See your dealer. lITOBZ'BIUBIITCB .BCB.84B'F... With Air-Opaque, every modeller, including beginners, can weather and age models just like master modellers . Air-Opaque is colorfast, waterproof, quick drying, odorless colors. Non-toxic Air-Opaque is specially formulated for use with the air­ brUSh, but you can also apply weathering effects with a paint brush, sponge, even Q-Tips. The results are professional looking . If you don't like the effect, you can remove Air-Opaque within the first 10 minutes and start over. There is very little mess, and Air-Opaque cleans up easily with Air-Opaque Cleaner. Air-Opaque is available in both. 1 and 4 ounce unbreakable clear plastic bottles in nineteen vibrant colors plus black �nd white, and comes in 4 pre-packaged 7 bottle sets for extra savings. A mixing guide is available to reproduce most of the famous colors used by the great railroads of America. For your free guide, send a self addressed stamped envelope to Dept. PT J85. Air-Opaque makes the difference in realistic models, and no experience is necessary. © 1984 BACo. All rights reserved. ----...,..� BADGER AIR-BRUSH CO. 9128 W BELMONTAVE: FRANKUN PARK, IL 60131 Distin Canada by:HOBBY INDUSTRIES· 24 Ronson Drive· Rexdale.Ontario M9W 1B4 prototype '--___ The MODELER'S Magazine Prototype RAILROADING Vol. IX, No.7 SEPTEMBER 1986 F25 --------------------------------------------- Publisher Kevin McKinney Managing Editor features Paul Zack Senior Editor Mike Schafer Contributing Editors Jim Six John Swanson James E. Humbert Central of Georgia 11f2-door Boxcars .... ......... 8 Richard H. Hendrickson Art Director Western Pacific Center-flow Covered Hoppers . ... 12 Allen Ambrosini/GRAVITY GRAPHICS John J. Ryczkowski Research & Assistance Northern Pacific S045's ......................... 21 John H. Kuehl John B. Hilbron Doug Nuckles Photo Roster: Toledo, Peoria Western Railroad... Circulation/Office Manager & 26 Anne Bovino Paul Zack Operations Seen From Both Sides .. .. .......... 36 MEMBER Jerry Pyfer ""w".rRP-I Prototype Portfolio: Conrail Inspection Trains ..... 41 ,.1I00llC$$ IH$rlr"rc The PM Staff Advertising inquires: Contact PT J Publishing, PO. Box 860, Homewood, IL 60430, (312) 957·RAIL. PROTOTYPE MODElER (ISSN 0734-1482) is published month­ departments ly by PTJ Publishing. Inc .. 2024 Hickory Rood, p.o. Box 860. Homewood. Illinois 60430. (312) 957-RAIL.Second closs poslage poid at Homewood. III .. and at addition­ al office. (USPS 710-590). SUBSCRtPTtON RATES: In the U.S. and its po"essians-S27 for 12 issues. S48 for 24 issues. Canada and Mexico-S31IU.S.) for 12 issues. S56 for 24 issues. Outside North Arnerico-S36 for 12 issues. $66 for 12 issues. CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Please send change-of-address notice at least 4-6 weeks prior to moving. Send form 3579 to PTJ Publish­ 4 POSTMASTER: PM Junction .............................................. ing. P.O. Box B60. Homewood. IL 60430. 6 Now Arriving ............... ................ .............. Correspondence regarding new subscriptlons. renew­ 45 als. clIculollon, changes of address, book, binder and Company Mail .................................... ...... back issue olders. manuscript and photo submiSSions ........ ......................... ...46 and any other business related to PROTcr,Pt MODf.L£R Model Retailer Listing should be senl 10 PROTOTYPE MODElER PTJ Publishing, tnc_ P.O_ Box 860 Homewood, Illinois 60430 On the cover: (Top) This Northern Pacific SD45 was detailed and painted by Doug PTJ Publishing. tnc. Officers Nuckles, who started the project with an Athearn locomotive. His article on NP SD45's and Kevin McKinney. Chairman and President Otto Jonssen ... ....... Vice President how he finished the model shown begins on page 20 of this issue. Photograph by Doug Uucijo Ambrosini .... Secretory-Treasurer Nuckles, (Bottom) On July 17, 1980. a Conrail inspection train rolls through the verdant New Michael Cross .. Director Jim Wolter. Director York state countryside. PM features Conrail business passenger trains in its Prototype Port­ Mark E. Singer Director folio this month, beginning on page 41. Photograph by Denis Connell. PROTOTYPE MODELER 3 The missing medium don't know how old Mike Schafer is PM I or how long he's been in model rail­ roading, but I am 67 years old and classified have been in the hobby for 48 years. I can hardly believe that one of the PM Classified is a bargain way to advertis the cost IS only 20 cents per word (no charge for zip code). Minimum original mediums we worked with in charge is $5. Count initials. single numbers. groups of the old days can be completely forgot­ numbers (such as phone number). address number. ten. From Mr. Schafer's article about street number. city and state each as one word. Send order. with check or money order to: Prototype Modeler. the Great Northern Gopher and Bad­ P.O. Box 860. Homewood. IL 60430. ger (June PM), I must conclude he We welcome letters that provide interesting information. correc­ doesn't know about it. tions. or your views on model railroading or PROTOTYPE MODELER. He talks about making car sides of HAVE YOUR NEW Athearn GP38-2, SD40·2, or Atlas Mark at top of letter "To PM Junction" if it is to be considered lor styrene or metal. Both of these are very Alco diesel beautifully custom painted and meticulously possible publication. Your full address will be given ONLY if you superdetailed for your favorite road. To your specifica· so request. Because of our limited staff. we are not always able to hard to cut windows into. What is the tions. Expert brass model painting, all scales. Quality answer all mail (although a self· addressed. stamped envelope matter with making those sides out of service at affordable prices. Write: Piper's Precision will help I). but we do guarantee to read all mail. a really good grade of cardboard such Models, Box 263, Eagle Grove, IA 50533. as Strathmore? It's much easier to cut PROFESSIONAL CUSTOM FINISHING. Locomotives, windows in it. Also, it can be painted rolling stock, structures. All scales. Expert superdetail­ Sp P.s. any color you wish. You should see ing of plastic locomotives. Get prototype realism for some of my cars (in HO) made back in reasonable rates. Write: Piper's Precision Models, Box 263, Eagle Grove, IA 50533. enjoyed the feature on Southern 1940-45 when nothing else was avail­ I Pacific commute trains in the July able. They still look good, and more RAILROAD APPROVED WATCH-Manufactured in issue of PM. Of course, I especially en­ importantly they run good. Switzerland to the specs of CNR. Authentic retro look joyed the seven photos of mine that you If you start using Strathmore in cer­ with all RR features, but using the finest quality Swiss Quartz movement. Available in October. Send LSASE published. I would like to offer a few tain situations, instead of styrene, I for free brochure: ProSpec, Dept. R67509, PO. Box details and a nitpicky correction as a think you'll be happy with the results. 1000, Kings Park, NY 11754. postscript to the article. Henry C. Falk WANTED. Would like to find old Prototype Modeler Since the first order of bilevels was Drexel Hill, Pa. magazines. Complete years, good condition only. 1975, delivered in 1955 and SP steam was 1976, 1977. Others before 1973 considered. Send list retired from commute service in 1956, Well, I'm 37 years old and have been and price to: Clark, PO. Box 10478, Phoenix, AZ there was a very brief moment when in model railroading 23 years (not in­ 85064. steam did indeed pull two-tone gray bi­ cluding my "tinplate" era with Ameri­ CUSTOM PAINTED HO ENGINES, rolling stock; north­ level cars between San Francisco and can Flyer). I have indeed worked with eastern roads. Send one dollar, refundable with order, San Jose. Not long before orders were cardboard and Strathmore-the latter for catalog. N.J. Rail Shops, PO. Box 1356, Fai r l awn , placed with Sumimoto for new bilevel was a staple diet of my college years, NJ 07410. equipment, Cal trans painted the ends since I was an art major. of at least two SP bilevels with safety When I was 15, I built a factory A buddy and I are in the midst of stripes to test visibility for the newly­ building out of cardboard, which I building an HO scale replica of the fa­ expected cab cars. What was interest­ braced on the inside with basswood mous Bobs roller coaster that once ing was that each half of the inverted V strips and stained on the outside with stood at Chicago's Riverview Park. The striping was different! One side had thinned oil paints. It turned out fairly 4 x 6-foot model is being built entirely red and white stripes (the arrange­ decent and served faithfully on my of styrene.