Atlas HO M&StL Decorated RS1 Detailing Project

There are a several modifications needed to give the Atlas factory decorated units true M&StL personality. I will go through the most noticeable modifications in photos and text. Feel free to do only the steps you are comfortable with. What are the most noticeable additions needed to give this model M&StL personality? Obviously the steam bell, marker lights and unique cab all-weather windows are the most noticeable. Not so obvious is the relocation of the hood top front exhaust vent walkway, the awning over the engineer’s side air intake vent, and square cab vent. We’ll start this detailing project with the hood front top exhaust vent. When the railroad installed the steam engine bells it was apparent that the walkways protecting the louvers would have to be moved. They were repositioned from the center to along the engineer’s side of the opening.

Figure 1

On the older Atlas RS1s the walkway was pressed in place and will snap off. On the newer offerings the walkways are glued in place and will need to be cut off. Use a Xacto knife with a #17 blade to chisel off the walkway. Do both ends, and then slide the blade in under the sides to cut the pegs under the grating portion of the walkway. Fill and sand the four places in the hood where the walkway was attached.

Figure 2

This photo shows where the attachment pegs are located.

Figure 3

With the walkway removed there is now a depression in the center of the louvers. File off all the louvers until you have a flat surface. There is a convex protrusion across the front of the vent frame. This is there to aid in molding and can be filed off if desired to make the entire vent housing square.

Figure 4

Figure 5

These two photos show a flat surface for adding new louvers and the walkway glued to the outer edge of the vent. The mounting legs at the corners of the grating will need to be snipped to the correct length. I did not remove the extra material from the front of the vent housing. If I had I would have had to shorten the walkway.

Figure 6

The louver opening perimeter frame is made of .010x.030” styrene strip. The rounded front of the housing is quite obvious in this photo.

Figure 7

10 pieces of .010x.030” styrene strip were used to represent the open louvers.

Figure 8

Holes were drilled into the sides of the sand hatches and the marker lights added. Cal-Scale #190-280 ‘Marker Lites, Loco & Tender’

Figure 9

A 1/16” hole was drilled in the hood and the bell was added. The 1/16” hole is too large. I used gel type ACC to affix the bell, the larger hole allows for adjustment to center the bell and the gel type ACC filled the voids. Bell is by Cal-Scale #BE-328 ‘Bell w/anti rotation top bar’

Figure 10

The model has a round cab vent; the M&StL units had square vents. Use a narrow file to remove the round cab vent. Replace with a piece of styrene. I used .040x.156” strip cut square (.156x.156x.040”). My vent looks a bit too tall. Maybe .020” or .030” thick styrene strip might look better.

Figure 11

Figure 12

I painted my vent with Polly Scale SP lettering gray with a drop of Polly Scale ATSF blue added.

Figure 13

The side intake louvers opened when the engine coolant reached a certain temperature. A canvas cover was placed over the engineer’s side louver opening to aid in better temperature control during winter months. The canvas sheet slid on a rod that ran across the top of the opening (like a shower curtain). To protect the canvas and rod an awning was fabricated over the top of the rod. I simulated an awning with .015x.060” styrene strip. Two short pieces were glued to the ends at an angle.

Figure 14

Spur nippers were used to snip off the small end pieces even with the long awning section.

Figure 15

The awning has been glued in place and covered with a piece of decal stripe. The awnings were painted to match each particular unit. Consult photos if you are modeling a different unit for the correct color.

Figure 16

The M&StL designed a unique side window extension to protect their crewmen during inclement weather. We call them all-weather windows or something similar. These windows could be disassembled during the summer months. The window box ends were left attached to the cab sides and could be used as wind deflectors while running at mainline speeds. Etched brass all-weather windows in HO scale can be purchased from Joe Binish. Follow the bending instructions included. These will need to be painted to match the particular unit you’re modeling. I painted mine with the gray/blue mix mentioned previously, and a mix of Polly Scale ATSF blue with a few drops of Badger Accuflex C&NW dark green and a dab of Polly Scale SP lettering gray. These were colors I had on hand. Try as you will, I can guarantee you will not match the manufacturers paint. Just try to get close. I used yellow decal stripping from my decal scrap box. The windows were airbrushed with Floquil Flat Finish to seal the decal stripes. The clear finish darkened the blue and gray paint. Paint mixes for anything requiring clear coats should be mixed lighter than the color you want to match to compensate for the darkening effect of the clear coats.

Figure 17

Engineer’s cab window.

Figure 18

Firemen’s cab window.

Figure 19

Figure 20

I used flush cutting pliers to remove most of the bell casting attached to the model’s underframe. A motor tool would do a better job. The bare metal was painted with Floquil Grimy black.

Figure 21

Figure 22

The prototype units had a small ‘plow’ under the coupler and between the foot boards. I simulated these with a portion of an EMD pilot part available for Proto 2000 GP, SD models. I also replaced the stock couplers with Kadee.

Figure 23

Finished model, engineer’s side. I added the rolled up canvas that was used to cover the intake louvers during cold weather. I rolled a single ply of facial tissue around a small diameter wire, painted it with Polly-Scale Earth, pinched the roll with tweezers near the top and bottom to give it the appearance of being tied, removed the wire, and laid the canvas roll on the closed louvers. The wet paint ‘glued’ the roll in place. The model was weathered by airbrushing with Floquil Grime, Grimy Black, and Mud. Scalecoat Engine Black was used to simulate fuel and oil residue. I added the jewels to the marker lights last.

Figure 24

Finished model fireman’s side

There is a long list of details that could still be added to these models to enhance their appearance even more. The details that I added give the model that unique M&StL appearance that is so appealing to all of us. Clark Propst M&StL detail inspiration from Louis Cleason

PDF file by Tom Wencl