The S Scale SIG
The S Scale Journal
Volume 3 No. 2, August 11, 2014
Canadian National Railway Montreal Locomotive Works FPA-2 #6706 (Road Class MPA-16a)
By Dick Karnes
The Prototype
In 1955, under license from the American Locomotive Company (Alco), Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW) built six FPA-2 diesel locomotives and six matching FPB-2 units for hauling CNR passenger trains. These locomotives were essentially FA-2 diesels with the addition of a steam generator. The Canadian units also had features for cold-weather operation, most obviously winterization hatches.
Ditch lights were added later; the units did not have these when built. (See black-and-white MLW builder's photos). I modeled the as-built configuration, as my layout is circa 1955. The paint job is also per the original, with green handrails and black kickplates. (Note the differences between the builder's photos [B&W] and the later color photo.)
The Model
Fig. 1. CNR FPA-2 No. 6706 hauls the joint CNR-NYW&B Grand Isle Limited past NC Tower on its way south from Montreal. At Cornwall Bridge CT, just a mile to the south, No. 6706 will be replaced by an NYW&B electric for the rest of its trip to New Haven. The locomotive won the "People's Choice" award at the 2014 NASG National Convention in Oconomowoc WI. Dick Karnes photo.
Fig. 2. This front three-quarter view of the unpainted locomotive shows the extent of the modifications made to the basic American Models Alco FA-2 locomotive. The shell was acquired used, pretty beat up, with a ragged hole in the nose for an additional headlight. The green stuff is Squadron Green plastic body putty. Most of the brass parts are from BTS, including the truck sideframes. Note the modified pilots, altered to their prototype configuration. The fuel tank and winterization hatch are scratchbuilt. Dick Karnes photo.
Fig. 3. Rear three-quarter view shows the rest of the unpainted FPA-2. There's a lot of stuff on that rear end. Dick Karnes photo.
Fig. 4. Good prototype photos are extremely valuable for modeling specific prototypes. These two happen to be 1955 Montreal Locomotive Works builder's photos of No. 6706 and 6709. Montreal Locomotive Works photo.
Fig. 5. Excellent color shot used as a guide for painting and lettering. Builder's photos show black kick plates and no ditch lights. Black stripes separating green from yellow were the most difficult part of the entire project. Jim Parker photo.
The loco started out as a lot of "stuff," primarily a powered AM FP-7 chassis, an American Models Alco FA shell from a swap meet that some inexperienced modeler had severely damaged while trying to add a second headlight opening, and a bag of SouthWind Alco FA/FB detailing parts.
I referred quite often to James Whatley's article on converting an HO FA-2 to a CNR FPA-4 in the January 2013 Railroad Model Craftsman. I relied heavily on this article for suggestions on how and what to do to create my loco. A chat with Andy Malette confirmed that the rear features and color of the FPA-2 and FPA-4 were identical.
Superstructure (see unpainted model photos)
I did a lot of work on the carbody. The unpainted model photos pretty much highlight what I did. All the brass parts were from the SouthWind FA/FB detailing kit. Handrails above the coupler lift bars, and the lift bars themselves, are formed from .020" steel wire. The cab awning is a piece of styrene sheet. The stainless-steel Farr Grilles are a Des Plaines Hobbies product, intended for EMD units. I narrowed them with a coarse bastard file in order to fit the FPA-2 grille areas.
I filled in the rear of the pilot (on both sides) with .060" styrene to achieve the correct prototype contour. I also filled in the second headlight hole in the nose with .060" styrene and faired it in with Squadron Green plastic body filler. You can see more of the green stuff used to repair dings on other parts of the carbody.
The winterization hatch as well as the flat platform "thingy" were built up of layers of styrene sheet, files, sanded, and filled to achieve the correct contours according to the RMC article. The larger of the two vents over the train heat boiler (rear of roof) is an O scale trolley car pole retriever. The smaller vent is an S scale coach lavatory vent. The grab at the left rear of the roof is another piece of formed .020" steel wire.
Lift rings and wipers are from the SouthWind FA/FB detailing kit. The diaphragm striker plate and the modified horn cluster are from an Overland E-unit parts pack. With the exception of the Pacific Rail Shops ladder, the rest of the rear-end details are from the SouthWind FA/FB detailing kit.
The front coupler in the unfinished photos, a San Juan Car Co. "Evolution" coupler, was replaced after painting. Both couplers are now Kadee #808s.
Chassis (see unpainted model photos)
I replaced the AM Blomberg sideframes with SouthWind AAR Type B sideframes built from parts in the SouthWind FA/FB detailing kit. The fuel tank is built up of styrene sheet overlaid on the AM chassis's underfloor fuel tank. The various bolts and clean-out plugs are from the SouthWind FA/FB detailing kit. The fuel level indicator on the left side of the tank was made from a brass relief valve from a SouthWind A-B brake set plus a length of brass wire. The fuel pipes on the front left of the tank are simply formed brass rod. The side steps are from the original FA carbody shell.
Finishing
I used the color prototype photo as a guide for painting and lettering. All paint is Scale Coat, airbrushed. The first coat is CNR yellow, no longer available in the US. I sent the completed body shell to Andy Malette, who sprayed the entire carbody with the correct CNR yellow. When I got it back, the masking began. Next came CNR green, which I had, thanks to the NASG's CNR Pullman Car remediation program of some years ago. I masked the yellow, including the striping, and oversprayed the green. Then I masked again for the black, including the thin one-inch black stripes that divide the green from the yellow along the bottom of the carbody.
After peeling off the masking tape and letting the paint cure for a week, I began decaling. I had a lot of striping left over from the NASG remediation program, so I used the stripes of yellow bordered with black to finish the black stripe wherever yellow meets green. Curves in the stripes were achieved by repeated applications of decal solvent accompanied with teasing the stripe segments with a No. 11 X-acto blade. Some of the black striping done by masking was rather ragged, so the decal stripes were overlaid on these to clean up the look. The sharpest curves were not outlined with these leftover passenger-car stripes (but see next paragraph).
The lettering and herald came from a Black Cat decal set for CNR diesel units. Also, portions of the black "O" in "National" were cut and fitted to the sharply curved color boundaries. Finally, the handrails were all repainted by hand with CNR green, per the color prototype photo. A cardstock mask behind each handrail served to protect the carbody color from paintbrush mishaps. Then the entire body shell was given an overspray of Floquil "Flat Finish."
Clear plastic windows, lenses, and number board decals were applied last; the number boards were then hand-brushed with clear nail polish.
The chassis was next. I masked the couplers as well as everything above the floor, then painted the entire chassis with a spray can of Floquil Grimy Black. Then I removed the truck cover plate/sideframe assemblies, separately painted the wheels, and cleaned the treads with lacquer thinner.
Parts Breakdown
Scratchbuilt Parts:
Fuel Tank
Big square thing on roof
Winterization hatch
Cab awnings
Various hand grabs
Front coupler lift bars
Stock Commercial Parts:
SouthWind:
Truck sideframes (kit)
Handrails
Door handles
Rear handgrabs
Cooling coils
Back-up light fixture
Fuel tank cleanout plugs
Rear coupler lift bars and hangers
Roof lift rings ("U"s)
Rear end lift rings
Flag stanchions
Bolt heads
Fuel tank clean-out plugs
Windshield wipers
BTS:
Lav vent
Hose cocks and gladhands
Other:
Overland diaphragm striker plate
Kadee #808 couplers
American Models clear plastic sprue (windows etc.)
Pacific Rail Shops ladder
MV lenses (back-up light, classification lights)
Black Cat decals
Clouser trolley pole retriever
NCE DCC decoder
Modified Commercial Parts:
Overland horn cluster
BTS relief valve
Des Plaines Farr grilles
American Models Powered FP-7 chassis
American Models Carbody molding
Miscellaneous:
ACC (super glue)
Brass rod
Squadron Green plastic body filler
Sheet styrene
Liquid plastic cement
Steel music wire
Paint
Electrical wire
Wire insulation (for hoses)