As I have mentioned I have been fiddling with both of my RDC. They were painted with the Alclad paint almost exactly 3 years ago. It was quickly pointed out to me by my PRSLHS Brothers that most PRSL RDC did not have the pilots on them - sort of like a little snow plow. So they had to go..
I had been concerned about decaling over the Alclad paint, and what if any clear coat I should use. After some fiddling this afternoon, I think I have a plan. I did some test decaling in about 4 areas before I strip the bodies. The Testors gloss over the whole car is definitely out. It did not shift the overall appearance that much but the clear areas of the decals looked very different. I tried the Floquil dull coat which is really a semi-gloss. That was better. But someplace between nothing over the car and a very light coat of the Floquil over the edges of the decals or the decal areas only is what I am going to do. I am just trying to hide the edges of the decals. I switched out the NCE motor decoder for the QSI RDC decoder. It was close to an unplug and plug swap. Of course it could not be that easy. To say the QSI is different and much more complex than the Tsunami is a severe understatement. After about 20 minutes on the phone with QSI I now know how to change the volume levels of the various sounds with my NCE PowerCab. The QSI does MANY more things than the Tsunami - things like has stereo speaker capability - I am probably never going to use. In the many adjustments there is not one for the frequency of sounds like the compressors coming on. I think they come on way too often for an idling unit. They also cannot turn off and on aux lights like the corner markers with a F function button. I was told it can be done though some other way. I don't want the bulbs grinding away at their hour life sitting on the layout so I want to be able to turn them off. I have to remap that function to the yellow wire. That will all be another call to QSI later. In short I don't think I will be getting another QSI decoder any time soon. Using 2 CVs to make 1 adjustment is too much like work. The biggest surprise in the push to the finish line is removing the pilots. I thought I would just unsolder them and possibly have to fill some small holes. NOT SO FAST! The cab floor, both steps, coupler pad and pilot are all one huge casting! I don't think I have ever seen a single casting so large and complex before. So I am literally cutting the pilots off with the delicacy of the kids game "Operation" so I don't damage anything that remains. Some points of attachment will take some time to smooth out like they were not there. The ironic thing in brass models is things you wished were one piece so they did not fall apart are many pieces, and they fall apart. The one thing I wished was a few pieces was one huge casting! Thank You, Bill Lane Modeling the Mighty Pennsy & PRSL in 1957 in S Scale since 1987 See my finished models at: <http://www.lanestrains.com/> http://www.lanestrains.com Look at what has been made in PRR in S Scale! See my layout progess at: <http://www.lanestrains.com/My_Layout.htm> http://www.lanestrains.com/My_Layout.htm Custom Train Parts Design <http://www.lanestrains.com/SolidWorks_Modeling.htm> http://www.lanestrains.com/SolidWorks_Modeling.htm PRR Builders Photos Bought, Sold & Traded (Trading is MUCH preferred) <http://www.lanestrains.com/PRRphotos.xls> http://www.lanestrains.com/PRRphotos.xls ***Join the PRR T&HS*** The other members are not ALL like me! <http://www.prrths.com/> http://www.prrths.com <http://www.lanestrains.com/PRRTHS_Application.pdf> http://www.lanestrains.com/PRRTHS_Application.pdf Join the Pennsylvania Reading Seashore Lines Historical Society It's FREE to join! <http://www.prslhs.com/> http://www.prslhs.com Preserving The Memory Of The PRSL
