05/09/2004

Last week was was not terribly productive.  I spent several hours after work cleaning, filling some defects in the area near the class lights and then primering.  I finally gave up on the rear class lights and made patches for the holes.  They are odd shaped in order to keep them within the outline of a class light housing so the plates will come off and not disturb the new paint. 

After writing this on Friday, I received an email from a friend in Oregon who has located a set of SD9 rear class lights that came off a scrapped locomotive at the Port Of Tillamook Bay.  We have not finalized the deal yet but I believe we will get them.  Because of this, I decided to take the patches off and paint as though I had the lights in hand.  I will paint the patches just in case.

Saturday was spent at a family wedding and I must admit that the food was a way superior to the lunch I normally make for myself on work days.  And, I stayed a lot cleaner.  Sunday became my work day and the object was to paint the long hood upper end.  The wind managed to stay away and the job went smoothly.  You may notice that the vertical line of silver paint on the left end of the radiator shutters is not where it used to be.  I decided to put the "break line" where it is supposed to be for the Black Widow paint scheme now rather than have to do it later.  I have been thinking about repainting the rest of the silver on the rear end and the rest of the break line correction can be made at that time.

Once the paint sets for several days, I can put the oscillating lights on and install the number board glass.  Thanks to Len for having the glass made and delivering it to me.   Hopefully, we will get the class lights and not have to use the patches.
-- 
Howard