Saw a photo of GN 400 SD45 “Hustle Muscle” (Railpictures.com Photo ID: 140915 ) today which said she is going to the Wisconsin Southern Horicon paint shops for a new paint job…to this I ask “WHY?”.
Because people who live in Duluth are flat out crazy.
Kurt
Because, we at the GNRHS wish to do our best to preserve the locomotive
in good condition. It often doesn’t show in photos, but the paint currently on
400 is pretty rough. So, we have been raising funds to this end and have
finally accumulated enough to get the job done.
Not all of us live in Duluth.
I traveled to Minnesota last July to attend the GNRHS convention from
Washington State. A big reason, though not the only one, was to once
again see, and in this case, run 400. Was quite interesting. But, being
on the engine, one could see the deterioration of the paint. So, we, collectively,
have acted.
Sweet deal. Love the Hustle Muscle.
Adrianspeeder
Rick, that is good news.
Question: What refinishing paint chemicals will your group be using?
I worked on transit vehicles in the past. Our body shop crew had great success with IMRON from DuPont. I’ve heard painters complain that IMRON chips easily. However, those guys were also using cheap, low-grade primers underneath the topcoat.
The newer Single Stage**“Industrial IMRON”** has been on the market a few years. This paint is so tough that 80 grit sand paper won’t even scratch it! Yes, DuPont took the old IMRON line and made some great improvements.
Of course, PPG and BASF also produce Industrial grade automotive paints as well. These newer generation industrial paints have very high gloss and DOI (distinctiveness of Image) compared to their predecessor lines. PPG makes a clear coat (I think it’s #2050) that’s also scratch and graffitti resistent.
No insult to you, but one mistake that restorers of commercial type vehicles make is to use standard acrylic enamel paint. Paints like DuPont’s old Single Stage Centari, or even the newer PPG and DuPont Base Coat/Clear Coat systems are great for automobiles/pickups/vans/SUVs, but they still must be waxed occasionally.
Additionally, good quality primers for bare metal (Zinc based), body work, and a sealer should be used. I’ve seen over and over what happens when “short cuts” are taken.
It is expensive, but it makes the difference between paint jobs
Because, we at the GNRHS wi***o do our best to preserve the locomotive
in good condition. It often doesn’t show in photos, but the paint currently on
400 is pretty rough. So, we have been raising funds to this end and have
finally accumulated enough to get the job done.
OK, I CAN BUY THAT! YOU ARE RIGHT, FROM LOOKING AT THE PHOTOS I HAVE SEEN LATELY, SHE LOOKS PRETTY DARNED GOOD. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
What the hell is that supposed to mean?[}:)]
The Hustle Muscle ran up here on the North Shore Scenic Railroad ( I volunteer/work there) for a number of years and the paint was very rough. The #400 is a great locomotive, and only has one minor detail missing. It doesnt have ditchlights. All it has is flashing LED’s. The WSOR and Bill Jelinek (a personal friend of the NSSR’s) did a GREAT job painting our SOO LINE GP30 #700 last spring a nd am sure they will do a great job on the #400.
As said before, it is the same with any of Historical Society. I am a member of the Missabe HS and when the LSRM and NSSR bought DMIR SDM(former SD18) we raised funds to get it looking like new.
We at the GNRHS are very proud of the #400 and I hope to see it up here in the near future.
Antonio, what you say makes good sense. I, personally, have no knowledge
of exactly what kind of paint is being planned for. You might be able to obtain
that information from the GNRHS website. But, on our behalf, I thank you for
your interest.
Here in the Milwaukee area railfans hang around Horicon WI at the WSOR shops because you never know what you’ll see coming out of their paint booth; they are where the UP sent their “heritage” engines for painting and the WSOR itself has painted up some special units for its own use.
This is one way to get a photo published in Trains or Railroad/Railfan!
You rarely if ever see a worn or rusted WSOR locomotive.
Coborn interesting you should mention Soo 700. I was just looking at some of my older slides when that engine looked ready for the scrap heap in both the Fond du Lac and Stevens Point shops – nice to hear it was saved (a GP30 on Alco trucks).
Dave Nelson
More power (pun intended) to the GNRHS for their efforts in preserving the first SD45 to be sold to a railroad. I may actually have a picture somewhere of the same SD45 at Clyde cleverly disguised in Cascade Green as BN 6400 with the “Hustle Muscle” lettering.
[quote]
QUOTE: Originally posted by AntonioFP45
Rick, that is good news.
Question: What refinishing paint chemicals will your group be using?
I worked on transit vehicles in the past. Our body shop crew had great success with IMRON from DuPont. I’ve heard painters complain that IMRON chips easily. However, those guys were also using cheap, low-grade primers underneath the topcoat.
The newer Single Stage**“Industrial IMRON”** has been on the market a few years. This paint is so tough that 80 grit sand paper won’t even scratch it! Yes, DuPont took the old IMRON line and made some great improvements.
Of course, PPG and BASF also produce Industrial grade automotive paints as well. These newer generation industrial paints have very high gloss and DOI (distinctiveness of Image) compared to their predecessor lines. PPG makes a clear coat (I think it’s #2050) that’s also scratch and graffitti resistent.
No insult to you, but one mistake that restorers of commercial type vehicles make is to use standard acrylic enamel paint. Paints like DuPont’s old Single Stage Centari, or even the newer PPG and DuPont Base Coat/Clear Coat systems are great for automobiles/pickups/vans/SUVs, but they still must be waxed occasionally.
Additionally, good quality primers for bare metal (Zinc based), body work, and a sealer should be used. I’ve seen over and over what happens when “short cuts” are taken.
Antonio, The WSOR’s paint shops uses Imron paint almost exclusively now a days. The only exception to this rule is on their passenger equipment with the silver color, as you can’t buy silver locomotive paint. The Silver is automotive paint. But as far as I know just about everything else that goes through the paint shops in Horicon get’s Imron paint now days.
Noah
Noah,
Thanks for that update! Good to know that these pros use high quality materials.
Would be neat to see photos of freshly painted locomotives. I hope some will be available once “Hustle Muscle” goes through the process.
Rick, since you’re in a very good position…could you please suggest the following to the persons in charge?
Have someone take photos of “Hustle Muscle” as it goes through the paint refinishing stages. From sanding and body repairs—to the primer stages----to the masking—to the booth—and fresh out of the booth! Since the “Muscle” is a significant locomotive TRAINS editors would likely use those photos in a future issue!
What do you think?
if you guys think hustle mustle looks rough you should seee someof the stuff we got “returnig to its natural state (ashes to ashes rust to rust)” at the MTM where its stored
We do not own that locomotive at all. The people in Minneapolis do. Where did you get that idea!!??? Another thing that locomotive has been sitting down in Minneapolis for the last 8 years so I really want to know where Duluth comes in at?
So you cannot say we are crazy. Plus the paint job is looking pretty shabby when you look close at it. and its getting the same paint job just now it’s going to look brand new.
James
Acutally James, the Great Northern Railway Historical Society owns it, it is just stored in Minneapolis.
And it has only been in MTM for around 5 years since it left the NSSR.
TRAINS had a “centerfold” of GN 400 in the early/mid 90’s, I think. I used it as art in my train room when I was younger.
Since when did Great Northern run their engines with ditch lights??
Antonio, That is a great idea. I will try to bring it up. I suspect, that the Society
will record the project. We do, after all have a vested interest. I would imagine
that the Society will put out a report with our quaterly mailer: “The Goat”.
But, I will bring your idea to the attention of our Board members.
Thank you again for your interest…
Chris, the Great Northern didn’t run with ditch lights. But, according to FRA
regulations, in order for us to be able to operate our locomotive on excursions,
it has to be equipped with them. As it happens, even the winterization hatch is
not original equipment. It was installed by Burlington Northern, during the
locomotive’s existence as BN 6430.