I have Parkinson’s Disease and I need to find someone who can A) install the couplers B) add the Snow plows C) Paint and Replace the acetal (L) side long handrail, D) maybe add the winterization Cover on a Proto 2000 KCS SD50.
On the P2K SP GP9 it needs to have A) the Couplers installed B) Winterization cover maybe.
I DESTROYED a GP9 trying to add the couplers, and thus learned my lesson about trying anymore P2K. I have no idea why they can’t be a little more like Athearn in this respect, and have the couplers and body shell already mounted.
May end up having to send the units back Walther’s to have this stuff done. Does anyone know someone who can do really minor work for a reasonable price as I live on SSDI. The hardest part seems to be painting the acetal handrail which I understand is a real PITA… and adding the cursed couplers.
As much as I like the P2K stuff, it might in the long run prove cheaper to buy the Athearn Genesis stuff.
Where do you live? Perhaps someone can suggest a local shop so you don’t need to ship anything. The shipping would exceed the cost of any repairs.
Alternately, try going to a train show. Find a local club layout, and ask them. Most clubs will have a tool kit with them, and other than painting the handrails they’d probably do it for you right there.
I may have to take you up on that. Still looking. I sincerely appreciate the offer though. I know there must be modelers here in Tucson, but… they are hard to find, especially since I don’t have a car and ride public transportation only. If I don’t find someone locally by the end of February then I’ll request your help if that would be O.K.
Update: Under the Heading “Good News, Bad News”… Well the GOOD News is that I will NOT have to paint any of the handrails. Walther’s sent me a new handrail kit for the SD50 (which cost me $7.xx + shipping), so I now have the left side long rail to replace the broken one. Now for the NOT so good news…
For reason’s UNKNOWN Life Like could not cast a SINGLE long rail, no rather the entire long rail is actually 2 parts – the Long rail, and the step up rail that ties into the long rail. That means that the step up rail, which is painted in YELLOW can be reused – a good thing too as there were only 12 of the 14 railing pieces in the kit, and one of the missing pieces was – naturally – the piece for the step up rail that would tie into the long rail, and this would have needed painting. The REALLY BAD NEWS I have no idea how anyone can get one end of the railing to mate into the next railing given the needle like diameter of the railings. I truly have a Love / Hate relationship with P2K products: I LOVE the fine detail they put into their products. I HATE those same very fine details as they tend to be easy to break. I have no idea why they can’t make their locos RTR right out of the box with all the detailing DONE so the modeler dose not have to fool around with adding detail parts ala Athearn Genesis Line.