
Alco PA-1, New Haven (NH 0785).
This PA-1 unit is painted in the New Haven reverse McGinnis scheme, which was mainly utilized
on the EP-5 electrics that headed passenger runs between New Haven and Grand Central Terminal
in New York. After I finished the two standard McGinnis PAs, I started on a
reverse-scheme unit. The undecorated Con-Cor shell was airbrushed in the grills and
nose areas with Accu-Paint Socony Red. Next, I used Northeast Decals to create the
specific masks for the nose, masked off the nose and grills, and airbrushed the lower sides
and nose area in stencil white. Another specific mask was placed on the nose, the
lower sides were masked, and the entire unit was airbrushed stencil black. Northeast
Decals for NH Alco McGinnis units were used for the upper nose "mustache", engine numbers and
railroad name. Clover House dry transfers supplied the red and white side heralds.
The unit was lightly airbrushed with a dust and grime wash. The clear plastic
nose light was replaced with an MV mirrored lense, with a hole drilled in the back to allow
the headlight bulb to shine through. Micro-Trains couplers were utilized in the front,
and Kato couplers in the back. I also utilized the new Con-Cor mechanism on this unit
when it became available. I use this diesel on a five-car local train.