NH 793 Close-Up
 
Fairbanks-Morse C-Liner, New Haven (NH 793).  This prototype looks great in this livery, and I wanted to add the replica to my roster.  Unfortunately, this model was issued in the early days of N-Scale, back in the 1960s!  I decided to concentrate on the detailing, discard the mechanism and basically turn it into a non-powered unit.  I started by disassembling the model, and removing the coupler pocket and pilot from the front truck with a razor saw.  I formed a mounting platorm for the pilot out of Evergreen 40-mil styrene, shaped it to the contour of the pilot, and cemented it to the body.  I drilled and tapped two holes, screwed the pilot to the new platform, and finished blending the pilot into the body.  A Micro-Trains conversion kit for the C-Liner was installed into the pilot, and the model was assesmbled to make the necessary adjustments in the coupler mounting.  The coupler was removed, the body assembled and airbrushed with Accu-Paint Hunter Green.  The body was decorated with Northeast Decals, and slit with a sharp X-Acto blade at the pilot seam after being set.  All of the motor components were removed from the chassis, and both trucks were removed of all gearing to be as free-rolling as possible.  The mounting tabs on the chassis were painted Hunter Green.  A Kato coupler was installed in the rear truck.  This model is usually paired with a Con-Cor PA-1 painted in the same scheme on local passenger runs.