CNW 974 started out as a Kato SD45 that I cut the molded on dynamic brake section off of. From there, I grafted two nondynamic SD40-2 hatches together to give me a long nondynamic section. Next, I removed the ends (wings) from the cut off dynamic section, cut them to size and grafted them to the new nondynamic hatch. After a bunch of filling and sanding, I moved on to other aspects of the loco. I removed the stock fans and replaced with Cannon and Company photoetched fans. The winterization hatch came from a Proto 2000 SD45. I then cut a notch into the nose for the CNW gong bell, and used strip styrene to fill in the opening. I also at this time removed the rear footboards and front pilot. I filled the stock Kato MU hoses, drilled new holes for DA MU hoses and cut notches on the pilot faces.
Next, I fitted a new Details West plow (with grabs added), a Details West speed recorder, drilled for Detail Associates MU hoses, added DA eyebolts for lift rings, a Precision Scale beacan casting and Sinclair antenna. Detail Associates cut bars and brackets were added at this time. Also added were A-line grab irons and photoetched sunshades. The electrical box came from an Atlas GP40 (a Details West one would work also).
Unit was abrasivized for paint adhesion and to prevent handrails from chipping, washed and dried. Shell was primed with Floquil primer, and everywhere that would be painted yellow was given a shot of Scalecoat II white. After that, the areas that would be yellow were sprayed with Floquil CNW yellow that I tinted (1 bottle of Floquil CNW yellow with 10 drops of reefer orange and 4 drops of Soo Line red gives a nicer look than straight CNW yellow). The model was masked and Polyscale CNW green was sprayed. After demasking, the shell was given a shot of Testor's glosscoat for decaling.
Unit was decaled using a combination of decals from Microscale. MU hoses were added and brush painted. Unit was semiglossed with a mixture of Testor's glosscoat and dullcoat.
The underframe was painted with Floquil Engine Black, and then the airtanks were masked off and sprayed Polyscale CNW green. Fuel tank gauges and fillers were highlighted with Soo Line Red and semiglossed. Before reassembly, the wheelset faces (and couplers) were painted with Poly Scale rust.
After the final clearcoating, everything was reassembled and tested and given a final look over.