This unit started out as a Kato SD40-2 snoot shell that had its nose removed and replaced with a Cannon and Company 81" nose kit with brake wheel. This coupled with the corregated grilles on the snoot shell gives me the correct phase for the last batch (6926-6935) of SD40-2's delivered to the CNW.
At this time, the fans were removed and replaced with Cannon and Company photoetched fans.
Besides the nose and fans being replaced,the gong bell was chopped in, plow, MU hoses, spare knuckle holders, dynamic brake T vent, cab air vents, antennas, beacon, lift rings, sand fillers, speed recorder, wire grab irons and other assorted parts were used to detail the unit.
For thinner handrails, the stock Kato SD40-2 handrails were replaced with Kato SD38-2 handrails.
The unit went through an abrasive blasting to etch all surfaces for maximum paint adhesion and prepped for painting.
For painting, the unit was primed with Floquil, oversprayed with Scalecoat II white, then Testor's acryl Chrome yellow,and Poly Scale CNW green for the body, and floquil engine black for the mechanism.
The decals are microscale from several different sets...there are approximately 114 decals on the unit, and the entire unit was semiglossed with half Testor's glosscoat and half Testor's dullcoat thinned with lacquer thinner.