GG1 4877 posted:Nate,
My NJT decals are Microscale. I've been custom painting since age 12. I finally got good at it around 29 :-) It takes patience and practice. My N scale 1990 era Broadway Limited was an act of extreme patience. I don't have the eyes for the smaller scale these days though.
I love th E60MA you posted. That is how I will paint my Amtrak one.
It sounds like you have the patience for paint that I do for pantographs. Maybe its the fumes. I've never had a knack for decorating locomotives. I use a magnifying desk lamp. My eyes aren't the greatest either, but are still usable.
I would take an operating E60 in any form. I hope someday I can go out west and see the Desert Power Railroad E60s before they go the way of the rest of them. That said, I do prefer the Phase 3 paint over the Phase 2.
So, here are a few oddities for your consideration. First, a Phase 3 painted E60, with a 900 series number AND Brecknell-Willis pantographs, which a couple of them had at times.
Next, we have another Phase 3 with Brecknell pans.
According to the caption I found on the lower image, 602 was experiencing some kind of problem. Note the conductor next to the engine, and its apparent uncoupled condition.
Any of those would be great to see scale modeled. Guess I need to get busy at some point. 
