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I had the opportunity to work closely with The White Pass and Yukon Route railroad for 5 summers. I became friends with many  Conductors Brakemen and Engineers. I used the railroad to facilitate hikes to Laughton Glacier and the Chilkoot trail ending at Bennett, B.C..
bennett depot

I fell in love with this railroad and found myself disappointed with available O-gauge White Pass offerings. Over the past few years it seems that Lionel and MTH have given more attention to the WPYR and I am loving it. my first purchase was the MTH 30-73378 silver White Pass tank car. I also purchased the lionel 6-31793 White Pass & Yukon Freight 3-pack and then by pure accident stumbled onto a K Line White Pass 40' container.


2014-03-09 22.44.30

I later acquired the Lionel 6-26422 White Pass & Yukon Ice Breaker Tunnel Car

6-26422_2349

My next purchase was the New Jersey Transit 4302 GP-40 from the 6-30185 NJ TRANSIT Ready-To-Run Limited Edition Maintenance-of-Way Set. I picked that engine because i was able to find it for a hundred bucks at my local train shop. A nice cheap engine to use.

1000x1000

I have no experience modeling or painting at all so this next part was a big step for me. I decided to turn this GP-40 into a replica of a White Pass DL535E. I saw someone do it in HO and figured it would work for me.

athearn-dieselengine104

Here is the primer coat

IMG_20140525_101421_247

and my yellow coat

IMG_20140525_183224_262

This is as far as I have gotten with my set. I am currently attempting to tape off the engine in preparation for a few coats of green paint. I'm just using Krylon spray paint. I ordered and recieved O-scale white pass dl535e decals from Ozark Miniatures in order to finish the project. I am really freaked out about doing the taping on the hood so that the design looks right. Especially with the headlights on the GP-40. Any ideas?
After I finish this, my plan is to custom decal a caboose with the Thunderbird on the sides. But Ozark says they are currently out of stock, but are working on making some more.


cds-181

MTH anounced in their 2014 volume 2 catalog that they will be releasing a 30-79445 White Pass Heavy Duty Snow Plow in September 2014 and I already have one preordered.

30-79445

I know That the White Pass is narrow gauge but I love the look and feel of these o-gauge White Pass rolling stock options and I hope to see more in the future. Now I just need to work on a model of the Red Onion Saloon.

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  • bennett depot: Bennett Depot from The Chilkoot Trail
  • 2014-03-09 22.44.30: My initial White Pass collection
  • 6-26422_2349: White Pass & Yukon Ice Breaker Tunnel Car
  • 1000x1000: NJ Transit maintenance of way GP-40
  • athearn-dieselengine104: White Pass Diesel
  • IMG_20140525_101421_247: GP-40 primer coat
  • cds-181: Thunderbird caboose
  • IMG_20140525_183224_262: GP-40 yellow coat
  • 30-79445: White Pass Heavy Duty Snow Plow
Last edited by Tom M
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Originally Posted by Tom M:

I am really freaked out about doing the taping on the hood so that the design looks right. Especially with the headlights on the GP-40. Any ideas? 

 

Three:

First, get some 1/4 inch painters tape: I use the green type but the blue works well, too.  the thinner tape is easier to work into exactly where you want to put it than broader tape.  Use it to mark the line you want to mask, use a plastic tip (I use the top of a Bic pen) to press the edge tight.  Then come back with broader tape to cover the whole loco, just making sure that tape overlaps this slightly.  

 

Second, after you spray the next coat (of a different color) remove the masking before the tape starts to dry.  If you wait until it dries the tape can pull paint along the edge away - at least that has been my experience.  Now, you have to be careful, and think, removing the masked from a still-wet loco, both in what you touch and how, and it how you pull off the tape so a piece does inadvertently touch anything, and to be sure you take breaks to inspect and clean your fingers if you have paint on them (you will) before touching the loco or holding it again in unpainted places so you can pull the tape away from painted areas, but . . . 

 

Third, if you have or can buy a couple of cheap loco shells, you might practice on them.  

 

I discuss my masking and painting of Warbonnet - about the most difficult paint scheme I know to home-brew, here:

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/t...57#30713143880655557

Nice collection Tom, brings back memories for sure.  I lived in Juneau and I would take my two boys to Skagway and hike either the Chilkoot Trail or the White Pass tracks.  This is before they started running trains from Skagway to Lake Bennett, I'd say the early 1970's.  We used to camp by the tracks and crawl over the high trestles.  That's when I was a bit younger of course.  My boys and I hiked the Chilkoot Trail 4 times.

 

The history of the White Pass RR and that of the Chilkoot Trail make for some interesting reading.  Many books are available on the subjects.

 

All my photo's of these trek's are not digitized or I would post them.  I will try to scan some to post.

 

Steve, Lady and Tex

 

 

White Pass is 3 foot gauge correct??? Maybe the reason not a lot of standard gauge models made. I'd like a WP Alco in On30 myself.

Nice to see someone else repainting locos. Follow lee's advice....pretty much the same as I do but I use Tamiya 1/4" tape for the separation line and low tack wide masking for cover.  Burnish the tape with your nail.  I use my digital calipers to make line guides to keep things lined up. 

Good luck!

 

I used Tamiya tape and my calipers to lay out this paint scheme....

 

CSXDASH3

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Hopefully this isn't a topic hijack.

 

For Lee or Dave, or anyone else, after you have primed the shell and are ready to paint the primary colors, how do you tend to decide to:

 

1) tape off areas for painting separate colors directly on the primer coat, or

 

2)spray one color, then tape and spray the second color which on part of the shell, goes on top of the first color?

 

For example on the other thread Lee linked to on his Santa Fe locomotive, it looks like Lee used both methods. It looks like the cab (to be painted red) was masked off when the silver was painted, but on the tender, everything was painted silver, and then the red paint on the bottom section was painted  on top of the silver paint.

 

Dave, on the CSX engine above, for the grey, blue, and yellow colors, in what order did you mask and paint?

 

With no practical experience, I'm think taping off lines looks like a real pain to do, so choosing a paint sequence that reduces the amount of taping might be beneficial, or do you want to minimize the layers of paint where colors are painted over other colors?

 

 

I think the main worry here is the fine details. Too many coats can serve to muddy things up, or so I hear. The Krylon paints I use are paint plus primer so they tend to coat really well. I think the best way to handle it is from light colors to dark colors to get the paint right with the fewest number of coats.

I have thought about doing a rotary, and I will. But one of the coolest aspects of White Pass rotary #1 is that it was modified to all metal. And those MTH rotaries are wood sided. I know my gp-40 isn't prototypical. But I want to do a really sweet model of rotary #1. I'm friends with the former rotary fleet pilot and I would love to show it to him one day. Heck maybe I'll make two and give him one.

 

IMG_2901

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Two places you can see "real" ex WP&W equiptment in daily operation in the lower 48 is in Tennessee at the theme park Dollywood are two operational restored steamers and in the far eastern San Diego Califoria desert in Plaster City is the US Gypsum operation that runs the last ordered but never delivered to White Pass diesels. US Gypsum may be the last non tourist narrow gauge in the states.
Originally Posted by Tom M:

I think the main worry here is the fine details. Too many coats can serve to muddy things up, or so I hear. The Krylon paints I use are paint plus primer so they tend to coat really well. I think the best way to handle it is from light colors to dark colors to get the paint right with the fewest number of coats.

Tom, in your original post, it looks like to me that you are sitting in cab# 73 of the White Pass & Yukon' Mikado Type" steam engine (oil tender of course).

 

Two days ago I just took delivery of the LGB/Aster (brass) White Pass & Yukon, Cab#73 in G scale.  It's a beauty with full sound and smoke.  My photography skills aren't the greatest and I think there is a post on this forum on taking and posting pictures so I should give it a try.

 

 

Last edited by daylight

Yes sir, I have spent a lot of time in skagway and have had the pleasure of seeing #73 steam past my house a few times a week. Plus, everyone knows everyone and I think most people in Skagway have their photo hanging somewhere on #73 or #69. I used to go climb on the boiler of derelict #195 and wave at trains as they headed up the pass.

Originally Posted by Tom M:

Yes sir, I have spent a lot of time in skagway and have had the pleasure of seeing #73 steam past my house a few times a week. Plus, everyone knows everyone and I think most people in Skagway have their photo hanging somewhere on #73 or #69. I used to go climb on the boiler of derelict #195 and wave at trains as they headed up the pass.

 

Don't forget the grave of the infamous "Soapy Smith" and the Red Onion Saloon. 

 

Steve, Lady and Tex

Thanks for letting me know. Those blue and white colors were only used for a little while by White Pass. And I can't bring myself to shell out 70-90 dollars for it. Seems a little high. The original and current colors are green and yellow and all of their current cabooses are straight red.

 

WhitePassRREngine300x400

39137585

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Last edited by Tom M

Tom, here are some photo's, circa early 1980's, I took of Skagway and White Pass RR equipment.  The B&W photo's I bought in the Skagway museum.  Back then there was a "bunk house" you could stay for $5 a night.  Usually someone had a guitar or harmonica and everyone joined in singing old railroad songs.

 

Steve, Lady and Tex

 

 

Skagway 1

Skagway 2

Skagway 3

Skagway 4

Skagway 5

Skagway 6

Skagway 7

Skagway 8

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Looking forward to seeing your final version of the engine when done good work so far.

 

I have always wondered why Bachmann has done WP&YR in HO and G but never there very popular ON30 scale???

 

They have done nearly every other road ever produced in ON30 but never anything in WP&YR

You would think that the sets would sell well to all the tourists on the cruise ships when they come to town. The ON30 train sets are a perfect match for the Dept 56 and Lemax buildings that many people collect of which I would think many would visit Skagway on a cruise???

 

The Bachmann ON30 line produces many of the cars equipment that the WP uses.

Sure would be nice  to get some of the shovel nose diesels, the rotary plow etc.

http://shop.bachmanntrains.com...=index&cPath=487

 

 

CDS did a lot of the decals in dry transfer for WP, S scale fits the ON30 cars best.

 

 

Last edited by kj356

More than 400,000 tourists ride the White Pass every summer. You would think that someone would want to take advantage of the notoriety of the busiest tourist railroad in the U.S. I have found some passenger cars I think I could modify to work for my collection. 

Pennsylvania Limited Coach 6-35274

$_57

 

As far as my gp-40 goes I was having such a hard time trying to get the front end design perfect that I have just decided to free hand my taping job and hope for the best. 

I saw this White Pass bunk car in G gauge and thought it looked cool.

 

r1838

 

So yesterday I purchased a Lionel Canadian Pacific bunk car off of ebay.

$[KGrHqIOKocFDwTEgTEBBRCoVEP+g!~~60_57

 

I'm trying to decide if I want to paint it blue to match my tunnel car, brown to match the passenger cars, or keep it red and just remove the decals.

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Originally Posted by TexSpecial:

Tom, here are some photo's, circa early 1980's, I took of Skagway and White Pass RR equipment.  The B&W photo's I bought in the Skagway museum.  Back then there was a "bunk house" you could stay for $5 a night.  Usually someone had a guitar or harmonica and everyone joined in singing old railroad songs.

 

Steve, Lady and Tex

Thank you for the photos Steve. I always enjoy seeing cool White Pass and Skagway pics. 

A friend of mine snapped this pic as we finally came into view of Lake Bennett after hiking the Chilkoot Trail.

 

bennett valley

 

Man I was happy to see that lake. 1 mile away a hot lunch was waiting at the old Bennett depot, and after a few hours rest our train departed back to skagway.

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Finally finished taping the engine and got up the courage to paint it. There are a few rough edges and a couple areas on the yellow in need of touch up, but I'm really excited about how it turned out.

 

IMG_20140615_141856_299

 

I could never get the front hood design to be exact so I just freestyled it. I think it turned out pretty good.

 

 

IMG_20140615_141935_641

 

It's a little off, but I think I can make some slight adjustments when I do the pinstriping.

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Originally Posted by Tom M:

I have thought about doing a rotary, and I will. But one of the coolest aspects of White Pass rotary #1 is that it was modified to all metal. And those MTH rotaries are wood sided. I know my gp-40 isn't prototypical. But I want to do a really sweet model of rotary #1. I'm friends with the former rotary fleet pilot and I would love to show it to him one day. Heck maybe I'll make two and give him one.

 

IMG_2901

You could cover the sides of the MTH plow with sheet styrene to simulate metal.  That's a neat paint scheme.  Don't forget the tender!

First things first. My best friend, who lives in Juneau, mailed a birthday present to my son for his birthday. He now has his own White Pass train too.

IMG_20140701_180909_247

 

He loves his new train and even got a White Pass engineer's hat to go with it.

 

I have been pretty busy for the past few weeks so I haven't had any time to work on my engine, but I finally did a little work on it today.

 

IMG_20140701_173814_953

 

This was my first time ever using dry transfers and I was pretty nervous, but I think it looks pretty good from a distance...

Up close is a different story. I got carried away with the burnishing tool and it accidentally slipped under the transfer paper and scuffed the transfer.

 

IMG_20140701_174442_754

 

The bottom of the last s in pass is messed up. Does anyone have any ideas on how to repair it? I am excited to finish this engine and take the whole set for a few spins around my track.

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Last edited by Tom M
Originally Posted by Tom M:
 

IMG_20140701_174442_754

 

The bottom of the last s in pass is messed up. Does anyone have any ideas on how to repair it? I am excited to finish this engine and take the whole set for a few spins around my track.

Fix it???  A few options.....

Use another set to replace the damaged 'S'.  Use some clear tape, apply iy over the bad S, burnish it and pull it off....should remove the letter.  Cut a S from new sheet and apply.

Or use a Sharpie black marker and touch it up!!!

 

Hint for dry transfers. A alternate method of appling them is to apply the dry transfer to clear decal paper and then apply them to the model like a regular decal. I know this voids one of the reasons to use dry transfers.....decal halo.....but when you have a place that is hard to apply a dry transfer or an area with lots of detail to cover it is a good option.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2014-07-03 18.14.01

 

 

I was able to take my white pass set around a loop a few times today.

 

 

IMG_20140703_181445_954

IMG_20140703_181520_794

 

 

I still have to work on the bunk car and the caboose but they will be sporting the White Pass name soon enough. Also today I got a Lionel ore car in the mail. One more item to work on. I think I'm going to have a total of four ore cars for right now. After I finish the cars I have I will start to think about passenger cars.

 

 

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I just realized that MTH's tank car lettering is wrong. I wonder if there was an alternate used that I don't know about, or if it's just wrong.

 

IMG_20140722_175755_858

 

The h should be the tallest letter. Not even with the rest of the tall letters. The engine and the ore car have the correct lettering.

It looks like the new MTH White Pass Snow Plow has the same lettering as the tank car.

 

30-79445

 

 

All Lionel lettering is correct on their White Pass cars. Ozark Miniatures decals are correct as well.

 

 

6-26422_2349

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Last edited by Tom M

 

 

I applied the pinstriping to my white pass gp-40 today.

 

2014-08-02 17.01.30

 

 

I still have to do a little touch up here and there. My last big project on this engine is the number boards. I am thinking about painting the boards black and then applying a dry transfer over that. I wonder if I could use a sharpie maybe?

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  • 2014-08-02 17.01.30

Just finished painting my caboose. I was thinking about applying some dull coat on top of this. This is an Aristo Craft caboose with a coat of Krylon Banner Red gloss paint. The white pass decal is from Ozark Miniatures and the Thunderbird decal is from http://www.doityourselflettering.com I plan on adding some number decals and a lighted drumhead, but this looks good for now.

 

2014-08-10 18.24.02

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Last edited by Tom M
Originally Posted by Tom M:

I saw this White Pass bunk car in G gauge and thought it looked cool.

 

r1838

 

So yesterday I purchased a Lionel Canadian Pacific bunk car off of ebay.

$[KGrHqIOKocFDwTEgTEBBRCoVEP+g!~~60_57

 

I'm trying to decide if I want to paint it blue to match my tunnel car, brown to match the passenger cars, or keep it red and just remove the decals.

All taped up.

 

IMG_20140817_223053_682

 

Not finished yet, but this will do for now. I still want to put some dry transfers on it, paint an orange stripe at the top of the car and paint the ladders black.

 

IMG_20140818_202847

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"Unless you've got power!" -Whitey, Back to the Future Part II

 

IMG_20140819_163913_539

IMG_20140819_163938_297

 

Here's a close up of an often overlooked part of my White Pass collection.

 

IMG_20140819_165032_205I Don't know if I want to leave the flat car as Lionel or turn it into a White Pass flat car. I love this container, a great shot of the sawtooth mountains that stand high above the White Pass canyon. 

 

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Last edited by Tom M

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