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If I were working on this project, I'd keep the Walthers shell and make any modifications you wi***o it, rather than going with the Rail Power shell. There are a few things about the Rail Power B40-8 shells that bother me that would keep me from using them. For one, the mold doesn't match up correctly on the hood (on the shells I have) which makes the roof offset to one side. It's just by a little bit, but I'd prefer not to have to file it down. The overall quality of the casting isn't the greatest. The hood door latches and hinges don't look very good to me, certainly not when compared to the Walthers model. Rail Power shells usually suffer from a lack of detail overall, though they usually conform pretty well to the overall look of the prototype. I think Rail Power Poducts has done a great job filling in the gaps in the HO diesel market. I am pleased with their product line overall. But when another manufacturer produces the same model, I will usually choose it as a starting point over the Rail Power Products equivalent. As far as stripping paint is concerned, I would stay away from the Isopropyl Alcohol. I haven't found a single instance in which it works. I recall a post a few months ago where someone asked the stripping question, and I threw in my two cents, but I remember several different solutions being offered. In fact, I hope those same suggestions are offered again, beacuse they seemed less hazardous than my method. But I will offer it to you anyway. Just excercise caution, please. I use a disposable foil cake pan and fill it with brake fluid and then soak the shell. Let it soak for a few hours and then agitate the loosened paint with an old toothbrush. You'll have to wa***he brake fluid off with soap and water, but it's fairly easy to clean up. The shell will have a "tack" to it once the paint is removed, so try to avoid handling it until it is painted. You can reuse the brake fluid, but it seems to be less effective as it becomes saturated with paint. When the brake fluid is no longer effective, please dispose of it properly. Some service stations may let you dispose of it. As far as the truck sideframes are concerned, you may want to try Train Station Products. I have used the Rail Power Products version and I seem to recall another manufacturer, possibly Smokey Valley, but both of those suffered from the same lack of depth problem that the Walthers sideframes have. Train Station Products has at least 3 different versions of these sideframes, so check them out at www.walthers.com. Also, you may want to check out some of the super-detailing kits put out by Details West. They can really help make a model come to life. Good luck with this project! RCHarris Durango, CO
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