B30-7A Booster
Okay, so this photo looks like there is a huge hump to the loco. That's an effect of the lens. It doesn't really bend like that.
The big box on top of the locomotive is the dynamic brake. It is also known as a "toaster."
I used my "toaster" to make the "toaster" on the locomotive!
The curved top on the DB section, and the curved roof on the front of the long hood were both made by heating sheet plastic in the toaster oven, then pulling it out, letting it curl or bend, then cooling it, or reheating and trying for more. Worked good, but you can't leave the plastic in the heat for long!
The DB roof I cut to the right width, then rubber-banded it to a metal ruler and placed in the toaster with one end hanging free over the edge of the ruler. I heated it up and it curled around the edge of the ruler. I sliced off the part I didn't need, and repeated for the other edge of the roof. Then I glued the pieces together and I had my curved roof sections!
The long hood roof over the "cab" area was made in a similar fashion, but I used a pop can for the correct curvature.
I painted the unit and decaled it following an article in Model Railroader. There are 30+ decals on each side!
