GP9 Final Details

Adding final details to the BC&W GP9 #171

The final missing details on the Buffalo Creek & Western GP9 no. 171 were the numberboards.

After testing some Microscale decals, I decided to design my own custom set instead. The prototype style I wanted to replicate was the white plastic numberboards that were common during the 1980s.

First, I measured the numberboard openings on the Athearn Genesis GP9 I had custom painted. Then, I created the artwork in Inkscape and had the decals printed by an Italian company. I used the Microgramma D Extended Bold font for the numbers.

I designed each numberboard as a single decal with the road number already in place to make the application easier and more accurate. The result turned out very nice.

Afterwards, I masked the headlights and sealed the decals with a coat of flat clear paint.

Once the paint had dried, I touched up the numberboards with a light layer of weathering to blend them with the earlier finish.

Shown below are the front and rear views of the BC&W GP9, with the numberboards applied, sealed, and lightly weathered.

And just like that, #171 has come full circle. From its Great Northern beginnings to years of quiet service under BN green, it’s now found a new home on the Buffalo Creek & Western.

Still the same old GP9 at heart, but wearing fresh colors and carrying the marks of a long, honest career.

It’s not perfect, but that’s exactly the point. Like most shortline power in 1985, it’s a mix of pride and practicality, still earning its keep one car at a time.

This project reminded me how satisfying it is to take a factory-painted model and turn it into something unique. With the ESU decoder installed and the numberboards finally in place, #171 is ready to earn its keep switching cars along the Buffalo Creek & Western.