Katzhagen - Archive - August 2017
End of monoty
... or "Pimp my cab" - The E10 cabs' vivification
The E10 cabs feature quite a bit of detailing ex-factory which unfortunately lacks consistency regarding its application. On the one hand there never have been round stools with hip-level back rests and on the other the operating controls' implementation at best is rudimentary. Furthermore the whole operating panel's coloring is both monochrome and wrong...
Since the engine was still standing on the OP table after the previous care I spontaneously decided to get started on the details' completion. So I had to get hold of a picture of the prototype's cab...
A picture of the prototype was found quickly and it became obvious instantaneously what kind of improvements were possible to apply. I got started with a minor structural modification in form of correcting the seats. The seats Kiss used on their panorama coaches turned out to be a perfect replacement after a few minor mods.
After having finished a more prototypical colouring a driver was found which had to undergo both an artificial achondroplasia of his lower extremities and a correction of his arms' position before he was able to sit down at the operating panel in a suitable way.
Decals were made and applied to the gauges after the latter had been painted. Four LEDs provide for a more vivid operating panel. But what to do with the second seat ? Some sort of entourage seemed to be required - but which in particular ? Mr. Schleich or Mrs. Preiser ? Both of the figures needed some corrective surgery to fit onto the "passenger seat"...
Mrs. Preiser was chosen and the standing office paper tiger was
transformed into a seated female member of the DB revisioning staff
after my friend Keith Yundt came up with the idea to put a "tester"
onto the cab's second seat.
The figure was cut into two pieces at the buttocks and the thighs were modified accordingly. Hinging down the lower legs was achieved by an incision in the knees' area. The resulting gaps were filled with methacrylic glue and sanded according to the required outlines.
New clothes were put on and suitable "literature" was printed and handed out which made for a plausible scenario.
The figure was cut into two pieces at the buttocks and the thighs were modified accordingly. Hinging down the lower legs was achieved by an incision in the knees' area. The resulting gaps were filled with methacrylic glue and sanded according to the required outlines.
New clothes were put on and suitable "literature" was printed and handed out which made for a plausible scenario.
The LEDs integrated with the operating panels got a power supply providing for a direction dependent function. One of the front cab's LEDs is driven by a timer cicuitry which makes it flash slowly and asymmetrically.
