Conrail Patch Atlas Kato C424

I'm almopst done adding CMR ND-1226 Conrail patch decals to an Atlas Kato HO ex-Reading Alco C424.

The lettering diagram that comes with the set is for an ex-Reading GP35. Checking prototype photos, no two Conrail patch jobs were exactly alike. CR 2495 was about the closest to what you can do with this CMR set, so that's what I did for the number.

I note that CMR also has a set ND-2010 that will specificlly do CR 2496, whose Reading diamond was either never patched out in black before the number was applied, so it's visible under the new Conrail nunmber on the cab side, or the black paint wore off.

I also added a Digitrax DH165A0 decoder with warm white 3mm LEDs soldered directly to the LED leads on the decoder and the Atlas factory light bars shortened to match.

T The C424s didn't last very long after the Conrail takeover, and as I understand it, only two, 2491 and 2492, got blue paint, and only 2491 got the whole Conrail wheel-on-rail emblem. The rest were retired with patches, and some ran with their old lettering and numbers for months before being patched. Most wound up in steel mill related service in the Youngstown and Mingo Jct, OH areas.

CMR does two Conrail patch sets for ex-Erie Lackawanna locos. Set ND-2008 is for C424s, while ND-1222 is for SD45s.

As i've said here, Atlas Kato HO locos, especially the C424s lately, are among the best current bargains in the hobby on eBay. I may well do an Erie Lackawanna patch next.