I was wondering if there are any good tips in requards to modifying the bachmann die cast cabs. I would like to cut the doors open on the ten wheeler, so I can open and close them. I don't know of a good method other than taking a dremal and hacking the door out, and scratch building a replacement door. Are there any more good tips out there in reguards to opening the doors on the die cast cabs?

Thank ya'll
Rock On!
~Dusten

Personally, if this was my loco, I wouldn't do any chopping on the cab. Instead, I would buy one of the laser-cut replacement cab kits, available from dealers like Banta Models and others, and do all of my customizing on it. That way, if for any reason you need to go back to the original model, all you can just re-install the original cab.

Well I want to keep the steel cab design. The other cabs that I've browsed are wood designs, instead of the Baldwin riveted steel cabs. If I could find the same kind of cab that is a kit, I would most definitely get it, but there isn't that option sadly; at least that I am aware of.

Thanks
Rock On!
~Dusten

I've opened doors on some things by just scribing them with a razor blade or exacto knife. It takes a while. Just keep making multiple passes over and over the line until it breaks through. I wouldn't try to do it in just a couple of passes.

You can simulate a steel cab very easily by simply gluing some .005" or .010" styrene or even some very thin plywood or smooth cardboard over the wooden panels on the laser-cut cabs. As a matter of fact, one of the manufacturers (I think its Banta Models) provides materials to do just that.

You have to use the old tried and true method of drilling holes at each of the four corners of the cast in door, cutting between them with the Dremel rotary cutter, and then carefully filing each corner square.

This is the kind of work that separates craftsman from crapsman.

😱😱😂😂

But. It's worth it if you can do it. If you have ever ridden in a steam engine cab in high summer, you'll appreciate that  those doors were never closed., always open.

🥵🥵