These photo's show the progress I'm making on the U6's.  The car bodies are assembled and some detail has been added. NBW etc.  The black lines showing on the underframe are Archer weld beads.  They look great and I intend to add some more. The overhead shot of the underframe is intended to show the Athearn truck retainer clips which work perfectly.....by accident !
The side view of the underframe shows the truck side frames mounted via some brass channel stock.  They are missing the equalizers, springs and spring plates and the sand piping. The equalizers did not turn out very well ( my poor engineering) and I am still mulling over how to proceed.  I need 8 identical pieces so they need to be etched, molded or some such to avoid really needless repitition by hand making each one that would never turn out the same.
The hood ends are resin moldings like the roof and truck side frames and I have fitted a brass door to the end showing. This is an access door for the radiator and cooling fan room. That still needs hinges and handles as do all the engine hood doors. I have made an order to Precision Scale for many small detail parts including those items plus horns, brake wheels and housings, sand filler hatches, headlights and more. Both units should start to look "busy" pretty soon. I've decided on brass angle for the handrail stanchions much like Alco switch engines.  Fairly easy to fabricate and detail and very strong.
The "cab" unit is going to have interior detail.  It is much too open not to. Brake stand, heater, control stand seats etc. painted that weird off green every engine I ever got on was (except the momentary chocolate brown period the SP went through in the late '70's)
The all together shot gives an idea of the "chunkiness" look of typical U6's. There is also an electrical conduit that fits just under the running boards that I intend to include that will visually add to that look.
The end steps are being molded along with m/u drop steps and should be installed at the next update.

U6b B Unit Update