While todays plastic bobied model locomotives reach an exceptional level of detailing, there are still ways to make your locomotive different from the stock model. Focusing mostly on the early generation of superdetailed locomotives, many of which are still in production, these can be upgraded to match the latest standards. In this 164 page book Tim Shackleton describes using text and illustrations how a ready-to-run model can be upgraded and detailed as a specific locomotive. Starting with replacement chassis, ideal to convert tender-drive models to proper locomotive drive, alternative tenders and locomotive-specific details are added.

Combining the huge ranges of detailing parts and using wire to create pipe runs you can easily construct a completely different member of the class. Look out for those occasional experiments done with one member of a large class, commercial manufacturers are unlikely to make such a specific model, but you may be able to convert a model easily.