Third time’s the charm. New ride height for a Bethlehem B60B: I bought Walthers trucks for it, and everyone knows about the Walthers bolsters, and combined with my scratchbuilt center sill, it was 6-9 inches too tall. It also leaned, so I cut out the section of the sill above the trucks and made new inserts to square it up. That was the second try. I left it be and started on another car kit, which game me an idea on how to fix the B60 again, so here I am for the third time. The fixed truck is on the right in the photo. You can really see the difference between the amount of space between the top of the truck and the floor of the car.
I built it based on some images I saw on the big hook BNSF D258 at Interbay WA. I dont own the images but if you google Interbay or BNSF D258 you will see what I am referring to.
Nice work, you have done some nice building there. I would like to get some of those steps. Did they come with the kit or are they available elsewhere?
They were part of the kit, but Bethlehem Car Works sells them separately in their “Kit Bits” department. They have replacement sides, roofs, etc. for their kits, but also other detail parts.
Purchased at a hobby shop that specialized in model railroading, I bought this 15+ years ago mostly because it's from arguably one of the best 2 (2001) Sci Fi movies to date. The 1/72 version from "Polar Lights", in theory, the model, while huge, could pass for HO! Aside from the missing original shrink wrap, I guess you could say that it is mint? My 15+ years of procrastination has at least been rewarded with all manner of new modelling options for lighting and animation... if I ever get around "tuit".
I love Forbiden Planet. A thinner and trimmer Leslie Nielsen, not complaining about being called Shirley! I have a couple of plastic kits that have been waiting for someday myself. The Phantom Mustang and a Baa Baa Black Sheep Corsair. Both 1/32 scale. The Mustang is a rerelease, I believe from the 90s. The Corsair must be pushing 40 years!
mmmmmm, Anne Francis. One caveat. While I haven't seen it in styrene, some plastics definitely have shelf lives. I dug out some old 10+ year water bottles last year and ended up cleaning up shards of plastic! They'd been stored in a kitchen cabinet, away from sunlight and ozone producing appliances but they still fell apart. I also have gas powered model airplanes that have been hanging in a spare bedroom (again, away from direct sunlight) for decades. I went to move them and my hands went right through the old silk span and dope finishes!!! BUMMER. Like alloys of metal, I suspect that plastics come in many forms. An ancient Tupperware bowl from Mom is holding up like a champ whereas 3 year old Rubbermaid food storage containers start to crack. Anywho, one cold and dreary winter's day, after getting all the accessory bits and pieces together, I will prove yet again, that I'm not ready to grow up.
Warping is what I’m most worried about. The Mustang is still in its shrink wrap, but I did look at the Corsair maybe a month ago. It looked ok. I’ll know for sure when the bug bites, and I start fiiting the pieces.
This has to be the craziest thing I have ever seen. I got a Proto1000 Thrall All Door Boxcar from a box of donated cars at the club, and once I took the shell off, inside I saw just a bunch of rubber gaskets. I remember when these used to be just regular LifeLike, so I opened it up to see if they upgraded the weights or anything, and while LifeLike didn’t, the previous owner did. I don’t even know how to react to this, it’s just so wild. I mean, it works, but I was not ready for that.
A Walthers USRA gondola. I am painting the floor to look like wood, and adding some more underbody details; levers and rodding. These are nice models.
Weathered for a friend and fellow GCMRA club member. Bachmann S 4. He wanted it to look like it worked for a living.
I think most everyone has seen this kit. Nevertheless I decided to make it. Still need to add the billboard and signs in front. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I still have it. I’ll try to add some. The picture I had to work from really didn’t show them. Thanks Vince!
I have been working on a 1947 American Freedom Train for a friend. Wow, the decals are extremely fragile. They slide off the paper just fine but crack when bending around sharp edges. Lots of touch up painting afterwards. Here is an old Athern PA that he provided. Had to do a little kit bashing to the pilot and number boards. I am now working on the Santa Fe baggage car with the end doors that was in the consist. He provided a Walthers heavyweight baggage car. Not quite Santa Fe but he said not to worry about it.
Next out of the paint shop is the Power/Tool Car. On loan from the Santa Fe Railway, this 6-axle heavyweight baggage car was returned to the railroad and back into regular service. While on the Freedom Train it was named/numbered "SANTA FE 1896". The end on the left side was made up of two large doors mounted on reefer door style hinges much like on a horse car.
I added a rear light to my Frisco caboose. I put a switch to change direction of which light to turn on under the cupola. I’ll probably never use it hah! Under the floor would have been better but I ran out of tire weights I would have needed after removing the solid floor metal weight. Most difficult part of this was ungluing the caboose from the body. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Cool! Likes me some Frisco cabooses. I hear you on the un-glueing stuff, thats why I prefer un-assembled models What is the story on the lawn furniture? I got a few places that needs these.