Hello all... I'm posting a few pics of the latest baggage car for the Fast Mail-1849 (the former 1348 San Vicente).... according to all references I can find, this was a 'one of a kind' car; being the only car in it's group that was converted to a baggage express-the other Baggage-Buffet-Library cars in it's class being converted to Baggage-Coach Combines. This car, of course, should be recognizable to most log time N scalers, being THE heavyweight baggage car for may years; the old Rivarossi-Atlas-Concor baggage. A quick aside-3 of the cars that Rivarossi chose to model as their 'one prototype-fits-all' heavyweight car collection, are actually Santa Fe cars-this baggage express car, the heayweight diner, and the baggage coach combine.(I'm not sure of the observation as I don't have that car in hand, nor do I have a pic to draw from) All of the cars-even the non Santa Fe prototypes- have an identical underframe, which, I imagine, makes it easier on the manufacturer, but is incorrect for the actual prototypes (at least for the ATSF types). I've been using these cars as donor cars for the cars I've been learning to model for the Santa Fe, so I'm becoming more familiar with them (interestingly enough, these cars were my first N scale cars-as a kid, in New Orleans, I received my first N scale trainset; an Atlas Santa Fe E8 with 4(?) heavyweight cars) Even though it's a 'one of a kind' car, this particular car roamed the Santa Fe system; had that distinctive Santa Fe channel sill, and also has the benefit of actually being available in N scale, and fairly accurate to boot. Considering it's availability in N scale, it would have been foolish for me to not add this car to the ATSF head end roster. I found this car on Ebay-painted for Norfolk and Western...I stripped the paint fairly quickly, using 91% Isopropyl rubbing alcohol. after cleaning the car body and roof in warm, soapy water, I started to detail it to make it more of an accurate representation of this unique Santa Fe baggage-express car Here's a list of the things I did to the car: shaved the molded grab rail detail (including brakewheel and chain) off of the Rivarossi car, then drilled for new ones made from Detail associates brass wire Removed the molded floor between the centerbeam trusses (and it's associated underframe detail) and replaced the floor with .040 styrene. I built new battery boxes from Evergreen styrene and brass battery box covers from a spare set included in one of Roberto Martari's ATSF coach frets Roberto's ATSF car frets also provided the baggage door steps (the 70' heavyweight baggage fret provides spares-I had enough to spare 2 large and 2 small for this car) Another fret-the ATSF heavyweight RPO, provided the 2 end steps for the 'blind end' GMM heavyweight car detail set provided the steps for the plated over vestibule end of this car (with some brass wire detail) the molded roof vents were shaved from the roof (the photos and drawings I have for this car don't show any vents) Rain gutters were formed from Evergreen strip, then glued into place on the roof Evergreen styrene strip added to the underframe to support the MT 1015 couplers (with shim piece) Rapido couplers and pockets removed from trucks-shiny silver wheels removed and replaced with Fox Valley 33" low profiles wheelsets (these cars prototypically carried 36" wheelsets, but they rub on the brake shoes) American Limited diaphagms added to both ends (required removing the molded diaphragm lips and drilling the doors open) BLMA 15" drop-step grabs added to the ends-2 per end added etched metal brakewheel (another spare from Roberto's sides), and brakewheel chain from fine ship's chain painted with ATSF coach green (I use Andy Sperandeo's suggested formula of 4 parts GN Empire Green to 1 part Signal Yellow) with Pollyscale acrylics thinned with isopropyl alcohol roof painted with Pollyscale Steam Power Black thinned with isopropyl alcohol lettered with Microscale decals and custom decals from RailGraphics I still need to tweak the decals just a bit, then clean any decal glue residue before a final flat coat-also simulate the 4 clestory windows with shiny black decal rectangles I want to add some very faint weathering to the Fast Mail consists, but I'm finding it difficult to find pics that show any of the ATSF cars in any kind of 'dirty' condition...the foreign road cars, hoever, are a different story! Thanks for looking, ~Bruce
It is also an ATSF prototype. I added a new hand rail and marker lights to one of mine. You can see the Santa Fe side sill in this photo.
Looks like you've got a bit of a decal application problem goin' on between "Railway Express" and "Agency". What's happening is that the big rivet line and reinforcing strip and the decal drooping over that vertical protuberance is causing a spacing problem. This could be easily solved by cutting the decal before wetting it between the "Railway Express" line and the "Agency" line, then applying them separately, which will give you the proper spacing. I notice also that the green paint is darkening under the decal film. I'm assuming you gave this a coat of flat finish paint (yup Pollyscale), then applied the decal. To minimize the darkening problem using flat paint, cut the decal film close to the lettering, and apply each word separately. Make sure you use a good decal film setting solution to get the film to settle down on the flat paint, and maybe something high-powered like Solvaset to get rid of the film as much as possible. The way to both paint and decal your passenger cars is to paint them using a glossy paint first...then decal them...which will minimize the film appearing darker, bubbles and other problems associated with decals...then seal the decals with either a flat finish or coat of gloss....then weather. A less efficient way of doing it is to give your cars a coat of gloss before decaling, then a coat of flat or gloss after the decals have set. That makes three coats of detail-hiding paint, so, even though that's the common way of doing it, I prefer to put down gloss first, just to do it in two coats rather than three. Here's the facts. ALL passenger cars on major carriers' prototype trains (if painted) were painted with glossy paint. Only exposure to the environment made them dusty, dirty and oxidized...or "flat". However, passenger cars were the least oxidized of all the carriers' cars because they were washed and shopped often. So, if you want a more prototypical look, paint them with a glossy or semi-glossy final coat...then weather them with flat colors. The contrast really contributes to an authentic look. I really like what you're doing with your AT&SF passenger car fleet. They're gonna look great running on your layout when you get it more finished. Cheerio! Bob Gilmore
Thanks, Bob, the decal setting process isn't finished yet...a few more applications of solvaset, then glue residue removal, then a future gloss cote, then a flat coat...the Railgraphics decals are problematic; fairly thick in comparison to Microscale, and the new generation aircraft decals, especially those printed by Cartograph....the future clear coat, also helps to eliminate the thick decal carrier film (drybrushing would be very difficult with these decals).... it's necessary, with all of the applications of setting solutions needed (the only fault I can really find with these Rivarossi cars is the slightly overstated rivet detail-but, frankly, i'd rather have the detail-perhaps a light sanding before painting is neccessary), but the Railgraphics decals will eventually settle. I appreciate the info on proto finishes...every pic, and still from video, that I've been able to accumulate, show a very slight sheen on all of these heavyweights...of course, as you indicated, this shows a gloss finish that is sightly oxidized...from a close up view, it's obvious that there's a smooth semi-gloss finish...from a distance , they're 'flat'. Semi-gloss finishes, IMO, in this scale, just don't do it for me (apart from the beautiful paint on Kato smoothside cars!)...a nice even flat coat looks better on these cars...I'll fiddle with the clear coats to see what looks best. I'm glad that the Rail Graphics decals are available to me, but, as you said, they're problematic as far as settling over heavy rivet detail and producing small register errors...even with trimming the carrier film as close as I can get it (the Rail Graphics decals must be trimmed ; the carrier film covers the entire sheet) Thanks again, Bruce
