Thanks, that look is very easy to pick out of old photos. These were very unique cars. The second car back in this photo has the signature fish belly side frame.
My GP60M is starting to look like a finished loco. I finished the wire handrails on the sides and about ready to start the front and rear ones. This loco has been really fun to work on so far. View attachment 40501
Modelling took a back seat to student marks this week, but I did manage some further progress on the PGE-BCR outfit cars: Car #1 - lower and upper door tracks removed, door openings widened from 6'-0" to 8'-0", filler plates for door openings cut from sheet styrene including a backing sheet, inside plug and outer side sheets: Next up for this car is drilling holes for the hand holds and ladders, and I will then be able to proceed with final assembly. Car #2 - lower and upper door tracks removed, door openings widened from 6'-0" to 6'-6", filler plates for door openings cut from sheet styrene including a backing sheet, side entry doors for left side and side plug for right side, and outer side sheets: This car requires some additional smaller openings cut into the sides, after which final assembly can commence. I hope to make some progress on cars # and #4 tonight and tomorrow. Tim
I designated the "extra hour" tonight as additional modelling time for my outfit cars. Car #3 is an ex-GN boxcar with inset outside post sides and 10'-0" wide exterior post plug doors. The only way I can see to model these is to build replacement sides in styrene and remove the Intermountain sides. Here is the car with the replacement sides under construction including side sheets, bottom side sill and door sills, and donor plug door (the BCR removed one door and plated it in): After attaching the sills I will begin adding the top chord and vertical posts. The right side will eventually have to be segmented to include the door. Tim
Off Topic? I just noticed that, a few days ago, we passed the second anniversary of Mark Watson starting this thread. Fifteen hundred posts and two years is about two posts a day. In any case, it is one of my favorite threads. I really enjoy seeing the work posted. I appreciate the willingness of members to post those not-so-good projects, too. There are some great ideas here.
Like a lot of things, I have never even heard of this before you mentioned it in the post. Thanks for posting the picture. When it is finished maybe you can post the exact differences in this and a normal outside post boxcar.
I can do that now for you. On a normal exterior post car the side sheets are flush with the outside edge of the ends and the posts are outboard of the outside edge of the ends. On this car the posts are flush with the outside edge of the ends and the side sheets are inset. Another way to explain it: on a normal exterior post car the width of the ends matches the distance between side sheets; on this car the width of the ends matches the distance between exterior posts. This is a very unusual configuratrion, particularly in combination with the Dreadnought ends and I assume it must have been a rebuild program. I will post a prototype photo of this car after I have received permission from the photographer to do so. Tim
This past week saw continued progress on two of the outfit cars I am currently building. Car #1 - replacement ends and door filler pieces installed, ladders prepped for installation: Car #2 - modified ends added temporarily, door filler pieces installed, mounts for grab irons and ladders prepared: I am currently building new sides for car #3 and car #4 is awaiting parts from Intermountain. Tim
I'm still experimenting with paper and card models. Recently, I took photos of the W&OD Railroad's Herndon Depot and it's center cupola caboose. I've used graphics software and created some paper model kits that I think are coming along. This past weekend I redid the siding, replacing a stock generic vertical wood paneling for the sides with a seamless photo background image taken of section of the actual side wall of the station. The walls now look MUCH better. Here's the prototypes: Washington & Old Dominion Railroad's Herndon Depot in Old Town Herndon, Virginia. Herndon's caboose (former N&W unit from Norfolk Southern). And here's the kit. Prints out on an 8.5 x 11 sheet with room to spare. I was printing a test copy, but I ran out of cyan ink so only the top wall section came out right, but I'm very happy with the results. Also, even though the colors were wrong, I cut out and tested the caboose. I'll be making some modifications based on that test, especially on the platform and stairs section, but it's getting there. Here it is sitting on a piece of cardboard with some trucks stuffed under it to complete the effect (note: the depot shown is the previous version): And if anyone would like to try building this kit, let me know via PM and I'll be glad to send you the PDF file.
Added some resin cast truck bolsters to the aux. tenders that I cut down from the Bmann 52 ft. tender along with body mount 1015s. Also started sleeving the bad gears from a Bmann 4-8-4 with brass tube with an ID of 3mm. The article I'm following calls for two different lengths of sleeves to accomodate gear bypass. Brass sleeve is secured with Locktite.
I ran into a kit a friend had and have a place and need for it. It is a Minitanks Chemical Plant. Pretty old as the box retail was $3.98. Here is the progress so far. I have stuccoed all the structures and will be adding the shown details as well as some buildings from a Model Power Railroad Maintenance yard and North Island Refinery to complete the scene. Mike
