| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
tct855
Crew Chief
Premium Member
|
 Posted - 02/19/2021 : 01:15:04 AM
|
The backstory for this car is: This car started life on the Milwaukee road in early 80’s then sat for a while after Milwaukee was dissolved, then the car was used for a while in the next merger, then was showing it’s age/rusting and poor treatment from poor forklift operators damaging some of the ratchet side brackets and sat once again waiting to be repaired and eventually sold to it’s current owner CGTX and now I hear it’s still waiting to be repaired properly and the rumor is, it might be sold soon again to a local lumber company.
1) Starting with a HO scale undecorated Walthers opera bulkhead flat car. I started by taking a deep breath and asked myself (why did I buy a one piece model)? Oh yeah!, because I have modelers disease… 
2) All details (lack thereof really) provided (including the trash can fillers horn hook couplers and plastic wheels). Ok, enough *****in’!
3) Top view of center beam.
4) Side view of car. Humm??? First order of business is to give this car some character.
5) First I cut off every molded on flat cable spools and replaced with drilling holes in side of each bracket and installed a brass rod for the cable wires. Next I drilled every cable slot hole (two different drill sizes to achieve the tear drop design).
6) Drilled all holes on top as well knowing good-n-well I would never use any of them (this is where the disease can rule one’s modeling life).
7) I couldn’t leave the molded on grab irons, so I cut them all off and drilled new holes and brass wire to the rescue. Also I took the time make from scratch to small quick end grate platforms. (this was mostly because I did away with the long long swing shank and installed a long shank metal kadee couplers w/draft gearbox.
8) I felt the underside needed some details as well (why not right) so I added air hoses, air lines, brake hangers & rods, brake piston chain, main butterfly bracket and piping. (for the rivet counters I knowingly didn’t run air piping to where it goes properly). I just gave the flavor, I don’t count rivets anymore (getting old I guess). I did however had to add a lot of weight (cerrabend) to bring this car up to NMRA standards.
9) Next I painted on the base rust color because I want this car heavily weathered. (sorry I forgot to take pictures of the added details before I painted the base color).
10) Next I decided to paint this car white (because I saw a prototype picture of a similar car). I decided to weather this car with the hairspray paint chipping technique.
11) Next I used oil paints for the next layer of weathering. Then I decaled the model and sealed.
12) Now for the fun part (of eye hand coordination), I threaded all the ratchet brackets and tie loops (yes one long piece of thread) I have a disease, I’m not a nut, remember I don’t count rivets (cables but I did take the time to weather the cables differently as well).
13) Finally I gave the underframe a little weathering (basic, not counting rivets)
14) The following pics are simple detailed shots of the finished car.
Glad I only had one of these cars and not a fleet. Hope this pictorial gives inspiration on either some ideas of what to do or not to do.
Thanx Thom...
|
Country: USA
| Posts: 567 |
|
|
tloc
Fireman
Premium Member
|
Posted - 02/19/2021 : 08:07:03 AM
|
Thom, thanks for sharing. I have 3 of these waiting for weathering. This gives me some ideas and nicely done
TomO
|
|
Country: USA
| Posts: 4312 |
 |
|
|
Dutchman
Administrator
Premium Member
|
Posted - 02/19/2021 : 08:13:59 AM
|
Very nice, Thom.
|
| Bruce |
|
Country: USA
| Posts: 33292 |
|
|
|
Bernd
Fireman
|
Posted - 02/19/2021 : 08:24:02 AM
|
Wow, what a project. Car looks great. Nice job. 
Bernd
|
| New York, Vermont & Northern Rwy. - Route of the Black Diamonds |
|
Country: USA
| Posts: 3951 |
|
|
|
BreizhSteamer
Engine Wiper
|
Posted - 02/19/2021 : 08:27:21 AM
|
Very impressive result, Thom!
Frédéric
|
|
Country: France
| Posts: 126 |
|
|
|
Michael Hohn
Fireman
|
Posted - 02/19/2021 : 09:03:40 AM
|
Excellent work, Thom. The rust is very convincing.
Mike
|
|
Country: USA
| Posts: 7221 |
|
|
|
George D
Moderator
Premium Member
|
Posted - 02/19/2021 : 09:08:42 AM
|
Excellent work, Thom. I hope you don't get therapy, so you can continue with that fine modeling.
George
|
| Fly Army |
|
Country: USA
| Posts: 16788 |
|
|
|
Frank Palmer
Fireman
|
Posted - 02/19/2021 : 09:17:15 AM
|
Really nice.
|
| Frank |
|
Country: USA
| Posts: 6130 |
|
|
|
k9wrangler
Engineer
|
Posted - 02/19/2021 : 10:14:19 AM
|
Nice work Thom and well illustrated in all your photos.
|
Mega Dittos
Karl Scribner
Manistique, Michigan |
|
Country: USA
| Posts: 11905 |
|
|
|
nortonw
Section Hand
|
Posted - 02/19/2021 : 3:20:10 PM
|
Being a rivet counter of a different kind: Any estimate of how long this 'small' project took?
|
Norton
The V & T lives in my garage (soon) |
|
Country: USA
| Posts: 93 |
|
|
|
tct855
Crew Chief
Premium Member
|
Posted - 02/20/2021 : 01:54:56 AM
|
Hey Boyz,
I'm glad so many like this car, I almost didn't do this car because I didn't really want to sit and drill so many holes, but I just couldn't let it go.
I hate to build cars like the masses. I try to think outside the box to make each project reflect it's own story and when it's finished I hope it has standing.
I never quite know what I'm going to do to finish a project, but I live by the standard that if It's easy then it's not good enough.
This project start to finish was completed in 4 days. I think the total hours was somewhere in the 12-15 hour range. I didn't really keep track(?), because I was working on another project in between. A diesel.
Thanks again everyone, I hope I can keep up with the other great builders here on this forum.
I'm always so excited to see what others are doing. Thanx Thom...
|
|
Country: USA
| Posts: 567 |
|
|
|
john holt
Engine Wiper
|
Posted - 02/21/2021 : 3:19:54 PM
|
A little too new for my modeling era. But my, my, my, what a little time and patience can do to make an average car now really be a stand out model. Very nice.
|
GULF COAST & WESTERN |
|
Country: USA
| Posts: 390 |
|
|
|
Tyson Rayles
Moderator
Premium Member
|
Posted - 02/22/2021 : 07:45:21 AM
|
Excellent!
|
|
Country: USA
| Posts: 13437 |
|
|
|
Guff
Fireman
Premium Member
|
Posted - 02/22/2021 : 12:06:18 PM
|
Thom,
Great job on the build...the rust is perfect!
|
| David Guffey |
|
Country: USA
| Posts: 2095 |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
Home
Forums
Events Calendar
Sponsors
Guestbook
FAQ
