Hello All,
The clear plastic packaging that many items come in are perfect for glazing.
I'm rebuilding a caboose and wondering whether I should glaze the windows or keep it in it's original condition with no glass.
As always, your input is always appreciated.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
I've used clear packaging for small structure windows on scratchbuilt structures/sheds I've done. I usually use the windowmaker glue for rail cars as it gives a more plate glass look I think. Either way, a caboose or any other rail car with windows and no glass looks funny to me, like an important detail is missing or something.
Happy RR'ing!
Duane
I'll agree with Duane,
No "glass" looks bad.
If you want the best, try installing microscope cover slides. I've used the .005" thick, and that's almost scale. It looks great.
Ed
Evergreen offers clear styrene sheets in a variety of thicknesses. I like the .005" or .010" ones best, and it can be fastened in place using ordinary solvent-type cement - no ca-induced fogging of the "glass". Two or three bucks for three 6"x12" sheets shouldn't bankrupt too many hobby budgets.
Caboose with windows:
Wayne
I once encountered a club that wouldn't allow un-glazed window rolling stock on their layout. That included steam locomotives - the open window the engineer was leaning through had to have glass in both frames.
At home, I haven't been quite that fussy. Glazing the windows in brake vans is on the priority list - about two notches above the model tunnel boring machine in a fascia window...
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
I have put glazing in every structure and place where it would be in reality on my railroad. All my cabooses have grazing in them. I actually feel glazing is more important to my cabooses than separate grabs, although I install them also. I love to get a glint of the glazing as the caboose passes by and feel it really makes the cabs and cabooses look more realistic.
The process is so simple to do and I feel so worth while, that I include it in all and have even broken glue joints when I have needed, to remove the body of a caboose so I can glaze the windows. I have a supply of plastic report covers that I cut up for window glazing and generally use liquid plastic cement to glue the glazing into the car body.
NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"
Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association: http://www.nprha.org/
This thread brought to mind something I've wondered many times when getting a new caboose: passenger cars, kits or otherwise, come with window material, why not cabooses (cabeese)? Hmmm...
Happy RR'ing?
I would prefer that they didn't come with window glazing as that will increase the price of the caboose. However, now that most come prebuilt, it probably should be included. I only buy kits as I love to build models and want to pay as little as I can for my hobby.
I use K&S Engineering .010" thick plastic sheets (3/ package). I bought the pack at a local Hobbytown several years ago, and- with careful/frugal cutting and use- still have a full sheet and 75% of a second one remaining. The idea of an open, unglazed window on a caboose or a structure preserves the "toy" aspect, in my opinion. Most window glass is clear and without the "non-glare" coating, such as one finds on eyeglasses, so the reflections that show on the model glazing are realistic to me. I use double stick tape for my attachments, making the clear piece a bit larger than the opening, then using a strip of the double stick tape to hold it against the inside of the structure or the caboose shell (after painting the interior).
Cedarwoodron
I never had much luck with the real glass or that from microscope slides. I use the prescribed tools but seem to break more than I can use. I just use clear styrene with canopy glue, and it seems to work fine.
Victor A. Baird
www.erstwhilepublications.com
If there's no glazing in the windows, the interior might be more visible, especially in photos. One Chessie caboose I have (an old Athearn BB model) doesn't have glazing or interior and in a few photos, the ugly, factory oversprayed interior is lit up by the camera's flash and ruins the overall look of the picture. I have since painted all my caboose interiors a green color (old Polly S 'Grass Green') and that Chessie caboose will get some clear styrene on the inside. It would be much better if I would take the time to file clear plastic to fit into the windows, thus making a more prototypical flush fitting window, but this is an old kit and already looks much better than it did out of the box. FYI, the Chessie caboose has the same number as the one at a railroad museum (the B&O museum, I believe).
My latest nit-pick is the lack of the rear facing red safety lights at the top, center of Chessie cabooses...I put MV lenses on the BB caboose and made much more simple painted stryene 'domes' (made from old kit sprues...those things have so many uses!) to a Walthers bay window Chessie caboose. MV lenses look brighter, but I think the painted styrene gives enough of the correct look to be acceptable (that bay window caboose has factory glazing BTW, and looks much better). :)
http://delray1967.shutterfly.com/pictures/5
SEMI Free-Mo@groups.io
I use crystal clear Acetate, .015/.020'' bendable,holds it shape, glued in with G-S Hypo cement, non fogging, drys crystal clear, (canopy glue) very strong once cured. Window's in these trucks...little harder to do,than a caboose, that's why I like it being bendable.
Take Care!
Frank