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Need some intermodal parts...

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  • Member since
    March 2018
  • 688 posts
Need some intermodal parts...
Posted by BNSF UP and others modeler on Saturday, August 18, 2018 10:31 PM

I have three of the older athearn 48' cars, and just picked up a more modern intermountian one. The older athearn cars are missing the end fencing (if thats what you call it) some of the end walkway peices, and all of the brake details, which is fine; I got the cars for free. The intermountian is missing one tiny part that looks sorta like a triangle and it is attatched inside the main body, close to one end where the walkways are (not a real helpful description, I know). I feel like I have asked this before, and I will again, with a couple more. Where can I get replacement parts? The red BN paint to paint them? Or is it more viable to make my own moulds and resin castings off of parts present? I did contact athearn for parts, but their prices are ridiculous (like $10 for a couple parts, not including shipping).

Side note: Do not buy Intermountian husky stack cars. Parts are not glued on well at all. I accidentally dropped it from a height of around six inches and at least five parts just fell off.

I'm beginning to realize that Windows 10 and sound decoders have a lot in common. There are so many things you have to change in order to get them to work the way you want.

  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: Ridgeville,South Carolina
  • 1,294 posts
Posted by willy6 on Sunday, August 19, 2018 9:53 AM

I have the same problem. I have a bunch of the Athearn well cars that need parts, mainly the 4 handrails. I found some about a year ago and don't remember where it was. On my recent searches, I haven't found any.

Being old is when you didn't loose it, it's that you just can't remember where you put it.
  • Member since
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Posted by maxman on Sunday, August 19, 2018 11:10 AM

BNSF UP and others modeler
Parts are not glued on well at all. I accidentally dropped it from a height of around six inches and at least five parts just fell off.

If someone dropped me from a height of six inches some of my parts would also probably fall offSmile

BNSF UP and others modeler
I did contact athearn for parts, but their prices are ridiculous (like $10 for a couple parts, not including shipping).

Yes, I bought some parts from Athearn and found the parts to be high in price.  On the other hand, they did have the parts and I can't expect to have them hanging around waiting for me to buy them without being compensated.

  • Member since
    March 2017
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Posted by Track fiddler on Sunday, August 19, 2018 11:34 AM

willy6

"Being old is when you didn't lose it, it's that you just can't remember where you put it."

What's even funnier about your closing statement is, we usually put it in a special place so we do'nt lose it and that is how we do lose it.

  • Member since
    February 2008
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Posted by maxman on Sunday, August 19, 2018 1:16 PM

Track fiddler
"Being old is when you didn't lose it, it's that you just can't remember where you put it."

No, being old is when you don't remember what "it" was.

  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: Canada, eh?
  • 13,375 posts
Posted by doctorwayne on Sunday, August 19, 2018 1:29 PM

BNSF UP and others modeler
...Where can I get replacement parts?...

If you don't wish to pay the manufacturer's suggested price for parts, your best option might be to make them yourself.
Evergreen offers a wide selection of styrene in sheets, strips, and shapes, and if you have some cars that have the parts which are missing from some of the other cars, you should be able to duplicate those parts for the cars which need them.

Tichy, Cal-Scale, and Precision Scale offer parts for modelling brake gear, and Tichy also offers phosphor-bronze wire, in a variety of thicknesses, for making brake piping and rigging, handrails, grab irons, and other such details.

BNSF UP and others modeler
....The red BN paint to paint them?...

When a freight car gets damaged, especially when it involves safety appliances such as grab irons, sill steps, handrails, etc., the car must be repaired as soon as possible, even if it's on another railroad.  That railroad may not have the same colour of paint, so uses what they do have.  It's not unusual to see cars with areas painted in colours not matching the original, whether it's on repaired areas or on cars which have been sold and "patched" with the new owner's reporting marks...



Most of the freight cars on my layout have had the cast-on grab irons replaced with wire ones, but because the cars cycle between the layout and their boxes, the paint often gets rubbed off those vulnerable areas.  Every once in a while, I'll get out a bottle of some sort of "boxcar red", and touch-up those needing attention, using the same paint for all, whether or not it matches what's on the car.

These are home road cars, which needed repair at some time and place...

It was more important to get the car back in-service and making money, than to worry about whether or not the paint matched.

This is an older Athearn flatcar, converted to a gondola may years ago, and eventually removed from revenue service.  Its number was partially painted-out (as was some  too-modern lettering when I backdated my layout to a late '30s timeframe), and just yesterday, I patched a small area to add the MoW lettering...

Wayne

 

  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: SE. WI.
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Posted by mbinsewi on Sunday, August 19, 2018 3:41 PM

You could ckeck out what Plano offers in etched brass,  http://www.planomodelproducts.com/

Maybe check out Proto Power West,  https://ppw-aline.com/collections/all

And a search on Ebay you can find some details from Detail Assc, and Details West.  http://www.detailswest.com/.  I don't think Details Assc. is around any more, but lots of their parts are.

The paint, you'll probably just have to try and match it with something.

Mike.

  • Member since
    March 2018
  • 688 posts
Posted by BNSF UP and others modeler on Sunday, August 19, 2018 6:45 PM

Based on your replies (thanks btw) I think I will go the casting replacement parts and mix my own paint color to match option...

I'm beginning to realize that Windows 10 and sound decoders have a lot in common. There are so many things you have to change in order to get them to work the way you want.

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