I'm thinking about running a few trains set in the 1960's. I've come to enjoy fine details on rolling stock, but some of the kits/RTR products have molded on grabs and ladders. Many I can live with just fine, or replace with aftermarket details.
But the roofwalks generally look thicker than I like.
For those who replace them, how do y'all generally make roofwalks? Thin styrene with some sort of wood grain/board pattern?
For that matter, covered hoppers of any era with metal walks too.
- Douglas
One source that I use a lot, for hoppers, tank cars, locos, and boxcars is Plano Model Products.
http://www.planomodelproducts.com/
I'm sure there are others, I just go to Plano for what I need.
Mike.
My You Tube
I often use the Kadee roofwalks:
https://www.kadee.com/htmbord/HO-Scale%20Detail%20Parts.htm
Very fine detail and a pretty reasonable price.
Good Luck, Ed
Wow Ed, I didn't know! Great info.
Moloco used to have some detail parts, I haven't looked at their site in a while, so I'm not sure if they still do.
I just looked, they do have some roof walks.
https://www.molocotrains.com/collections/parts/products/rb-0803-morton-roofwalk-and-crossover-kit
Yeah, Moloco has nice roof walks as mentioned above.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Most of my cars have "wooden" running boards/roof walks, and if I'm scratchbuilding them, I use Evergreen HO scale 2"x6" strip styrene. I first "distress" both sides of the strip material by dragging a razor saw down its full length, then cut it into realistically-sized board lengths - I don't use "planks" which are as long as the entire car. There's an illustration of the procedure HERE (scroll down a couple of posts to get to the photos and description).
It's also possible to thin the stock roofwalks which come with many cars - doing so for an Athearn or Train Miniature car will improve the appearance much more than you might expect, and it works equally well with pretty-well any too-thick plastic roofwalk, whether representing a wood or metal one.First, remove the mounting pegs from the underside of the roofwalk - on some cars, you can use them to plug the roofwalk mounting holes in the roof, but for some other cars, you're better off using Evergreen styrene rod, of a suitable diameter.To thin the roofwalk, I use a standard autobody file, but don't mount it in the handle used for doing bodywork, as holding it in your hand allows better control. I do this work with some newspaper on the workbench, as it creates a fair bit of shavings. You'll need to hold the roofwalk (board detail facing down) at one end while you work on the other, and try to keep the file level as it passes over the plastic. Don't force the file or use too much pressure on it. If the roofwalk breaks, use solvent-type cement to re-join the pieces, set it aside to fully harden, then continue work on it the next day.
For those unfamiliar with with this type of file, here's one with a Train Miniature roofwalk, showing how coarsely the file is cut...
...which can make quick work of thinning roofwalks. Probably the best way to work is by holding the near end of the roofwalk with your free hand, and use the file, working lengthwise from the midpoint of the roofwalk towards the end which is away from you. This lessens the chances that the teeth of the file will catch, as it might if you were filing across the roofwalk. Push the file only, them lift it back to the starting point. I don't have photos showing the process, but it's fairly simple if you take your time.Here are a couple of Train Miniature cars with their stock roofwalks thinned...
...and an Athearn Blue Box boxcar...
Wayne
here
https://www.tichytraingroup.com/Shop/tabid/91/c/roofwalks/Default.aspx
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Wood running boards and laterals were getting pretty rare by the 1960s, including on cars that were originally equipped with them. They can be scratchbuilt as Dr Wayne does but Northeastern Scale Lumber makes nice wood running boards and laterals out of wood.
https://www.walthers.com/roof-walk
https://www.walthers.com/lateral-roof-walk-pkg-12
Yarmouth has some nice looking ones as well although I have never purchased any
http://www.yarmouthmodelworks.com/index.php/ModelDetailParts/RunningBoards
Cal-Scale, Laserkits, Tichy and the now-gone Red Caboose made them as well.
There remains the matter of the small brackets that keep the running board (wood or metal) slightly elevated from the roof ribs themselves. They can be built with bits of wood or styrene but don't make them too thick or the running board will look absurdly elevated. Various firms have made them over the years as commercial aftermarket parts but this is hard to research now that Walthers has so considerably cut back on detail parts.
There are also brackets that keep the laterals slightly off the surface of the roof. These too can be scratch items, as Jeff Wilson shows in his Freight Car detailing book.
Dave Nelson
I'd think wood would be pretty rare by the 1960's so away with you and your wiley way of the wood!
I do not like the etched metal roofwalks, and always replace them in kits that come with these. They are too thin. There is some thickness to real roofwalks.
.
For metal, Kadee, and Red Caboose make great ones.
For wood, I am very partial to Tichy and Bowser. The Bowser roofwalks have molded on corner grabs, but they are easy to remove. The board detail on the Bowser pieces is great.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
dknelson Wood running boards and laterals were getting pretty rare by the 1960s, including on cars that were originally equipped with them. They can be scratchbuilt as Dr Wayne does but Northeastern Scale Lumber makes nice wood running boards and laterals out of wood. https://www.walthers.com/roof-walk https://www.walthers.com/lateral-roof-walk-pkg-12 Yarmouth has some nice looking ones as well although I have never purchased any http://www.yarmouthmodelworks.com/index.php/ModelDetailParts/RunningBoards Cal-Scale, Laserkits, Tichy and the now-gone Red Caboose made them as well. There remains the matter of the small brackets that keep the running board (wood or metal) slightly elevated from the roof ribs themselves. They can be built with bits of wood or styrene but don't make them too thick or the running board will look absurdly elevated. Various firms have made them over the years as commercial aftermarket parts but this is hard to research now that Walthers has so considerably cut back on detail parts. There are also brackets that keep the laterals slightly off the surface of the roof. These too can be scratch items, as Jeff Wilson shows in his Freight Car detailing book. Dave Nelson
check the tichy link i posted for the mounting brackets.
doctorwayne Here are a couple of Train Miniature cars with their stock roofwalks thinned... ...and an Athearn Blue Box boxcar... Wayne
Here are a couple of Train Miniature cars with their stock roofwalks thinned...
Wayne, that is the look I would be shooting for. The rolling stock I'm thinking about is not the super highly detailed RTR stuff, but more in the mid-range. I'm afraid if I replaced the walks with super thin metal product it would look a little out of place, or make the other details look crude by comparison. Yours look great.
It looks like you replaced the stirrups but left the ladders stock, which is a very nice look and goes well with the thinned walks.
Many of the kits from Accurail and Red Caboose/Branchline (now Atlas) have molded on ladders, grabs and stirrups that are fine enough for what I'm looking for, but finding a simple way to thin the walks would help the overall look. Your pictures were helpful.
To all: I'm a modern era modeler so knowing exactly what ran in the 1960's...and I'm thinking early, no later than 1963.... is still a matter for research.
I want to run some beat up composite boxcars (and other composite cars) along with more modern stuff of the day on rural southern U.S. branchline service. I'm thinking composite rolling stock would still not be uncommon in those situations in early 1960's. Maybe even the rare wooden car wouldn't be out of place.
Thinning down the stock roof walks looks good!
I wanted to try that with some centerflow hoppers, but the support brackets are molded on to the walks.
That is one point about the etched metal parts, they make everything else look out of place.
I bought some Plano walks for a couple of hoppers, but with out replacing the end cages, ladders, etc., I didn't think it would be worth the effort.
Some of the other links, like to Kadee's stuff, they looked good too.
Good luck, have fun!
Doughless
check out fallen flags there are photos of composite car's in the early 70's
j. c.Maybe even the rare wooden car wouldn't be out of place.
I recall my "railfanning" days in the late 1970s and there were still quite a few of these Wellsville addison and Galeton outside-braced box cars still in class-one interchange service:
Atlas Photo
Their slogan was the "Sole Leather Line".
It seemed like there were a few scattered in every general-commodity train we saw back then. I have a few on my layout, just for the memories.
gmpullman j. c. Maybe even the rare wooden car wouldn't be out of place. I recall my "railfanning" days in the late 1970s and there were still quite a few of these Wellsville addison and Galeton outside-braced box cars still in class-one interchange service: Atlas Photo Their slogan was the "Sole Leather Line". It seemed like there were a few scattered in every general-commodity train we saw back then. I have a few on my layout, just for the memories. Good Luck, Ed
j. c. Maybe even the rare wooden car wouldn't be out of place.
Yeah, I think the 70's would be pushing it. That must be an Atlas Master series car.
For those who didn't check the link which I posted earlier, this is a Train Miniature car with a built-up roofwalk, using Evergreen strip styrene....
....the procedure is covered in the link. While I did at least a couple dozen cars using the autobody file, when I need to do a lot of cars, I find the board-by-board method easier, as you can mass produce the components for identical cars.