Funaro and Camerlengo Big Otis Drop Bottom Gondola

[Isambard]

I've just finished(?) my first of two F&C Big Otis kits, a challenging
experience. Before I tackle the second kit I think I'll relax with a
Tichy ore car or two!

Apart from finding that the assembly sequence, illustrations and
instructions could be improved upon, I question the position of the
bottom door levers shown in the B end illustration, although I've
installed them as shown.

The kit floor and under frame as supplied have the doors closed- on the
other hand the levers, shown almost horizontal with tips crossed, appear to be in the open position per the illustrated markings. Should they not be positioned pointing upwards with the pivots and the rods at the bottom of the slots?

I gave up on understanding the illustration showing the sections at the
bolster and the centre crossbearer in relation to parts supplied, not having seen a prototype or a properly completed model, and
therefore ommited installing those details.

Comments would be appreciated.

[:)]

[orsonroy]

I've built a few of the F&C kits, and have dozens n the shelf to build (Ebay has great prices on them!), but they are a good news/bad news sort of kit. Good news is that they're the most affordable of the resin kits, and will allow you to relatively easily build a correct 1925-1960 steam-era freight car fleet. Bad news is that their directions are basically useless. I gave up on their instructions after the first kit, and rely on the line drawings included with the kit, a photo of the completed kit (either on the box or on their website) and on prototype photos. That, and a little knowledge about how real freight cars should go together and I can pretty much build ANY of the F&C offerings (althouth I'm a bit hesitant about starting the carbon black hopper!)

One thing about resin kit instructions: they ALL suck. Modelers talk about the "great" instructions with Westerfield and Sunshine kits. They're not better, just wordier. Sunshine DOES give you several prototype photos and photos of semi-completed kits, so it pretty straightforward to fini***heir kits. Westerfield has BAD photos of their kits in the directions, but at least they have decent instruction photos on their website. Both have horrible written instructions, with Sunshine's being about as bad as F&C.