Hello, I am planning to buy one or two transition era B&O boxcars for my small layout. I would appreciate any comments on quality and accuracy of these candidates:
- Accurail RTR #93511 M-55A 40' boxcar- Accurail kit #4306 wooden 40' boxcar- Athearn RTR 70871 M-59 double door boxcar (due July '08)- ... or any other worthy model I do not know about...
My layout is small L shaped dogbone - not much space for cars on it, so I would rather have one good and correct car, than 2 or 3 of lesser quality and accuracy.
Thanks!
Nothing says "B&O" like a wagontop... I'm sure there are models of these available in HO. This is from a Fine N Scale resin kit.
Lee
Route of the Alpha Jets www.wmrywesternlines.net
Appearance wise, both Athearn and Accurail are very good for low to midrange kits. A lot of the detail is molded on, such as the ladders but that is what you should expect in that price range.
With either kit, make sure the metal weight is perfectly flat before you install it. Often these have a slight bend to them and the plastic floor and chassis will conform to the bend making it difficult to get proper coupler height. The metal weight is soft and easy to straight out. Just place it on a flat surface and either gently pound it with a hammer or stand on it.
It has been a while since I bought an Athearn shake-the-box kit but I think they come with plastic wheels. I have built quite a few Accurail recently and I know they come with plastic wheels. I would consider replacing them with quality metal wheels. I use P2Ks but there are other good ones. Also, a great investment is a Truck Tuner, available from Micro-Mark. This is a simple device that you slip inside the truck in place of the axle and turn it to grind out some of the plastic. This makes the wheels turn more freely. It costs under $10 and is an excellent investment.
wm3798 wrote: Nothing says "B&O" like a wagontop... I'm sure there are models of these available in HO. This is from a Fine N Scale resin kit.
Except that the B&O wagontops were really just a bit player in the grand scheme of things, when it comes to the B&O boxcar roster of the 1950s. Yes, there were something like 4400 of them built, but when compared to the over 35,000 boxcars the B&O owned at one time or another between 1950-1959, it's a drop in the bucket.
I just waded through the 1950 ORER listing for the B&O to get some feel for what boxcars are REALLY correct to model a "typical" B&O boxcar (something I needed to do anyway for my own roster, since I'll need six or eight of their boxcars). The B&O owned 102,190 revenue freight cars, or the third largest car fleet in North America (after only the PRR and NYC). They owned a total of 28,266 boxcars, or the eighth largest fleet in N.A. In GENERAL, their boxcars can be broken down into the following types:
So the "typical" B&O boxcar of the 1930-1955 period is quite obviously the 1923 ARA box (X29 to most folks), NOT the wagontops, which are outnumbered almost four to one by the ARA cars.
By the mid-1950s, the B&O would start buying huge numbers of 1944 AAR type boxcars, until they were the dominant car type on the roster.
So...if you wanted four B&O boxcars for your early 1950s layout, I'd recommend two 1923 ARA's (Red Caboose), one M-53 wagontop (Sunshine, F&C, or MRR Warehouse), and one 1932 AAR box (Branchline). If you wanted a fifth car, I'd say add an M-15 double sheathed box (Westerfield).
Ray Breyer
Modeling the NKP's Peoria Division, circa 1943
You are correct about the proportional representation, but, the Wagontops were home-built at Mt. Clare, and were unique to the B&O. PRR and probably others had their own variations, but not the same.
A 50's era B&O layout without at least a representative smattering of wagontops (I only have one on my roster... and it represents a 30-year old survivor...) lacks the vital seasoning that provides that true B&O flavor!
I like to check the fallenflags website to verify paint schemes and numbers. I've found many kits have the incorrect numbers or paint so I don't buy them. Red Caboose and Branchline kits seem more accurate to me, not to mention nice models to build if you don't mind taking your time and doing a careful job. Since you've got a small layout, devote more time to the details. Also, look into getting good books of the railroads you're modeling, even if it is not your primary railroad. These provide great examples of what trains looked like in your era (ratio of home road vs foreign, type (50' vs 40' vs 60') and various paint schemes of the same road) and they are great references to keep on hand.
I've found the locale determines the kind of cars in a train, C&O had all hopper car trains in the east, but brand new Hi-Cubes in Michigan for the auto parts industry (as a rough example).
I would definetely replace plastic wheels AND couplers for durability and performance (I've seen 3 broken/worn out plastic couplers and never a broken KD in my 100 car collection, now all get KD's before they hit the layout).
I know about using the tool to resurface the truck journals, but what about the axle points? Branchline axles are terrible sometimes! Lots of flash and even deformed axle points. I would put them in a lathe and reform the ends but I don't have one and I don't want to make the axles shorter. Any solutions short of buying new wheelsets?
http://delray1967.shutterfly.com/pictures/5
SEMI Free-Mo@groups.io
Vow, great data! Thanks, everybody, especially Ray!
I am thinking about Funaro M-15k car, but there are still many questions about doing resin cars... which trucks, which glue, how to paint, decal, will it look good enough... You know, Floquil paints and decal finish are not so easy to find here in Central Europe...
For now I completed five or six Accurail/Bowser kits, and two Branchline Blueprint PRR boxcars, so resin kits are definitely in future plans. For now, I will try to find some easier kit or RTR B&O boxcar as a start.
Thommo wrote: Vow, great data! Thanks, everybody, especially Ray! I am thinking about Funaro M-15k car, but there are still many questions about doing resin cars... which trucks, which glue, how to paint, decal, will it look good enough... You know, Floquil paints and decal finish are not so easy to find here in Central Europe...
Trucks: Accurail "Bettendorf" (really AAR common) trucks will do fine.
Glue: the cheapest, thinnest super glue works the best.
How to paint: clean with dish soap or isopropyl alcohol, primer, and paint with a "darkish oxide red". Use the paint chip from Polly Scale's "Special Oxide Red" and if you can't get Polly Scale, find a Humbrol color that's close.
Decal finish: glosscoat over the paint, add decals using Solvaset, dullcoat once dry and weather. I have no idea what a decent solvaset alternative is over the pond, but I'm sure there's something close.
Look good: that's entirely up to you!
If you want an easy car, try Branchline's Yardmaster 1937 AAR box. Unfortunately, they don't have one predecorated for the B&O...
B&Os M-26 class were an unashamed copy of Pennsy's X-29 class. Painting one in B&Os bright red oxide and decaling it with any of the B&Os heralds used over the years would look right at home, and would not be a tough project at all. As was previously mentioned, it was also by far the most common boxcar on the B&O by a huge margin. Funaro and Camerlengo have a nice resin wagontop kit, but it sure isnt an easy build. Both would scream "B&O" if you wanted to take a step away from RtR stuff.
B&Os red oxide was quite a bit brighter "red" than Pennsy's, which always looks sort of orange-ish to me. Maybe Red Caboose will give us a model of an M-26 already painted and marked for B&O sometime. Luckily the B&O, strapped for cash by the mid 50s, would run cars for years and even decades without repaints, so inexact coulours, coupled with some weathering, could produce models that are both prototypical and striking. By this time, C&O had began to donate used equipment to the B&O as well, broadening the rolling stock possibilities.
And regardless of how many they had, lets face it. Wagontops are way classier than an ol' M-26 anyday
Thommo wrote:Does Funaro resin kits allready have holes for mounting trucks?
Most have a "dimple" in the center of the bolster as a starting point for a hole you drill yourself. The resin is EASY to drill, and doesn't need to be tapped to add a screw, so F&C has left it up to you to figure out how big the hole needs to be.
-Dan
Builder of Bowser steam! Railimages Site
Next question...
What year did B&O start to change freight car scheme from above (my favourite) to below?
Also, when did they change nice looking blue/grey/black to plain dark blue on diesels?
Thanx!
The solid blue diesels started appearing around 1963 when the C&O bought the B&O. I believe the GP-30's that were delivered that year were the first to wear the simplified scheme.
wm3798 wrote: The solid blue diesels started appearing around 1963 when the C&O bought the B&O. I believe the GP-30's that were delivered that year were the first to wear the simplified scheme.Lee
There was also another variation of the origional paint on the F units. This was the Enchantment blue with the black band w/ Baltimore and Ohio. This scheme appeared on F7s delivered in '59. Still a handsome paint compared to the all Royal blue w/ C&O yellow B&O and sill stripe described by Lee for 1963. The short lived "Sunburst" w/ dashed yellow stripe appeared in '63. This Sunburst was also found on delivered GP30s.
For more in depth info on Fs, MR did an extensive and informative article on B&O Fs in the Aug '95 Model Railroader.
Pending the time frame you model, the complex B&O no. system was changed in the roster wide renumbering system in 1957.
Modeling B&O- Chessie Bob K. www.ssmrc.org
Yes they do have a location dimple for the truck mounting screw. You do have to drill the hole as you do for all of the grabs and other details. I built one of these cars about a year ago and found it to be fairly easy for a resin kit. Definatly not as easy as an Athearn kit but, with some practice they are very doable. I found the hardest problem to be the poor instructions that come with the kit. some steps leave a bit to imagination with some of their stuff. The boxcar was fairly straight forward though and if I remember right, it was a one piece casting for the body so getting everything square is not a problem. The glue I used was a gel type superglue made by locktite and purchased at my local hobby shop (Home Depot).
The trucks I used were a garden variety that I had laying around here (possibly Proto 2000) All of the brake components are Tichy brand and work well for the model. A sharp exacto knife, a couple of grits of sandpaper on a flat surface and patience is all you realy need to make a good model from one of these kits.
Dan Pikulski
www.DansResinCasting.com
You will need to check the weight. I have found most Athern, Accurail, Bowser and Branchline kits are 1/2 to 1 oz light. Weigh the parts of the car before it is assembled so you can put in the additional weight as you are building it.
Adding weight is more difficult for assembled cars. Try to find an out of sight location to drill a hole and add BBs that have been coated in matt meduim or silicone caulk. Many box cars have the weight in the bottom that blocks a hole there. If you can remove the roofwalk without damaging it, that is a possible location for a hole. If the weight is acessible and removable, replace the steel weight with lead; that usually makes up the difference. Check WallMart sporting goods section for BBs.
Also, if the model has plastic wheels, replace them with metal ones. Fortunately, many models are coming with metal wheels in recent years.
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
Hi gang, next question... :-)
I presume this Athearn RTR is also of M59 family?
Did Athearn made accurate scheme for this "fast freight" B&O boxcar?Judging by the lettering, I would say it can pass for mid-50's period.
Well, I am answering my own questions...
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/bo/bo-frt.html
Thommo wrote: Next question... What year did B&O start to change freight car scheme from above (my favourite) to below?Also, when did they change nice looking blue/grey/black to plain dark blue on diesels?Thanx!
Not sure if you found the answer to this yet or not, but the large herald began to appear in 1951-1952 or thereabouts (some of my references say 51, some say 53. DEFINATELY in use by 53.) Check the B&O RR historical society's website sometime, an excellent site!
The diesel paint scheme change you mention seems to have taken place around 1958, though i think only their E and F units, as well as the few Alco PAs owned by B&O, were in the blue/gold/silver scheme. Ive never seen any pics of Geeps or SDs in that tri-color scheme. I also am not sure when they recieved their first Geeps, tbh.
Most of the information you need is here:
http://borhs.org/Logos/bo_font_logo.html
Go to the bottom of the page and you will find lettering diagrams 1920-1960
There is more info available here:
http://www.borhs.org/Archives/Archives.htm
There is a lot of missing information on the Blue/Silver Sentinel Service cars. There is a site maintained that has a collection of all photographic confirmed road numbers. The first 100 cars (466000 to 466099) in the series of 500 were supposed to be painted in the scheme but others have crept up out of the sequence.
..still looking for the link...
found the link.....
http://www.kbbraden.com/Sentinel/
I will resurrect my older topic rather to open new...
Maybe somebody knows, did B&O rostered M-55 (1937 AAR) boxcars in REA blue colors, as those older Roundhouse HO model pictured below?
Also, NYC Early Bird of the same AAR type; I know the Branchline did them in their Yardmaster series, but in plain NYC scheme. Branchline had 50' boxcars in NYC E.B. scheme.
Thommo
As far as I know only one forty foot boxcar number 174853 was painted in the 1957 NYC early bird paint scheme. The rest were all fifty foot cars.
Bill
Thommo I will resurrect my older topic rather to open new... Maybe somebody knows, did B&O rostered M-55 (1937 AAR) boxcars in REA blue colors, as those older Roundhouse HO model pictured below? Also, NYC Early Bird of the same AAR type; I know the Branchline did them in their Yardmaster series, but in plain NYC scheme. Branchline had 50' boxcars in NYC E.B. scheme.
No, B&O did not have M-55's (or any other 40' boxcar) in blue except for the M-53 Wagontops that were used in express service (e.g., C-16). Those were originally green with gold lettering, but at least some were painted like the car you show in Bando Blue with dulux lettering. In fact, I believe the car you are showing is one of the Roundhouse round-roof car, based on a Pennsy prototype, painted as a stand-in for the B&O express wagontops.
Greg
I just saw this thread when it re-popped. i saw earlier that someone said the M26 ARA boxcar was predominant, and someone else said that maybe someday Red Caboose would make one painted B&O. Well, they have, and are available from the B&O Historical Society. NICE models - I got two. They have other paint schemes, as well.
Sean
HO Scale CSX Modeler
Another question for B&O afficionados: Is the Accurail 3736 41'6" AAR Gondola correct for B&O gondolas? BLT year is 1957.
See below for a list of the Accurail 40' Gons with information regarding each roadname as compiled by the Steam Era Freight Car List on Yahoo Groups.
Number 1, I would not trust any car made by Athearn or Accurail for prototype accuracy. They will paint any car in any roadname to foster sales. Other manufacturers are almost as bad, but they will at least tell you that the car is a foobie!
Thommo, I would suggest joining the Steam Era Freight car group which goes up to 1960 for detailed car information. For later periods there is the MFCL and BBFCL groups which give out a lot of information on freight cars.
Rick
Rule 1: This is my railroad.
Rule 2: I make the rules.
Rule 3: Illuminating discussion of prototype history, equipment and operating practices is always welcome, but in the event of visitor-perceived anacronisms, detail descrepancies or operating errors, consult RULE 1!
Thommo, the Accurail boxcar about which you asked in your original post is not accurate for a transition-era layout. I don't specifically model the B&O, so the car may be accurate as an earlier-era car, or could be accurate for a transition era layout if the lettering was modified. However, note the June 1919 BLT. date and the "NEW" notation next to the car's capacity: the latest that this car would have been in-service in this condition would have been early in 1922.
Here's a Funaro & Camerlengo M-53 in an early as-built paint scheme:
...and an undecorated Red Caboose X-29 painted as a B&O M-26, also with an early version of the B&O herald (lettering is dry transfers from C-D-S):
Wayne