Geez, I've got too many to choose from...
This one would have to be in the top 5, anyway. It's an ancient Aurora "Postage Stamp" car that I heavily modified, painted and weathered. Every N scaler over the age of 40 probably has one of these drifting around the junk box.
I filed down the bolsters to lower the ride height, body mounted Micro Trains couplers to it, replaced the floor with Evergreen scribed siding painted to look like weathered wood. The lettering is some custom decals I had made.
I guess another one in the top 5 would be this:
It's an N scale Icicle Breaker, which is based on a WM shop built prototype. It started life as a Model Power 40' boxcar, which donated it's floor and ends. The rest is built up from Evergreen sheet and strip stock. The lettering is a combination of old Northeast Decals (God I miss them!!) and some Microscale.
The prototype was used between Hagerstown and Cumberland, where the west sub passed through 5 tunnels. It would be loaded with stone ballast for stability (in the battle between railroad and ice, it was important for the railroad to win!) and would be placed at the head end of trains carrying auto racks. Remember, back in the 60's and '70's, auto racks were open! A dangling icicle could wreak a lot of havoc!
My layout is based in the summer months, so this is mostly a yard queen. But I still had to build it just to see if I could!
Lee
Route of the Alpha Jets www.wmrywesternlines.net
Fun thread.
Here is the hunting car the loggers made from a log car to get the pheasants and the first Ambroid 1 in 10,000 kit I made many decades ago.
Well if I can only choose two, Right now it would have to be the two cabooses I built and painted to match their prototypes..
This one is an Ho scale Juneco scale wood model of a CN caboose, Modified for the Great Western.
And this one is one I scratchbuilt also for the Great Western, also built like the prototype..
These are my 2 favorites.
And if I'm allowed to put more than 2, these are two more favorites...
http://s233.photobucket.com/albums/ee261/TrainManTy/?action=view¤t=P1030108-12.jpg
http://s233.photobucket.com/albums/ee261/TrainManTy/?action=view¤t=P1030109-13.jpg
Let's see then..My favorite 2 cars..Hmm..Hard question but,here is 2 of my many favorites.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Robert,
Thanks for the post and your descriptions. Interesting weathering techniques. I tend to value the cars I put the most work into as well.
Ken,
Thanks for posting and showing it is possible to fix up even Tycos to run and look good..... I like the flatcar load....
Any other takers???
Guy
see stuff at: the Willoughby Line Site
Guess this one of them. Based on a R/H flat car and a junk coal car.
Guess these are still my favorite.
They are cheap Tyco Old Dutch Hoppers. Reason I like them so much? They where the learning tool I needed. Taught me to install coupler pockets, tune trucks, install PK wheels, weight to NMRA standers. I have 34 of them, and pull as well as any high end Rolling Stock I have bought.
I will add, Tyco's rolling stock are easy to up grade after you learn the tricks.
Tyco Ken
I hate Rust
trainnut1250 wrote:... Tell us something about the cars in one or two sentences. Who made the car, manufacturer? How did you weather it etc?...Lets see some cars!
Tell us something about the cars in one or two sentences. Who made the car, manufacturer? How did you weather it etc?
My #1 fav is a PS2-2600 cu.ft. covered hopper by Athearn. It originally was in B&O gray but I painted/lettered it for Chessie, patched for CSXT. Weathering was based on prototype photos, using Bragdon powders, water-soluable oil paints and gouache.
Next one would be a set of 3 Walthers bethgons that I painted and decaled myself in the CSXT 'aluminum' scheme. These were done ~2 yrs ago, before I had learned more effective ways to do weathering. Sprayed various 'filthy' Polyscale colors inside the bodies and outside, plus leaned them against a surface covered in flat black latex paint [to simulate coal dust sticking to the ribs from the rotary dumpers].
I tend to 'value' the cars that I put the most work into.
-Ken in Maryland (B&O modeler, former CSX modeler)
SpaceMouse wrote: Those cars were part of my Hogwart's Freight and Ferry that was always the hit of our train club open house. The first is Harry getting a lesson from Ol' Brakie. Jeffery got the second one.
Those cars were part of my Hogwart's Freight and Ferry that was always the hit of our train club open house.
The first is Harry getting a lesson from Ol' Brakie.
Jeffery got the second one.
well I guess I am officially old now...
What is it that Dr. Evil says to Austin Powers? "theres nothing more pathetic than an aging hipster???
Red Horse: I like the cabooses.
Robby
Love the rust. I think I would regeret selling those on Ebay too...
Heres the 2 favorite cars. Well were. I sold them on Ebay, and I wish to this day I still had the Conrail .
"Rust, whats not to love?"
Here is one that I did A micro mural on.
And here is a set of muraled Cabooses.
Thats all folks!
Happy Rails!
Jess Red Horse.
Chip
Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.
trainnut1250 wrote:Chip, I have to ask if the grafitti on the second car has a meaning that I am missing???
Chip,
I have to ask if the grafitti on the second car has a meaning that I am missing???
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
Guys,
Cool cars !!
Jeff,
Nice job on the rust on the bottom of the tank car and its trucks.
Here are two of my favorites. The first is a MDC double-door boxcar. The second is a Bachmann Silver Series single-dome tank car.
Peter,
Great job on the cars and the loco. I like the look of the train, especially the scrachbuilt loco.
It is good to see that a few of us are reading the Gazette. I have built a couple of water tanks from plans in the Gazette and I find the magazine to be a constant source of inspiration.
Tom,
Nice cars!! I have that Tichy car somewhere waiting to be built. I like what you have done with it. The seat in the first passenger car shot looks weathered. Is that right? or just greasy haired kids riding in the car?
Guy--
Those are two terrific cars!
I've got too many to choose two, but here's a couple I like: The first is a Tichy gondola kit that I adapted to an ash-car for my yard. Unfortunately Fred there, is shoveling HOT ash into a WOOD car. Not too bright, Fred!
The second two photos are of a Con-Cor dome car that is the closest I was able to get to one of the ex-Chessie domes for the 1950 "Royal Gorge." Re-painted and decalled, with an interior by way of Palace Car Co. and some IHC parts. Nicely populated by some Preiser passengers enjoying the view. And one truck off the tracks in the overview. Whoopee!
Tom
Tom View my layout photos! http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/TWhite-014/Rio%20Grande%20Yuba%20River%20Sub One can NEVER have too many Articulateds!
Fellow train car addicts,
The "how many train cars thread" got me thinking that it might be fun to see some of those cars. So here is the "Show us your two favorite cars thread".
In the interest of keeping this user friendly and fun here are some guidelines to the thread:
Limit your post to two cars. I know, which of my children do I pick? The idea is to pick your best, super cool cars, not to flood the thread with everything you own (if some forum members did this, it could take days to view given the size of some collections). These can be cars you built, bought etc.
Here are my two cars:
Hetch Hetchy work car: this car was modeled after a c I saw in a book about the Hetch Hetchy Railroad. The details are from Tichy, SS Limited Micro engineering, and the car is Etrl.
Yosemite Valley Log Car. This is a Rio Grande Models kit which is basically sticks and some castings. I added the wood deck and the scratch back weathering on the wood frame.
Lets see some cars!!