Athearn PS5344 Building Tips

[CSXFanAlso]

Just wanted to get a feeler out there and see who else has built one or many of these great boxcars from Athearn. I just complete the first of two that I puchased, and let me tell you, it was an experience. I am just now getting back into model railroading and it is great to see freight car kits with such amazing detail right out of the box! But, with that detail, comes alittle more work than the old, screw on the trucks, snap on the couplers and away you go! Here are some of my tips if anyone else is building these cars and struggling.

Tip #1:
Over drill every hole by at least 2-3 sizes. Athearn recommended 79s for the grab irons, I ended up with 77s. Chances are you will paint the grab irons once they were in, so any "oversize" hole that you see can be filled with the paint and CA. I also oversized the holes for the ladders and stirrups.

Tip #2:
Be extremely careful with the stirrups. Athearn do not include extras. There are extra grab irons, but not the stirrups.

Maybe some of you are reading this post thinking, "What's this guy talking about? We already knew that. . ." And if you are, disregard, but if you are like me and new to the hobby again, I hope this helped. And to the veteran builders out there, any tips on assembling these new cars would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!
CSXFanAlso -- Matt Nitka