Tichy Train Group Reefer Kit

[Anonymous]

I just bought a couple Tichy reefer kits, but I guess I should have done a little more research, because I wasn't expecting a kit this involved and then on top of that, it's undecorated!

I'm not much of a hand with the airbrush (all I've really done is Athearn boxcars), but this seems a little overwhelming. Do I assemble the kits before painting or paint everything after it's all together? Anyone built any of these to give me some pointers?

[orsonroy]

Tichy kits are the best plastic freight car kits on the market, even better than Branchline, Red Caboose, P2K or Intermountain. Take your time, familiarize yourself with the parts and assembly steps, and the kit will go together in a couple of evenings. Use Ambroid Proweld for the plastic-to-plastic joints, and superglue for the wire-to-plastic bonds. The most difficult part of the kit will be the underframe brake rigging, but the end result is well worth the effort.

Build the car, and then paint it. If possible, leave off the underframe until after painting is complete. I generally like to primer everything I paint first, using Floquil primer gray or Model Masters primer white straight out of a rattlecan. I'd suggest using white for the sides of the car, since it'll make the orange a lot more brilliant. Shoot the underframe with flat black or grimy black, the roof and ends with box car red, and the sides with reefer orange. Highlight the side grabs, ladders and door hardware with black. Spray the whole model with glosscoat, apply the decals, and spray the whole model with dullcoat.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Ray. I'll give it a shot. I wouldn't be so worried about the paint if it was one color, but with the roof and ends different from the body it just kind of scares me...I'll let you know how it goes.

[Anonymous]

Wes, Would you like to sell these models, I will buy if the price is right. I only buy kits.

Mark
[e-mail]

[Anonymous]

Mark, I think I'll try one of these, but if it doesn't work out I may hit you up on buying the other one!

If you're interested, I just got them through Tichy's eBay store. The price was $10.50 plus $4.00 shipping...I just searched "tichy reefer" and got the auction. If you go to the store they are availble for $0.50 more...you just don't have to wait for the suction to end! The seller ID was "Suctioncups" (still don't understand where that came from!)