I recently got the chance to scan a lot of the photos from the Tooele Valley Railroad Museum for a presentation I am working on for later this month. During the scanning I have found plenty of cool prototype pictures, including this one of one of the shortline's passenger cars from its small commuter fleet.
Since I posted that photo, I have got the hankering to start chipping at my dream of building up a fleet of HO scale cars to model the Tooele Valley Railway; and with it those cool wooden commuter cars. From what I have seen though, the best match for the car type is the LaBelle Industries wooden kits. Now I probably haven't built any wooden model since a scratch built balsa wood bridge in junior high school so many years ago (not a scale model either... just a crappy balsa wood bridge we threw together for class)! The thought of building a wood kit has me intimidated; but the thought of starting to build that fleet is so tempting. It doesn't really match my current layout theme (modern industrial switching), but it could be a fun project to do on days I don't want to be working on the layout itself and I could take the models to display at train shows or on the local museum layout. However, these kits are pricey, $40 for a car without the trucks, couplers, and tools to prep and build it! So for those of you who have built these types of kits before, what should I do to prepare to build one? What tools would I need? What models could I build first before I sink a wad of cash into trying to aquire a fleet of wood passenger car kits?
I have built 3 maybe 4 of the Ambroid kits, which are all wood, very simular to La Belle. I did the first couple with just a hobby knife and sandpaper. I used a Chopper on the last one, it was, but not really necessary. For best strength I used yellow carpenter's glue, and clamped the structural joints, mainly the end block-to-roof and end block-to-floor joints. I used faster drying Duco cement (cellulose cement) for the non-structural detail parts. To prevent warping, I coated both sides of all the wooden parts. Shellac is a good quick drying finish that takes paint well and seals the wood. It took me three or four evenings to finish each passenger coach. These kits are definately not shake-the-box kits, but they are fun to build.
David Starr www.newsnorthwoods.blogspot.com
It's easier than it may first seem. The hardest part is keeping glue in its place, hidden mostly. You can use med to thick CA or somethng like Titebond III.
Lots of sharp knife blades are next. Try to avoid letting the blade get very dull before changing. A good small square and cutting board helps here, too.
Figure out trucks and couplers early on Then translate those measurements and the fitting of the trucks and couplers to a well-squared body so that coupler height comes out right. End platforms and steps can be tricky, but LaBelle tends to have this worked out well. I tend to use epoxy there but YMMV.
Several common tweezer types will also be worthwhile investements if you don't have them already. They help a lot in placing parts, esecally where glue if involved.
Getting a nice finish is the hardest part. I'll defer to others on good tips there, as I like things a bit grungy. If a coach sounds too injtimidating, try a baggage car or a boxcar. The skills are generally the same for all of these, as a little confidence building goes a long way.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
I built 4 of the LaBelle passenger cars a number of years ago. Most difficult work was shaping the roof ends with sand paper. The wood piece you get is straight, no end curve. You put the curve on there. It's not terribly difficult, just tedious.
If you're going to do one of these cars, be prepared to go slow, understand the directions, and work with considerable skill.
I didn't have any special tools to work with. Just sandpaper, razor blade and glue, as I remember. Fortunately, I did have an airbrush to do the painting with. I wouldn't want to brush paint them for fear of filling in the fine side detail with paint.
And rememebr to check progress frequently when sanding. You can always sand more off, but putting the sawdust back on tends to be a bit difficult wood filler and putty can be a big help if you do make an oops.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
I have a combination car about 3/4 done and is an enjoyable build, but warn you who has not yet cut his teeth on more straightforward wood kits that this will be very challenging. The way I do it: All wood pieces have to be sorted by size and sealed with wood sanding sealer/lightly sanded to remove the grain before I start assembly. There are many measure/cut/fit steps before the glue comes out.
The most difficult part to get right is creating the complex contours of the roof ends. LaBelle makes a template you can buy from them to make the work easier or if you want, you can send them your roof and have them shape the ends for a fee. Check their website - it's been a while for me.
If you are interested and have a need for a baggage car, I would start that LaBelle kit first as there are no windows to deal with. In the process, you'll get a feel for this medium and see how difficult/easy it is to shape the roof ends.
Personally, I prefer working in wood, but that is just the furniture maker in me (another hobby).
Joel
Modeling the C&O New River Subdivision circa 1949 for the fun of it!
The era of wood rolling stock kits was also the era when most boys had likely tackled a wood airplane kit, had some woodworking classes in school, and perhaps did some of the cub scout/boy scout projects that involved wood, before ever becoming scale model railroaders.
And I suspect most young modelers took on a wood freight car kit or two before tackling a passenger car or caboose.
I do think having familiarity with doing precise work in wood is helpful before taking on a LaBelle or Ambroid passenger car. While the modern day laser cut structure kits have taken some of the elements of the work out of the equation that might be a way to ease into it.
Another way, and this might seem like cheating - check out the better swap meets because it is not uncommon to encounter a partially built wood kit at reasonable cost that someone else gave up on for whatever reason. Although I myself do not need the tutorial, I have acquired many such "oh I give up!" old, old Silver Streak and Walthers kits over the years. Mostly for the parts.
And I second the motion about sharp knife blades. It is such common advice ... but still people don't seem to concede just how often a blade change that really involves.
Dave Nelson
I built one of their interurban kits a couple years ago. I used a small hobby saw to cut the wood parts, and then wood resin glue for airplane models to hold it together. The roof rounding was difficult enough that I sent it to them to have the rounding finished (I think the cost was $14), but the rest of the kit was very straight-forward and not too hard to build. Just take your time and follow the instructions! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76X887mDntM
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