Living the dream.
Hello everyone, and welcome to another nifty brand new weekend!
Well, it has happened again. I was minding my own business, when I was tempted by the metallic charm of a cutie pie of a covered hopper car.
I just cannot resist the Siren’s Song of a cute covered hopper car.
Lookie-lookie
-Photographs by Kevin Parson
This model is based on a PENNSYLVANIA model GL-E that was converted into a covered car. The model is by Rail Works. I think it is from the 1980s.
Those twelve roof top hatches are really cool. My other covered hopper car this size only has six roof top hatches.
I am looking forward to seeing everyone's photographs this weekend. Let’s have some fun!
-Kevin
Yea...but are they working hatches? A very cool covered hopper, Kevin. And, thanks again for starting this week's WPF.
I'm working on craftsman kits concurrently. Along with the QCM PRR covered hopper that posted last week, I started this QCM PRR auto boxcar:
I have the shell and side panels assembled & glued up, along with the offset bottom side sills. I also added a 1/2 oz of weight over each (yet to be added) bolster, which is hidden behind the side panels.
I already have one coat of sanding sealer on the exterior, which I applied before assembly. I'm contemplating applying another one now that it's assembled then buffing the exterior lightly after it's dried. Once that's done, I'll add the metal end panels (pictured below) then start attaching the bolsters, center sill, and braking system to the underframe.
The assembly instructions for this kit are only slightly better in verbiage than the covered hopper. However, I found a dimensional typo that could have been disastrous if I hadn't chosen to double-check the drawing - ugh!
This boxcar is simpler to build than the covered hopper so I may end finish it before going back to complete the hopper. We'll see...
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Good morning from partly cloudy and mild Northeast Ohio!
Kevin, thanks for starting us out, neat looking covered hopper, that is a unique and fine looking kit, I think you should send it here so it can get in the proper PRR livery.
Tom, you are a glutton for punishment, I have not attempted any of those old wood kits but you are doing a fine job on them and they look good.
I managed to finish a couple of cars this week!
First up is the Moloco GATC RBL that I modified to fit the DT&I car I wanted to model. I contacted Nick Molo and asked which of his kits would match the DT&I car so I managed to acquire one. I lowered all the ladders and brake gear as the car was built in 1968 and would not have a roofwalk. Also the DT&I car did not have ladders all around like the kit, so I replaced the ladder at one end with Kadee grab irons. Car was painted with Scalecoat II Armour Yellow, Boxcar Red and Silver paints and lettered with a mixture of Herald King and Mask Island decals. The 1090 above the reporting marks indicates the car was in canned good service for Campbell's Soup plant in Napoleon, OH.
An Atlas Kit that was painted in my favorite covered hopper scheme, it was painted with Scalecoat II UP Covered Hopper Gray Paint and lettered with Mask Island Decals. The Wabash usually assigned these cars to the Archer Daniels Midland elevator in Decatur, IL.
A GP35, C-424 and a U25B leading a mixed freight on the Strongsville Club layout.
Thanks for looking!
Rick Jesionowski
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!
Kevin, Thanks for running up the WPF flag.
Always good to see all the modeling work, cleverness, acquisitions and plain ol' fun.
Was the color of Brekina's 76' Ford Torino that caught my eye, reminiscent of the sleek 69' GT a friend bought upon his return from the Viet Nam war. While never a big Starsky and Hutch fan I like that this dandy little car is aimed at their famed 'Striped Tomato'.
Thanks to all the contributors and viewers. Have a good weekend. Regards, Peter
Nice painting and detail work, Rick. Studying the prototype and modifying a kit (or kitbashing) to make it match that is a fun part of the hobby.
About 15 years ago I made a first-pass NYC emergency war caboose out of a Roundhouse 40' boxcar and stairs & windows that I cannibalized from a Walthers caboose:
I was fairly pleased with the results and am still hoping to make an improved version of it now that I know where to obtain more photos on one. If I do I'll also detail the interior.
dti406Tom, you are a glutton for punishment, I have not attempted any of those old wood kits...
Other than the assembly instructions, these QCM kits contain come very fine quality, tight-grained wood strips & parts, which makes them more enjoyable to put together. (Pretty amazing given the fact that these kits are or nearly 50 years old.) The only exceptions are the really thin wood strips (e.g. angle irons) that just can't be milled as crisp as a similarly-shaped piece of extruded styrene. I have no problem mixing styrene and wood on the same mode - i.e. if it improves the overall look and accuracy of the model.
That said, I have seen wood kits that are NOT very good quality and wouldn't be much fun at all to put together. Those kinda kits would definitely be a real "labor of love" to make them look good.
You have good hand skills, Rick. Give a QCM kit a try sometime. A few of their kits are models of more "modern" rolling stock (e.g. all door boxcar) that I think would look pretty nifty behind those Wabash units. Just take your time and enjoyo the journey.
And, beautiful work as usual, Peter. You know how to capture a scene. That red Torino brings back memories of cars in my high school days.
2nd coat of sanding sealer, metal ends, bolsters, and centersill added:
Next steps: Under ribbing, braking system, bolster & rib end plates, and step mounts. Progress may not be quick...but moving forward.
Up first. the past couple weekends have been slow. Busy with the house stuff. Slowly This H10 has been finished. the LMB brass model now has been wired up for DCC. Now it is DCC ready with a decoder buddy installed. the Lok sound V5 is waiting for me to do the electrical tests. Make sure no shorts and such before pluggin that board in. The paint job is based on a pic. The photog was standing in the coal pile of one H10 and took a shot of the entire turntable roundhouse area. a second on next to it clearly had a different paint job. similar to this. The caption also mention the first NYC century paint used a blue for he stripes. not the white you see now. working with that pic and description, I came up with this. Be ****ed if i can find that page with that pic too.
So the BL2 color is based on a layout put in MR some years ago called the Bedford Valley. I just added the rail brown. with the story another shortline, The Marsh creek valley needed horsepower and BV was selling thier BL2 cheap. The MCV saw it and grabbed it. then patched out the name sort of. Something I havent added is the decalsto do that. then weather it. So this is an inprogress shot. Also noticed the headlights got painted over so I need to sort that out. Both have alot of work yet.
Shane
A pessimist sees a dark tunnel
An optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel
A realist sees a frieght train
An engineer sees three idiots standing on the tracks stairing blankly in space
A couple more from the Beer car Train