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Post by tom on Apr 20, 2024 15:30:44 GMT -8
I finished weathering my just completed 3D Central/Bridge Line Design printed X54 plug door boxcar kit.  This was my first printed boxcar kit and it was a little more work than my previous two Plate C flatcars. The printed resin is some ways more difficult than a typical styrene kit but it worked out OK. Major differences is that is harder to drill holes and sanding. Parts are more brittle than styrene so a little more care is required when handling it. I did make some modifications though to the kit. As I showed in the last Sunday Photo fun I used Tangent ladders instead of the flat etched metal ladders, bent my own stirrups out of Details Associates flat bar and used Tichy wire for the grabs instead of the etched metal grabs. I painted it with Scalecoat PC Green and then lettered it with Microscale and PCRRHS decals. The kit was interesting to build and end results look good. The car looks a slightly narrow compared to my other cars and it may be just a little bit. I did notice it enough to compare it with a Moloco roof and RMC drawings and it may be ~2" to narrow?? After completing this car I also ordered an X53 boxcar. |
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Post by cpr4200 on Apr 20, 2024 20:40:03 GMT -8
Two feet too narrow? That's a lot!!! Body should be about 10+ feet wide.
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Post by tom on Apr 21, 2024 3:07:17 GMT -8
Two feet too narrow? That's a lot!!! Body should be about 10+ feet wide. Yes I meant 2" not 2'! I corrected it in my first post post. However the car is a little too narrow and too me at least it is noticeable and does detract from the otherwise well done car. |
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Post by markfj on Apr 21, 2024 3:32:56 GMT -8
Tom, the car looks great!
You might want to consider letting 3D Central know about your observations regarding the width of the car. Considering each car body is a distinct printing, this could be an issue with only your car, but depending on how much the material shrinks, every kit sold could also be too narrow. I don't know, I'm not a 3D print expert. Still it's probably worth the effort to let them know.
Thanks, Mark J.
Reading, PA
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Post by SCL618 on Apr 21, 2024 12:53:44 GMT -8
Tom, Your model looks great. I am still plugging away at my PRR version. Another recent trick I've learned when drilling holes in the 3D resin, coat the drill bit tip in bee's wax then drill. I had some final sanding to do on mine, but then shot it with Floquil primer which really brought out the details. I'm still on the fence with the stirrups as they tend to sag. Bridge Line Design would be better suited to redesign the stirrups so that the bottom step is parallel to the railhead. The existing holes in the stirrup could also be used a drilling template for the installation of some 0125" brass rod with a rounded head to simulate a rivet fastener. Lots of work, but something I'm still considering. I detailed the underframe using additional Details West AB brake set components, and it came out looking good though it's nearly hidden. For those interested, I've documented some of the build images here - PRR 19182 buildPRR 19182 construction part 1  |
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Post by tom on Apr 22, 2024 9:19:56 GMT -8
Looking good so far. Still a little bummed that the car is definitely a little too narrow compared to the prototype and my other boxcars. Will not be getting another one unless future runs are not corrected.
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Post by cpr4200 on Apr 22, 2024 9:27:07 GMT -8
Tom, do you have a scale ruler to measure the car? The "EW" dimension is the width at the eaves. How close is the model to that number?
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Post by tom on Apr 22, 2024 10:39:27 GMT -8
I measured the width of the ends of the X54 and I get 9'6". I measured the ends of my Tangent X58 boxcar and that width was 10'. Easier dimension to measure is the roof width and on the Bridge Line Design X54 the width is 9' 6 1/2", the Tangent car is 10' and the roof of the X53 in a recent RMC article is also 10'.
The roof on the X54 is the same style as the Tangent X58 and the X53 so the roof on the Bridge Line Design is ~6" too narrow.
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Post by GP40P-2 on Apr 22, 2024 18:51:27 GMT -8
Does anyone have the 50' Bridgeline X53 yet, and is it too narrow?
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Post by ernestbaron on Apr 23, 2024 8:09:34 GMT -8
Tom,
What was your reference for painting the car for Penn Central? I know most of these cars stayed in original PRR paint into Conrail and even then, most only got patched and not a full repaint.
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Post by tom on Apr 23, 2024 10:42:05 GMT -8
Tom, What was your reference for painting the car for Penn Central? I know most of these cars stayed in original PRR paint into Conrail and even then, most only got patched and not a full repaint. My reference was a photo in the Penn Central Color Guide II. The one that I modeled had a smaller logo than most repaints but a good number of X54s did get painted for Penn Central. www.rr-fallenflags.org/pc/pc350133atw.jpgSome of these were then patched out for Conrail. conrailphotos.thecrhs.org/galleries/class-x54a |
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Post by Colin 't Hart on Apr 23, 2024 13:19:42 GMT -8
Tom, What was your reference for painting the car for Penn Central? I know most of these cars stayed in original PRR paint into Conrail and even then, most only got patched and not a full repaint. My reference was a photo in the Penn Central Color Guide II. The one that I modeled had a smaller logo than most repaints but a good number of X54s did get painted for Penn Central. www.rr-fallenflags.org/pc/pc350133atw.jpgSome of these were then patched out for Conrail. conrailphotos.thecrhs.org/galleries/class-x54aI'm guessing none were repainted with Conrail can openers? |
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Post by marknycfan on Apr 23, 2024 14:28:14 GMT -8
I'm not a fan of the PC but I do like that car!
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Post by tom on Apr 23, 2024 17:12:06 GMT -8
[/quote]I'm guessing none were repainted with Conrail can openers?[/quote]
Correct. No 40' boxcars were completely repainted into the Conrail boxcar red scheme.
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Post by ernestbaron on Apr 24, 2024 7:59:54 GMT -8
I'm guessing none were repainted with Conrail can openers? Like most things "Conrail" in that era, a P&L diagram was drawn, but that doesn't mean it actually happened. |
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Post by tom on Apr 26, 2024 14:02:51 GMT -8
Does anyone have the 50' Bridgeline X53 yet, and is it too narrow? Unfortunately the 50' X53 is also too narrow by about 5-6". There are advantages and disadvantages to reusing a cad file. |
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Post by cpr4200 on Apr 26, 2024 14:48:52 GMT -8
How are the other dimensions? length, height, door width?
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Post by GP40P-2 on Apr 26, 2024 14:49:07 GMT -8
Does anyone have the 50' Bridgeline X53 yet, and is it too narrow? Unfortunately the 50' X53 is also too narrow by about 5-6". There are advantages and disadvantages to reusing a cad file. Thanks for the update, good to know. |
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