|
|
Post by fr8kar on Aug 7, 2022 11:59:44 GMT -8
It's been awhile since I had anything to show around here. Hi-Viz has kept me on the rails and away from modeling them. And this might not count as modeling, but it is a piece of a puzzle for me anyway. Here is a side-by-side of an Accurail PS4750 and a Tangent PS4750. I already had some of the Accurail models when I got the Tangent models and there is no comparison. But I think with some new paint, running boards, decals and weathering I can update the Accurail cars, you know a bird in the hand and all.  Paint? Check. Decals? Uh, decals? Anyone? Oh, the Oddballs #100 set that is impossible to find. Well, how about rolling my own then? Santa Fe is Cooper Black font, or so I've been told.  So after working up a new font and using a Union Tank Car stencil font I'd created previously I was able to put together a decal set that will result in something like this:  Not an actual model to show off yet, but there's hope I'll get a day off here and there and maybe take a crack at the models this fall. |
|
|
|
Post by Colin 't Hart on Aug 7, 2022 12:05:47 GMT -8
Someone said -- think it was Matt Holman -- that the Plano 4750 roofwalk is designed to fit the Intermountain 4750 and that it's a different length than the Accurail car... go figure. Edit: Just checked the Plano page at www.planomodelproducts.com/chopper_scq.html#4750and it includes this NB: |
|
|
|
Post by fr8kar on Aug 7, 2022 12:24:17 GMT -8
Someone said -- think it was Matt Holman -- that the Plano 4750 roofwalk is designed to fit the Intermountain 4750 and that it's a different length than the Accurail car... go figure. Edit: Just checked the Plano page at www.planomodelproducts.com/chopper_scq.html#4750and it includes this NB: They aren't a perfect fit, but they do work. Besides, they're already on the models now. |
|
|
|
Post by TBird1958 on Aug 7, 2022 12:26:39 GMT -8
Some F's.........  Splice  More F's, how they did it on the Rio Grande.  What's on the bench.  |
|
|
|
Post by riogrande on Aug 7, 2022 12:51:01 GMT -8
Nice Perlman Mallet!
|
|
|
|
Post by nsc39d8 on Aug 7, 2022 13:11:09 GMT -8
Been working on a RPM clinic project and here is a sneak peek at the project. Ashley Drew & Northern 9000 series boxcar. Scratch built sides and some commercial parts.  Interested in seeing the completed project and learn how I built this model? Clinic will be given at the Carolinas RPM on Sept 30/Oct 1, 2022 in High Point, NC. Keep check on the Facebook page(public so no login needed to read page): www.facebook.com/rpmcarolinas/ |
|
|
|
Post by sknorcal on Aug 7, 2022 13:19:16 GMT -8
Santa Fe is Cooper Black font, or so I've been told. The Santa Fe lettering used on freight cars, locomotives, and the familiar "Circle Cross" logo was similar to Cooper Black font, but it was definitely NOT Cooper Black. It was actually a unique design based on drawings created by the Santa Fe. There were a number of different drawings as the lettering was scaled and adjusted depending on the size and application. This misconception/misinformation (I know it is in a number of publications) that the Santa Fe lettering was Cooper Black has always irked me. I believe that this type misinformation does a disservice to the historical record of the Santa Fe. I have even seen some low-end models out there that use Cooper Black and they look horrible! (IMHO) Ryan has clearly shown the substantial difference between Cooper Black and the actual Santa Fe lettering used on the PS 4750s. Similarly, the roman font used by the Santa Fe was not "Railroad Roman", but was lettering specified by the Santa Fe and controlled by engineering drawings. Each size of lettering had it's own drawing specification, and the sizes--2", 3", 4", 7", 12" all had different proportions. In other words, they were not just scaled larger or smaller. But the one that REALLY gets me is the idea that the Santa Fe used Helvetica Font beginning the the early 80's when they began simplifying the paint scheme on their rolling stock. The Santa Fe NEVER used Helvetica font. They used a simplified "Block" lettering which, you guessed it, was based on Santa Fe drawings. |
|
|
|
Post by dti406 on Aug 7, 2022 13:50:37 GMT -8
Since I did not get a chance to post last week, here are two weeks worth of cars! First, an IMRC 10,000 Gallon Tank Car kit, with Yarmouth Models metal sill steps in place of the plastic ones. Car was painted with Scalecoat II Silver and Black Paints and lettered with a special set of decals I acquired from Andy Carlson. The Rio Grande Oil Co. was founded to supply the US Army's Mexico Incursion in 1917 and in the depths of the depression was acquired by the Richfield Oil Co. who wanted its California operations. _IMG_0137.png?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) Next, a Branchline Express Reefer kit, painted with Scalecoat II Hunter Green paint and lettered with Microscale Decals. The Railway Express Company acquired several hundred new Express Reefers to replace the worn out wood cars after WWII. These were normally hauled at the head end of passenger trains as they were usually hauling extremely perishible fruit items that needed express service. They were also used to haul newspapers and magazines that had time limitations on them. _IMG_0135.png?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) This is the thread where modelers can show the completed projects, under construction projects and layout pictures. Sorry, can't use Kevin's start for this thread as it seems to have disappeared! Completed a couple of cars this week! First an Athearn ACF 2970CF Covered Hopper kit, painted with Scalecoat II MofW Gray Paint and lettered with Primemover Decals. The EL purchased 50 of these cars in 1967 to supplement and replace older cars in the cement and sand service for the railroad. Many lasted into Conrail with their original paint intact. _IMG_0140.png?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) Next is an Intermountain Milk Tank Car Kit, painted with Scalecoat II Hunter Green Paint and lettered with National Scale Car Decals. Many of these cars were used to move milk from the hinterlands to the big cities. They were used in passenger service on what was known as milk runs. This car had two 3,000 glass lined tanks inside for holding the milk. Mars Candy had their own suppliers of milk for their candy bars shipped to their large plant in Chicago, IL. _IMG_0139.png?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) Started work on an old AHM/Robbins Rails/Concor Covered Hopper kit following an article by Mont Switzer in Mainline Modeler Magazine. You can see the changes made to the end detail in order to remove the bookshelf style steps and grabs. _IMG_0141.png?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) Thanks for looking! Rick Jesionowski |
|
|
|
Post by fr8kar on Aug 7, 2022 13:56:32 GMT -8
Similarly, the roman font used by the Santa Fe was not "Railroad Roman", but was lettering specified by the Santa Fe and controlled by engineering drawings. Each size of lettering had it's own drawing specification, and the sizes--2", 3", 4", 7", 12" all had different proportions. In other words, they were not just scaled larger or smaller. But the one that REALLY gets me is the idea that the Santa Fe used Helvetica Font beginning the the early 80's when they began simplifying the paint scheme on their rolling stock. The Santa Fe NEVER used Helvetica font. They used a simplified "Block" lettering which, you guessed it, was based on Santa Fe drawings. I would love to run across those drawings. I just used photos, so even though each letter and number is a vector file and scalable (in other words won't get pixelated when it's scaled up or down) they aren't going to be accurate for any letters or numbers besides the ones I had to look at. As far as I know there's no similar drawings for the lettering used by Southern Pacific. For that font I had several characters and all the numbers to go by but I had to follow the style to come up with some of the remaining letters. The numbers I created for that font were the starting point for the Santa Fe numbers, but there are differences between each that had to be accounted for. |
|
|
|
Post by Baikal on Aug 7, 2022 14:37:43 GMT -8
Similarly, the roman font used by the Santa Fe was not "Railroad Roman", but was lettering specified by the Santa Fe and controlled by engineering drawings. Each size of lettering had it's own drawing specification, and the sizes--2", 3", 4", 7", 12" all had different proportions. In other words, they were not just scaled larger or smaller. But the one that REALLY gets me is the idea that the Santa Fe used Helvetica Font beginning the the early 80's when they began simplifying the paint scheme on their rolling stock. The Santa Fe NEVER used Helvetica font. They used a simplified "Block" lettering which, you guessed it, was based on Santa Fe drawings. I would love to run across those drawings. I just used photos, so even though each letter and number is a vector file and scalable (in other words won't get pixelated when it's scaled up or down) they aren't going to be accurate for any letters or numbers besides the ones I had to look at. As far as I know there's no similar drawings for the lettering used by Southern Pacific. For that font I had several characters and all the numbers to go by but I had to follow the style to come up with some of the remaining letters. The numbers I created for that font were the starting point for the Santa Fe numbers, but there are differences between each that had to be accounted for.
Railroads in the "classic" period didn't use "fonts", as defined today. Company draftsmen made lettering drawings for different classes of cars & locos as-needed. Lettering would be based on some standards but there was a lot of variation by equipment type & over the years.
So the size, spacing, vert & hoiz stretching, etc would differ, depending.
Tony Thompson has written a lot about this. In fact, if you use the word "font" any SP forum he monitors, it will likely draw his attention.
etc.
|
|
|
|
Post by Christian on Aug 7, 2022 15:19:13 GMT -8
This misconception/misinformation (I know it is in a number of publications) that the Santa Fe lettering was Cooper Black has always irked me. My recollection from a construction article a long time ago is that EMD used Cooper Black on one order of Santa Fe locomotives. The construction article had examples of the Cooper Black from that order as well as the real typeface used by the Santa Fe. The differences were obvious. |
|
|
|
Post by fr8kar on Aug 7, 2022 15:25:12 GMT -8
I would love to run across those drawings. I just used photos, so even though each letter and number is a vector file and scalable (in other words won't get pixelated when it's scaled up or down) they aren't going to be accurate for any letters or numbers besides the ones I had to look at. As far as I know there's no similar drawings for the lettering used by Southern Pacific. For that font I had several characters and all the numbers to go by but I had to follow the style to come up with some of the remaining letters. The numbers I created for that font were the starting point for the Santa Fe numbers, but there are differences between each that had to be accounted for. Railroads in the "classic" period didn't use "fonts", as defined today. Company draftsmen made lettering drawings for different classes of cars & locos as-needed. Lettering would be based on some standards but there was a lot of variation by equipment type & over the years.
So the size, spacing, vert & hoiz stretching, etc would differ, depending. Tony Thompson has written a lot about this. In fact, if you use the word "font" any SP forum he monitors, it will likely draw his attention. etc.
Yes, I understand the difference. I worked as a draftsman for many years and I started before AutoCAD was used in my office so I'm acquainted with both drawing by hand as well as CAD environments. I'm using the word font here to refer to a file used by a computer to create letters, numbers and other characters. For the Southern Pacific font I have drawn each character based on examples of Southern Pacific lettering or when that character wasn't available based on the conventions used to form each letter or character I could find. Then each character or glyph was imported into FontForge, a software which is used to compile a font, so that when each keystroke is made on the keyboard a corresponding glyph appears on the screen. When I want to type words or numbers using the style of characters and numbers found on Southern Pacific equipment I simply select that font and type whatever word I want to see and it uses my drawings of the individual characters to create the word, just like any other font works on a computer. I have done the same for a few other lettering styles from the 70s and 80s when the idea of a font as a computer lettering file was not widely known. This enables me to easily type in the words, abbreviations and characters I want to see without having to individually place and size each glyph. Sometimes I don't go that far, usually because there aren't enough characters available to determine the conventions of the lettering style. In those cases I will just draw the number set and various letters and punctuation needed to finish out the decal set. My Gifford Hill sets are a good example of that, since there were several letter and number styles found on the prototype but not enough to fill out an alphabet. Those decal sets were made by individually placing the characters - no fonts were used to create those sets.  |
|
|
|
Post by cemr5396 on Aug 7, 2022 16:06:13 GMT -8
While the Accurail model can never hold a candle to the Tangent car, they are quite presentable if done right. Looking forward to your progress! |
|
|
|
Post by jbilbrey on Aug 7, 2022 19:05:18 GMT -8
I spent a good part of this weekend working on a bunch of ESPEE freight cars. The last three were these three boxcars:  Southern Pacific Boxcars by James Bilbrey, on Flickr From back to front, we have the Tangent B-70-43, the Exactrail B-70-32, and the Rapido B-100-40 boxcars. The Tangent boxcar received some extra decals. The Exactrail car got uncoupling levers, air hoses, and Kadee couplers, and all three got some light weathering. |
|
|
|
Post by Colin 't Hart on Aug 8, 2022 0:25:23 GMT -8
Someone said -- think it was Matt Holman -- that the Plano 4750 roofwalk is designed to fit the Intermountain 4750 and that it's a different length than the Accurail car... go figure. Edit: Just checked the Plano page at www.planomodelproducts.com/chopper_scq.html#4750and it includes this NB: They aren't a perfect fit, but they do work. Besides, they're already on the models now. Ooh, would love to see pictures of how it looks! |
|
