Sunday Photo Fun: 24 September 2023

[drsvelte]

Norfolk & Western #12734 100-ton 12-panel 3433cf Triple Hopper Class H-11B



This was a somewhat unusual project. The model started out as a ready-to-run Bowser 100-ton hopper decorated in the Norfolk & Western’s “Hamburger” scheme. The prototype represented an important class of hoppers that were built by the N&W throughout the 1960’s. A total of over 28,000(!) were constructed at the company’s Roanoke shops.



I generally like Bowser products, but I wasn’t too happy with this one. The pad printing of the large N&W logo and other stencils was poor. The colors lacked opacity and instead appeared off-white and washed-out. At the time, I wasn’t too keen on stripping the paint, so I thought why not try airbrushing over the existing factory paint? I had never done that before, but I figured if things went sideways I could always fall back on a complete strip.



The model was over-sprayed with Tamiya matte black. Unfortunately, my experiment did not work out exactly as I had hoped, and the pad printing bled through the new paint. Having got this far, I decided to forge ahead and use what visibly remained of the original printing as kind of a template for new decals. A gloss coat was sprayed on and Model Railroad Services decals were applied. A second gloss coat was sprayed over the decals to blend the edges and the model was finished with a flat coat.



Serendipitously, it ultimately worked out pretty well. The decals are much crisper than the factory printed version and the whites are indeed whiter.







The car was weathered with a highly thinned spray (1 part paint : 2 parts flat clear : 2 parts thinner) of Tamiya NATO Black and Light Gray. Kadee #58 couplers were installed in ExactRail coupler pockets; Kadee train line and Tangent coupler lift levers were added. The model rides on Kadee #513 ASF 100-ton RB trucks with 36” wheels (.110”).







Finally, AK Interactive’s rust pigments were applied around the couplers and end cages and along the riveted body posts.

[tom]

Just a house by the tracks. Walthers company house with a Brekina Wagoneer. The dog seems to like watching the trains go by!

[myoungwisc]

Recently, I've been on a modeling hiatus as other life pursuits have taken priority. Jumping back in with a relatively simple project - updating a Rapido TH&B caboose as it appeared in the late 1980s. After the TH&B was assimilated into the Canadian Pacific in 1987, the four Angus-built cars on the roster were transferred to service on the Soo Line. Not a lot of information is available as to the why, but there are a number of photographs showing these cars operating in and around Minneapolis during my modeling era so...why not?

As noted, the model is a factory decorated Rapido model. Modifications are straightforward:
- painting the roof in matte black (the model's cupola roof was yellow, the balance painted in a gloss black)
- replacing the Kadee #5's for #158's
- installing Black Cat storm doors & end markers
- adding "Soo Service" stenciling in the lower right corner of each car side
- installing etched window screens - if they can be found commercially
- weathering to match the prototype

TH&B #82 in progress by Martin Young, on Flickr

[TBird1958]

GP40 follies..........






Another shot of the finished shorty tank car.

[SCL618]

Progress with the new Rapido RS11 conversion from delivery paint to a later split image SCL scheme. More information can be viewed at bocagrandeterminal.blogspot.com/2023/09/scl-1207-progress-report.html






And once repainted and over sprayed with Testors Glosscote -

[simulatortrain]

Been working on a Funaro SAL* dry rock phosphate hopper to try out my new Vulcan 70 ton trucks. I'm pleased to finally see the light at the end of this project!





*For the two of you who know, it's the ACL kit, but you also know how much of a mongrel the kit is given the small variations on the prototypes! Couldn't have done it without your help.

[dti406]

Here are a couple of cars I completed this week.

First up another Athearn 55 Ton Hopper car kit painted with Scalecoat II Black paint and lettered with Champ Decals, with added Pikestuff Panel sides to replicate the Wabash cars of the 40's and 50's until leasing to the N&W. The panel sides allowed more coal in the car without substantially changing the size of the car. Some day I will have a nice size train of Wabash Hoppers.



Next a Front Range 40' boxcar kit, with a plug door and A-Line sill steps, painted with Scalecoat II Armour Yellow, Reefer Yellow, Boxcar Red and Silver paints then lettered with decals fropm Black Swamp Shops, now handled by Bill Mosteller. The ACY acquired 5 of the DTI's XLI 40' boxcars and joined the pool to service the Campbell's Soup plant in Napoleon, OH. The cars were repainted by the DTI shops in Jackson, OH.



That ACY car will soon be joining the fleet of DT&I 40' XLI boxcars servicing the Campell's Soup plant, in a train hauled by a couple of Athearn GP40-2's.



Thanks for looking!

Rick Jesionowski

[stevef45]

Been working on this model trying to get it dialed in. Glad i hit it with some primer just to see how the gaps and seems looked. Was disgusted in some of the stuff i saw. I need a better gap filling putty. Whatever this was sucked and i hope it actually worked when i get home tonight. Going to tediously add new door hinges to the rear section as i said F it when sanding things. Door latches are still there and visible.
20230924_200622 by Tripps Pics79, on Flickr

[csxt8400]

Sept 24, 2023 18:41:00 GMT -8 simulatortrain said:

Been working on a Funaro SAL* dry rock phosphate hopper to try out my new Vulcan 70 ton trucks. I'm pleased to finally see the light at the end of this project!





*For the two of you who know, it's the ACL kit, but you also know how much of a mongrel the kit is given the small variations on the prototypes! Couldn't have done it without your help.

Really excited to see this one, Adam. I remember coming across a few of these on a ballast train at Barr Yard back in 09 or 2010. It was a blast from the past.

[drolsen]

Sept 24, 2023 18:41:00 GMT -8 simulatortrain said:

*For the two of you who know, it's the ACL kit, but you also know how much of a mongrel the kit is given the small variations on the prototypes! Couldn't have done it without your help.

Wow, I think I bought one of those kits about 20 years ago, maybe even longer, thinking I would kitbash it into a CSX car. I didn’t realize they had been rebuilt with hinged roofs, and it was really difficult at the time to find roof shots of them to see what the hatches looked like. I put that one on the far back burner and haven’t thought of it in years.

Looking good!

Dave

[simulatortrain]

Thanks Dave! If I had any excuse to build a string of these, and more importantly the patience to build a string of these, I'd definitely be diving into making those conversion parts right about now...

[Colin 't Hart]

Such a neat prototype. Your model too