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Post by tom on May 15, 2021 6:17:19 GMT -8
A number of years ago I posted photos of my redetailed Accurail Santa Fe covered hopper. I took a good look at it recently and for some reason was in the mood to do another one. I found good photos of L&N 4600 covered hoppers and discovered that Microscale made L&N decals for this car so I was set. For the car I started with an undecorated Accurail 4600, added a Plano roofwalk and crossover platforms, replaced the Accurail 77-ton trucks with Walthers 100-ton with my last set of Reboxx 36" wheels plus I replaced the brakewheel with a Kadee one. I also replaced all of the molded on grabirons with ones bent from Tichy 0.0125 wire, added brakelines, and finally replaced the stirrups with A-Lines ones. Lot of work but I enjoy making the changes to the car.  Car was painted with a mix of ModelFlex SP Lettering Gray and White. As mentioned I lettered it with Microscale's L&N decals and then lightly weathered it.   The upgraded car fits it with more recent detail releases and results in a sturdy car. I also removed the Accurail towing tabs and replaced them with Detail Associates ones that I placed in the correct location for the L&N car. I think I drilled about 150 holes for this car and this does not include the holes that I had to fill in and redo when I realized that I initially drilled them in the wrong location for the walkway supports.....still happy with the end result. Need to check the coupler height of that flatcar too. |
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Post by riogrande on May 15, 2021 6:26:06 GMT -8
Excellent modeling!
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Post by el3672 on May 15, 2021 8:18:08 GMT -8
Excelente!!!
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Post by nsfantodd on May 15, 2021 8:50:21 GMT -8
Great modeling and weathering!
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Post by bn7023 on May 15, 2021 9:18:06 GMT -8
Beautifully finished!! I envy your passion and skill. This product poses many challenges to me. Among them, there are two major problems. One is that the height of the couplers and the car body will increase if I replace 33" wheels (70-ton truck) with 36" ones (100-ton truck). The former is 0.391-inch and the latter is 2.079-inch (plate B), isn't it? The other is the choice of whether the brake cylinder should be body-mount (the Accurail product) or truck-mount. Also involved with train line and BC line. Please tell me your solution. Thank you.   |
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Post by drolsen on May 15, 2021 10:05:17 GMT -8
Excellent modeling, Tom! I opened your post expecting to see a blue L&N covered hopper - I'm so used to seeing their ACF 4600s in blue, including many patched cars in later CSX service, that I had forgotten they painted some of them gray. I love the simple lettering scheme with the big L&N letters. The car you modeled was from L&N series 241450-241649, which became CSXT 247216-247415. I'll have to see if I can find any photos of gray cars with CSXT reporting mark patches. The Plano walkway is a lot of work, but it really takes your model to the next level. Accurail's base model look very good for a simple kit with lots of molded details, but the walkway is a great upgrade. This product poses many challenges to me. Among them, there are two major problems. One is that the height of the couplers and the car body will increase if I replace 33" wheels (70-ton truck) with 36" ones (100-ton truck). The former is 0.391-inch and the latter is 2.079-inch (plate B), isn't it? The other is the choice of whether the brake cylinder should be body-mount (the Accurail product) or truck-mount. Also involved with train line and BC line. Please tell me your solution. Thank you. The coupler height issue is an easy fix. When I replaced the trucks with Walthers trucks with Kadee 36" wheelsets (probably 15 years ago now), I found that if you file down the raised disk around the mounting pin hole on the bolsters, the coupler sits at just the right height with the larger wheels. I also used a 2-56 screw to mount my trucks instead of the plastic Accurail mounting pin. As far as truck- vs. body-mounted brakes, you'd have to consult prototype photos or diagrams to determine what style your prototype used. Tangent offers an add-on part for their trucks to replicate truck-mounted brakes, at the bottom of this page: Tangent HO Scale Trucks and Truck AccessoriesI think I have detail shots somewhere of an ACF covered hopper with truck-mounted brakes. I'll post the link if I can truck them down. If I recall correctly, the easiest way to tell is that they have a pipe running along both sides of the car under the side sill - one for the trainline and one for the truck-mounted brakes. A car with body-mounted brakes only has the trainline running down one side, like Tom's model. Dave |
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Post by migalyto on May 15, 2021 10:09:26 GMT -8
Very nice, well done!!!
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Post by tom on May 15, 2021 10:39:28 GMT -8
Thanks! The Accurail car does make a very nice base model and looks dimensionally correct.
My car does ride a little too high as I just checked with a gauge. I'll fix that by filing down the top of the trucks or file down that raised disc. As for if the car has truck mounted or body mounted brake cylinders I really didn't notice and probably would not bothered to change it if it was not body mounted. I did notice that the L&N has pipes on both sides of the car and that is what I modeled.
As for 33" or 36" wheels the car just doesn't look right with 33" wheels. To me that is the first thing that really needs to be changed.
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Post by tom on May 15, 2021 11:14:52 GMT -8
Glad that the car riding a little too high was mentioned. I removed the disc making sure that the surface was flat. I then opened up the hole using a 1/8" drill bit (making sure I do not drill it too deep) and then added a short section of 1/8" plastic tubing. Once the glue dried (I used super glue) I will tap it and then add short 2-56 screws.  |
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Post by edwardsutorik on May 15, 2021 14:11:42 GMT -8
I'd tap the tubing before gluing it in--gives you threads all the way to the bottom. Even a bottoming tap won't quite do that.
Ed
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Post by lars on May 15, 2021 14:18:54 GMT -8
How did you do the brake lines and brackets?
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Post by tom on May 15, 2021 16:35:29 GMT -8
I'd tap the tubing before gluing it in--gives you threads all the way to the bottom. Even a bottoming tap won't quite do that. Ed I have found that tapping the tubing first actually enlarges the tubing some due to the outward forcing of the tap and then making it hard for the 1/8" tube to be inserted into the 1/8" hole. Anyhow it tapping it in place worked fine and if needed the screw could have tapped itself that last turn or two. |
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Post by tom on May 15, 2021 16:40:28 GMT -8
How did you do the brake lines and brackets? I just used .015 and .0125 wire. For the brackets holding them in place I used Plano trainline hanger brackets but couldn't make the loop as the directions stated so I just used them by trimming off the extra material to make the loop and just used the holes as shown in the photo. Eyebolts would work too. www.planomodelproducts.com/10886-l.jpg |
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Post by ln1263 on May 18, 2021 14:06:34 GMT -8
As an L&N modeler, i think you hit a home run with this car. I'm very impressed with how you built this car and have certainly given me some ideas on making my own L&N car as i do have several undecorated accurail covered hoppers. Now you just need a blue L&N to go with your gray one Tom! |
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Post by tom on May 19, 2021 8:28:18 GMT -8
As an L&N modeler, i think you hit a home run with this car. I'm very impressed with how you built this car and have certainly given me some ideas on making my own L&N car as i do have several undecorated accurail covered hoppers. Now you just need a blue L&N to go with your gray one Tom! Thanks! The Microscale set that I purchased came with decals for both the gray and blue cars.......so maybe once I am in the mood to drill another 150 or so holes I'll think about! |
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Post by riogrande on May 19, 2021 8:52:09 GMT -8
Assuming Arrowhead doesn't come out with their 4600 in the blue scheme first.
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Post by tom on May 19, 2021 12:42:00 GMT -8
Assuming Arrowhead doesn't come out with their 4600 in the blue scheme first. Maybe. Depends on how expensive the Arrowhead car will be...... |
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Post by riogrande on May 19, 2021 12:57:44 GMT -8
Based on the past two models, I would guess the Arrowhead 4600 covered hopper will be in the neighborhood of $50 or so.
The Genesis models street price was in the mid forties and the fit of the top part to the body was unacceptable in many examples I saw.
BTW, your upgraded Accurail 4600 is extremely well done!
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Post by tom on May 20, 2021 17:09:45 GMT -8
Thanks! Since Arrowhead's recent gondola listed at $54.95 my guess is that it will be in the $60+ range since it will have even more parts that the Railgon did.....plus do not know yet when it will be released. I was disappointed with my Athearn 4600 (PRR). Not a terrible model but mine had some roof fit issues, the PRR lettering was not spot on, stirrups kind of heavy and the molded end grabs could have been better. I some ways my redetailed Accurail car is better than the Athearn car.
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Post by Colin 't Hart on May 21, 2021 0:52:20 GMT -8
More parts than the Railgon?! The Railgon had so many parts because of the hybrid plastic / brass construction to get the thin side panels. A covered hopper wouldn't need that.
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Post by wp8thsub on May 22, 2021 15:38:14 GMT -8
More parts than the Railgon?! The Railgon had so many parts because of the hybrid plastic / brass construction to get the thin side panels. A covered hopper wouldn't need that. Blaine showed a sample of the ACF 4600 in a podcast interview some months back. Take a look at how the model is assembled and judge for yourself . The video link goes directly to the segment with the car. |
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Post by tom on May 23, 2021 3:25:14 GMT -8
According to the video the Arrowhead 4600 covered hopper will have about 240 parts...about 40 more than the Railgon! I think the Accurail kit had 20 parts which includes the wheels and truck side frames!
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Post by Colin 't Hart on May 23, 2021 8:53:53 GMT -8
That's just nuts! I didn't see that whole video when it first aired -- I got very annoyed when Blaine would hold up something and Mike would say something and the camera would switch away to him!
Really looking forward to these coming. Would love some Soo Line versions.
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Post by riogrande on May 23, 2021 9:15:58 GMT -8
It's gonna be amazing!
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