2018 Freight Car Updates

First off, my life in 2018 was generally very busy.  The layout was not touched during the entire year, but I managed to finish 5 cars for the layout.

The first (and most challenging) cars completed were a trio of Branchline Trains 50' double door boxcars.  I started these cars while listening to hockey on the radio in February or so.  These cars represent a trio of Illinois Central Centralia Shops double door cars.  These are important for my layout because I have acquired a photo - posted above - of a pair of them parked at the Dishman (UP) depot house track, both in original brown "Main Line of Mid-America" paint.  The third will be an orange car since orange IC boxcars are found all over the US - it is hard to find a Milwaukee Road, UP, or BN train that does NOT have an IC or ICG boxcar in the consist.

One of the interesting features of these prototypes are that Illinois Central equipped the cars with Pullman-Standard components: ladders and grab irons.  Because of that, I scrapped the Branchline Parts and used Kadee ladders and grab irons, which look great since they are thinner in profile. 

The cars have several aftermarket parts applied.  The aforementioned Kadee grab irons and ladders.  Kadee brake wheels.  Plano Model Products running boards and brake steps.  A-Line stirrup steps mounted underneath like they were at Centralia Shops.  I also built custom crossovers on the A end of the car with styrene scrap and wire.  I rebuild the B-end details with wire, and built up the bolster area with styrene as you can see in the photo above.  The cars were completed with Moloco draft gear.

Here is one of the two brown cars, finished.  These cars were finished with Scalecoat paint that I mixed from PRR freight car red and boxcar red (#1).  Decals are new sets from ICG Decals - click here for a link.  ACI labels are also from ICG Decals.  Chalk mark decals are from Sunshine Models.  Trucks are from Tahoe Model Works, outfitted with  .088" wheels from Tangent Scale Models.  Weathering is with oils.  As I write this, I realize I forgot to add air hoses.

Here is the orange car, finished.  As I write this, I realize I forgot to add air hoses.  This car was finished with Scalecoat paint that I mixed from Reefer orange with a small amount of ATSF red.  I sprayed the car twice since the first version was too orangy - I went overboard with the red.  Decals are from another new set from ICG Decals - click here for a link.  ACI labels are also from ICG Decals.  Trucks are from Tahoe Model Works, outfitted with  .088" wheels from Tangent Scale Models.  Weathering is with oils.

The next car completed was significantly easier.  It is a Tangent Scale Models 40' PS-1 "Mini-Hy" cube boxcar with the stock - correct - Barber 70 ton roller bearing trucks.  It has been outfitted with  .088" wheels from Tangent Scale Models.  This car is otherwise out of the box, with weathering.  For this car I experimented with Mig colors (streaking effects, washes, etc) which is very similar to weathering with oils - although they require some thinning for my taste.  I model 1973 so this car is only 5 years old at this point.  It will serve by carrying inbound appliances to the appliance warehouse in Spokane.

The last car is a few years in the making since I kept coming back to it so I didn't go overboard.  It is a Moloco Soo Line General American RBL boxcar.  I added an ICG Decals ACI label, and weathered the car with oils.  The model has been outfitted with  .088" wheels from Tangent Scale Models.

2018 was not strong for finished models, but I do have quite a few projects in progress so hopefully 2019 will be better!  Thank you for reading!