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nkp, thanks for your interest. I agree with you, for me the models don't have to be exact replicas, what matters is do they give the overall "feel" and "texture". What I mean is, when the cars are on the layout, and perhaps we are viewing a photo of the prototype, will we think "hey, those models are those cars from the photo!"
Galen and biL, I had noticed that the Athearn cars ride too high, so after I built the first R and D model, I did file the bolsters on all the chassis down and am replacing the Athearn trucks with Atlas trucks. I also extended the side sills down with a piece of .030 x .040 strip. So, the cars are riding a bit lower than stock, and the extra side sill extends down over the trucks a bit like the prototype. This is evidenced in the photo from the second page of this thread.
bil: Lowering the cars does affect the coupler height, but Kadee offset couplers can be used. I haven't really checked what I need to do on the couplers yet, but the fix is easy and I have a bunch of the Kadee #47 couplers already.
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Gary, it looks much more like the prototype after you lowered the car. That fraction of an inch makes a big difference. You did check the trucks can still free swing on your minimum radius.
Reinhard
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Over half of the "lowering" came from adding the extra side sill which doesn't affect the truck swing. I did run the cars around the sharpest curves and turn-outs on the layout with no issues, so good to go. Filing the bolsters dropped the car about .020". The side sills add another .040. The trucks still swing freely and no interference from the wheels rubbing on the floor.
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They look great, Gary. The lowering of the bolsters makes all of the difference if they will still operate ok on your curve radius. How do your coupler heights line up? If they are too low, you may be able to remove the stock Athearn draft gear boxes and remove some material above them on the body to allow you to raise them enough to get the coupler height right. You could use the offset shank couplers, but I've always thought those things looked "funny."
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Here's a comparison to the Athearn RTR car. Lot of room from the top of the truck to the bottom of the sill. Honestly, it looks really crappy. The modified car definitely looks better.
The modified coupler height. Not difficult to fix that. Russ, I have quite a few of the offset height couplers on other cars, I don't mind them too much.
And the truck swing. Plenty of clearance:
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Quote: ... The modified car definitely looks better.
I think that they will be 100 times better if you will look to the old and fat stirrups at the Athearn cars! Fine work, a really good result and very good impression of these rebuilt models, Gary!
Cheers, Bernd
Please visit also my website www.us-modelsof1900.de.
You can read some more about my model projects and interests in my chronicle of facebook.
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Bernhard, I'm going to make new stirrups out of brass or stainless wire, will definitely help change the look from that of the RTR car. Thanks for visiting the thread. 
The work I'm doing isn't anywhere near as detailed and accurate as what I've seen from you, but with twenty-seven of these things to do, I'm going for "fast" rather than "perfect"! 
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Gary, here an idea for choocing the right material for making of stirrups.
I think you will have in your home a paper fastener and staples for clamping papers. Staples have a more flat cross section and you will get them in different sizes, so also with more ore lesser thickness. Bent them new after you wishes and you will have perfect stirrups, better than formed from round wire.
Cheers, Bernd
Please visit also my website www.us-modelsof1900.de.
You can read some more about my model projects and interests in my chronicle of facebook.
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As usual, Gary, I look at your threads and get inspired. You are making me embarrassed that I haven't yet finished my small fleet of very small cabooses (cabeese?) :oops:
The lowering (actual and "perceived") works very well in giving the impression that the car is lower and longer than it really is! That looks great! I'm looking forward to see in a cut of those "Spud Buckets" being hauled to have the contents be "chipped" by one of your Santa Fe CF-7's over one of your gorgeous bridges! MMMMmmmm! That'll be tasty!  
And, hey, Bernhard ... when I read your suggestion about I using staples instead of round wire, a smile crept over my face! "This guy is thinking," I thought to myself. That's a great idea! Thanks! And a box of staples is a lot less of an expense than a packet of brass wire or music wire!
I like it!
Once I get this GP39-2 chassis and running gear painted properly, reassembled (with a pair of new gear towers from an OMI Drive Unit for an Athearn GP38-2,) lubricated and running-in on my new Bachrus Running Stands and I can do something else (while the new gears "get to know each other,") I'll have to get those little Crummies out and finish them up. :oops:
biL
Lehigh Susquehanna & Western
"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves." ~~Abraham Lincoln
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The staple idea is a good one, heard of it before, but just didn't retain the info in the ol' noggin.
biL, I look forward to geting these things on the layout too. Right now I am in the middle of putting on the ribs and door tracks on the ex-Milwaukee Road cars. There are a total of 30 .030 x .030 strips on each car, 15 times 30 is 450 total pieces to glue on... and it is becoming rather monotonous, and the fact that the Bears are pretty much decimating the "seagulls" isn't helping the boredom.
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I still come to this thread in anticipation of seeing cool stuff ...
... and I'm never disappointed!
biL
Lehigh Susquehanna & Western
"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves." ~~Abraham Lincoln
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Thanks biL! Right now, I am working on one car that will have the door open on one side. It's taking some experimentation, I already finished it once, but then discovered that what I had done wasn't quite correct after viewing a pic of a Santa Fe car with the door open. Here's where I am at the moment:
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The interior is lookin' great! I can see it now, with the ubiquitous "empty car trash" inside, on it's way back to the spud farm for another load.
Keep up the good work, Bubba! This is going to be a fine string of freight cars!
biL
Lehigh Susquehanna & Western
"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves." ~~Abraham Lincoln
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I had to raise the floor up and cut the bottom of the Accurail door off to be more accurate. It isn't perfect, but once the paint and weathering is slopped on, it'll be okay. I've got to make some mods to the layout though, to get a long spur with two tracks like the mountain king factory. I'm also considering moving one of the bridges to give some seperation between industrial area 2 and industrial area 3.
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Looking great, Gary! (but up here it's the 'Chicken-hawks', not the seagulls...)
Galen
I may not be a rivet counter, but I sure do like rivets!
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