SOME FREIGHT CAR MODIFICATIONS...
#1
...and perhaps some scratchbuilds.

I'm currently working on some of Accurail's Fowler boxcars, and will be lettering them for my own free-lanced Elora Gorge & Eastern.  What I have in mind is some early boxcars that have seen a few minor upgrades or modernisations.

The Accurail kits come with a plank roof, which was typical for most of the early Fowler boxcars, although some pre-production versions of the real ones had all-steel radial roofs, and there was at least one with corrugated steel sides, in place of the usual wood.

My first modification is to modify the roof to either an all-steel or steel-sheathed type, as leaking wooden roofs were a major problem.  Here's an Accurail Fowler boxcar, unmodified...

   

I cut .010" sheet styrene to a size just a bit wider and longer than each half of the car's roof - there was no way I was going to remove all 27 of the cast-on roofwalk supports, just to allow sheathing of the entire roof.  I'm hoping that once the new roofwalk is in place, and the roof painted black (many cars had roofs coated with what was commonly called "car cement"  a usually black coating with tar-like qualities) that the entire roof will appear to be uninterrrupted metal.   Black roofs and ends for boxcars is standard practice on the EG&E.

To affix the styrene to the car's roof, I dipped a soft 1" wide brush in MEK, then applied it, fairly generously, to one side of the car's roof, and before it could evapourate, slapped the .010" sheet onto the roof.  This prevented possible damage to the thin styrene, had I applied more MEK directly on it.  In a few minutes, the sheet was bonded firmly to the roof.

Next, I used a NWSL "Chopper" to cut strips of .010"x .080" strip styrene into lengths just a bit longer than the slightly overly-wide roof panels, and used dividers and a small machinist's square to add the strips at regular intervals.  When those were all in place, I cut Evergreen .040" half-round strips into similar lengths and aligned them, by-eye, centred atop the .080" strips.  This combination is meant to represent the metal battens holding the roof panels together, and preventing the incursion of water.

Here's a car with the roof applied, and installation of the running boards (roofwalk) underway.  I added strips of .010"x.030" styrene to the top of each roofwalk support to compensate for the thickness of the applied "metal" roof material...

   

...and the completed roof on the "test" car...

   

I opted to replace the supplied running boards with built-up ones because the original ones were 6" (HO) too short on both ends, as compared to the prototype drawings to which I have referred.  The Accurail ones are otherwise well done, and may be accurate for some road's Fowler cars, but according to the info I have, the CPR's cars had a full 1' overhang on each end.

With the first car's roof completed, I went ahead and finished the other nine cars in the same manner. 

As you can see in the last photo, I've replaced the cast-on grabiron with a metal one, and while all cars will get this upgrade, some will get a second grabiron above the first, a safety feature introduced in the mid-'30s.  Since most railroads had vast rosters of freight cars, these upgrades would have been implemented over a period of years.
I've not yet decided whether or not to replace the other cast-on grabirons on the cars' ends with wire, but the cars' ladders will definitely remain as cast-on-only details.

My next modification to three of these cars is to change the doors.  Wooden doors especially were susceptible to damage, and as steel doors became more readily available, railroads began to replace the damaged wooden ones on otherwise-sound cars.

For the one-piece Accurail carbody, the door has to be cut out so that the replacement door won't look too thick, as it would if simply cemented over the existing door.  I started out by drilling a couple of largish holes in the door, with the intention of using an X-Acto knife to carve away the material around the holes until the entire door was gone, but the casting here is very thick, making for very slow work.
Instead, I opted to use a cut-off disc to cut around the periphery of the door, but not right to its edges...

   

   

Because I didn't want to risk the cut-off disc cutting beyond the door, I finished the cuts at the corners using an X-Acto #15 keyhole-type saw blade....

   

   

   

Here's the rough opening...

   

...and the opening trimmed and filed to-size...

   

If you choose to replace the doors on your Accurail Fowler boxcars, there are a couple of things to keep in mind.  The cast-on door has a thickness, as mentioned, but it also has a modelled thickness - that is, a visible scale thickness suggested by the different levels apparent at both the top and bottom edges of the door.  This not-too-great photo shows that at the top, just above the ragged edge of the cut, there's a slight change in profile of the part which represents the top of the original door, and the slightly higher portion immediately behind that, which represents the top framing of the door opening...

   

The portion representing the door's top edge needs to be removed, while the edge of the door's opening needs to remain.

Likewise, and better-shown in the photo below, is the bottom of the door, where the portion with the ragged edge...

   

....needs to be removed down to the first step in the profile - it represents the bottom edge of the door,  while the portion below it represents the doorsill, which needs to remain in place.

The vertical portion of the door remaining on the right side of the opening (the part which represents the last board) should remain, but its thickness reduced down to the same level as the material at the top and bottom, as it will then represent the doorway's framing.

On the left side of the door, the edge appears, at first glance, to be one of the boards which make-up the door, but it's actually the doorstop, so when you're filing away the excess door material left after the initial removal of the centre, make sure that that strip of doorstop remains.  It should also be left at its original thickness, as the new door will butt-up against it.

If you're using styrene replacement doors, they can simply be cemented atop the material at the top, bottom, and right side of the opening, and butted against the doorstop at the left side.

Two sets of my replacement doors are styrene, while the third pair are from a resin kit.  My plan is to plug the entire doorway with .060" sheet styrene, then cement the doors directly to that and also to the door frame.  With full backing, the relatively thin doors will be less likely to bow inward or out.

Here are a couple of views with replacement doors simply set in place...

   

   

For both types, I'll add top and bottom door tracks, but that's about it for this installment.

Wayne
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#2
Once again, a very inspiring redetailing project. I'm curious to see how the roof will look like when painted. I had the same similar fear that removing the running board supports is a foolish endeavour. But maybe someone could cement individual styrene sheet between the post to fill up the space.

Matt
Proudly modelling Quebec Railway Light & Power Company since 1997.

Hedley-Junction Club Layout: http://www.hedley-junction.blogspot.com/

Erie 149th Street Harlem Station http://www.harlem-station.blogspot.com/
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#3
Some more progress on the Fowler boxcars...I had originally cemented the weights to the cars' floors, but decided it would be better if they were screwed in place, as once the cars are painted and assembled, the sill steps at the corners need to be installed.  While they're supposedly snap-in plastic ones, I found that they stay in place better when glue is used, but because they're made of Delrin, there's not much choice in glues which will work.
On a hunch, based on a good experience with Weldbond glue, I tried it on a similar car already in service, and discovered that it holds the steps extremely well.  It also holds the underbody firmly in place, so with the weights screwed-down, there'll be no need to open the car again.

   

I chose to modify all of the cars further, although not all to the same degree or same particular changes.  All cars got similar end details though, including free-standing wire grabirons, loop-type wire brackets to prevent the brake staff from falling off if it gets bumped, and metal straps to support the overhanging ends of the roofwalks

   

Three of the cars got their original single grabirons, on the left end of the cars' sides, replaced with wire ones...

   

...and another three got the same, but with a second grabiron added (a safety measure introduced in the mid-'30s, with a fairly broad timeframe for railroads to comply)...

     

The remaining four cars got the same upgrade, but one got Youngstown-type doors (modified doors from Athearn Blue Box  boxcars)...

   

...another got similar-style doors, but from an unknown resin kit...

   

...while the remaining two received 3-panel CRECO doors (leftovers from some Red Caboose X-29 boxcars...

   

I had originally planned to fill-in the recently-created door openings with thick sheet styrene, as backing for the new doors, but because they were well-supported at the top and bottom, and at one side, all that was required was a single strip of heavy styrene at the side of the doorstop...

   

The 10 modelled cars will represent a 100 car order, so car numbers on them will likely be widely-spaced.  For now, they're off to the kitchen sink for their pre-paint bath.

Wayne
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#4
(09-22-2018, 12:30 AM)doctorwayne Wrote: ... The 10 modelled cars will represent a 100 car order, so car numbers on them will likely be widely-spaced.  For now, they're off to the kitchen sink for their pre-paint bath.

Wayne

Nice modeling. I am anxious to see the finished cars.
Guy from Southern Quebec.
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#5
A bit of progress to report, and here's one of the ten cars, painted and with a coat of Glosscote in preparation for decal work...

[Image: S0025691.jpg]

...it may be a while before the lettering is finished, though, as I've been drafted for some more reno work.

Wayne
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#6
I finally got around to lettering these cars, using custom decals from Rail Graphics.  I decided to do most of the larger lettering as individual pieces, and the dimensional data at least cut into blocks of letters and numerals, so that blank decal film is kept to a minimum, as it's usually what shows on decaled rolling stock.

After painting the cars, I gave the sides and ends an application of Glosscote, and let it dry for several days.  In the meantime, I began cutting-out the lettering for all ten cars.  The blocks of needed lettering were cut from the main sheets, well away from the lettering, with a new blade in my X-Acto.   I then used a utility knife, also with a new blade, to chop-off as much blank decal film from around the printed material as possible.  The chopping action (atop a glass work surface) allows the blade to be aligned very close to the printing, and pushes down the cut edges, making them easier to settle with decal setting solution once applied.  On the other hand, slicing away the unwanted material raises the cut edges on both sides of the blade, which makes the decal more difficult to flatten out on the car.

Here's one of the least modified cars, with only the "metal" roof added and the stock cast-on grabirons replaced with wire ones...

[Image: 100_7553.jpg]

...this one's similar, but has the second grabiron on the left end, a federally-mandated safety upgrade introduced in the '30s....

[Image: 100_7554.jpg]

Here's one of the cars with the CRECO (Chicago Railway Equipment COmpany) doors, along with the second grabiron...

[Image: 100_7551.jpg]

...and one of the two modelled ones with Youngstown doors...

[Image: 100_7552.jpg]

After the decal work was done, the sides and ends got two consecutive coats of Glosscote (this helps to make the gloss of the newly-applied decals match the gloss of the surface to which they're applied - the second coat was an afterthought, as I wasn't satisfied with the first).  Immediately after that, the entire car, including the roof, was airbrushed with Dullcote. 
Because the clear finishes are thinned with lacquer thinner, each application dries quickly, so once the tenth car is finished, the first one is dry and ready for another application.  The other advantage of airbrushing is that each coat used less than 1/2 ounce of thinned clear finish (1/4oz. clear coat and 1/4oz. lacquer thinner) to do all ten cars.

All of these cars need to be weathered, as I'm modelling the late '30s, and, as you can see, the cars were built in September and October of 1912.  Weathering will happen as time allows.  Also, while I modified the decals to match the cars' length in the data near the right end, I left the decals as 50 ton cars, whereas most Dominion-Fowler cars were rated at 40 tons.  Since this road ordered their's as 50 ton capacity cars, that's what they got - my story and I'm stickin' to it!

Wayne
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#7
Wayne,
You did an excellent job with those kits. This thread is also a lesson on modeling.  Worship
Guy from Southern Quebec.
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#8
Very nice cars. Fleet look but with a few variations.
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#9
Hey! That's pretty cool! Interestingly, I had a D&RGW HOn3 boxcar that I "backdated" by changing a steel roof to wood Smile The process was similar.
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Kevin
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#10
Hi Doc---I thought those Accurail cars looked great right out of the box---you've brought your converted cars to a higher level of excellence---outstanding work as always
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#11
Thanks for your kind words, guys!

I haven't had time to work on them lately due to the usual Fall stuff needing attention outdoors, and a few minor home renovations, too.

Wayne
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#12
Well, I finally had some time to work on the Dominion-Fowler cars.....

EG&E cars 1129 and 1130 at Dunnville...

[Image: 9fc10fc1-be25-46ca-a788-689364818811.jpg]

...and 1175 at Elfrida...

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...along with 1113...

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...and 1146...

[Image: 100_7565.jpg]

I had to go to Lowbanks to find 1192...

[Image: 100_7568.jpg]

...1184...

[Image: 100_7569.jpg]

...1158...

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...1107...

[Image: 100_7571.jpg]

...and 1169...

[Image: 100_7572.jpg]

I'm not sure where the other 90 might be, but I ran out of film, so these ten'll hafta do, eh?

Wayne
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#13
(11-10-2018, 08:55 PM)doctorwayne Wrote: ... I'm not sure where the other 90 might be, but I ran out of film...

Wayne

I remember reading that before. Seems to be an habit. 

Too bad. I am pretty sure many Forum members would have been happy to see those 90 cars.  Icon_e_biggrin

Guy
Guy from Southern Quebec.
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#14
These TH&B flatcars were done before the Fowler cars, but the photos were somehow lost.  I used the nicely-done Tichy kits, one with 10 stake pockets per side...

[Image: 100_7592.jpg]

...and two with 12 per side...

[Image: 100_7593.jpg]

[Image: 100_7591.jpg]


I also need some early TH&B gondolas, but they used mostly 36' cars, in both wood and steel versions, and I didn't feel like scratchbuilding them.  They did have ten 40'-ers, apparently acquired second hand in the early '50s, and because they were built in 1918, I've decided that they'll be "good enough" for my late '30s-era layout.
 
I started with Tichy flatcars again, and worked from prototype photos.

After building the basic flatcar, I sanded-off all details on the cars' sides (the stake pockets are separate parts, saved for possible future projects)...

[Image: 100_7558.jpg]

...then cut some .030" black styrene for the cars' sides and marked one side for the side-stake positions.   Unfortunately, I used this photo (from the Sirman Collection) as reference to lay out the positions for the side stakes.... 

[Image: 97942cf3-6bd4-4696-8f47-1ea986939f16.jpg]

After adding Plastruct 1/16" zed-bar (somewhat oversize, but the smallest I could find), the car's side looked too "busy", and I belatedly realised that the real car had been modified more than merely to add those hinged doors, as there was an extra side-stake, in the form of channel stock. 
Unpleased with the results, but undeterred, I cemented the sides to one of the four flatcars, using pieces of Evergreen .060" angle to reinforce what would have been a weak joint at the side/floor joint, if secured only by the sidestakes.  That car was set aside, and I then turned to these other photos, also purchased from Keith Sirman's photo collection, to get a more accurate layout for the remaining cars' sides...

[Image: b3a24811-d6c3-48cc-b3aa-22958963b7e4.jpg]

[Image: c731e4a2-c0ec-4922-ae5a-ec03118dd035.jpg]

The photo below, with the car on its side, shows that angle at the junction of the floor and the side....

[Image: Inner%20flange%20installed.jpg]

...while the narrow strip of white styrene (.010"x.040" strip from Everegreen) represents the vertical portion of what will be the top chord of the car's side.  The top ends of the zed-bracing are visible, too.

Here's the horizontal portion of the angular top chord installed, cut from .010"x.100" Evergreen strip...

[Image: Adding%20top%20flange%20of%20angle.jpg]

Here's a side view of one of the cars...I darkened the camera view a bit to better show the Z-bracing, but the black/white contrast is still too great...

[Image: Scratchbashed%20THB%20gondola%204.jpg]

During construction, I took a break to visit the Ancaster Train Show, and was fortunate to find another unbuilt Tichy flatcar kit for only ten bucks - too good to resist, so here's the four cars in their current state....

[Image: Scratchbashed%20THB%20gondolas%20-%202.jpg]

The cars still need ends (I have a method in mind for creating them, which I'll show if it's successful), and there are some details to be added to make these cars a little less-plain.

Sharp-eyed observers will note that there are five cars in the photo above, as I decided to salvage the car from my first (failed) attempt.  I opted to make it into a cinder car for my own EG&E, but I'll try to follow the TH&B's general construction for the dump-doors and other details...

[Image: Scratchbashed%20EGE%20cinder%20car%20-%203.jpg]

[Image: Scratchbashed%20EGE%20cinder%20car%20-%202.jpg]

Naturally, since that fifth car will be totally freelanced, it will match exactly its real-world prototype, right down to the plastic construction and Kadee couplers.

Wayne
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#15
I've made some progress on the TH&B gondolas, with most of the major details added, and while the EG&E cinder car got similar details, the outlet doors and hardware still need to be added, along with some "sheet metal" to cover the car's "wooden" floor.

As mentioned previously, I had a plan for creating the ends, and used scraps of Tichy boxcar ends, as shown below, to create the one-piece (lower right) pattern for forming aluminum tape into ends for these gondolas.....

[Image: 100_7650.jpg]
 
However, even with modifications, spacing of the rib-groups was not right, so I created version two, shown below, using Evergreen .060" half-round rod, and various pieces of Evergreen strip, all cemented to a backing of .020" sheet styrene  (the size of the needed ends).   The entire assembly was then cemented to a wider backing sheet, which could be taped to the glass work surface....

[Image: 100_7651.jpg]

I cut a piece from the roll of aluminum tape, and after peeling the paper backing from it, applied it to a piece of ordinary aluminum foil.  This was done to prevent the tape from adhering to the form, as the rubbing and burnishing needed to force the tape into the depressions in the form would otherwise cause to tape to be permanently stuck to the form.  Here's the untrimmed tape, still on the form - I used my fingers and fingernails to press the tape into the corrugations, working up from the bottom of the form, one corrugation at a time...

[Image: 100_7652.jpg]

Unfortunately, when I removed the newly-formed gondola end, in order to trim it to size, I discover that the burnishing action had cut the tape in several places....

[Image: 100_7653.jpg]

A couple more attempts yielded similar results, so I instead created ends, similar in construction to the form, for all five of the cars.  Except for the cinder car, the four gondolas are ready for primer paint (which they'll get when the cinder car is ready, too).  All of the basic details have been added, with a few more to come after they're in-primer...

[Image: 100_7642.jpg]

[Image: 100_7644.jpg]

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In retrospect, the all-styrene ends, despite having corrugations only on the outside surface, are a better choice than would have been the foil-tape version, as the styrene ends are readily cemented to the cars' sides, strengthening the whole assembly.  They're also better for holding the grabirons in place, especially when trimming the protruding ends from the interior of the car.

Next up is some "steel" plating (aluminum tape) for the cinder car's "wooden" floor, then the outlet doors and associated hardware.

Wayne
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