Hi folks, I'm actually working on a project of building a few CN insulated boxcar. Finding appropriate decals is making me nut. Just to be clear, I'm modelling post-1960 50ft boxcar in CN wet noodle. The only problem is only CDS made dry transfer with the correct "insulated car" lettering. Unfortunately, I couldn't locate any shop in Canada and USA that have them in stock. Seems they don't exist as decal too (which I'd like to be proven wrong).

Here's the thing I want to do: http://www.cnrphotos.com/gallery2/main.p...emId=22504

If anybody has any idea, let me know. Any alternative would do the job.

Thank you in advance.

Matt

Sent you a PM, Matt.

Wayne

Matt,

I know Tom Hood who is one of the guys behind CDS, and he told me some time ago that they'd be wrapping up production. It's not surprising that you can't find anything any more. Too bad though, because they did make some great Canadian stuff.

Andrew

I can't help you with the decals but I would be interested in seeing your boxcar build.

I believe a company called Ozark Miniatures, <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.ozarkminiatures.com/scripts/default.asp">http://www.ozarkminiatures.com/scripts/default.asp</a><!-- m --> now carries CDS decals. I have a fairly good collection of decals but I model CN in the fifties but I did inherit a large amount of decals and I found 2 packs of old 'Beavercraft' decals that might work for you.

Pictured is the complete set, I have an incomplete set that you can have as well if you are interested.

I don't know if you still need the decals but I just learned that Ozark Minatures bought the CDS line and may be able to help you out. Many sets are showing out of stock but you may get something done if you were looking for a few sets.

Railnet Wrote:I don't know if you still need the decals but I just learned that Ozark Minatures bought the CDS line and may be able to help you out. Many sets are showing out of stock but you may get something done if you were looking for a few sets.

Glen and Wayne were kind enough to send me decals and dry transfer. They are old, but they should work with some patience. At this point, I have enough lettering to complete the project.

Matt

Glad you got what you needed and my apologies to cnrglen for completely missing him posting the information about Ozark.

No problem Railnet!

Here's what I've been doing over the weekend between gluing modules and following New Horizon's Pluto flyby.

To make a story short, a few months ago, I stumbled upon an old Ciment St-Laurent picture from the 80s (or very early 90s). I knew the plant was served by boxcars back in the 60s, but imagine my surprise when I found out such traffic was still in existence a few decades later.



The picture showed a pair of CN insulated boxcars from 280000 series and thus I knew I need HO scale models to fit the bill. Unfortunately, no exact replica of these NSC cars exists. Insulated boxcars had several features including fuel tank, heater, temperature control devices and other specific details. I had two choices. Start with a P1K NSC 50ft boxcar or try a kitbash. Since the first are harder to find and cost nowadays an arm and a leg, I felt the kitbashing way was the best.



I quickly found out old Bachmann 50ft boxcars could be used as a starting point. They are 100% accurate, but can easily be modified without too much pain into a believable model. Better, if you only want to build a regular NSC newsprint boxcar, it would be easier to do so and with less prototype compromises.



The main problem with the Bachmann shell is the moulded on details. I once tried to scrape off a moulded roofwalk and quickly found out it was no way to go. Also, the boxcar ends are quite wrong for the NSC prototype. I also didn’t want to remove the ladder details, too much pain for a passable result.



My idea was to use Intermountain spare parts to rebuild the model and save me time filing down details. I would only keep the Bachmann underframe and side walls. IM parts are cheap and high quality. For about 2.50$ per car, I could improve drastically the model. I used their 50ft PS roof and PS boxcar ends since they are close to NSC practice (5/4 rib pattern).



Roof panels didn’t align perfectly with Bachmann side panel rivet rows, but I found out later NSC insulated boxcar roof panels weren’t aligned too. I also altered the boxcar end. The upper rib was removed including rivets and other details. The next step was to bevel the rib ends with a file according to NSC practice. I puttied the holes with automotive glazing.



The various temperature control devices were built using phosphore bronze wire, pieces of styrene sheet and paper. New ladders, grabirons and brake apparatus are Tichy with Kadee brakewheel. Stirrups are metal A-line ones. When done, the car was ready to get primed in brown Krylon primer before getting a final coat of Model Master Acryl boxcar brown and a Future Floor Finish (Pledge) gloss coat for decals. More about painting and decaling later.



A big thanks to Glen and Wayne who were kind enough to send me old decals and dry transfers of CN insulated boxcars. These are discontinued Beavercraft and C-D-S lettering products. Let’s hope they have withstood the years well!

Matt

Interesting build Matt. So, were insulated cars used during the winter months to prevent condensation or used year round? It would make good traffic for my building supply store as long as I knew the proper car type to use.

Railnet Wrote:Interesting build Matt. So, were insulated cars used during the winter months to prevent condensation or used year round? It would make good traffic for my building supply store as long as I knew the proper car type to use.

Hard to tell, but the prototype picture I saw was shot in summer. They probably weren't heated.

C-D-S Lettering are for 40ft boxcars, Beavercraft decals for 50ft boxcars. I've got enough lettering to make 3 x 50ft boxcars and one 40ft boxcar. I still have one Bachmann shell to convert. Another Model Power shell could be converted into a regular NSC boxcar or better, a 50ft mechanical reefer since I've got few ones. Now I need to scavenge roller bearing trucks to replace Bachmann ridiculous trucks. I think I started too much projects at the same time... Will I ever learn?

Matt

It looks good, Matt. I'm looking forward to the finished product.

cnrglen Wrote:It looks good, Matt. I'm looking forward to the finished product.

Thanks Glen! When Harlem Station benchwork and trackage will be done, I start working on them again. They are painted, only need to detail the underframe with the heater unit and fuel tank.

Matt

Here's the final result. The old Beavercraft decals were tricky to use, but things went quite smoothly in the end. I had to be creative to replace missing letters from a set of damaged decals, but was able to salvage enough to letter the second car. A big thanks to Glen, he made this project possible. This car is far to be exactly prototypical, but considering I started off with Bachmann cars, it's quite decent from an operation standpoint.









Meanwhile, my list of freight cars to weather is swelling too much for my own good!

Another modeller sent me a set of dry transfer decals for 40ft insulated boxcars. I found out I had a suitable model that will be repainted and correctly decalled later when I have time. With canadian dollar taking a serious plunge, I have much more reasons to bash cars and it's fun.

I have a few other projects like a CN 50ft mechanical reefer and, later, to scratchbuilt a CN woodchip gondola with correct dimensions. Printing the model is out of question, so it will be made out of styrene.

Matt

They look good, Matt. I'm glad I could help out and that the decals still worked.