03-06-2016, 11:18 AM
The brake wheel might be lowered or not: if it were lowered, the ladders would be shortened. If it were left in the high position, the ladders at the B end would remain high, but there'd be a "WARNING: NO ROOFWALK" label affixed near the ladder. The ladders on the A end were usually shortened when the roofwalk was removed - otherwise, they'd get the warning label, too.
I'm not sure who makes the warning labels, but I have used them when I was modelling that era.
Another way to plug the holes left when the roofwalk is removed is to use a solid plug. Some manufacturer's roofwalks had tight-fitting mounting pins: for those, apply some solvent-type cement to them from inside the car, then, when the joints have fully hardened, slice them of directly below the roofwalk and then use a knife and/or files to remove excess material from the protruding stubs, shaping as necessary to match the roof's profile.
Where the roofwalk plugs are a looser fit, use styrene rod or suitably-sized sprue material left over from any plastic kit. You can sand or file it to fit the existing hole or simply drill the hole out larger - a few thou smaller than the plug is best. Use a small brush to coat the plug and the inside of the hole with solvent-type cement, let sit for a few seconds to allow the plastic to soften, then force the plug into the hole. Allow this to fully harden, then trim and shape the protruding portion to suit.
Wayne
I'm not sure who makes the warning labels, but I have used them when I was modelling that era.
Another way to plug the holes left when the roofwalk is removed is to use a solid plug. Some manufacturer's roofwalks had tight-fitting mounting pins: for those, apply some solvent-type cement to them from inside the car, then, when the joints have fully hardened, slice them of directly below the roofwalk and then use a knife and/or files to remove excess material from the protruding stubs, shaping as necessary to match the roof's profile.
Where the roofwalk plugs are a looser fit, use styrene rod or suitably-sized sprue material left over from any plastic kit. You can sand or file it to fit the existing hole or simply drill the hole out larger - a few thou smaller than the plug is best. Use a small brush to coat the plug and the inside of the hole with solvent-type cement, let sit for a few seconds to allow the plastic to soften, then force the plug into the hole. Allow this to fully harden, then trim and shape the protruding portion to suit.
Wayne