Scratchbashing an HOn3 Reefer

[cnrglen]

I've had an old HOn3 reefer sitting in my parts bin and I thought it would be a good candidate for a rebuild. I'm not sure of it's lineage it came with printed basswood sides and cast metal details.



I peeled off all the metal castings. It was missing enough of them to make them unusable except for spare parts on other projects.


I ordered a set of decals off ebay for White pass and Yukon. The original set was for a boxcar and in yellow but the seller was able to print me a set in black, for a reefer.

From Grandt Line I got:
D&RGW HOn3 reefer hardware set
D&RGW Bolster and end beam set
and a set of 6" queen posts

Now this isn't going to be an entirely prototypical WP&Y reefer. Their's has a metal frame where I plan to build a truss-rod frame for mine. It's more of a freelance deal.

[cnrglen]

So I started by peeling off the original sides to the car, removing the original wood bolsters and sanding things as smooth as I could get it. I plan to replace the original sides and ends with basswood car siding, add a trussrod frame and the grandt line details.

I added the grandt line bolsters and the stringers to the bottom as well as the queenpost beams.

Then I test fitted a pair of grandt line trucks to it. I also found that I had to use 0-80 screws for the trucks as everything is smaller.

The small size of the grandt line trucks takes a bit of getting used to the larger trucks are from MDC. I might add some spacers under the trucks as they seem to ride a bit low to my eyes. I also need to see the track clearance for the 6" queenposts. More later.

[cnrglen]

I added the queen posts tonight:

I've been trying to figure out what the underside of these things plausibly looked like and through a bit of research and looking at a standard gauge boxcar figured out this is where they go.

I'm not sure how detailed I'm going to do the underside, probably just install the K-brake cylinder. Mostly the topside will be visible anyway.

[modelsof1900]

CNRglen, good work! Wish you succes and a nice looking new model!
I love such not often seen wood models!

[nachoman]

Looking good

I'm bashing my own HOn3 reefer from a cut-down MDC standard gauge one that I bought for about 50 cents at a train show.

[sailormatlac]

Refurbishing junked old cars and locomotives is the most rewarding part of this hobby.

Matt

[doctorwayne]

Refurbishing junked old cars and locomotives is the most rewarding part of this hobby.

Yup! I've got a layout populated to a great degree by the same kind of stuff.

Wayne

[cnrglen]

Thanks for the support everyone. The project is on hold for just a bit after I realized that I had ordered all the parts I needed I was missing the turnbuckles for the truss rods. I should be getting them shortly.
Kevin, I'm converting parts of an MDC reefer into a storage shed to go beside my stamp mill project.

[cnrglen]

Just to prove I haven't dropped this project I was over at another modeller's house the other day and he gave me a few packs of these:

I don't really need anything out of them except for the turnbuckles, which are old-school stamped brass but they will do the job.
On another note I have three more HOn3 cars n the way from Ebay, a Rail Line boxcar and two Labelle passenger cars. I guess I should start looking for a decent engine, seeing as my two Logging tank engines are both unpowered and won't look right pulling passenger cars.

[cnrglen]

I have been mulling over this project and decided that I need some HOn3 tools essentials to make this work properly. Most importantly I need to be able to set coupler heights right so I have a Kadee coupler gauge on order. In the meantime over the past week I've been working on my Railline HOn3 boxcar:

For a plastic kit it's quite the challenge, particularly deciphering the instructions. I would say the kit itself is about as complicated as a Tichy kit but the instructions:

This is a photocopy of the original but I found they were somewhat overly complicated and difficult to follow. It did get easier as I continued, probably because there were less parts on the sprues


I had to repair the roofwalk on one end. The previous owner cut the boards flush with the end of the car so I used a bit of strip styrene to re-lengthen them.

The kit also came with full under body detail but I had to search out a picture of a Blackstone car to completely figure out how everything went. I'll be doing a similar setup o the reefer.

this is about how far I've gotten. I have to spray primer before adding the couplers and trucks. But I can get back to the reefer soon now that I have the rigging figured out.
I have one or two other HOn3 cars to build so instead of opening more threads, I'll just build them here.

[cnrglen]

Getting back to the Reefer project, I tackled the underbody details this afternoon.


I got some turnbuckles from Grandt line and a Denver and Rio Grande Western brake set. It's similar to the brake set in the Rail line boxcar.

I added the main brake components before the truss rods.

Then I added the truss rods. I used some black beading line from Micheals for the truss rods. It threaded perfectly through the cored holes in the turnbuckles. I still have to add the wire hangers and brake rods but it's almost done underneath.


The last thing I did was to add the weight. I got the car to just under 3 oz. in weight so I figure that will be enough. After I finish of the under frame details I can start sheathing the car back up.

[cnrglen]

I added the sheathing to the car side and ends today.


The sheet of basswood cars side material was a bit thick, but it was about the same as the original. I added the ends first, cut a bit over size, then added the sides. after the glue dried I sanded the ends flush with the roof and sides. It's ready for the hardware to be added.

[ak-milw]

Not much of the old car left, but it looks great.

[cnrglen]

Well the bones are still there, hidden under all the new. I probably could scratchbuild the whole thing except for the roof.

[ak-milw]

I don't know if you are aware but Micro-Mark sells wooden roofs ready to go except for a little sanding. Just thought I would throw that out there for maybe later projects.