Minneapolis & Northland Railroad Company Modeling

Monday, August 21, 2023

Soo Line Pickle Tank Car 4491

All of us have freight cars that we wish a manufacturer would produce either in resin, plastic or brass to enable us to add them to our freight car fleet. At times a modification of an existing kit or kitbash can provide us that freight car; however, there are some cars that the only way to add them to our fleet is to scratchbuild the car. Soo Line Pickle Tank Car 4491, an open side pickle tank, was one such freight car I wanted in service on my Minneapolis & Northland Railroad Company.

To build Soo Line Pickle Tank Car 4491 the research including photo and O Scale plan was already done by David Leider and published in his article in the February 2002 issue of Railmodel Journal. David also is the author of the book Pickle and Vinegar Makers of the Midwest (David J. Leider, 2015) that contains photos and plans of Soo Line pickle tank cars used to serve M.A. Gedney Company.

Prototype Soo Line Pickle Tank car 4491, class TW, is shown on the roster in the 1953 Official Railway Equipment Register (ORER) on the Soo Line roster as a vinegar tank car. All Soo Line pickle tank or vinegar tank cars are shown as vinegar cars on the Soo Line roster. Other than David's plan and the data shown in the 1953 ORER and photo of 4491, I have no specific data on this car. In addition to dimensional date and that pickle tank car 4491 was a 40 ton car, the 1953 ORER does tell us the car held 6,094 gallons. I do not know when pickle tank 4491 was removed from the roster; however, Soo Line pickle tank car 4799 shown on the Soo Line roster in 1953 ORER was off the roster by 1960.

Soo Line 4491
Soo Line Historical and Technical Society
Courtesy of Ken Soroos
(click or tap on this or any image to enlarge)

Plan for Soo Line Pickle Tank 4491 from
David Leider's article in Railmodel Jounal.

As the prototype, the build of Soo Line pickle tank 4491 begins with a flat car to which tanks, roof support structure and roof are added. Like David I chose to use the Tichy Train Group (Tichy) 40 Foot flat car kit, #4021, almost an exact copy of the Soo Line flat car as a starting point; however, styrene rather than wood was used to fabricate tanks and other parts of the pickle tank car.

Tichy Train Group (Tichy) kit #4021

I had previously built the Tichy 40 foot flat cars I had in my freight car inventory so I ordered two flat cars direct from Tichy, one for this build and a second for maybe another Soo Line tank car. While I was waiting for the flat cars to arrive, I made the braces (supports) supporting the roof. The six braces, two end, two middle and two center require 10 x 10s, 6 x 12s and 10 x 12s specified in the plan. I laminated five pieces of Evergreen #8210, 2 x 10 to make the 10 x 10s, three pieces of Evergreen #8212, to make the 6 x 12s and six pieces of Evergreen #8212, 2 x 12 strip styrene to make 10 x 12s, to make the brace parts needed in the plan. I used a Northwest Short Line chopper to cut the parts to length and a tweezer to hold them together while bonded with Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK). The braces were assembled as showed in the plan.

Tweezers holding styrene strips to be laminated.

Laminated braces called for in plan.

Once the braces were made, I made the four required tanks. The four prototype wood tanks are 8.5 feet wide and 5 feet tall with tank bands. After looking at various tank materials with no success to get the proper tank width, I was applying decals to another freight car project when the Microscale Sol bottle caught my attention. The bottle looked like it might be the right size for the inner pickle tank. I pulled a couple of empty Microscale Sol empty bottles out of a scrap collection box I had thrown them in. I was amazed to find the Microscale Sol bottle when wrapped with Evergreen #269-2050 V-Groove siding, .020” with .050” spacing provided the 8.5” scale tank diameter needed.

I used the two Microscale Sol bottles to cut four tanks 5 scale feet in height on my M&N Shop band saw. Back at the work desk, the tanks after some deburring of the edges (not perfect) had Testors Tube Cement (not a cement at all, but a solvent in viscous form) applied to them and a wrapper cut to size from the V-Groove siding applied. Clamps were used to hold the tank wrapper in place where it came together on the Microscale bottle until dry. When the glue on the tanks was set, the tanks and roof braces were test fit on the basic assembled Tichy flat car. I liked the fit. Liking the fit, MEK was used to fasten the braces to the Tichy flat car. The tanks are not glued to the flat car deck at this time as tank bands are still to be added . And, the Tichy flat car had arrived and had basic assembly completed during the search for inner tanks.

Braces only have been glued to the flat car deck.

Microscale Sol bottle interior of tank visible.

With braces glued on the flat car deck the roof was built to be removed for now. A frame to which the roof is attached was built from Evergreen #8208, 2” x 8” strip styrene. The attached roof was cut from Evergreen .020” sheet styrene, scribed to have 8” wide boards, and glued to the frame with MEK. Running board roof saddles and running board were made with Midwest Products Scale Lumber #8003, 2” x 6” boards. The running board center roof saddle was installed first and two roof saddles were added using a 4 feet 9 inches spacing to each side. The end roof saddles were added and four additional saddles, two from each end, again with the 4 feet 9 inch spacing from the end saddle were installed.

Running board saddles and running board installed.

The roof assembly was set aside to thoroughly dry and tanks were removed from the flat car deck to have tank bands installed. The tank bands, .007” diameter soft radio coil wire, were installed on the tanks. The soft fine wire was used for two reasons: looks and to allow wire to easily bend to form a “U” bend on each end of the wire where the ends came together to simulate the look of a turnbuckle. I spent a lot of time on the spacing and adjusting the bands. If I build that second Soo Line pickle tank car , I will scribe tank band lines on the tank wrappers prior to install for the wire tank bands to sit in and be in a straight line. A method George Toman told me he used when he installed tank bands on a water tank he built. Once I was happy with the tank bands look the tanks were glued to the flat deck with cyanoacrylate (CA).

Tank bands installed.

After tanks were glued on the flat car deck, I used electrical box punchouts ( washers, bolts or choice would work) with Permatex Clear Adhesive Silicone RTV Sealant to weight the car to 3.8 ounces which increased to 4 ounces (above NMRA recommended weight) after all parts to complete build of the pickle tank car were installed.

Weight, electrical outlet box punchouts installed.

Once the Permatex weight adhesive was setup the roof was glued to the roof braces with MEK.

Roof glued to roof braces.

Next the guy wire brackets for the sides were made from .006” brass. I used the measurements in the plans to draw the brackets on the brass before cutting out them out with a Xuron cutter for photo etched parts, #9180. A touch up of each cut out part was done with a file before install with CA. After install, the holes in the brackets were marked with a tiny finishing nail and a #78 drill was used to drill the holes to insert guy wires. In addition to the guy wire brackets, the side stake pockets provided in the kit were installed with MEK.

Plan showing guy wire brace and center brace
from David Leider's article.

Guy wire brackets and stake pockets installed.

Now the tank saddles were made and installed. As the roof braces, the tank saddles were cut from a laminated 10 x 10 as specified in the plan. I drew a diagram of a tank and saddles for the cutting and shaping the curved part via sanding. The saddles were cut to length using the UMM-Saw (JLC) with razor blade looking saw blade with extremely fine teeth. The mini miter box made for this saw was used for holding the 10 x 10 when cutting the tank saddles.

Diagram I made for cutting tank saddles and
several of the tank saddles cut.

UMM-Saw and mini miter box used to
cut tank saddles.

Better view of UMM-Saw in mini miter box.

Tank saddles installed.

I like to have side and end ladders in place to use as a guide to place B end details. Therefore, I installed Tichy ladders, #3065 Reefer ladders with 14” rung spacing, cut to resemble the prototype on the B end side corner. I also installed the plastic kit provided sill steps.

Ladders installed on side.

I moved to the “B” end where I installed the B end ladders with ladder rungs on ends lining up with those on side. I continued to install needed details on the B end. Yarmouth Model Works (YMW) running board brackets, YMW #260, were installed. A Tichy retainer valve, AB set #3013, and retainer line, Tichy #1100, .008” diameter phosphor bronze wire (PBW), were installed. A brake shaft, Tichy #1102, .015” diameter PBW, and bracket were installed. The brake shaft bracket was cut from .005” brass. Tichy brake wheel, AB set #3013, and fastener made with MEK Goop were installed.

Ladder installed on B end with rungs matching side.

In addition to ladder, other B end details installed.

I left the B end to go to the roof to install the hatches and grab irons. The prototype hatches were 32” x 32”. I cast the needed hatches from resin in the M&N Shops after using Grandt Line Reefer hatches, #5106 Reefer Hardware, to make masters. To make the masters a styrene board , Evergreen #8102 1” x 2”, was added to the back of the Grand Line hatch and the hinges shortened. And, a mold was made using the reworked Grandt Line Hatches. Cast hatches were installed followed by the roof grab irons bent from Tichy #1100, .010” diameter PBW with YMW photo etched eye bolts without shoulder for corner legs.

Grandt Line hatch modified to get square hatch
for master to make mold.

Roof hatches cast in M&N Shops installed.

Back to the B end to install sill grab irons bent using Tichy #1100, .010” diameter PBW.

Sill grab irons installed.

After grab irons were installed on the B end, I continued to install the side grab irons on the A end side. A post for the grab irons, Evergreen #8202, 2” x 2” strip styrene, was installed. The plastic grab irons, Tichy #3062 18” ladder rungs, were installed. Work on the sides continued. The plastic kit sill steps originally installed to get a wider sill for wire sill steps were now cut off. Sill steps, A-Line #29000, style A, were installed in #76 drilled holes. And, guy wires and brackets on center braces , Tichy #1106, .0125” diameter PBW, were installed and glued with CA. ERROR! In a hurry to see the guy wires installed I forgot to add the turnbuckles on the guy wires before install. Therefore, I cut the Tichy #8021 turnbuckles in half and installed them on the already installed guy wires. Of course, not a recommended method to install. And, I installed the drop grab iron, Tichy #3015, 18” drop type, that the prototype had under the ladders.

Sill steps and guy wires installed; however,
no turnbuckles.

Sill steps and guy wires installed; however,
now turnbuckles added.

Normally my final step in freight car builds, the install of uncoupling levers. On this pickle tank car the top uncoupling levers and eye bolt brackets were bent from Tichy #1106, .0125” diameter wire and installed.

Uncoupling levers, top type, installed.

With the car body detail install work done, the underbody work was completed as follows:

- Brake cylinder and piston , unknown from parts box on Tichy bracket

- AB (Control) valve, Sunshine Models resin

- Air reservoir, Tichy AB set #3013 on cut off sill step brackets

- Above brake components were predrilled for piping

- Brake cylinder lever,Tichy in kit

- Brake floating lever, Tichy in kit

- Brake piping from air reservoir to control valve, Tichy #1101, .010” dia. Brass wire

- Brake pipe from brake cylinder to control valve, Tichy #1106, .0125” dia. PBW

- Brake rods, Tichy #1106, .0125” diameter PBW

- Chain, Precision Scale # 48553, 34 links per inch

- Train line, .018’ diameter flora wire

- Dirt collector, InterMountain reworked

Underbody details installed.

Soo Line Pickle car 4491 was ready for the paint shop. During the build I had already hand painted the running board with Vallejo/MicroMark Undercoat Light Grey X29013X2 to seal the wood. In the paint shop, the car body and underbody were airbrushed Vallejo/MicroMark Undercoat Light Grey X29013X2. The Undercoat Light Grey serves as primer to have any pastel color, here the yellow color, to get color saturation.

Right side in Undecoat Light Grey.

Left side in Undecoat Light Grey

Once dry, the flat car sides and ends were taped off allowing the tanks, braces and roof to be airbrushed Vallejo/MicroMark Reefer Yellow #29028X2. When dry, the flat car, flat car deck, underbody and trucks were hand painted Model Master Oxide Red Flat #4882.

Car painted.

Underbody and trucks painted.

Again when dry, car body was airbrushed with Vallejo Gloss Medium 70.470 for decal base. After drying overnight, decals were applied. Decals for the name, number and reweigh date WS-12-47 (Soo Line Shoreham Shops) were provided by Ken Soroos from use sets he had. The capacity and weights data is from a used MILW set. I used photos of Soo Line pickle car 4491 (above) as a guide to apply decals.

Decals applied.

Decals were soaked off in distilled water and applied to the car body where MicroScale Micro Set had been applied with a brush. After the decal was applied in the Micro Set and positioned the edges had MicroScale Micro Sol applied. Any excess solution was sucked away with the torn edge of a paper towel. Again when dry, car body sprayed with Vallejo Gloss Varnish #70.510 to better hide edges of decals and protect decals during handling. Again when dry, the car body was sprayed with Model Master Flat Clear Acryl, #4636, to protect decals and provide a flat finish for weathering when applied.

One more task needed to be completed before weathering Soo Line pickle tank car 4491. The missing tank saddle on the left side on the second tank from the B end was cut, primed, painted and installed. Now the Soo Line pickle tank car 4491 was ready for weathering.

Missing tank saddle installed.

Therefore, before putting Soo Line Pickle Tank 4491 in service , the car was weathered with Artmatic eye shadow and Pan Pastels. An Artmatic eye shadow color, a light brown, was applied with a small brush over entire car body. A Loreal eye shadow yellow color was applied with sponge tipped applicator to the yellow painted part of the car. Pan Pastels Neutral Grey Extra Dark 820.2 was applied to the entire car with brush and micro applicator. Pan Pastels Paynes Grey Extra Dark 840.1 was applied to the running board with a micro applicator.

Soo Line Pickle Tank Car 4491 weathered.

Soo Line Pickle Tank 4491 was ready for service on the Minneapolis & Northland Railroad Company, The Lakeland Route, “Serving today, Shaping tomorrow.” A car card was made for Soo Line Pickle Tank 4491 , the final step to put the a car in service on the Minneapolis & Northland Railroad Company Railroad.

Soo Line Pickle Tank Car 4491 in service with
Heinz car at Brineinger Pickle salting station
in Sussx, Minnesota.

Soo Line Pickle Tank Car 4491 moved from
Brineinger Pickle salting station to the CNW
Interchange in Little Chiago, Minnesota
for delivery to Gedney Pickle Company.

I want to say, “Thank You” to David Leider for his research, photos and article on Soo Line 4491 and Soo Line Pickle Cars in his book. A, “Thank You” to Ken Soroos for providing information, decal and photo help with this build and upgrade. Definitely appreciated as without their help this build would have been much more difficult. One last "Thank You" to George Toman for sharing his tip to easily get straight line tank bands.

Thank You for taking time to read my blog. You can share a comment in the section below if you choose to do so. Please sign your comment with your name if you choose to leave one. Please share the blog link with other model railroaders.

Lester Breuer

Saturday, August 12, 2023

Pennsylvania SS Box Car 45648

A Westerfield single USRA single sheathed box car (SS), kit 3356, was moved to the work desk from the to build cabinet. The kit builds into a rebuilt Pennsylvania (PRR) class X26 single sheathed box car in series 44076- 46725. My kit was a gifted one that had only the one piece body, underbody, Youngstown doors, longitudinal running board, two bolster cover plates (four are needed), decals and the instructions in the box. I was pleased to get the kit, even with all other parts missing, since they could made or replaced with detail parts available.

Already in my fleet is Pennsylvania 104882, PRR class X26C box car I built in 2019. The PRR class X26C cars were the USRA PRR class X26 steel sheathed and reclassified X26C and placed in series 104260-107759.

PRR 104882 PRR Class X26C
(click or tap on this or any image to enlarge)

The prototype USRA single sheathed cars received by the Pennsylvania (PRR) were built by American Car & Foundry in 1919 and 1920. Original cars had Carmer uncoupling levers that remained on cars rebuilt beginning in 1934. In 1934 rebuilt cars received Hutchins roofs and various type doors. One door type was the Youngstown Corrugated Steel Door. Beginning in 1941 the cars were equipped with AB brakes and the second grab iron on the left end of the side. The cars rode on Andrews trucks as specified for all USRA box cars. The cars were painted iron oxide red on all surfaces including trucks and couplers. An excellent set of photos I used for my build can be found in Railroad Prototype Cyclopedia, RP CYC 17 (RP CYC Publishing Co., 2008). Other articles with photos and plans for USRA single sheathed cars have appeared in various model railroading magazines over the years.

PRR 46096, Chet McCoid Photo, 1951, Bob's Photo
Author Collection

I began the build of PRR box car I numbered 45648 with the work on the underbody. I fitted the underbody via sanding; however, not installed until car weighted. The truck kingpins and the coupler pad mounting holes were drilled with a 2-56 drill and tapped for 2-56 screws. Kadee #262 coupler boxes with Kadee #148 couplers were installed with Fastenal 2-56 x 3/16” screws. Tahoe Andrews, TMW-012, trucks were installed with Fastenal 2-56 x 1/4” Fastenal screws. Lead free stick on tire weights were added to obtain a car weight of 3.8 ounces. The underbody was now installed in the car body with CA. Before ending this modeling session I glued the latitudinal running board with ZAP Formula 560 Canopy glue to the roof saddles. I place a ruler and weights on the running board and let the car sit overnight for the glue to setup.

Lead free tire weights

A M&N box car with running board with ruler and
weights to enable Formula 560 Canopy glue to setup.

I continued the build by adding Tichy Train Group (Tichy) 18” drop type grab irons, #3015 on sides, ends and for ladders. Tichy 18” straight grab irons, #3021, were installed on end sills. And, I fabricated the end placard boards using Evergreen strip styrene for a master. The master was used to make a mold for casting placard boards.

Grab irons and grab irons for ladder installed.

Mold has placard boards on bottom
between door and retainer valve.

After placard boards were cast from resin in M&N Shops and installed, the brake step and brackets from Tichy AB set #3010 were installed. A brake shaft step was bent to shape viewed in prototype photos from an A-Line sill step #29000, style A and installed. Next a resin retainer valve cast in the M&N Shops was installed. A retainer line, Tichy #1100.008” diameter phosphor bronze wire (PBW) and brackets, bent from Tichy #1101 .010” diameter PBW were installed.

Install of B end details underway.

Before adding the vertical brake shaft and brake wheel on the B end, I wanted the roof work done. I cut a latitudinal running board (end walks, laterals, corner boards), 25” wide and 3 fleet 10 inches long, from Evergreen .030” sheet styrene. I scribed board lines on the styrene to create the four boards that run from the longitudinal running board to the side roof edge. I added some additional details as fasteners before using my master to make a mold to resin cast needed end walks. At this time in the build I also made a mold to cast the bolster covers plates needed for the underbody.

Mold on right has end walks on left side and
mold on left has bolster cover plates on top right.

After casting the needed latitudinal running boards I installed them on the roof. A “L” shape mounting bracket, .030” wide, was cut from .005” sheet brass allowing the bracket to go under the front end of the end walk with the legs long enough to be bent over the fascia on the side and end. A second “L” mounting bracket found on USRA car drawings could be made for the rear portion of the end walk that mounts to the longitudinal running board. I chose not to make the rear bracket. One could also use the Yarmouth Model Works (YMW) running board braces, YMW #260, to make this “L” mounting bracket.

Mounting brackets for
latitudinal running boards.

After the end walk bracket is glued to the running board with CA with the long leg extending to the end of the car and the short leg to the side of the car, the running board is glued to the longitudinal running board with CA (if the rear bracket is not used). The legs of the L are bent over the end and side and cut to fit and CA applied. I used MEK Goop to create mounting bracket fasteners.

End walks installed on Hutchins roof.

Closeup of end walks and mounting bracket.

I returned to the B end to continue adding details needed there. The running board extension brackets, YMW #260, were installed on the B end and the A end. The brake shaft cut from Tichy #1102 .015” diameter PBW was installed. The upper mounting bracket was cut and bent from .005” sheet brass and installed. If one does not want to make the upper mounting bracket the Tichy upper brake shaft bracket from Tichy AB set #3013 could be used.

Additional B end details installed.

Better view of brake shaft bracket and note
the bend in the brake shaft step as sill.

With the car body detail install work except for uncoupling levers done, the underbody work was done. First I installed the resin bolster plates I cast in the M&N Shops. The remaining underbody work was completed as follows:

- Brake cylinder, brake cylinder piston and bracket, Tichy set #3013

- AB (Control) valve and mounting bracket from Tichy set #3013

- Air reservoir on cut off sill step brackets

- Above brake components were predrilled for piping

- Slack adjuster, made with scrap styrene

- Brake cylinder lever, Evergreen #8108, 1” x 8” strip styrene

- Brake floating lever, Evergreen #8106, 1” x 6” strip styrene

- Brake levers hangers, wire grab irons

- Brake piping from air reservoir to control valve, Tichy #1101, .010” diameter PBW

- Brake pipe from brake cylinder to control valve, Tichy #1106, .0125” diameter PBW

- Brake rods, Tichy #1106, .0125” diameter PBW

- Brake rod clevises made with MEK Goop

- Chain, Precision Scale # 48553, 34 links per inch

- Train line, .018” diameter flora wire

- Dirt collector

Underbody details before train line, dirt collector and
underframe sections from bolsters to coupler pockets installed.

Train line, dirt collector and underframe sections
between bolster and coupler pocket installed.

Back to the B end to add the Carmer uncoupling levers. A mounting bracket or pad, cut from scrap styrene with a hole drilled using a #80 drill bit was glued to the car end sill. A piece of Tichy #1101 .010” diameter PBW was installed in the hole in the bracket. Yarmouth Model Works #400 Carmer uncoupling levers were installed with the hole in the Carmer lever placed over the already installed wire.

Carmer uncoupling levers installed.

PRR 45648 was ready for paint. All added details to car body and underbody were hand painted Vallejo Grey Surface Primer #70.601. Trucks were hand painted with Model Master Oxide Red Flat #4882.

Car body in Vallejo Grey Surface Primer.

When the primer was dry the car body and underbody were airbrushed with Vallejo Model Color Saddle Brown 70.940. In my opinion, if you look at the photos and compare the Model Master Oxide truck color on the trucks to the Valley Saddle Brown car body color they appear to be an exact match.

Underbody airbrushed Vallejo Saddle Brown.

Car body airbrushed Vallejo Saddle Brown.

Again when dry, the car body was airbrushed with Vallejo Gloss Medium 70.470 for a gloss base for the kit decals. After drying overnight, decals were applied. Kit decals were used except for the repack date from a used PRR decal set. I used photos of PRR box cars in the instructions and in Railway Prototype Cyclopedia RPC CYC 17 as a guide to apply decals for my built PRR box car I numbered 45648.

Due to the age of the decals, the kit decals were coated with Microscale Liquid Decal Film before application. When dry, decals were soaked off in distilled water and applied to the car body where MicroScale Micro Set had been applied with a brush. After the decal was applied in the Micro Set and positioned the edges had MicroScale Micro Sol applied. Any excess solution was sucked away with the torn edge of a paper towel. Again when dry, car body sprayed with Vallejo Gloss Varnish #70.510 to better hide edges of decals and protect decals during handling. Again when dry, the car body was sprayed with Model Master Acryl Flat Clear, #4636, to protect decals and provide a flat finish for weathering when applied.

Decals applied over gloss base.

One more step before putting Pennsylvania 45648 in service was to weather the car with Artmatic eye shadow and Pan Pastels. An Artmatic eye shadow color like a Dark Box Car Red was applied over entire car body. Pan Pastel Paynes Grey Extra Dark 840.1 was used on the roof and lightly over safety appliances on car body. Pan Pastel Neutral Grey Extra Dark 820.2 was applied with a soft sponge tip to side braces and end placard boards only.

PRR 45648 weathered.

Pennsylvania USRA single sheathed boxcar 45648 was ready for service on the Minneapolis & Northland Railroad Company, The Lakeland Route, “Serving today, Shaping tomorrow.” A car card was made for PRR 45648, the final step to put the a car in service on the Minneapolis & Northland Railroad Company Railroad.

PRR 45648 sitting in Chestnut Street Yard in
Minneapolis, MN waiting delivery.

Lester Breuer