Soo Line 39826 "sawtooth" Box Car

Soo Line single-sheathed "sawtooth" box car, Speedwitch Media kit K108.2, is out of the M&N Shops where it received number 39826,series 39200-40198. The Speedwitch Media kit instruction sheet history portion states these cars closely followed the Canadian Pacific Fowler design; however, with some exceptions. The most distinctive feature of the cars was the method used to tie the crossbearers and body bolsters into the side structural members. The zee bar structural members extended below the side sill and tied into the ends of the crossbearers and bolsters.  This arrangement has been called the "sawtooth" single sheathed design by freight car researchers. The Soo Line Freight Equipment and Cabooses book by Ken J. Soroos, on page 11, states in 1923 500 cars of the subject car were built by American Car & Foundry.  These cars were the last of the 40 ft. single-sheathed cars built with five-foot doors and peaked roofs. The cars became the dominant visual standard for Soo Line box cars into the 1950's.

Soo Line box car 39826 sitting on MILW Interchange

The kit has an excellent one piece body so no time is spent building the "box", that is assembling the ends, sides and roof. Therefore, you start by fitting the underbody into the car body.  The kit instructions are very complete and have good photos to guide you with the underbody work; however, I did make several changes.  I used Kadee #262 couplers boxes rather than the resin cast kit ones, brake levers were made from Evergreen #8108 1x8" and #8106 1x6" strip styrene, and flora wire, .019" diameter, was used for the train line.  A tee made available due to efforts of Tom Madden and Geroge Toman and printed by Shapeways was installed on the train line to hook up the Tichy Train Group (Tichy) , set #3013, dirt collector. In addition, Tichy, #8021, turnbuckles were used for clevises on the brake rodding and A-Line, #29219, black 40 links per inch was used. The Accurail Andrews trucks provided in the kit received InterMountain
33" metal wheels.

Click or tap on  any photo to enlarge

Note Tee fitting on train line

With underbody completed to my satisfaction, I turned to the "B" end details. Again the kit instructions have good photos to guide you when adding the details.  I added a bracket to the brake shaft and a two brackets to the retainer line on the "B" end.  I bent the uncoupling levers from Tichy, #1106, .0125" diameter phosphor bronze wire and installed them with the Detail Associates provided eyebolts for brackets.

On the sides I made only a minor change. I carved off the cast door handles and replaced them with ones I bent from .010" diameter brass wire.

New wire door handles make a difference

Next I completed the roof details.  All running boards are in the kit as is the 1x4" strip styrene you use to form the support brackets for the laterals.  I did add lateral support bracket fasteners using MEK Goop, plastic melted in MEK. I used Yarmouth Models Works etched eyebolts, #YMW 256, for the roof grab irons corner brackets rather than the supplied eyebolts. I also made the longitudinal running board extension support brackets from Evergreen, #8102, 1x2" strip styrene which can be see in the photo of the "B" end.

Bracket fasteners made with MEK

The Soo Line box car was now moved to the paint shop. Before paint application, I washed the car body with a makeup cotton swab dipped in 91% isopropyl alcohol to remove any final traces of mold release agent and build grime.  I next sprayed the underbody Vallejo Model Air Dark Grey Blue, 71.054 (tarnished black).  The color for the box car body was based on the paint color
mix of Zinc Chrome Primer with a touch of Red Oxide suggested in the kit instructions.  I used the suggested colors to create a paint mix of Polly Scale Zinc Chrome Primer, F414293, 50
drops and Model Master Oxide Red Flat, #4882, 10 drops, thinned with a custom thinner mix of distilled water, Vallejo air brush thinner and flow improver, to spray the car body. The paint
mix after applied to the car, in my opinion, is a nice match for colors photos of early Soo Line box cars in the Soo Line Equipment and Cabooses book by Ken Soroos.  Once the paint was dry
I sprayed the car body with Model Master, #4638, Gloss Clear Acryl for a decal base.  Kit decals, with design credit to Ken Soroos of the Soo Line Historical & Technical Society, were
applied using MicroScale Micro Set and Micro Sol.  Once dry the decals were cut through on board lines on the car body with a single-edged razor blade and recoated with MicroSclae Micro
Sol.  I like to cut the decals and recoat as it provides the model with the appearance that the lettering is really painted on the wood sides.  Again after the decals were dry the car body
was sprayed with Model Master, #4636, Flat Clear Acryl for decal and handling protection. No weathering yet as I like to give the paint several days to dry.



Soo Line box car 39826 on MILW Interchange

Soo Line single-sheathed "sawtooth" box car 39826 is now in service on the Minneapolis & Northland Railroad Company.  I soon hope to have it joined by a second car with the only exceptions being a small "WC" in the upper left corner on the side and a number in the series of these cars that went to the Wisconsin Central.

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 share the blog link with other model railroaders.
Lester Breuer

Painting Jigs

Once a resin or undecorated plastic freight car is finished, off to the paint booth it goes. After preparing the model via washing with liquid detergent soap or 91% isopropyl alcohol and drying (usually a hair dryer is used to speed up drying) the model is ready for paint. My paint choice today is normally an acrylic paint as Vallejo or Model Master.  I still have a supply of Model Master which was removed from the paint market.

I always begin painting a freight car with the underbody.   For this task I like to use  a jig/car holder made of brass that Joe Binish soldered up for me.  Joe used the article "Building an Adjustable Paint Stand"  that appeared in Railroad Model Craftsman in July 1997.  As the article title states the adjustable paint stand which I call a "car holder/jig" is adjustable enabling it to hold a 36 ft., 40 ft. or 50 ft. car.

Brass Car Holder jig.
(Click on this or any image to expand.)

Brass Car Holder Jig in adjusted position.

When I airbrush a freight car I begin by spraying the underbody first.  Since I mount trucks and couplers early in a freight car build to have them installed to get the car weighted properly I remove them and use the brass adjustable car holder.

Adjustable car holder used  to airbrush underbody
of a freight car.

The adjustable car holder is also useful for other painting tasks including the spraying of a tank car.  One other task I like the adjustable car holder for is the painting of a car end when it needs to be a different color, such as black, from the rest of the car body.

Adjustable car holder with car taped
ready to have end airbrushed.

Once I have the underbody sprayed I remount the trucks and couplers and proceed with the car body color or colors.  I used to tape off the underbody; however, I believed there had to be a better way.  My solution to avoid the taping off  the underbody after spraying  is a simple jig/car holder anyone can build or use.  I use this car holder/jig with trucks and couplers mounted as you can just drop in the car as the cardboard sides protect the underbody and trucks.

The car holder/jig consists of a piece of lumber, 3/4" x 3 1/2" x 6", four nails inserted as shown in the photo and a 3/4" band  cut from cardboard surrounding the nails.  The band has a cutout on each end for the coupler to sit in. The dimensions in the photo are for a 40 ft. HO scale freight car.

A simple to make car holder with wood,
cardboard and four nails.

 I can not avoid taping completely as the couplers, in my opinion, still need to be covered with tape to maintain proper working order.  The car is placed in the jig/car holder and sprayed using airbrush or paint "rattle" can. The jig is especially handy for a RTR car or any car that needs a quick clear coat. Just drop the car in and spray.  

Car in car holder/jig with couplers taped

I have made car holders/jigs for longer cars.  Of course, the longer jigs can also be used for shorter cars.  The longer car holders were made using no nails at the corners of the 3/4" cardboard band.   I found 3M Blue painters tape worked just fine to hold the 3/4" cardboard bands to the wood base.

Car holder/jig for longer cars.

                                       

The simple jigs/car holders I have shown and described here have saved me a lot of time in the Minneapolis & Northland Railroad Company Paint Shop.  I hope you will find the same is true for you should you give them a try.

There are many other car holders or jigs for painting freight cars that individuals have made and shared with modelers.   One such car holder is made with folded cardboard stapled to a wood base.  This car holder can be found in the May 1995 issue of Model Railroader on page 148.   Another car holder is one using wire mounted on a wood base.  The wire is inserted into the bolster holes for truck mounting to hold the car for painting.  This car holder/jig can be found in the February 1996 issue of Model Railroad on page 163 or in the September 1984 issue of Model Railroader on page 147.

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 provide your name if you choose to leave a comment.   Please share the blog link with other model railroaders.
Lester Breuer

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Swift Refrigerator Line 14973

Swift Refrigerator Line 14973, another Walthers kit 932-2551, is out of the M&N Shops and back in service on the railroad.  Swift Refrigerator Line 14973 began service in 1996 as did 14970.  The car received the same detail changes except for the Royal slack adjuster as Swift Refrigerator Line 14970 described in detail on this blog . On this car the Royal slack adjuster installed was a resin cast part from the parts inventory rather than being scratch built as on Swift Refrigerator Line 14970. You can enjoy the photos and if you wish to read the upgrade details please find Swift Refrigerator Line 14970.

Car on Swift plant siding.

 

Click or tap on photos to enlarge

 

Cars sitting on Swift plant siding after icing at Kool Ice

 

 

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 share the blog link with other model railroaders.
Lester Breuer