Grand Trunk Western Double Door BoxCar 585034

My freight car fleet continues to grow with the addition of a Funaro & Camerlengo, kit 6252, Grand Trunk Western double door box car 585034, series 584702-585201.  All prototype cars had Dreadnaught ends of three section design with 3-3-3 rib arrangement and a Hutchins Dry Lading roof.  Double door cars had 12’-0” door openings.   Standard components used on these cars included Youngstown steel doors with Camel hardware.  In the 1940s and later, AB brakes were added as were Ajax brake wheels.  The trucks were ARA cast steel sideframe type.  Photos of identical and  modified cars delivered at the same time to the Cental Vermont can be viewed in Steam Era Freight Cars Reference Manual Vol. One: Box and Automobile Cars (Speedwitch Media 2006, 2007) p. 97 and Model Railroader, August 2001 ( Kalmbach Publishing Co.) p. 65. 

GTW 585048  photo on Funaro & Camerlengo kit box

Funero & Camerlengo kit 6252 is a flat kit so assembly of the basic body is required.   After a quick review of the sides I found no support for the underbody to rest on when installed.  Therefore, I measured the thickness of the under body at the bolster  and used this measurement to draw a line from the bottom of each side.  Above the line I installed a styrene strip, Evergreen #135, .030 x 100” to make a support for the under body to rest on when installed.  Now, I assembled the car body.  Rather  than follow the assembly method in the instructions I used the method I have always used.  I glued each end to a side to form an “L”.  The two “L”s are glued together to form a basic box to which the roof is added.  For assembly details and photos using this method you can click on “ resin car body assembly” under “labels” in the sidebar.  I added additional bracing, Evergreen #164, .080 x .080” strip styrene in the corners and a baffle cut from Evergreen .060”, sheet styrene to prevent sides from bowing in.  

Bottom view of basic box with under body
 support and corner bracing.
(Click or tap on this or any photo to enlarge)

Top view of basic box with baffle and corner bracing before rood added.

With the car body assembled, I fitted the under body; however, it is not glued in yet.  First, the coupler pocket pads, after the Kadee #262 box location is determined, and bolster center plate are drilled and tapped for 2-56 screws.  The Kadee  coupler boxes with #148 couplers inserted were installed with Accurail #150, 2-56 x 3/16” pan head screws.  Accurail trucks with InterMountain 33” metal wheel sets were installed with Athearn #99002, 2-56 x 1/4” round head screws.  With trucks and couplers attached the under body is inserted into the car body and placed on a postal scale to determine how much weight needs to be added to bring the car to 3.8 ounces.   After adding the weight required, I use electrical outlet box punch outs attached with Permatex, the floor is glued into the car body. 

Under body inserted and glued into car body after weight added..

Next, I added the ladders to sides and ends.  The plastic kit ladders have a sill step molded as part of the ladder that is cut off prior to install.  I like to install the ladders on the car body first as they aid in positioning other parts such as the brake step on the “B”end.  After the ladders, grab irons, straight and drop wire type provided in the kit were installed on the sides and ends in #79 drilled holes below molded on fasteners.

Ladders installed after sill step portion cut off.

The roof was next.  The roof included in the kit is not a Hutchins Dry Lading roof  so I reworked it to look like one.  On a line drawn on the area in-between the roof ribs was scribed creating a groove into which Plastruct #90850, .010” styrene round rod was glued. A piece of cardboard with centerline was used to mark the roof with a line for the scriber to follow to cut a groove.  In the end of each roof rib a “v” notch was cut and filed to match the prototype.  

Cardboard with line for marking line on roof
 and scriber used to make roof modifications.

Kit roof modified to look like a Hutchins Dry Lading roof.

The  running boards provided in the kit were installed next.  The longitudinal  running board brackets on the car ends were made from Evergreen #8102, 1 x 2” strip styrene.  The latitudinal running board brackets are also 1 x 2 “ strip styrene bent to the rounded shape using a round needle nose pliers.  The corner roof grab irons in the kit were installed with Yarmouth Model Works #356, etched eyebolts for corner legs.

Hutchins Dry Lading roof I made with running boards installed.

Hutchins Dry Lading roof with running boards installed.

With roof complete, I went back to work on the sides.  The lower door tracks, Plastruct #90501, 3/64” styrene angle were installed with Evergreen #142, .040 x.040” strip styrene for backing under door area (visible in under body photo).  MEK Goop (plastic melted in MEK) was used to extend door guides onto door tracks.  On upper door tracks, end door stops were bent from Tichy Train Group (Tichy) #1101, .010” diameter phosphor bronze (PBW) wire and installed.  Molded on door handles were cut off. New door handles bent from Tichy# 1101, .010” PBW installed.  A-Line # 29000, style A, sill steps (stirrup) installed in drilled #76 holes.  The sill step under the ladder is a #29000 straightened and rebent to shape to match prototype (best view of it is in ladder photo above).  Finally, the door placard boards were installed.

Side with all details installed.

Now I turned to the “B” end details. The kit brake step (platform) and brackets, brake housing and chain and bell crank, all from Tichy #3013 set in kit, were installed. A brake rod, Tichy #1102, .015” diameter wire, was installed in-between chain end and bell crank.  The brake rod clevis to attach brake rod to bell crank was made with MEK Goop; however, a Tichy turnbuckle could be used.   A Sunshine Models resin retainer valve from spare parts box was installed followed by a retainer line and brackets, Tichy #1100, .008” diameter PBW.  A Kadee #2020, Adjax brake wheel was installed.  An uncoupling lever bent from Tichy #1106 .0125” diameter PBW was installed here and on the “A” end in mounting brackets, eyebolts bent from Tichy #1101, .010" diameter PBW.

"B" end with details installed.

With the car body details added I did the under body detail work.  Tichy AB brake components from Tichy #3013 set in kit were installed on the molded under body brackets with the exception of the brake cylinder.  The molded on brake cylinder bracket was removed ( see location in photo of under body above) due to being located too far back for the short brake cylinder piston clevis to reach the brake cylinder lever when installed.  A Sunshine Models brake cylinder mounting bracket from the spare parts box was installed forward of the old location (see new position in photo below).  The brake cylinder was mounted on the newly installed brake cylinder bracket.  The other under body details installed:

     - Piping from air reservoir to control valve, Tichy #1101 .010" diameter PBW
     - Pipe from back of brake cylinder to control valve, Tichy #1102 .015" diameter PBW
     - Brake levers, Evergreen #8108, 1 x 8" and  #8106 1 x 6" strip styrene
     - Brake rods, Tichy #1106, .0125" diameter PBW
     - Clevises, Turnbuckles, Tichy #8021, used to attach brake rods to brake levers
     - Slack adjuster is a resin part from parts box
     - Train line is .018" diameter flora wire
     - Dirt collector, Tichy set #3010
     - Tee and unions on piping made with MEK Goop (plastic melted in MEK)

To install the train line, I used a drill 4" long I made from .032" diameter K&S piano wire to drill the holes for installing the train line.

Under body with details installed.

The detail work on the car was now complete so I moved it to the paint shop.

Car is ready for paint shop.

In the paint shop the car is wiped down with a makeup swab dipped in 91% isopropyl alcohol to remove any build grime.  The car under body was sprayed with Vallejo Model Air #71.054, Dark Grey Blue.   The car body was sprayed with Model Air Vallejo/MicroMark #29015x2, Box Car Red.  Both Model Air paints are to be air brush ready; however I found were too thick for spraying out of the bottle and had to have thinner mixed into them.  My paint mix for both paints was 40 drops paint and 20 drops thinner.  For the car body, I had to make the mix three times to get the paint coverage I wanted.  Once dry, the car body was sprayed with Polly Scale #404100, Clear Gloss Finish for decal base.  The Polly Scale like the Vallejo paints had to be mixed with thinner and again 40 drops of gloss and 20 drops thinner.  The car was let dry overnight.  As the under body, the trucks were painted with Vallejo Model Air #71.054, Dark Grey Blue; however, hand painted rather than sprayed.

Paint applied.  Car ready for lettering.

Paint applied.  Car ready for lettering.

Under body in paint.

The next day decals provided in the kit and decals I made were applied using Microscale Micro Set and Micro Sol.   I made the chalk marks decals by hand applying Vallejo Model Color White #70.951 white paint with a 3/0 brush to scrap decal paper and  the reweigh date by applying Clover House dry transfers, 1/32" condensed bold - white, from set 9600-11, to scrap decal paper.  Both chalk marks and Clover House lettering were coated with Microscale Liquid Decal Film to make a water slide decal.  Once dry the car body was sprayed with Vallejo Matt Varnish #70.520.

GTW 585034 lettered  after Polly Scale Clear Gloss  Finish was dry.

The next morning the car body was weathered using a makeup brush and micro applicators with the following Pan Pastels:  Burnt Sienna, 740.5 over entire car body, Raw Umber 780.5, No. 5 paint brush along sills, Red Iron Oxide Ex. Dark 380.1, with micro applicator very lightly over lettering to tone it down,  and Black 800.5 on roof and lightly over rest of car body.  The under body received only Paynes Grey Ex. Dark 840.1 applied with makeup brush.

GTW 585034 sitting on Dawkins siding.

"B" end photo of GTW 585034

After a car card was printed, Grand Trunk Western double door box 585034 car joined Grand Trunk Western one and one-half door box car 583699 in service.  GTW 583699, Funaro & Camerlengo kit 6651,  1 1/2 door box car has been in service since I built it in 2015.

GTW 585034 and 583699 on sitting on Dawkins siding.

Aerial view of GTW 585034 and 583699
to see scratch built Hutchins roofs.

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

Pennsylvania X26c Box Car 104822

To add another eastern road car to my freight car roster, I chose a Funaro & Camerlengo, kit 8010, one piece body Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) box car, number 104822, series 104260-107759.  The box car is a  USRA single-sheathed box car rebuilt in Pennsylvania Car Shops in 1945 to 1949  and placed in  PRR class X26c.  The rebuilt cars received steel sides, doors, running boards, power hand brakes, roofs and AB brakes.  The early rebuilt cars received a Murphy rectangular panel roof which this car has.  And, the car has a Youngstown steel door, one of the door types used.  The kit instructions have photos of cars numbered 104260  and 105969 in this series.   Sharper photos of 104260 showing side and 3/4 view are in Railway Prototype Cyclopedia, RP CYC 17, (RPC CYC Publishing Company, 2008), on page 44.  An internet search of this PRR car class produces black and white and color images for modeling use including a sharp photo of 104260 on Steam Era Freight Cars.

Steam Era Freight Cars, Prototype Photo Gallery
Box car class X26c : rebuilt 1945, Hagley Museum and Library,
Negative No. 88, Box 2

Since the car body was a one piece body I began the build removing flash from the car body and fitting the under body.   Before installing the under body, I installed Kadee #262 coupler pockets with Kadee #148 “whisker” couplers inserted and modified Accurail #166, Andrews trucks with 33” InterMountain wheels.  I used the Andrews truck since many of the rebuilds retained their original Andrews trucks.  Other data sources list the trucks for this car as 2D-F3 with coil springs only and in parenthesis is Andrews.  Next the car body and under body with couplers and trucks were put on a postal scale to determine how much weight I needed to add to bring the car weight to 3.8 ounces.  I added weight needed using electrical outlet box punch outs.  A photo of the weights added to a car can be viewed in “resin car body assembly” on sidebar under “Labels”.

Under body installed after weight added.
(Click or tap on any photo to enlarge)

Once the under body was installed into the car body I decided to work on the side and end ladders.  I could not find any commercial ladders to match the prototype so I decided to scratch built them.  I used the Thales theorem, dividing  a line segment  into equal parts ( for these ladders the line is the distance between the top and bottom rung) to determine the placement of rungs for the seven rung ladders.  If you are not familiar with this method you can type, “divide straight line into equal parts” into Google to find videos describing and showing how to use this theorem.  Once I determined the rung spacing I made a pattern and I scratch built the ladders from with Evergreen #120, .020 x .020” strip styrene stiles and Plastruct #90850, .010” styrene round rod.  I have described the build of these ladders with photos in “ladders” on the sidebar under “Labels”.

Scratch built ladders installed

With the ladders installed, I added the side and end grab irons next.   The straight wire grab irons in the kit could only be used for the two sill grab irons on each end.   The other side and end grab irons on the prototype are a bracket type (not in the kit, only called “special” in the kit instructions).  I made the bracket grab irons with Tichy Train Group (Tichy) #1101, .010” diameter phosphor bronze wire (PBW) and MEK Goop (plastic melted in MEK).  Of course, you could use commercial bracket grab irons if choose; however, none that I am aware of will match the type on this car (see prototype photo above).  I continued work on the sides by bending A-Line #29000, style “A” sill steps ("strap" or "stirrup steps") into the shape on the prototype and installing them.  And, after installing the kit provided doors, I removed the molded on door handles and added door handles bent from Tichy #1101, .010” diameter PBW.  The kit placard boards for the doors were also installed.

Side with details added.

Next I turned my attention to the roof.   I replaced the kit running boards cast from resin and wire roof grab irons with Kadee #2000, Apex running boards.  Since the Kadee longitudinal running board brackets did not reach the molded on fastener portion on the car body, I cut them off and used Evergreen #8102, 1 x 2 “ strip styrene cut to proper length to replace them.

Roof with Kadee Apex running board added.

The “B” end details were added next.  I installed an etched Plano Model Products  #11322 Apex brake step (platform) which has brackets attached. I installed a Tichy brake housing and chain, and bell crank from set #3013.  The brake rod installed between chain and bell crank  is cut from Tichy #1102, .015” PBW.   A Precision Scale # 31796, retainer valve was installed followed by a retainer line and brackets, Tichy # 1101, .008” diameter PBW.  A Kadee #2041, Equipco, brake wheel was installed.  In other photos I looked at, the car had an Adjax brake wheel.  Uncoupling levers bent from Tichy #1106, .0125" diameter PBW  ( see "uncoupling levers" under "Labels" on sidebar) were installed in brackets made from Evergreen #291, .060" angle and shaped with PBL #803 nipper.   Finally, placard boards were installed on the “B” and “A” end.

"B" with added details. Note the running board brackets.

Note uncoupling lever and bracket.  

Next I installed the under body details which I normally do first; however, on this car last.  I used the resin cast brake components provided in the kit after drilling #79 holes in them to accept piping and making an additional change to the brake cylinder.  On the brake cylinder I drilled a hole into the front to accept a brake cylinder piston with clevis from Tichy set #3013.  Brake components were installed on mounting brackets provided in the kit.  Brake lever hangers, kit grab irons, were installed in #79 drilled holes whose spacing was determined using a divider, set to the width of the grab iron rung.  Brake levers were made with Evergreen strip styrene: #8108, 1 x 8” for the brake cylinder lever and Evergreen #8106, 1 x 6” for the floating lever.  The slack adjuster (floating lever fulcrum) was cut from the discarded resin floating kit brake lever and installed on the new styrene floating lever. 

Next the piping and brake rods were installed.  Piping from the air reservoir to the control valve, Tichy #1101, .010” diameter PBW.  The pipe from the back of the brake cylinder to the control valve Tichy #1106, .0125” diameter PBW.  Brake rods, Tichy #1106, .0125” diameter PBW with clevises, Tichy #8021 turnbuckles, used to attach them to brake levers.  The chain  between the brake rod and brake cylinder lever is A-Line #29219, black 40 links per inch.  A train line, .019” diameter flora wire, was installed to which the dirt collector, Tichy set #3013, pipe was attached with a tee made with MEK Goop.

Under body with detail parts installed.

Once I had the under body finished, the car was moved to the paint shop. The car body was wiped with a makeup cotton swab dipped in 91% isopropyl alcohol to remove any grime collected during the build.  After it was dry, the car body and under body were sprayed using an airbrush with Vallejo Model Color Red Leather #70.818.  After drying overnight the car body was sprayed with Polly Scale Clear Gloss Finish, F404100,  for a decal base and again let dry overnight.  Trucks were hand painted with Vallejo Model Color Red Leather and wheel sets Vallejo Model Color 70.682 Black Grey.

Car body sprayed with Vallejo Model Color Red Leather.

Lettering was done with kit provided decals applied with Microscale Set and Sol using photo sources mentioned above.  I chose number 104822 from the decal set as it was the closest to 104260.  After drying, the car body was sprayed with Vallejo Matt Varnish 70.520 to protect decals during handling.

Car body is lettered and clear coated.

After the car came out of the paint shop the car was weathered with a makeup brush and Pan Pastels: Burnt Sienna 740.3 brushed on car body and roof, Black 800.5 brushed over the the Burnt Sienna on roof , and Paynes Grey Ex. Dark 840.1 brushed on the under body.  I find you get a different weathering appearance using a brush rather than the Pan Pastel sponges.  After weathering and car card made, PRR 104822 rebuilt USRA box car was placed into service on my Minneapolis & Northland Railroad Company.

PRR 104822 waiting delivery in Minneapolis Chestnut Street Yard.

"B" end of  PRR 104822 in Minneapolis Chestnut Street Yard.

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