Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Flat Car 91248

At Chicagoland RPM 2019 I purchased Jerry Hamsmith’s Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, CB&Q  class FM-11 Flat Car resin kit.  I built the flat car and numbered it 91248. The prototype flat cars were built in the CB&Q Galesburg Shops, station symbol GT, in Galesburg, Illinois, in 1928 and 1929.  The 45 ft. long steel cars with fish belly side sills and mostly equipped Andrews trucks were assigned to series 91000 to 91429.  

Great Falls, Montana, October 12,1976
Bruce Black photo. Jerry Hamsmith photo collection.

After reading the instructions, like every resin kit I began removing the flash from the carbody, underbody, deck and detail parts.  On a flat car flash removal also includes cleaning up the stake pockets.  And, the stake pocket cleanup does take some time to complete.  I used a broach and small diamond needle file to complete this task.  Once flash was removed, the underbody was glued into the car body leaving a cavity on the deck side to allow the addition of weight.

Cavity on deck side after car underbody inserted into carbody.
( click or tap on this or any photo to enlarge )

I returned to the underbody to add the kit provided brake components, Tichy Train Group (Tichy), set #3013,  and resin cast detail parts:  brake component brackets , diagonal corner braces, coupler pockets and covers.  I continued work on the underbody installing a train line using .018" diameter floral wire.  A neat feature of this kit, the underframe is cast with the holes in the underframe members for the train line.  I drilled and tapped the truck bolster center plate, coupler pockets and covers for 2-56 screws.  Kadee #148 couplers rather than the kit provided Kadee #158 couplers and Tahoe Model Works, TMW #112, Andrews trucks ( not in kit)  were installed with Fastenal 2-56 x 1/4" screws.

Brake components, corner braces and coupler pockets installed.

Train line, trucks and couplers added.

Back to the deck to fill the cavity with .040" sheet lead cut to fit.  The sheet lead weight plus the trucks and couplers weight the car to 2.0 ounces which is under the recommended NMRA weight; however, a load will easily add additional needed weight.  If deck thickness is not a concern a second  sheet lead weight cut to match the deck size could be cut from .040" sheet lead and installed on the car body under the deck to add 1.5 ounces.

Sheet lead, .040" thick installed in cavity.

With the deck cavity filled I fitted the deck after making a cut in-between each deck board with an UMM saw.  The deck is now set aside for finishing and installation after the car body is complete and painted.  Before returning to complete the underbody detail I installed the resin cast brake housing on the "B" end sill.  A brake shaft cut from Tichy #1102, .015" phosphor bronze wire (PBW) with the a Tichy brake wheel, set #3013, added was installed in the brake housing.  A brake wheel fastener was made with MEK Goop.

Floor fitted and brake housing, brake shaft and wheel installed.

Now back to the under body to complete this part of the build.  First I installed the piping from the air reservoir to the control valve, Tichy #1101, .010" diameter PBW followed by the pipe from the back of the brake cylinder to the control valve, Tichy #1106, .0125" diameter PBW.  Next, the dirt collector, Tichy set #3013, was installed.  Brake levers, cut from Evergreen #8108 1 x 8" and #8106 1 x 6" strip styrene ( click "brake levers" under "labels" on sidebar for making) were installed.  Brake rods, Tichy #1106, .0125" PBW, with Tichy Turnbuckles #8021 for clevises to attach them to brake levers were installed.   Chain, A-Line 40 links per inch, was used to connect brake rod to brake cylinder lever.

On this car I added the brake rod and chain going to the brake housing.  I used soft fine .007" radio coil wire passed thru a chain link to connect the chain to the brake shaft.  I wrapped the fine wire around the brake shaft several times to make it look as if the chain was attached to the brake shaft.   A retainer line, Tichy #1100, .008" diameter PBW was added.

The final detail installed was a brake housing brace I cut from scrap photo etched brass with a Xuron #9180 shear to replace the resin one provided in the kit.  The brace is located on  the "B" end on the bottom of the brake housing and extends to the coupler pocket.  The fasteners were made with MEK Goop.

 

Under body work completed.

Brake housing with brake shaft with radio coil wire wraps to simulate chain installed.

Now to complete the car body details.  Grab irons, Tichy #1101 .010" diameter PBW, were installed on the sides and sill ends.  A-Line sill steps, #29000, were bent per photos shown in the instruction sheet to match those on the prototype and installed.  On the ends, uncoupling levers bent from Tichy #1106, .0125" diameter wire with eye bolt brackets bent from Tichy #1101, .010" diameter PBW were installed.

Grab irons and sill steps after bending installed.

Uncoupling levers are installed.

With car body and underbody details added the car was ready for paint.   The deck was hand painted Polly Scale Depot Buff, F414278, and let dry overnight.  The next day a Minwax Wood Finish Stain Marker, Cherry #235, was used to add additional color.  Once the stain was dry, dirty DioSol thinner and residue from the DioSol bottle used to clean paint brushes after use was used to weather the deck.  The residue results when the thinner sets over a period of time and paint particles settle out of the thinner creating a residue I call "gunk."  I use the dirty thinner for a wash or I tip the bottle sideways to  dip the brush in the "gunk" to weather the deck.

Finished deck sitting on car body to be attached
 when car body is painted and  decals applied.

A 3/4 view of finished deck.

The car body and underbody were sprayed Vallejo Model Color Mahogany Brown 70.845 which was  thinned 50% paint and 50% custom mixed thinner.  The custom thinner is a mix of distilled water, Vallejo Air Brush Thinner and Vallejo Air Brush Flow Improver.  After drying overnight, the car body was sprayed with Vallejo Gloss Medium 70.470 to provide a gloss surface for decal application.  Once the gloss was dry the deck was attached to the car body with Pacer Formula 560 canopy glue and  a few edge areas with Zap CA.

Car body sprayed Vallejo Model Color Mahogany Brown
and Vallejo Gloss Medium

A better view of the added deck.

Under body sprayed with Vallejo Model Color Mahogany Brown only.

Decals provided in the kit were applied with Microscale Micro Set and Micro Sol.  Once the decals were dry the carbody was sprayed Vallejo Matt Varnish 70.520 to provide a protective coat for handling and weathering.

Car is painted, decals applied as is protective coat.

I added some light weathering with Pan Pastels using mico applicators and blended the weathering with small makeup sponges.  Pan Pastels used:  Burnt Sienna 740.5 on sides and ends, Paynes Grey Ext. Dark 840.1 on trucks and rivet lines, Red Iron Oxide Extra Dark 380.1 lightly over lettering to tone it down and Neutral Grey Extra Dark 820.2 on truck springs, wheels and sill steps.

Weathering applied.

3/4 view with weathering applied.

After weathering, the car went into service on the Minneapolis & Northland Railroad Company.

CB&Q 91248 sitting on Dawkins siding waiting pickup.

CB&Q 91248 sitting on Dawkins siding waiting pickup.

CB&Q 91248 sitting on Dawkins Siding next
to Great Northern Interchange waiting pickup.

I want to say, "Thank You" to Jerry Hamsmith for producing the kit and providing color prototype photo and permission to use the photo from his collection on this blog.  I also wish to say, "Thank You" to Ed Rethwisch, who created the master and Frank Hodina who contributed to the model.  An excellent model I recommend to any modeler.  And, yes even for a beginner as the excellent instructions and instruction photos can help the modeler produce a fine model.  In addition to trucks, the modeler does need to provide brass wire for the grabs, piping, brake rods, brake shaft and sill steps.





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Lester Breuer