Chicago, Burlington And Quincy Box Cars 34649 and 35503

 From the to build cabinet I took two InterMountain Chicago, Burlington & Quincy box car kits: 41805-07 with car number 35649 that I changed to 34649  (prototype series 34600-34855) and  41805-08 numbered 35703 that I changed to 35503 (prototype series 35000-36999) during the build.  The numbers were among changes needed to match the prototype box cars of which 16,205 were built by the CB&Q starting in 1940 and ending in 1958.

The prototype Chicago, Burlington & Quincy (CB&Q) box cars were built at their car shops in Havelock, Nebraska.  Initially the cars were classified XM-32 and later with sub-classes A to E.  The car dimensions, including a 10’ 6” inside height, did not change over the production years; however, various components as doors, roofs and ends did.   I chose to focus on the the XM-32A series 40 foot box cars produced from 1945 through 1948.  The XM-32A series cars were built with 10 panel sides and the 4/4 improved Dreadnaught (rolling pin style ribs) ends starting in 1945.  The top rib did not extend to the ends of the car as the other ribs.  Other features of these cars were an improved Murphy raised panel roof with steel Apex running boards, steel brake platform, sill tabs with not the normal sill tab profile and Youngstown doors.   Youngstown doors on car series 34600-34855, 1945 builds, were the Camel 5-6-5 type and on car series 35000-36999, 1947 builds, the modern Improved 5/6/6.  (The numbers refer to the flat areas between the ribs on door).  The cars rode on American Steel Foundries (ASF) trucks the CB&Q  identified as ASF #67 trucks.   The closet model truck being the Tahoe Double Truss truck.

Author photo of CB&Q 35000, Class XM-32A
 in Mainline Modeler article.
Original Jerry Hamsmith Collection.
(click or tap on this or any image to enlarge)

Author photo of  CB&Q 35000, Class XM-32A 
 in Mainline Modeler article.
Original Jerry Hamsmith Collection

An excellent series of three articles by Jerry Hamsmith on the CB&Q XM-32 and sub-classes appeared in the Mainline Modeler in 1993 and 1994.  Photos including color photos of various cars appear in the articles.  In addition to photos, there are production tables and a car diagram showing sides, ends, roof and underbody.  Color photos including CB&Q 33318 can be viewed in CB&Q Color Guide to Freight and Passenger Equipment (Morning Sun Books, Inc., 1995) and a color photo of CB&Q 36196 can be viewed in 1950s Freight Car Color Guide, Volume 1 : Boxcars (Morning Sun Books, Inc., 2022)

My build started with the build of CB&Q box car with number 34649.   The build began with the car body assembly.   A plastic Red Caboose roof with accurate width raised panels was used rather then the InterMountain panel roof.  The roof was not glued until the car was weighted to 3.8 ounces with stick on car weights placed in the car interior.

Red Caboose Roof installed.

After removal of molded on brake component mounts, the underframe was glued to the car body with MEK.  If you use MEK be sure to provide yourself  good ventilation.  Kadee #262 coupler boxes with Kadee #148 couplers  inserted were installed with Fastenal 2-56 x 3/16” screws.  The area between the bolsters and coupler pockets was filled with Evergreen #274 I-Beam strip styrene to have complete frame.  Prior to installing trucks, the bolster square center plate had to be carved off to obtain proper coupler height and car height from rails.  Tahoe Model Works, TMW-107,  Double Truss AAR 50 trucks were installed with Fastenal 2-56 x 1/4” screws.

Underbody basic work.

Brake components install followed.  A brake cylinder and air reservoir, Tichy Train Group (Tichy) AB set #3013, and AB valve from kit were installed.  Brake mounting component brackets used were as follows:  air reservoir .010 strip styrene with MEK fasteners, AB valve, Cal Scale, set #190-283 and for the brake cylinder a resin Sunshine Models.  A train line, Tichy #1114, .020 phosphor bronze wire (PBW) was installed.  The holes for the train line were drilled with a 4 inch .034 piano wire sharpened at the tip.  Remember safety if using this type of made piano wire drill if chucked in a motor tool.   Upon startup in a motor tool you need to hold the drill so that it will bend into a whip and rotate at a speed that could cause severe injury.

Brake components installed on underbody.

Back to the car body to change the numbers.   On the car body side number, the number “5” was removed from car number with cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol and scratch brush.   A number “4” from a Champ Private Name Numbers set was used to add the 4.  On the ends, the number “5” came from Champ Decals Numbers NoX-1 set.

In car number "5" removed.

In car number "4" applied.

Car number change completed on ends.

After the number change I installed Kadee, #2000, running boards on the car roof.

Kadee running boards installed.

Next, car ladders, Yarmouth Model Works ladder stiles, #303, 8 rung 18 inch, with Tichy #1101, .010 diameter phosphor bronze wire (PBW) rungs and styrene Evergreen #111, .015 x .020 standoffs on backside for mounting were installed.

Photo etched ladders installed.

Off to the paint shop to airbrush roof and back to the work desk to brush paint the ladders with Vallejo Model Color Cavalry Brown 70.982.

Roof and running boards airbrushed to match car body.

Once paint was dry, work on the B end was next.  The following B end detail parts were installed 

• Plano Apex metal brake step, #131-12 set 
• Brake step brackets, kit
• Brake housing, kit
• Brake housing chain, Precision Scale Co. #48553, 34 links per inch
• Brake shaft clevis to attach brake shaft to bell crank, Tichy Turnbuckle #8021
• Brake shaft, Tichy #1102, .015” diameter PBW 
• Retainer valve, Precision Scale, plastic #31796
• Retainer line and brackets, Tichy #1100, .008” diameter PBW
• Placard boards, kit
• Grab iron sill brackets from scrap strip styrene

Work on B started.

After the above parts were installed, I installed the brake wheel, Kadee Miner #2032.   The brake wheel mounting hole was enlarged with #56 .0465 drill.  The install of grab irons followed.   The sill grab irons were bent from Tichy #1101, .010 diameter PBW.   The sill grab iron on the right side required making the brackets (not molded on) which was done with scrap strip styrene and sanded to match left side grab iron brackets.  The other end grab iron was done with the kit bracket grab iron installed followed by cutting off the handhold with a PBL nipper and installing a wire handhold bent from Tichy #1101, .010 diameter PBW. 

Additional work on B end done.

 

The work on the sides was next.   On the side the following details were installed and hand painted with Vallejo Model Color Cavalry Brown 70.982.   A excellent match for the InterMountain factory paint.

• Bracket grab irons, Kadee #2250 
• Sill steps, A-Line #29000
• Sill step fasteners were made with MEK Goop (MEK with plastic melted in it). 
• Placard boards, kit
• Sill tabs with notched corners, cut corners and sanded to match prototype
• Door handles, molded on carved off and bent wire, Tichy #1101, .010 PBW

Side upgrade done.

Back to the B end to make and add a corner uncoupling lever bracket, scrap strip styrene with an installed eye bolt I bent from Tichy #1101, .010 diameter PBW.  Again Vallejo Model Color Cavalry Brown 70.982 was used to brush paint the added uncoupling levers.

Uncoupling levers installed.

Uncoupling levers installed.

With the uncoupling levers installed, the car body work was finished.   Therefore, the underbody work was done.  Underbody work consisted of adding the brake levers, dirt collector, piping and brake rods to the prior installed brake components as follows:

• Brake levers, kit with plastic piping cut off
• Brake lever hangers, kit plastic grab irons
• Dirt collector and pipe, kit
• Piping from air reservoir to AB valve, Tichy # 1101, .010 diameter PBW
• Pipe from brake cylinder to AB valve, Tichy #1106, .0125 diameter PBW
• Brake rods, Tichy #1106, .0125 diameter PBW
• Brake rod clevises to attach to brake levers, MEK Goop

Underbody upgrade ready for paint.

And, Vallejo Model Color Cavalry Brown #70.982 used to hand paint the installed parts and dry brush the trucks.

Underbody painted.

Upon review of the upgrade work I realized on the side lettering I had not changed the reweigh date.  So reweigh date removed with isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab, Future Floor Finish was applied with brush in reweigh area for gloss base for applying new reweigh date of “Cent 4-53” with K-4 decals.  When reweigh date was dry the car was moved to the paint shop where car body was airbrushed Vallejo Gloss Varnish 70.510.  And, when gloss varnish coat dry, airbrushed Model Master Acryl  Flat Clear #4636.  

Reweigh date changed.

CB&Q 34649 ready for weathering.

Chicago, Burlington And Quincy 34649 was set aside for later weathering with CB&Q 35503 when finished.  CB&Q 35503 was now built; however, with some component changes from CB&Q 34649.  The component changes made in the build of CB&Q 35503 are as follows:

• roof, a resin casting made in M&N Shops with Red Caboose roof as master for mold

Resin car roof installed.

• doors, 5/6/6 resin cast in M&N Shops with Tangent door as master for mold
• Roof after sides taped off airbrushed Vallejo Surface Primer 70.601 prior to body color

Resin cast doors installed.

• Car number changed on side and ends

Car number changed on sides.

Car number changed on ends.

• Uncoupling lever bracket, Yarmouth Model Works #507

Uncoupling lever and bracket installed.

• underbody parts changes included:
• resin cast brake cylinder in M&N Shops with Tichy piston from Tichy AB set #3013 installed
• Brake cylinder lever made from #8108 Evergreen strip styrene
• Floating brake lever made from Evergreen #8106 strip styrene

Underbody ready for paint.

The remaining build components as the use of photo etched ladders did not change on CB&Q 35503.

CB&Q 35503 photo etched ladders installed.

After all detail parts painted, a gloss and flat coat applied, CB&Q 35503 was ready for weathering.   Both CB&Q 34649 and CB&Q 35503 were weathered with Pan Pastels.  On both cars only Paynes Grey Extra Dark 840.1 was applied using a makeup brush, micro applicator for areas between ladder rungs and and cotton swab for removing excess.

CB&Q 34649 weathered.

CB&Q 34649 weathered.

CB&Q 34649 weathered.

CB&Q 35503 weathered.

CB&Q 35503 weathered.

With weathering done, CB&Q 34649 and 35503 were ready for service on the Minneapolis & Northland Railroad Company, The Lakeland Route, “Serving today, Shaping tomorrow.”  A car card was made for each, the final step to put a car in service on the Minneapolis & Northland Railroad Company Railroad.

Car sitting at Bass Lake Jct. Team Track

Car sitting at Bass Lake Jct. Team Track

Car sitting at Bass Lake Jct. Team Track

Car sitting at Bass Lake Jct. Team Track

I want to say, “Thank You” to Jerry Hamsmith for permission to use photos from his Mainline Modeler articles and a “Thank You” to Nelson Moyer for providing his notes on the build of his CB&Q XM-32 freight cars.

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.  All comments are reviewed and approved before they appear.  Please share the blog link with other model railroaders.

Lester Breuer

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