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Category: Painting Projects
Hits: 47

Painting a Plastic Deck to Look Like Aged Wood

The age old dilemma. How to get that wood deck on your beautifully detailed and weathered flat car, to look like real aged wood. I recently painted several wood deck cars and decided I needed to document my process.

This amazing Tangent flat car comes accurately detailed out of the box. I weathered mine lightly a few years back, but never addressed the deck. It's been waiting for me to finish it properly ever since.

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Category: Side-By-Side Reviews
Hits: 63

Side-by-Side Review: Overland and Tangent GATC 4500 Covered Hoppers

The Overland Models Inc GATC 4500 Covered hopper was one of my "Holy grail" models. In 2023 enter Tangent with their own model of this Covered hopper! I knew I had to have one.

Paraphrasing Tangent's history of the GATC (General American Tank Car) 4500 cubic foot Covered hopper, we learn that the prototype came about in 1963 with over 1200 made for several railroads.

I've always desired to paint an Overland Models version in ATSF billboard letters and patching it to more modern 2nd hand lease service.

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Category: Freight Projects
Hits: 141

Removing an Aurora Miniatures Truck

Recently I was contracted to weather the newly released Otter Valley 6400cf scrap/trash gondola. In the process I noted that the trucks need an extra step to remove and weather. While these cars are Otter Valley (OVR) they're manufactured by Aurora Miniatures so the removal will apply to their models too.

These 6400 (and future 6000cf) gons represent the last half decade of production, and are suitable for the ultra modern modeler.

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Category: Prototype Concepts
Hits: 169

How Railroad Crossings Work

A YouTube video by Mark Clay McGowan

Check out this great video posted in 2020 by YouTuber and retired railroad signal employee Mark Clay McGowan. We've discussed him making some exclusive videos for Model Railroad Tips, but for now, here's one of his videos!

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Category: Quick Reviews
Hits: 438

Quick Review: Atlas Gunderson 7550 Double Door Boxcar

This car came to Model Railroad Tips as payment for a custom weathering job. This is the long awaited, and previously mentioned in MRRT posts on WPM meets,  Atlas TBOX.

Back in 2018, we reported Atlas was working on this model. Factory changes and the pandemic delayed the models, I think we're just shy or 5 years! But man are they nice.

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Category: Tools
Hits: 298

A-Line Bulls Eye Drilling Jig

A-Line sells this awesome Jig to drill a #50 hole in Athearn press fit coupler boxes.

This tool lets the buyer drill holes directly in the center of the coupler pin. This allows the modeler to add a screw down fix for the notoriously loose metal plates on older Athearn coupler boxes.

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Category: Painting Projects
Hits: 314

Pat Durand's Masking Tips

Article reposted by the generous authorization of Pat Durand's son Casey.

If you want Alaska Railroad engines someone will have to paint them. You may as well jump in.   Here are some proven tips that may save you some grief along the way.

Gather tools and resources needed in a well lighted, clean work area.  Sharp scissors, fresh razor blade, tweezers, Scotch Magic Mending tape, and a clean sheet of paper.  Photos of the prototype and a previous successful model if you have one are a must.

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