Details: Written by Josh Baakko; Category: Freight Projects; Published: 17 February 2021; Hits: 2725

Lowering an Atlas Pressureaide Hopper Bolster

The only model on the market in HO scale, this model site WAY to high. You can see it in the coupler pocket. Theory is that the model was developed for N scale, and upscaled to HO, leaving the deep coupler and tall bolster.

I head about this "issue" on the Modern Freight Cars List, found on Groups.io (...). This discussion was about lowering the bolster. Fortunately, with this Atlas release, it's "easy." Follow along.

Details: Written by Alexander Wright; Category: Freight Projects; Published: 23 December 2020; Hits: 1080

Repurposing a Great Northern Covered Hopper for Modern Service

How to redo a factory painted model that doesn't fit your modeling era.

We all have models that are somewhat misfit to our interests. I was given a magnificent replica of a Great Northern 2 bay cement hopper by a well meaning relative a few years back. Though I model the modern era, I was touched by their generosity and could not bring myself to sell it or return it. I thought of several different ways I could work this hopper painted for a road 50 years defunct into my roster or layout. Static Display? Junkyard or abandoned? Whatever scheme I came up with felt unnatural and somewhat forced until I read an article on Patch-out modeling. Like a bolt of lightning the idea came to me to strip and patch this hopper as a car that had seen years of service.

I began by looking through many photos from http://rrpicturearchives.net/ as well as Instagram posts to gather a good idea of how two bay hoppers weather and fade as they travel the rails. What became apparent very quickly is that ACF hoppers such as this are frequently the target of graffiti artists for ornate and complex paintings. As I model the modern era, I was eager to include some prototypical (or perhaps proto-freelanced) graffiti in my manifest trains and focused my searches to include such prototypes that had been so decorated. I decided one side of my hopper would feature several paint patches and the other side would feature large graffiti exhibit and found according to prototype pictures.

With my photos picked out I set to stripping the famous rocky mountain goat and all accompanying graphics from the model.

Details: Written by Dave Allen; Category: Freight Projects; Published: 28 August 2020; Hits: 678

Husky Stack 53' Well Cars Scratchbuild

Details: Written by Josh Baakko; Category: Freight Projects; Published: 25 August 2020; Hits: 771

General Wheel Size Info

A General List of Wheel Sizes for Your Rolling Stock.

I often get the questions, "What size wheels does this car need? Does it have 70 Ton or 100 Ton trucks?" I made this simple guide to help answer that question for the most part. There are anomalies, but this should cover 95% of freight cars.

As a basic sense:
33in up to 77t
36in 78-100t
38in above 100t

However, we're modelers, what does this mean? I asked around, and this is the guide I was given.

Intermountain Cylindrical Covered Hopper Kit

What does an Intermountain cylindrical covered hopper kit consist of?

Kits have long been the mainstay of the model railroad hobby, only evolving into ready to run train cars in the past 2 decades. So what really comes in a kit? This is a short photo demonstration if an Intermountain cylindrical covered hopper.

Details: Written by Josh Baakko; Category: Freight Projects; Published: 26 August 2020; Hits: 645

HO Scale Wheel Tread

HO scale has 3 general tread sizes.

Each code translates to the width of the wheel in inches. The chart below shows you what's available.

Code	Inches	Represents
110	.110"	Standard RP25 tread
88	.088"	Semi-Scale aka Fine Scale
64	.064"	Proto 87 aka Scale

Details: Written by Steve B.; Category: Freight Projects; Published: 25 August 2020; Hits: 645

Coal Car Loads from Scratch

A simple method to make loads of cheap coal loads for your coal cars.

Rather than buy imitation coal loads for my Walthers Bethgons, I made my own using a very simple method anyone can do.

The only tools you will require are:
1. a sharp knife to cut foam
2. a rasp or coarse sand paper instead
3. a spray bottle with water / rubbing alcohol 90/10 mix
4. a piece of 1" thick blue foam board, the quantity depends on how many loads you require you will require
5. PVA glue, both full strength and some diluted with water about 75/25 mix
6. a bag of fine coal or imitation coal such as the grit used in sand blasting cabinets

Building an HO Scale Asplundh Weed Train Sprayer Control Car

Semi-scratch built weed train sprayer control car

Building an Asplundh Weed Train Sprayer Control Car
Part 1- Collecting needed parts
Part 2- Making the basic shell
Part 3- Scratch built details
Part 4- Assembly
Part 5- Last details
Part 6- Extra details
Part 7- Decals

Details: Written by Josh Baakko; Category: Freight Projects; Published: 26 August 2020; Hits: 685

Open car load: Material Handler

I'm planning to compile a neat list of some open car load ideas I've been tossing around recently. Some are common ideas, some are slightly more uncommon. The cars of mine are HO scale, but I'm sure most can be copied in N.

First up, to begin this article we have a flat car loaded with GHQ Material Handlers. They are unpainted, and incomplete (missing a part from the kit!), and the flat car will most likely be replaced by a 60' version from Intermountain.

Note, these are cast white metal kits. Due to this, they'll actually double as a way to add weight to flat cars. Make sure you verify the loaded weight before securing the material handlers.

Details: Written by Frank Wells; Category: Freight Projects; Published: 02 July 2020; Hits: 1063

Don’t Write it Off Just Yet: Salvaging Warped Kits

By Frank Wells

Introduction:

Personally, I enjoy modeling projects that require going the extra mile to create something unique. Whether it be one of a kind locomotive or a freight car not commonly found on the market, I’m all for doing it myself, rather than wait on a major manufacturer to produce it. This is what drove to my create my latest creation, the BNSF Circle Bi-level Autorack. While this particular car has been done by Walthers previously, it was done quite a few years ago and few exist commonly on the market today. Seeing as I was set to create multiples of this autorack, I also saw it as an opportunity to accrue funds for future projects, which quickly progressed the project start. In my case, I ended up using a new-old stock of Walthers Autorack kits as the base, Arrowhead Wheels, Kadee Couplers, and custom decals from Switchline Decals. I chose the Walthers kits because they were readily available from a friend of mine, who had nine he was looking to sell. Eight of those nine would be completely fine, the car bodies free of warp. I did not discover my “problem” car until I was ready to paint the bodies at a friend’s house, finally breaking the sealer wrap to find the side of the autorack not facing outward had severely warped on one end. I worried that the severity of the warp would force me to write it off, but I was hit by an idea. I recalled I had a heat gun at home. So, after deciding to paint it regardless of the warp, I would take it home and give the heat gun a try.

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