Category Archives: Techniques

“Like Things at Like Times:” Building Two Kits at Once – Pt 1

Details, Resin Freight Cars, Techniques,

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Bill Welch returns with a double treat. Click on any image here to review a larger size.

For years now whenever I can, I try to build two models at the same time. There are many similar steps for each build, such as washing parts, removing flash, drilling holes, mounting brake systems, installing grab irons, and more. Adding work time to an extra model on the bench seems to reduce the overall build time for two models.

Resin kit building usually involves a lot of hole drilling. I like to use a sharp object to create a starting point for the drill bit so that it will not wander. Mine is different from the one pictured in that link. When drilling holes for sill steps, I like to make a starter hole with a smaller bit before I drill the final hole with a #75 bit. It is just as easy to do this on two cars at once as it is to do it on one. Body motions like changing bits require time, so doing two models at one time can actually save time. My modeling/railroad historian/general raconteur friend Dr. Frank Peacock, DDS, observes that in dentistry this approach is termed “like things at like times.” As my description with the two Funaro & Camerlengo gondola kits will demonstrate, the two models only need to be similar, not identical.

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Building resin kits on this side of the pond

Models, Resin Freight Cars, Techniques, ,
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A Southern Pacific B50-15 box car produced by Sunshine Models.

Paul Doggett has been sharing images of his completed resin freight car builds on Facebook and the resinfreightcars YahooGroup. We asked him for a little background on his inspiration and work, since he lives across the Atlantic Ocean. Click on any image here to review a larger size.

You can blame Ian Clasper for my models. I met Ian at a British NMRA meet. He arrived at the carpark on a rather nice Triumph Tiger 100 motorcycle which we got talking about. Then he opened his top box and produced Kadee product boxes but not with their PS1 cars. Ian had rather exquisite resin box cars, mainly Sunshine Models, in these Kadee boxes. That really got me interested. I arranged with Ian or Barry Bennett to collect six kits from Martin Lofton, which he had kindly agreed to take to Napierville or an NMRA convention, and Ian or Barry collected them for me.

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Detail Tips

Details, Techniques, Upgrades,

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We have another guest post this week. Eric Hansmann illustrates a couple of techniques to ease installing details onto freight car models.

As prototype model railroaders, we often push our efforts to include many prototype detail elements on our freight cars. In reviewing the image above, there are several common elements that are typical of many kits. Let’s take a look at one of the smaller components and how to ease the installation process. Click on any image here to review a larger size.

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SLSF Single Sheathed boxcar Sunshine Model kit 65.3

Resin Freight Cars, Techniques, ,

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Charlie Duckworth shares a classic resin freight car kit build.

History

The SLSF 145550-144749 series were at one time the third largest block of boxcars on the road, with 1200 installed. Originally built as automobile boxcars in 1923, they had 7-foot wide door openings with a Samson radial roof. The ends had 7/8 outward facing, Murphy corrugated steel stampings. By the 1930’s, the 7-foot doors were too small for automobile loading and the cars were placed in general service. The railroad listed 1,024 of these cars in the 1940 ORER as general service box cars (XM). There are no listings in this number series by the 1956 ORER.

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