Bill Welch has returned to wrap up his work on an MKT boxcar. Here’s the Xxtreme Modeler with an update.
I last reported on my MKT War Emergency model back in June 2018 and had to be reminded I needed to do an update. I’m sorry to leave people wondering what I did to finish its detailing and construction.
Continue reading MKT boxcar wrap up
Bill Welch, the Xxtreme Modeler, continues sharing his M-K-T boxcar project. Here are Bill’s latest notes.
Close examination of the M-K-T prototype photos reveal diagonal brace members extending just beyond the bottom sill and are squared off. Since I plan to paint this car in Sloan Yellow scheme this detail will be visible. What to do?!
First, I cut 0.030 x 0.030-inch strip styrene into short sections. The ends were cut at a slight angle as the diagonals on the model were angled to match the bottom of the car. The extra length you see makes the sections easier to handle. I glued the section to the angles with Testors styrene cement. Next, I cut up 0.020 x 0.020-inch strip styrene and glued these behind the 0.030 x 0.030 parts to provide extra strength when cutting. After the Testors had set up overnight the joints were reinforced with CA.
I used my close cutting sprue tweezers to cut the 0.030 x 0.030 pieces at a 90-degree angle. Even with the reinforcement two of the joints failed so I repeated what I had done previously
Here is how the diagonals look from the back of the car side.
Here’s the link to Bill’s previous post on this M-K-T boxcar project. He promises to share more soon.
What’s on your workbench?
Bill Welch, the Xxtreme Modeler, shared more images of his M-K-T boxcar project. Here’s Bill with a few notes.
Better door rollers were created by harvesting these small pieces from a Tichy Youngstown door set, part #3055. The locking levers were made from 0.015-inch diameter wire that was heated and flattened.
Small details can add to the look of a model. Grain clips were made from small rectangles of thin styrene and glued into place. A defect card holder and towing loops were also installed. Rivets were harvested from an old Athearn boxcar kit and installed where the bolster and cross bearers connect to the side sill. Gussets and diagonal braces on the original car body have been carved off.
Placard boards need to be installed on the car ends and doors. These are easy to build with some styrene and replace kit parts that are often too thick with exaggerated space between boards.
Here’s a view of the right side of the car. The new prototype appropriate details are easy to spot and have improved the model appearance.
Here’s the link to Bill’s previous post on this M-K-T boxcar project. He promises to share more soon.
What’s on your workbench?
Bill Welch (The Xxtreme Modeler) shared images of a recent project. He’s working on an M-K-T War Emergency boxcar. He’s rebuilding the underframe using a Branchline reefer underframe as a starting point.
Styrene rod was installed for the train line with a 3D printed T-connection for the air line connection to the brake valve. The black dots are Archer rivets.
The body is from an Intermountain War Emergency boxcar kit. Bill has been whittling details off of the car body before the roof is glued into place. This will stiffen the box so the floor can be cut out. Eventually, he will shorten the 5/5 Dreadnaught ends.
Bill works from the prototype and is using this image for inspiration. He has not yet decided if the car will be painted boxcar red or Sloan Yellow, which is how they were delivered from the M-K-T shops.
What’s on your workbench?