Frank Hodina, chief Resin Car Works minion, has been building a few HO scale plastic freight car models. Here are his notes.
Here’s what I’m working on besides RCW models. I like pre-painted and lettered kits as they save time. Branchline were some of the best as the lettering is as good or better then decals. Upgrades to these models match a prototype or nearly so. The stock car is an old LifeLike Proto2000 kit. The others are Branchline kits. All were picked up at swap meets for about $10 each.
The yellow car is an ART insulated boxcar. Prototypes were built in August 1955 by Pacific Car & Foundry. Reporting marks were MODX with these cars falling into the 2000-2099 series.
The colorful Bangor & Aroostook car follows the 4000-4499 series built by AC&F in April 1954. The BAR classified these as XM-1G.
The B&O Mather stock car was part of series 110001 to 110592 for a total of 392 cars. The Nickel Plate car follows the 66200-86349 series build by Greenville in January 1955.
I’ll try to post progress on all these cars over the next few weeks. It will force me to finish them.
Eagle-eyed readers might catch a glimpse of early work on an upcoming Resin Car Works kit in the first image.
What’s on your workbench?
Keep showing your handiwork since it gets the rest of us fired up! In many ways the Branchline Trains were ahead of their time and I’m not sure Atlas knows what they have.
I just had my remaining cataract removed and have a similar box of plastic kits to upgrade this week similar to what you are doing (but mine are Red Caboose and IMWX). I have every intention of finishing them but can’t start until my vision heals more. There’s no way I can start on the ACF type 27s in this condition either.
Models look great. Enjoy these postings. Kind of curious about the model in the upper left corner of the first picture. Future RCW release?
Dan, you have sharp eyes! – Eric H.