Workbench Wednesday

Workbench Wednesday, ,

CB&Q freight cars

Jerry Hamsmith sent an update on his growing CB&Q freight car fleet. Here’s his report.

I thought I might share some of what I have been working on in terms of rolling stock for my circa 1955 Chicago Burlington and Quincy – Beardstown Division layout. This division linked the southern Illinois coal fields with the major metropolitan areas in northern Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota, among others. In 1955, the Q coal hauling fleet, consisting of 2- and 3- bay hoppers and composite drop bottom gons, was still about 40 percent gons.

Here is another group of drop bottom gons I am currently working on. I do them in batches as I need a large number of them and that speeds up the process. Both steel end and wood end cars are in the current batch. I currently have a total of 33 finished composite gondola cars on the layout.

Here is a photo of one of the already completed cars on the layout. Jerry offers kits for these CB&Q coal gondolas. A PDF of currently available kits and decals can be found on the RCW blog Helpful Links page.

What’s on your workbench?

New Equipco brake wheel parts

Resin Car Works Update, , ,

Resin Car Works has a new HO scale detail part available. Distinctive Equipco hand brake wheels and gearboxes were used on many freight cars from the 1930s and into the 1960s. The parts are 3D prints from Shapeways, printed with the Fine Ultimate Detail material otherwise known as FUD.

We thank Gene Green for his expertise and access to his archive. These parts could not have been produced without his assistance. The brake wheel part follows a late 1930s Equipco design. This is the only Equipco version Resin Car Works is producing at this time.

Please visit the Resin Car Works Decals & Parts web page for more details.

Please note these Equipco brake wheel parts will be made as orders arrive. Delivery to your door may be delayed.

Workbench Wednesday

Workbench Wednesday, , ,

Milwaukee 40-foot, ribbed-side automobile boxcar


George Toman sent a few photos of his latest work on an HO scale Rib Side Cars kit. Here are his notes and photos.

On my list of must build cars is a 40-foot Milwaukee Road double-door automobile boxcars. The 6500 series cars were built in 1942. A photo of MILW 6582 on page 10 of Railway Prototype Cyclopedia (RPCyc), Volume 13 is my inspiration. The starting point is a Rib Side Cars 40-foot, short rib kit with 12-foot double-doors.

Following are photos and some info on my modifications so far in this build.

Continue reading Workbench Wednesday →

Another insulated tank car kit update!

Resin Car Works Update, , ,
ACF Industries, Hawkins/Wider/Long collection

Resin Car Works has added three more versions of the AC&F Type 27, 8,000-gallon, insulated tank car kits. These new HO scale freight car kits represent cars built for Shipper’s Car Line and leased to Wecoline Products and Paluxy Asphalt. The kits include decals and a pair of Tahoe Model Works truck side frames.

Please visit the Kits page on our website for additional details and ordering information.

Additional versions will be announced as decals and parts arrive.

XM-32 boxcar kit update

We await a shipment of CB&Q decals for the XM-32 boxcar, Kit 8.01. Once the decals arrive, orders will be shipped out. We thank you for your patience.