While simmering over layout plans, I finished construction of a number of freight car models.  I do not have a compressor yet so I cannot paint of sandblast, so they are all in a half-completed stated.  I was able to get these cars completed in April and May by staying off the computer and TV.  I thought I would share the latest progress.

The car above is a cool car I built for fun.  This is a C&O 300-class covered hopper, rebuilt by the railroad in the late 1930s as a cement car.  They lasted well into the 1950s, maybe later.  I used an Intermountain non-standard ARA hopper for the core kit, and added a roof and a scratchbuilt underframe.  The car has a few construction errors but I think I captured the basic carlines well, especially considering I did not have details plans to work from.  I eyeballed the whole rebuild.  I did most of the work while still living in Illinois but did the final detail work here in Albersbach, and just brush-painted the additions.

This model above is an ancient Sunshine Models N&W low side gondola.  This is a very cool car, especially so because it is about 12-18 inches wider than standard cars from that era.  I got it in on Ebay and painted it in November before moving.  Like the C&O car, I recently added trucks and a few minor details and brush-painted the new parts.  It is ready for decals…too bad they didn’t come with the kit.

The model above is another interesting resin car.  This is a Sunshine SAL AF-1/2 auto car, delivered to the railroad in 1940.  I used canopy glue to secure the running board and it worked perfectly.  The build was easy and quick and thanks to Speedwitch we have an outstanding decal set to finish the model.  I added a number of rivets to the end of the car per the prototype.  The rivet details I used were from Tichy.  I got this model as a gift from Gerry Fitzgerald.

The car above is a familiar Tichy USRA single-sheathed box car kit that I will finish as a NYC car.  I added a ton of scale rivets on the model where they are omitted by the manufacturer.  The ends are devoid of rivet and NBW casting detail but I added them where appropriate.  I have Tahoe Andrews trucks with semi-scale wheelsets for the model.  NYC was one of only two railroads that had both USRA single-sheathed and double-sheathed car fleets.

This CB&Q GS-7 gondola above is a custom-run kit made by Jerry Hamsmith.  The original patterns were made in 2013 by Frank Hodina.  I bought two cars from Jerry at Naperville 2015 and gave one to Clark Propst.  The prototype was a cool car and CB&Q had a few thousand of them in coal service during my modeling era (1950).  This car was a super-easy build and included lots of nice detail parts.  I added a few more, such as Hi-Tech air hoses, Kadee #58 couplers, Bethlehem Car Works stirrups, and Tahoe Andrews trucks.  Unfortunately this model is now out of production.  Sunshine makes a similar kit but it is very hard to find.  Can’t wait to paint!

Finally, I completed the major construction on a P48 car.  I bought an Intermountain single-door 1937 kit from Rob Adams and modified it to represent a Central of Georgia 1-1/2 door auto car.  I love these prototypes and have the parts for an HO version too.   I got the P48 half-doors from Gene Deimling and scrathbuilt the new door tracks and bottom side sill.  The model has a ton of after-market details added, including San Juan brakes, Protocraft Miner brakewheel and mechanism, Chooch ladders and grabs, and more.  Trucks are Barber S-2, per the prototype, from Protocraft.  The trucks are true-to-scale P48 and are spectacular.