Category: Freight and Passenger Car Modeling

I enjoy modeling 1949-1950 in both HO and O scale. This category includes posts on building models of freight and passenger cars, cabooses, and other rolling stock in both scales.

Ackley, Iowa Layouts, Freight and Passenger Car ModelingLeave a comment

No. 70: Ackley Layout Progress, Nov 2017

Golden1014

After 45 days of working on rolling stock and other projects, I returned to working on the Ackley, Iowa layout just before Thanksgiving. I know, Thanksgiving 2017 is already old news.  I was busy at work and out of town again over the holiday, and the kid’s busy schedule keeps me busier than I deserve, so haven’t been able to post any updates for about three weeks. In the 45-day period that I spent away from the layout to finish other modeling projects, I got a lot done.  I rebuilt my sandblaster and blasted about 25 built-up models to get … Continue reading No. 70: Ackley Layout Progress, Nov 2017

Freight and Passenger Car Modeling2 Comments

No. 68: Progress on Freight Cars, Oct 2017 Part 2

Golden1014

‘Round and ‘Round with Cylindrical Hoppers  A long time ago, a friend offered to do a free sound install for me.  I paid for parts but not labor, so in return I offered to weather up some models for him.  He said “Sure, I’ll send you some cars–get them back to me when you can.” I have always thought I do a pretty good job of weathering models.  I expected him to send some box cars or something like that.  But no…he sent four Canadian cylindrical grain hoppers.  I have no idea what to do with cylindrical grain hoppers.  No … Continue reading No. 68: Progress on Freight Cars, Oct 2017 Part 2

Freight and Passenger Car Modeling, O Scale & Proto 482 Comments

No. 65: Progress on Freight Cars, Oct 2017

Golden1014

A quick post on progress of freight car model construction and also construction of the Portage Tower models for Mike Moore’s layout. Proto 48 Models I was able to finish a lot of small projects this week and also contemplate a few new ones.  First I finished installing the running board for an Intermountain 1937 double-door box car that will be finished as an SAL AF-3.  I scratchbuilt the latitudinal running board supports and am not terribly happy with them, but they are much better than the kit-supplied parts.  The running board is an aftermarket part from Protocraft.  The car … Continue reading No. 65: Progress on Freight Cars, Oct 2017

Freight and Passenger Car Modeling, O Scale & Proto 481 Comment

No. 63: Freight Car Modeling, Sep 2017

Golden1014

Progress on model construction has gone very well in the first two weeks of September thanks mostly to a work trip to Stuttgart. I spent four nights in Stuttgart last week and was able to get a few hours of work done every night. The first car I built up while away was an HO scale Tichy flat car from the Central of Georgia Historical Society.  I bought it at the last St. Louis RPM directly from the society table there. The model is part of the society’s “Fix The Flat” program.  Proceeds from the sale of the model are … Continue reading No. 63: Freight Car Modeling, Sep 2017

Ackley, Iowa Layouts, Freight and Passenger Car Modeling1 Comment

No. 61: Ackley Clean Up and a New Project

Golden1014

I’ve been working on the Ackley, Iowa layout for 14 months straight since I began construction on 4th of July, 2016.  Meanwhile a whole lot of freight car projects have been stacking up and there are a lot of models in need of repair and upgrade, so I have decided to take the next 60 days (all of September and October) to complete rolling stock projects. Cleaning Up The first thing I did was clean up the layout so it would be presentable.  I had been doing a lot of scenery work and the room and the layout were trashed.  … Continue reading No. 61: Ackley Clean Up and a New Project

Freight and Passenger Car Modeling, O Scale & Proto 482 Comments

No. 45: Proto 48 Western Pacific Double-Sheathed Box Car – Part 1

Golden1014

San Juan Car Company brought to the O scale market a beautiful Western Pacific double sheathed car some years ago.  This is a model of WP’s distinctive eight-foot interior height cars with modified steel dreadnaught ends.  WP acquired 2,500 of these cars in several order beginning in 1917.  28 were transferred to the WP subsidiary, Sacramento Northern, in 1941.  According to Martin Loftin most of the cars were gone by 1955, but some of them lasted in revenue or roadway maintenance service as late as 1969. Above.  I wasn’t able to get permissions to use a prototype photo in time for this … Continue reading No. 45: Proto 48 Western Pacific Double-Sheathed Box Car – Part 1

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No. 31: M&StL Single-Sheathed Box Car

Golden1014

Back in November I was in Berlin for a ten day work trip and brought along a car kit to work on while I was there. I was fortunate to stay on the Berlin Hilton, and we had plenty of time after work to relax and do some sightseeing.  I also brought along an old Sunshine Models Kit No. 91.16, M&StL XM-1 Box Car and a tool kit in case I had some spare time in the hotel.  I completed the car easily in a few night’s work. M&StL acquired a substantial fleet of single-sheathed and double-sheathed cars prior to the WWII … Continue reading No. 31: M&StL Single-Sheathed Box Car

Freight and Passenger Car ModelingLeave a comment

No. 8: New Cars for the Fleet

Golden1014

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 … Continue reading No. 8: New Cars for the Fleet

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No. 2: Modeling on the Road

Golden1014

When we moved to Germany in 2015 I sent most of my hobby supplies with our household goods (they went by ship) and stored a half a crate’s worth of books, railroadiana and keepsakes in the St. Louis area.  I also set aside a small tool kit and a few models in my luggage so I could get some work done while we lived in temporary quarters on the road. I began building up a Tichy 10,000-gallon large dome tank car while living in temporary quarters on base at Scott AFB.  This will be a US Army car, or a Canadian Tank … Continue reading No. 2: Modeling on the Road