Blue-Box kit bashing


Charles Smiley

cspmovies
I repainted/lettered this old Athearn blue-box car to a 1955 new SN Ry. boxcar. It got real grab irons, ladders and new roofwalks long ago for an article I wrote.

The car originally had Youngstown doors. But the real SN 2445 had Superior doors. So it now has scratch-built Superior doors. And yes, the doors still can slide open/shut. That was the hardest part. Inside is real wood floor decking and I didn't want that to go to waste.

It isn't an exact model since the real SN 50-ft cars look like they had welded side panels and the rivets are still on this model. It was originally lettered for the D&H when I built it long ago.

SN-50-FT-BOX.jpg
 
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Your work continues to impress me.
Leave the doors open with a leftover pallet or two and some paper and or other trash showing.
Really like the grabs, wish I could see roof walk better?
 
Thanks,

Here's a roofwalk shot. I replaced the plastic one with wood. It's scribed to simulate the 3 boards. Often times I use 3 separate boards but I got lazy on this one. The separate boards don't show up well enough to even notice the difference. But using wood thinner than the plastic ones does make a visual difference.

I might soon replace it with a metal-mesh one like the one on the real SN 2445. Wood was no longer used by 1955.

ROOF-1-SMALL.jpg
 
I have a few of the earlier RTR Athearns, which are virtually the same construction as the bluebox varieties, with the opening slide doors. Always quite liked that feature, even though I guess they are overscale thickness and trackwise. One of the things that has happened with the trend/change to manufacturer supplied greater detail such as etched metal walks and installed wire grabs is the demise of the opening doors, probably to make them a prototypical thickness. Unfortunately that tends to make them appear as just part of the panelling.
 
Really nice roof walk.
You already know how much I like your work, however, you need to scribe a few marks crossways. I doubt that the boards were 50+ feet long!
I know .. Picky, picky, picky!
 
I have never been sure how that was laid out. There are so few roof shots that show the standard board length and how they were staggered. Anyone know?
 
I have a few of the earlier RTR Athearns, which are virtually the same construction as the bluebox varieties, with the opening slide doors. Always quite liked that feature, even though I guess they are overscale thickness and trackwise. One of the things that has happened with the trend/change to manufacturer supplied greater detail such as etched metal walks and installed wire grabs is the demise of the opening doors, probably to make them a prototypical thickness. Unfortunately that tends to make them appear as just part of the panelling.

Some Accurail cars have doors that can be positioned open when you assemble them, although not open-closable. Here's an Accurail BN car with a Preiser "hiker", which I have used as a US style skeezer riding the rails:

BN 232177.jpg
 
In the first link it appears that the center board on the left side of the photo is longer then the first and third board, might just be a shadow though.
 
In the first link it appears that the center board on the left side of the photo is longer then the first and third board, might just be a shadow though.

I do believe that you are correct. Can't believe that I overlooked that!
 
Years ago, I started to buy up stirrups and wire for adding details to a number of my then current blue box freight cars. Now of course, they come with a lot more detail. I'm looking forward to the day when I can start to complete some of these long outstanding projects. Nice work!
 
Years ago, I started to buy up stirrups and wire for adding details to a number of my then current blue box freight cars. Now of course, they come with a lot more detail. I'm looking forward to the day when I can start to complete some of these long outstanding projects. Nice work!

I'll bet yours wont fall off at the slightest bump or breeze.
 
QUOTE: "I'll bet yours wont fall off at the slightest bump or breeze"

That is very true. Most of the expensive HO freight cars -- IM, Red Caboose, Atlas, Kadee P2K...) have ridiculously fragile stirrups. Normal handling will claim a few straight away. Every used one I've seen at train sale shows has one or more missing. Some break off just getting them out of the box! Reefers are the worst. They should use the preformed metal ones for those prices. Of all those I listed, only Kadee would possibly address this issue since they are the only ones made in the US.
 
I've added A-Line stirrups to many of my cars -- for my tastes, Accurail is mostly very acceptable with some weathering and is maybe the "new bluebox". Here is an Accurail with missing step:

accurail MKT box broken step.jpg

Here is the stock Accurail step, which somehow never looks quite right and pretty clearly identifies an Accurail in photos:

accurail PRR box stock step.jpg

Here's an Accurail CB&Q car with A Line stirrups:

CB&Q 26157.jpg

I hate to say this, but the prototype I follow might best be described as DVDs! I like Charles's, and I like the Emery Gulash videos from Green Frog! They're all really great sources for weathering freight cars from the Accurail era. Here's another:

IC 23474.jpg
 



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