Juneco CPR truss-rod Boxcar

[CNR Glen]

After being inspired by another modeler working on an older craftsman kit I pulled this oldie off the shelf:

I already built on e of these kits 20 years ago while I was backpacking through Western Europe but it was definitely seen better times and I'm sure I can do a better job today:

My original kit was built with no underframe detail save for the truss rods and the brake cylinder. This time I plan to build the entire K brake setup, as well as weather a bit better.

 

[FCL2117]

I already built on e of these kits 20 years ago while I was backpacking through Western Europe but it was definitely seen better times and I'm sure I can do a better job today.

I have visions of you hiking in the alps while building the kit, with a tube of CA in your mouth and the instructions tucked under your arm....like 'extreme modelling'

Sent from my Vic20 using Java Moose

 

[CNR Glen]

It wasn't quite like that , but I do like the though of 'Indiana Jones' Modeling!

I'm going to do something a bit different with this kit. Seeing as I model the late fifties these cars would have long since been out of service. My plan is to build the car as though it is being used as a storage shed but still on its original trucks. Aged considerably with faded paint and greying wood and rusty appliances
This is what you get in the kit:

No trucks or couplers are provided but I have some trusty arch-bar tucks hanging around.
My first plan is to stain all the wood with an Alcohol and India ink mix:

I'll later dry-brush an iron oxide paint for faded/ peeling paint. This seemed to work well for a bunkhouse that I recently built
I assembled the basic underframe:

I'll eventually airbrush the underside grimy black, after a few more details are added. I then flipped the frame over and added the interior decking.

This wasn't included in the kit (they suggest you scribe the planking) since this will be a storage shed, the doors will be open to show an interior. I then stained the floor.

I'll add some more color later. I turned my attention to the queen posts. They are cast metal. I scribed wood grain onto the crossbeam and primered them grey.

 

[CNR Glen]

I airbrushed the queen posts and the bolsters (also cast metal) with Poly-S dirt, it makes them look more like wooden beams. I'll use an A&I wash on them later.

Judging from the kit plans, before I attach the Queenposts I think I'll have to plumb the train line at least so it fits under them. It looks like the brake rods will be attached after since they sling underneath.

 

[CNR Glen]

Moving along, I installed the train air line, needle beams and the brake cylinder

I used .020 wire for the train line. Since this is a more-or-less abandoned car, I rusted up the brake cylinder. I'm trying to make it look a bit like this:

Next is the rest of the air plumbing and the brake rods and levers.

 

[CNR Glen]

I got the underside finished this afternoon. I had almost everything glued (CA) down when I accidentally dropped it. Almost every casting broke loose and I had to re-glue.
I started with the air line and brake levers

The levers were the real tricky part since they are suspended beneath the needle beams by a couple hangers and linkages. I also threaded the truss rods.

There is some nylon fishing line included for the truss rods and the turnbuckles I believe are from Grandt-line.

The trick to getting the line tight is to tread the line over just 1 of the queenposts on each pass. When the glue is dry (I CA'ed the ends down) carefully pull the line up onto the second post, the line will be nice and tight.

Here is where it sits now. I added the brake rods to the truck bolsters, but left the manual brake rod off until the upper structure is complete and the brake stirrup has bee installed. The Chassis is waiting to be airbrushed with Grimy black be fore I continue.

 

[Vince-RA]

You're a brave man to do the full K brake setup! I just built two La Belle flat cars and gave up after the levers. Truss rods and cylinder only for me

 

[CNR Glen]

The K brakes aren't too bad, try an AB brake setup with separate cylinder, air tank and triple valve!

In the meantime I airbrushed the bottom of the car Polly-S Grimy Black

I dabbed a bit of rust onto the cylinder and rods but I think I'll take a bit back off. paint does make the detail stand out a bit better.
I also found a set of trucks for the car

They're old Walthers sprung arch bar trucks. I bought a couple cars once that had them installed and they didn't work well and changed them out. since this car won't be used in operations, these trucks will fit the bill. they were cast in rust-colored plastic so I airbrushed grimy black over them. Not enough to cover the rust completely, just so a bit of the rust shows through.
Finally I added the end blocks and roof that will hold the sheeting.

I suppose I didn't have to but I added two large stainless steel nuts for weight just over the truck bolsters. Now I can begin sheeting the ends and sides.

 

[CNR Glen]

I managed to get the side and roof sheets on.

The sides are 4 parts left, right and the two parts above and below the door. The sides are not cut to fit in the kit, you do the extra trimming and sanding. The upper and lower parts are made from extra scraps after the other parts are fitted.
There's also a bit of fascia trim that goes between the roof and the upper walls.

and the ends

The next plan is a bit of color. I'm going to experiment a bit of the scrap siding parts before tackling the car itself.

 

[CNR Glen]

A bit more progress:

I dry-brushed an Iron-Ore oxide onto the sides and roof before attaching the corner details and roofwalk, The components of the roofwalk were painted in a similar way before assembling them and attaching to the car.

I added the buffer blocks and the NBW castings to the ends for the truss rods.

I do like how the roofwalk turned out. I remember seeing a wood boxcar way back in the eighties that was being used as a storage shed that looked just like it.
I'm not sure about the dry transfers. It would be difficult to apply them to make them convincingly faded and weathered to match the car sides. I'm inclined the figure that any lettering it long gone, either by the elements or RR crews when the car was retired to it's current state.

 

[ianacole]

Coming along great, Glen! I always love following your builds.

 

[CNR Glen]

Thanks Ian, sometimes I wonder if anyone really is reading this stuff!

After a couple experiments with some spare dry transfers and the dremel I decided not to use them. Mostly the wire brush was either taking the weathering off around the transfers and not taking the transfers off at all or it was burning them (even at the lowest speed).
Anyway I finished the car off this evening, applying the details and some final painting/weathering.

I built the ladders according to the instructions, two wooden runners with individual brass wire rungs. The doors were installed with a wood angle upper slider and 4 track spikes for the bottom.

Instead of making all the grabs out of the supplied wire I used some extra Tichy grabs instead. They look a lot better than what I could make. I did make the end steps out od some brass wire. I also installed some Cal-Scale air hoses.

I haven't quite decided where it will be placed. I have two tracks running off my turntable that it will eventually go. I plan to fabricate a set of steps going up to the door.

I do like the way the trucks look under it. My previous car had a pair of MDC trucks that never quite looked right.

 

[Rico]

Nice job Glen!
Looks like an old car I used to have before it went for scrap!

 

[Cjcrescent]

Great job Glen. I don't know about others but I like to see what other folks are doing and how they do it.

 

[waltr]

I've being watching and waiting to comment.
LOOKS GOOD and a very nice photo sequence and the build.
I have a number a cars built from wood kits like this one.

 

[Vince-RA]

Absolutely love the paint work on that one! Gives me some inspiration to try stain + drybrushing on some of my builds

 

[BryanS]

Really nice job. I have just bought 2 Taylor kits to do and this was inspirational for me to begin.

 

[Sirfoldalot]

I just noticed and read this thread from 10 Years Ago !
First thought was: I wonder if this boxcar now has a swayback roof with a few holes/boards missing from being derelict for the time.
Second thought: It seems that we normally no longer see very many "scratchbuilt" rr cars, locomotives, or structures. Many "kit built" structures, but not very many scratchbuilt?

 

[Vince-RA]

I just noticed and read this thread from 10 Years Ago !
First thought was: I wonder if this boxcar now has a swayback roof with a few holes/boards missing from being derelict for the time.
Second thought: It seems that we normally no longer see very many "scratchbuilt" rr cars, locomotives, or structures. Many "kit built" structures, but not very many scratchbuilt?

I can give you my perspective on pre-1900s cars, having scratch built a couple dozen in the past couple years, and built a similar number of kits during that time period.

- In general, the kits I’ve used (primarily Bitter Creek and Labelle) are very good - highly detailed, mostly good materials, and mostly good instructions. Most are prototype accurate, including decals, and sometimes even options to have specific details for a few different time periods.
- You will likely spend a lot less time and probably even less money when building from a kit vs scratch. If you’re building a lot of cars, the material cost per car CAN definitely be lower, but the up front materials cost can be significant.
- Unless you’re doing things like 3D printing, laser cutting, or scribing your own wood, most likely you will be buying the same basic materials that a kit builder would - scribe siding, scale lumber, plastic or metal details, etc.

That said I still very much enjoy scratch building, sometimes just to amuse myself with a fictional car, or other times because there isn’t a kit available for the specific thing I’m trying to build. But it’s really tough to beat a well-researched and produced kit if one is available.