Modeling: O Scale 2R LN Orange PS-3 HT

This is a repainted Lionel model modified with AtlasO trucks.  I made the decals for these using the lettering diagram and discussion with Curt Fortenberry.  The trucks even have the appropriate white labeling per the diagrams. Standard magnetic airhoses and cutlevers were added as well.  Photos below:

Side View.

Side View - Left.

Side View - Right.  ACI label is from microscale.

Angle - End View.

Lightly weathered interior since NEW in 1971, the last year or so in my timeframe.

Modeling: O Scale 2R LN PS2-CD Coke Breeze LO

With the help of Steve Johnson, whom I'd consider a very knowledgeable L&N fan, I was able to draw a near 100% complete and accurate set of decals for the coke breeze P-S covered hoppers.  The main difference would be the multiple hatches on the AtlasO model vs. the one hatch on the prototype and the warnings associated with those hatches.

There were no special additions to the car, just repainting the car.  This car does has decals on the tops of the trucks, but they are hard to see, but were in the diagrams I saw, so I had them made.   I believe I bought the car used as part of the roofwalk was broken out of the box.  Pictures below and as with every blog post - are clickable for HI-RES versions.

Side View

Close up Side - Left.

Close Up Side - Right

End View - B Side.  Lettering on Reservoir not seen due to lighting.

Close up of Hatch warning label.

Every hatch has the same warning label.

Modeling: Late 1960's-era REA Express CDRX (REAX) BE Express Car

It's been awhile since I've posted any work.  I was waiting until I progressed further with the layout itself so I could display the new cars I've done with a decent background.  That was taking far too long, so here is one of the new cars I've repainted.

The original REA express cars from Weaver are all before my era as far as paint is concerned.  I needed an even lighter colored car and the new diamond REA emblem.

I did what research I could and Bob Heil was able to get me a photo from a book that showed what these cars looked like in the late 60's.  I used that photo and several others to reconstruct the lettering on the car (albeit slight liberties with a few portions of the text) and made my own decals.  I repainted a weaver car using testor's green zinc chromate enamel paint.  

I went through an ordeal of spraying this non-acrlyic paint and have come to the decision that even if the color exists in another type of paint I will mix and match any acrylic paint I need to until I get the right shade I want.  I don't want to be stuck buying expensive thinners that only work with one brand of paint.  This car took months to finally degas in my car due to using a lacquer thinner instead of testors thinner, but the lesson was learned and the car still came out nicely.  

The trucks also received the same green per prototype and these cars were taken over by Chicago Leasing Company, thus the CDRX reporting marks instead of REAX.  The middle ladders were constructed out of soldered brass using the photo as well.  I went ahead and bought a set of Rod Miller's castings for close-coupling capabilities of these cars.  They take a little work but make them look much nicer.

  

 Prototype Photo

 

 The difference of greens...the original up top and the chromate to the right.

 Right side of car.

End of the car with the Rod Miller close-coupling specialty piece.

Second end photo.

Top left of car side.  Typically listed paint used and date.

Info lifted off the prototype photo for the bottom right of the car.

Side view.

The car completely apart and paint stripped.

How I mask off trucks for repainting without taking out the wheels.

Review: My Thoughts on Weaver's MILW Ribside Cars

I picked up one of these cars.  Overall if you don't have the time to build any of the Rails Unlimited kits, then this car isn't bad if you need these.  Compared to the H30s and the Wagontop cars, which were done in China (This car was made in the US I believe), the detail on this car is not as fine as those.  The only details off the top of my head without looking into my RPCyc book is that the grab irons don't appear to be the correct AAR style and that the longitudinal running board support appears incorrect.  Below is a photo essay of the car.  Its up to you to decide if you want it.  I'll stick with my 4 completed RU kits.

Ladder rungs are a bit thick.

No piping between brake line components.

Wrong style grabs.

Great door.

Thick and non-scale roofwalk supports.

Molded-in grabs on ends.

Brake wheel area looks legit.

Meets: First Place Diesel at Indy '13

I'm writing this while waiting for a flight back from Indy.  Took a little detour after the show.

Good show overall.  Attendance may have a been a little light.  Hope its not the sign of the times.

I enjoy competing against other modelers from around the country at these contests put on at these shows.  It helps motivate and inspire awesome work by many.  Its always nice to see other's work as often one does not see it otherwise.

It would appear only my CofG GP18 placed in the contest, but I also brought an extended-height LO in SOU paint.  Below are pictures of both.  They will need weathering, but I have several other projects cluttering my workbench I want to finish and then get some scenery done on the layout.

SOU Merger History

I may add more to this particular post as time goes on, but I'll probably make a new post on further history topics that I would compile for my own benefit.

I just spent the last few hours researching the various subsidiaries and mergers that the Southern Railway ran through over the years as my knowledge was not where it should have been in knowing the history.  Muchof the history among the larger railroads was documented, but much of it is very sparse...at least online.  All dates are not guaranteed to be accurate, but I pulled charter dates, subsidiary dates with SOU (or CofG in one instance), and merger dates of 14 different railroads that made up the Southern Railway.  Of course there were many more Class 2 and shortlines that made up the SOU, but space, time, and lack of complete interest limited to what you will see in a minute.

What caused my spark of curiosity?  I am looking to build a GP18 unit for my road, where the dozen or so units that were a part of the SOU were from the CofG and NS mergers. One has to know their history here...due to my time frame, I am going to have to letter my first black-tux CofG unit, as it was a subsidiary of SOU,but neither CofG or NS merged with SOU until 1971 and 1974 respectively.

Anywho, here is the timeline I quickly put together.  One would have thought this existed already on the internet,but it did not...at least like this.  Perhaps it will help other modelers with their 60s/70s modeling.  Regardless, always refer to a prototype photo for modeling

Note:  Clicking on image will provide legible view.

Got Paint?

If you haven't heard yet, Testor's is dropping the Polly Scale and Floquil lines of paint along with some other brands I never used.  I went ahead and thought about the modeling I do and stocked up on 88 bottles of polly scale, since I prefer to shoot with acrylics.  If remained sealed and in a cool place, they should last me a long part of my modeling career.  I stopped in and bought a few more bottles on top of my original order at MB Kleins.  The retail on these jars is around $6, but Kleins sells at 4.59, which isn't bad for specific high-quality colors.  If you're going to paint your models, you might as well use quality paint on them, even if you could almost get a locomotive for the price of all of the paint.  They still had probably 85% of the colors left as of 5/28/13.  Here's what a bulk order of paint looks like along with a short list of my order.  There are some colors that I can get from Weaver Scalecoat or Tru-color in case I ever run into a shortage of something like boxcar red.

Code	Item	Qty	Price	Grand Total
TES-414415	Polly Scale 414415 Wrought Iron Paint 1 oz.	1	$4.59	$4.59
TES-414416	Polly Scale 414416 Rail Brown Paint 1 oz.	1	$4.59	$4.59
TES-414417	Polly Scale 414417 Grime Paint 1 oz.	1	$4.59	$4.59
TES-414448	Polly Scale 414448 Driftwood Acrylic Wash 1 oz.	1	$4.59	$4.59
TES-414293	Polly Scale 414293 Zinc Chromate Paint 1 oz.	3	$4.59	$13.77
TES-414290	Polly Scale 414290 Engine Black Paint 1 oz.	15	$4.59	$68.85
TES-414296	Polly Scale 414296 Stainless Steel Paint 1 oz.	1	$4.59	$4.59
TES-414308	Polly Scale 414308 Dirt Paint 1 oz.	1	$4.59	$4.59
TES-414110	Polly Scale 414110 Steam Power Black Paint 1 oz.	2	$4.59	$9.18
TES-414113	Polly Scale 414113 Reefer White Paint 1 oz.	6	$4.59	$27.54
TES-414116	Polly Scale 414116 Reefer Gray Paint 1 oz.	5	$4.59	$22.95
TES-414122	Polly Scale 414122 Reefer Yellow Paint 1 oz.	1	$4.59	$4.59
TES-414128	Polly Scale 414128 Caboose Red Paint 1 oz.	4	$4.59	$18.36
TES-414134	Polly Scale 414134 Undercoat Light Gray Paint 1 oz.	2	$4.59	$9.18
TES-414137	Polly Scale 414137 Grimy Black Paint 1 oz.	2	$4.59	$9.18
TES-414140	Polly Scale 414140 Tarnished Black Paint 1 oz.	2	$4.59	$9.18
TES-414143	Polly Scale 414143 Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Silver Paint 1 oz.	3	$4.59	$13.77
TES-414281	Polly Scale 414281 Boxcar Red Paint 1 oz.	4	$4.59	$18.36
TES-414284	Polly Scale 414284 Pullman Green Paint 1 oz.	1	$4.59	$4.59
TES-414302	Polly Scale 414302 Sand Paint 1 oz.	1	$4.59	$4.59
TES-414314	Polly Scale 414314 Mud Paint 1 oz.	1	$4.59	$4.59
TES-414320	Polly Scale 414320 Aged Concrete Paint 1 oz.	2	$4.59	$9.18
TES-414326	Polly Scale 414326 Oily Black Paint 1 oz.	3	$4.59	$13.77
TES-414329	Polly Scale 414329 Railroad Tie Brown Paint 1 oz.	5	$4.59	$22.95
TES-414354	Polly Scale 414354 Special Oxide Red Paint 1 oz.	3	$4.59	$13.77
TES-414350	Polly Scale 414350 Mineral Red Paint 1 oz.	1	$4.59	$4.59
TES-414374	Polly Scale 414374 Southern Sylvan Green Paint 1 oz.	1	$4.59	$4.59
TES-414392	Polly Scale 414392 Seaboard Coast Line Hopper Car Orange Paint 1 oz.	2	$4.59	$9.18
165-16-206	Badger 16-206 Dark Flesh 1 oz.	1	$1.59	$1.59
TES-414119	Polly Scale 414119 Reefer Orange Paint 1 oz.	1	$4.59	$4.59
TES-414188	Polly Scale 414188 Chicago and Northwestern Green Paint 1 oz.	1	$4.59	$4.59
			Subtotal:	$355.02
			Tax (6%):	$21.38
			Shipping Cost:	$0.00
			Grand Total:	$376.40