Kit Builds: ATSF Bx-12 Raised Roof Boxcar

I was asked to build kits by 2 good friends in the hobby.  This is the first of the last kits I will build for anyone but myself.  It's not even about the money - It is just really time consuming.

[Update] I built this for John Dunn, Sr.  He unfortunately passed away December 15, 2023. I will miss the energy he brought to life and the hobby. May he RIP.  Note - This car was sold at the Strasburg O-scale show shortly after his death. If someone knows where it may have ended up, I'd like it to find its way back to me.

This kit was produced by Jon Cagle at Southern Car & Foundry.  This link currently still shows the original kit order page.

It was overall your typical kit, though some of the parts included were of higher quality and some had to be made yourself, like the side stirrups.  Below are some images of the process of building the stirrups, decaling, and the final car.  The stirrups had to be drilled out for .016" wire, cut from the brass fret, tops of steps bent 90 degrees, and then have the wire soldered in place, cut, and filed appropriately to fit into the car side and to act as the rivet on the topside.  Wire was also used to join the U of the stirrup to the Z cross-brace.  The running boards were made from laser-cut wood.  The stringers that held them together were thin and weak and for the latitudinal walk, I reinforced the running boards with brass bar.  One other challenge of the kit was extending the end ladders with the brass.  The instructions spoke of making a jig an drilling the ladder, but I found that difficult, so I glued it in place and used archer rivets instead.  I did however, use .016" wire to secure that part of the ladder to the boxcar.

Meets: March Meet '13

So I had heard about this meet for a year or two now.  Pretty much the must goto meet of O scale 2R.  Even more-so than the national conventions.  I finally had some air miles racked up and found super cheap tickets, so I planned a same day trip to the show.

I was able to fly in and fly out using public transit on Saturday, which worked like clockwork despite St Pattys Day events (CTA and Metra).  The hotel's bus was the only shortcoming of that plan, which I had to wait out in the cold for 20 minutes before they picked me up and they weren't picking up their phone while I was on the train...

Show itself was great - my first time at this particular show.  Met a few folks for the first time and was able to catch up with friends I've known for awhile.  Highlight of shopping was picking off of Bill Davis' table and the Keil Line table.  Grabbed a lot of things I've wanted but never seen offered before.  Very cool.  Wasn't expecting to get any cars, but found 2 that would work at the right price, a Weaver B60 baggage and a random AtlasO SAL boxcar.  Got some other detail parts and decals that I was needing and that was that for goodies.  There isn't a lot out there I want at this time, so I was surprised to get something.

Model contest room had a lot of nice stuff like the Lee Turner RS3 that won the entire show with custom engine and steam generator.  Spoke to him (not knowing who he was at the time) for 2 minutes afterwards and he said he had a family member work for Alco on those units and had photos on everything including the door hoods.  My NYC transfer caboose won 1st place in the caboose category, which is always a good feeling. It got beat up a little bit through all of the traveling I did, but nothing I cant fit.  It was a last minute decision to bring it too...glad I did.

Here are the photos I took of the contest room (and the flange lubricator from Keil Line).  I wish I had taken more of the show itself.  Hopefully I can make it back to this show, especially if this year's national is the last national for awhile (or ever).  I also plan to try to make this year's national and the Indy show. See you all at Strasburg on 4/6. 

Modeling: Reading (RDG) USRA Gon Kit

This kit was reviewed in pretty good detail in O Scale Trains Issue #58.  This kit with the ends the way they were...had to be done in brick service for the Reading.  I had no other options after long research.  Special Thanks to Rich Yoder for providing me some good detailed prototype history, photos, and a decal source.

I had a lot more photos of the kit and felt like sharing.  I have no particular details to add.  It was a fairly easy kit.  Hardest part was the research, as is usually the case.

Modeling: MTH 2R SOU SD45

I reviewed this diesel in a decently full extent in issue 59 of OST (this is a great magazine to subscribe to if you're interested in detailing and building your own stuff).

Here are some more photos that never made it into the magazine.  This is NOT a stock model.  There were a lot of super-detailing additions done to it.  The magazine review details those.

I do not know how I'm going to DCC this engine.  I'm currently waiting to hear how easy it will be to upgrade to PS3 and if it adds DCC, since its already a 2R engine.  Enjoy.