7mm American O scale Southern Pacific Motive Power and Rolling Stock
- Thread starter Stephen
- Start date
Stephen
Western Thunderer
Another ‘acquisition’ update. Massive thanks to @Big Train James for his sterling work obtaining items for me from the Chicago O scale meet, and sending them through in fine form.
Atlas Auto car will receive an IM underframe/trucks/roof in due course, whilst everything else just requires weathering…..bar the PSC caboose which requires a complete paint job.
Cheers,
Stephen
Atlas Auto car will receive an IM underframe/trucks/roof in due course, whilst everything else just requires weathering…..bar the PSC caboose which requires a complete paint job.
Cheers,
Stephen
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Stephen
Western Thunderer
Nice haul Stephen,especially the the USRA gons....been after a couple of them myself ,but the postage is stopping me at the moment.
Brian.
Hi Brain,
They are very nice models, didn’t realise that the when they say they are composite gondolas, they really are, with the sides made from some sort of wood - they do require delicate handing though.
Hi Jason,
The Atlas roof with the apex walkway is great, but alas none of the SP AAR 40ft Auto cars were fitted with apex walkways, they all kept their wooden walkways until sometime after they were brought into standard box car use, which is later than the time I’m attempting to model.
Some of the diagram box cars I’m going go recreate such as the B-50-24 ‘Overnight’ cars were fitted with apex walkways, but alas the IM kits come supplied with either wooden walkways, or a poor version of the apex walkway. So, I’ll take the atlas roof, and ‘trade’ it with one from an IM kit, thus giving a better model of an Auto car, and an Overnight car with no additional expenditure.
on the subject of ‘overnight‘ box cars……any photos?!?
Cheers,
Stephen.
JasonD
Western Thunderer
The SP Overnight boxcar is a bodyshell, floor and a couple of brake system underframe parts. Necessary add-on details are around::
Yes, I have taken other pics today, but rather than posting all of them in all known British American O-scale sites, maybe I need to set up another catch-all site? WDYT? What's that ... what are those models on the shelf below? Nth American 2-rail O-scale of course.
Jason
Yes, I have taken other pics today, but rather than posting all of them in all known British American O-scale sites, maybe I need to set up another catch-all site? WDYT? What's that ... what are those models on the shelf below? Nth American 2-rail O-scale of course.
Jason
Brian T
Western Thunderer
Hi Stephen,
Yes the Intermountain gons are very fragile but very nice.
In the past i've built a few of these from the kits, and the 'delicate' parts would test the patience of all but the most laid back modellers....
But having said that because of the seperate woooden incerts for the sides they make great candidates for later re-built gons with steel sides.
Nice and simple,just replace with plasticard job done...
BTW Atlas released these later as per the other Intermountain cars that they aqcuired.
Brian.
Stephen
Western Thunderer
Hi Stephen,
Yes the Intermountain gons are very fragile but very nice.
In the past i've built a few of these from the kits, and the 'delicate' parts would test the patience of all but the most laid back modellers....
But having said that because of the seperate woooden incerts for the sides they make great candidates for later re-built gons with steel sides.
Nice and simple,just replace with plasticard job done...
BTW Atlas released these later as per the other Intermountain cars that they aqcuired.
Brian.
I like the idea of making a rebuild - better keep an eye out for a cheap and maybe damaged one on eBay, that could be a suitable candidate for bashing about.
Embarrassingly, I’d seen the Atlas versions and not put two and two together!
And now the search for an Atlas F3A + B in SP Black Widow livery commences…..
Cheers,
Stephen
Stephen
Western Thunderer
It’s been an auto car sort of weekend with a few of the items that @Big Train James obtained for me being progressed.
The IMRC ARR 1937 Double Door box car has been built, with weights added to it, to bring it to a similar weight as the Atlas box cars.
Usual score that the underframe requires painting, and weathering in due course. Metal wheels and Kadees fitted as standard.
Also the conversion of the bargain ($25) Atlas 1937 AAR Auto car has been undertaken, with the retrofit of an IMRC underframe, trucks and metal wheels. Additionally a new roof with wooden walkway has been installed, which is now correct for an SP A-50-13 auto car. Roof and underframe require painting/weathering.
As the weather improves, I’ll get the other Atlas retrofit Auto car painted, then the trio of auto cars will be complete.
Cheers,
Stephen
The IMRC ARR 1937 Double Door box car has been built, with weights added to it, to bring it to a similar weight as the Atlas box cars.
Usual score that the underframe requires painting, and weathering in due course. Metal wheels and Kadees fitted as standard.
Also the conversion of the bargain ($25) Atlas 1937 AAR Auto car has been undertaken, with the retrofit of an IMRC underframe, trucks and metal wheels. Additionally a new roof with wooden walkway has been installed, which is now correct for an SP A-50-13 auto car. Roof and underframe require painting/weathering.
As the weather improves, I’ll get the other Atlas retrofit Auto car painted, then the trio of auto cars will be complete.
Cheers,
Stephen
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Stephen
Western Thunderer
I'm roughly a year into this 'side project' which has undoubtedly become my 'main' project, with all British 7mm projects slowing being migrated back into their boxes.....
Although the original plan was a short rake of box cars, this project has really re-invigorated my interest in the American railroads, and particularly the Southern Pacific, so I guess it was inevitable that other types of freight vehicles would be purchased. Jim helped kick start that with the purchase of the IM Gondolas at Chicago, plus a flat car from his collection. One type of vehicle I was never that interested in was the 40ft refeers - which were undoubtedly one of the most famous freight manifests on the SP, supplying the West coast with fresh products delivered by Cab-Forward haulage..... however a chance meet up with @JasonD changed all that....
So this item was basically a body shell and roof and not a lot else.......after access to Jason's IM spares box, I managed to muster together all the required spruces to complete with kit, including a new set of IM metal wheels. Would be a shame to just have one Reefer in the consist.......
Whilst having a snoop, I also managed to muster all the parts for this reefer too…
too modern for my requirements, but I'm sure Jason will put it into his 'for sale' stock sooner rather than later - plenty of IM spare parts for sale there too......
Cheers,
Stephen
Although the original plan was a short rake of box cars, this project has really re-invigorated my interest in the American railroads, and particularly the Southern Pacific, so I guess it was inevitable that other types of freight vehicles would be purchased. Jim helped kick start that with the purchase of the IM Gondolas at Chicago, plus a flat car from his collection. One type of vehicle I was never that interested in was the 40ft refeers - which were undoubtedly one of the most famous freight manifests on the SP, supplying the West coast with fresh products delivered by Cab-Forward haulage..... however a chance meet up with @JasonD changed all that....
So this item was basically a body shell and roof and not a lot else.......after access to Jason's IM spares box, I managed to muster together all the required spruces to complete with kit, including a new set of IM metal wheels. Would be a shame to just have one Reefer in the consist.......Whilst having a snoop, I also managed to muster all the parts for this reefer too…
too modern for my requirements, but I'm sure Jason will put it into his 'for sale' stock sooner rather than later - plenty of IM spare parts for sale there too......Cheers,
Stephen
Stephen
Western Thunderer
There have been a few distractions from the box car rake, but in honesty they are good distractions….
Firstly since the acquisition of the PFE Reefer, two more were acquired from eBay at a decent price, then a forth from @richard carr whilst visiting Scale 7 heaven at his abode a few weeks ago. So current cut of reefers now stands as below. The wooden bodied ‘Red Caboose’ Reefer needs new trucks rather than the Bettendorfs which have been borrowed from AAR 1937 Box Car.
Secondly and probably more significantly a second item of Motive Power has been added to the US collection. I swung by @JasonD ’s a few weeks ago, and whilst chewing the fat stated that I wouldn’t mind an SP F-Unit of some description…..before I had chance to even mention livery the following two items were presented to me…
As expected, I took the bate, purchased and set about trying to find some replacement SP Black Widow Body Shells. After putting a few requests out on FB, a chap advised that a fella in the states had purchased the entire spares supply of body shells from Atlas for all locos produced up to 2015, but he only deals via eBay. I found ‘modeltrainshells’ on eBay, and the owner (Ray) was contacted and he advised he had both SP F3A and B Unit shells for $45 each plus postage, so they were also duly purchased.
Prior to arriving, the UP loco was stripped down, with all grey parts removed for priming and painting into black.
At this point it’s worth noting that despite both units being DCC sound installed, I can’t get either to work on DC or DCC. Richard plugged them into this computer and again could not get any logical sense out of them. I’ve subsequently tested the motors and they all run, so it will be a case of stripping them both back and probably adding new DCC systems with decoders/chips that can be programmed with decent American sounds……but that’s some way off.
Despite the bodies taking almost a month to traverse the Atlantic they arrived today, and after a decent session with the spray cans, the underframe and truck parts were finished off in a more prototypical black.
With the bodies attached, the only things left todo are to prime/paint the pilot, which will also require obtaining red paint to try and match the Atlas red. The units have also had their couplers removed between each unit and replaced by a draw bar, I’ll probably revert back to kadees in due course.
Typically the SP ran F3 units in an A-B-B-A consist, but I’ll keep it simple and stick with an A&B…..still need to crack on with the other box cars to give this new addition something worthwhile to haul.
Cheers,
Stephen
Firstly since the acquisition of the PFE Reefer, two more were acquired from eBay at a decent price, then a forth from @richard carr whilst visiting Scale 7 heaven at his abode a few weeks ago. So current cut of reefers now stands as below. The wooden bodied ‘Red Caboose’ Reefer needs new trucks rather than the Bettendorfs which have been borrowed from AAR 1937 Box Car.
Secondly and probably more significantly a second item of Motive Power has been added to the US collection. I swung by @JasonD ’s a few weeks ago, and whilst chewing the fat stated that I wouldn’t mind an SP F-Unit of some description…..before I had chance to even mention livery the following two items were presented to me…
As expected, I took the bate, purchased and set about trying to find some replacement SP Black Widow Body Shells. After putting a few requests out on FB, a chap advised that a fella in the states had purchased the entire spares supply of body shells from Atlas for all locos produced up to 2015, but he only deals via eBay. I found ‘modeltrainshells’ on eBay, and the owner (Ray) was contacted and he advised he had both SP F3A and B Unit shells for $45 each plus postage, so they were also duly purchased.
Prior to arriving, the UP loco was stripped down, with all grey parts removed for priming and painting into black.
At this point it’s worth noting that despite both units being DCC sound installed, I can’t get either to work on DC or DCC. Richard plugged them into this computer and again could not get any logical sense out of them. I’ve subsequently tested the motors and they all run, so it will be a case of stripping them both back and probably adding new DCC systems with decoders/chips that can be programmed with decent American sounds……but that’s some way off.
Despite the bodies taking almost a month to traverse the Atlantic they arrived today, and after a decent session with the spray cans, the underframe and truck parts were finished off in a more prototypical black.
With the bodies attached, the only things left todo are to prime/paint the pilot, which will also require obtaining red paint to try and match the Atlas red. The units have also had their couplers removed between each unit and replaced by a draw bar, I’ll probably revert back to kadees in due course.
Typically the SP ran F3 units in an A-B-B-A consist, but I’ll keep it simple and stick with an A&B…..still need to crack on with the other box cars to give this new addition something worthwhile to haul.
Cheers,
Stephen
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JasonD
Western Thunderer
Stephen, I've looked out a few reds in small bottles - 5 so far from Scalecoat SP Daylight Red thru' to the Model Paint Co Virgin Red. Maybe you could bring the A-unit on your next visit and then we could examine the sensibility of putting Atlas couplers back on instead of the bar, if the Atlas mounting holes are still there.
Everyone, I know, I know, looks of shock horror ... why not just put Kadees on ...? I firmly believe original Atlas/China couplers are based on, or simply copy, the Atlas/Roco design from back when I was a boy. The recent ones are more of a copy of the Kadee 8xx. What you need to do with the older Atlas type is snip 1/16" off the sharp side of the knuckle and file the cut smooth. It's only the angle on the Kadee design that can get the knuckle stuck when coupling and there won't be a lot of that on an A~B set.
Jason
Everyone, I know, I know, looks of shock horror ... why not just put Kadees on ...? I firmly believe original Atlas/China couplers are based on, or simply copy, the Atlas/Roco design from back when I was a boy. The recent ones are more of a copy of the Kadee 8xx. What you need to do with the older Atlas type is snip 1/16" off the sharp side of the knuckle and file the cut smooth. It's only the angle on the Kadee design that can get the knuckle stuck when coupling and there won't be a lot of that on an A~B set.
Jason
Stephen
Western Thunderer
Evening Jason,
I knew I was too quick with the order with Mech Models today! Well I needed some of the Tru-color thinners, so added a SP Daylight red to the basket as well......however still keen to see whether the Scalecoat Red might be a better match to the Atlas paint.
With regard to the couplings, that too is work in progress, I have a fair few pairs of kadees, so I'll hopefully get them mounted in due course.....won't be this weekend though....doing the unthinkable....working behind the bar at an Ale Festival at Midsomer Norton station......be the first time I've been to Beer festival and have had to hand the pints to someone else rather than sampling them....
That aside - another visit to Westbury needs to be organised - need to bring you those Atlas Trucks.
Cheers,
Stephen
I knew I was too quick with the order with Mech Models today! Well I needed some of the Tru-color thinners, so added a SP Daylight red to the basket as well......however still keen to see whether the Scalecoat Red might be a better match to the Atlas paint.
With regard to the couplings, that too is work in progress, I have a fair few pairs of kadees, so I'll hopefully get them mounted in due course.....won't be this weekend though....doing the unthinkable....working behind the bar at an Ale Festival at Midsomer Norton station......be the first time I've been to Beer festival and have had to hand the pints to someone else rather than sampling them....
That aside - another visit to Westbury needs to be organised - need to bring you those Atlas Trucks.
Cheers,
Stephen
richard carr
Western Thunderer
Stephen
For the front coupler I would be tempted to fit a Protocraft knuckle, they look so much better than the Atlas or Kadee ones and you will rarely us it for actual coupling.
Richard
For the front coupler I would be tempted to fit a Protocraft knuckle, they look so much better than the Atlas or Kadee ones and you will rarely us it for actual coupling.
Richard
Stephen
Western Thunderer
richard carr
Western Thunderer
Stephen
Yes those are the ones, they look good and work OK.
Richard
Yes those are the ones, they look good and work OK.
Richard
Stephen
Western Thunderer
Whilst I'm still waiting for a clear day to get the airbrush out and start top coating the Southern Pacific Box cars, I've found a couple of spare hours to add a bit of realism to a few Santa Fe Box Cars.
Even as a self proclaimed fan of the Intermountain box car kits, they do have their limitations, one being that generally the box car bodies are a uniform colour, where as many box cars had differing roof and chassis colours. From the bit of research that I've undertaken ATSF AAR 1937 Box cars mostly had black underframes, black roofs, and wooden walkways that were the same colour as the body. The Intermountain kits come with everything brown, and sometimes a crude Apex walkway vice a wooden one.
I have three ATSF box cars in various states. One was an RTR model obtained by @Big Train James for me at bargain price at the March-O-Meet. This one was incorrectly manufactured with a plastic Apex Walkway, so this has been removed and a spare wooden variety will be fitted. The other two box cars (one obtained recently from @JasonD) are in various states of construction and thankfully both have wooden walkways included.
As an easy hit, I took the three ATSF box cars, masked them up, and primed the underframes and roofs Halford's grey, before top coating with Halford's matt black. Wooden walkways will be permanently fitted on all in due course, along with adding all the usual kadees, trucks etc.
Unlike some of the SP box cars where the trucks were also mineral/box car red/brown, the ATSF trucks were black, so I'll do a run of priming/painting IM trucks/wheels in due course.
I'm not going to the same levels of research on the ATSF box cars as I have on the SP varieties, but merely treating these as 'consist fillers', to bolster the fleet and add a bit of variety.
Cheers,
Stephen
Even as a self proclaimed fan of the Intermountain box car kits, they do have their limitations, one being that generally the box car bodies are a uniform colour, where as many box cars had differing roof and chassis colours. From the bit of research that I've undertaken ATSF AAR 1937 Box cars mostly had black underframes, black roofs, and wooden walkways that were the same colour as the body. The Intermountain kits come with everything brown, and sometimes a crude Apex walkway vice a wooden one.
I have three ATSF box cars in various states. One was an RTR model obtained by @Big Train James for me at bargain price at the March-O-Meet. This one was incorrectly manufactured with a plastic Apex Walkway, so this has been removed and a spare wooden variety will be fitted. The other two box cars (one obtained recently from @JasonD) are in various states of construction and thankfully both have wooden walkways included.
As an easy hit, I took the three ATSF box cars, masked them up, and primed the underframes and roofs Halford's grey, before top coating with Halford's matt black. Wooden walkways will be permanently fitted on all in due course, along with adding all the usual kadees, trucks etc.
Unlike some of the SP box cars where the trucks were also mineral/box car red/brown, the ATSF trucks were black, so I'll do a run of priming/painting IM trucks/wheels in due course.
I'm not going to the same levels of research on the ATSF box cars as I have on the SP varieties, but merely treating these as 'consist fillers', to bolster the fleet and add a bit of variety.
Cheers,
Stephen
JasonD
Western Thunderer
Anyone else got fine Atlas/Roco (last century) Pennsy 40ft boxcars? Those Improved Dreadnaught Ends are superb and the Pennsy cars were seen out west in real life too:
ogrforum.ogaugerr.com
Jason
Atlas/ROCO O scale 40 foot boxcars
Anyone remember them? Came in an unmarked white box. Looking for the Austrian made Atlas/ Roco 40 foot boxcar from the 70’s. Those ungainly plastic oversized basic 40 ft boxcars! Lol. undecorated or painted? Undamaged preferred, the trucks not essential. Need one maybe two (what have you?) for a...
Jason
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Jordan
Mid-Western Thunderer
I have one, but like I've replied on the OGR Forum, mine has seen better days...Anyone else got fine Atlas/Roco (last century) Pennsy 40ft boxcars? Those Improved Dreadnaught Ends are superb and the Pennsy cars were seen out west in real life too:
Atlas/ROCO O scale 40 foot boxcars
Anyone remember them? Came in an unmarked white box. Looking for the Austrian made Atlas/ Roco 40 foot boxcar from the 70’s. Those ungainly plastic oversized basic 40 ft boxcars! Lol. undecorated or painted? Undamaged preferred, the trucks not essential. Need one maybe two (what have you?) for a...
Jason
