7mm American O scale Southern Pacific Motive Power and Rolling Stock

[Stephen]

ATSF box cars just about ‘finished’, although one car is lacking the door grab rails which need to be fabricated or pilfered from another kit.





I do have another IM ATSF box car kit in an earlier lighter brown livery that was potentially going to be repainted, but I might just build that one straight out the box, apart from painting the roof/underframe black.

I need a session catching up on painting about ten pairs of IM trucks/wheels black for these box cars, the PFE Reefers and the Overnight box cars. If there is break in the rain over the next few days that could be on the agenda.

Cheers,

Stephen

 

[JasonD]

'door grab rails' are these the long, thin mouldings the doors ride in, or the detail part used by the crew to move the door?
Jason

 

[Stephen]

'door grab rails' are these the long, thin mouldings the doors ride in, or the detail part used by the crew to move the door?
Jason

These bits, so yes used to open/close the door by staff/crew etc.


Easy enough to fabricate, although I know I’ve got a few sore in kits, that could be used and kick the fabrication down the road….!

Cheers,
Stephen

 

[Stephen]

Had a good day at Stafford yesterday - only the second time I’ve been to a GoG event, the last being over a decade ago at Reading. Good to meet up with Richard, Jordan and a few others at Arry’s 2nd Hand Yard.

Whilst I escaped without making any purchases, I arrived home to a box containing a few GP9 body shells, which I purchased from the states at the beginning of August:



A few weeks (months?) ago @JasonD gave me an Atlas GP9 to take up to @richard carr, who was interested in purchasing, it transpired that Richard could live without it, so he kindly delivered it back to my house and I started stripping it down, to repaint the majority of it into SP Black Widow livery.


The repaint of the F3A was relatively simple seeing as the the chassis sits inside the body shell, so there wasn’t a huge amount todo. The GP9 was a lot different seeing as the loco frame would need repainting, not just the truck side frames, and additionally all the hand rails would need removing and repainting. Plus I’d also need to take all the electrics out and remember how to put it all back in again….


With everything taken apart, a good coat of Halfords Primer was applied, and where appropriate Halfords Matt black was used as the top coat. The parts that would form the steps up the cab were painted halfords black, and I was concerned that they would be a different shade of black to the Atlas bodyshell black, but thankfully the match is pretty good.


One area which I’m not entirely happy with is the red stripe along the underframe. I used TruColor SP Daylight Red (recommended by many on SP sites) but it doesn’t seem to be the exact shade I was looking for. The positive to take from this was that I finally got my airbrush set up and used in anger again.

The frame was masked up using Tamiya masking tape, and I was pretty happy with the crispness of the divide once the paint had dried and the tape removed.

The next ‘fun’ part was putting it all back together again…..this was however a rare occasion where all the screws I removed when I took the loco apart, were actually used to put it back together again! More often than not I’ll take something apart and when I put it back together there will be screws which I have no idea where they came from….

Anyway, it is back together and all working:



There are a few parts of the paint that will need touching up, and then a liberal weathering in due course.

Overall I’m pretty happy with the result - I would like to add sound to it in the future, when I’ll also add a cab interior or at least blanking plastic to hide the wires, and the original crew will be reinstalled.

I do have a second SP body, so am on the look out for another Atlas GP9, but preferably one that has a black underframe/chassis to save some work when it comes to repainting.

Better change the title of this thread seeing as it has had a recent trend towards motive power, rather than just freight cars.….and another recent arrival is a 3rd Rail Brass SP 70’ Harriman Coach…..

Cheers,

Stephen

 

[Jordan]

Good to meet up with Richard, Jordan and a few others at Arry’s 2nd Hand Yard.

Whilst I escaped without making any purchases,...

Likewise!
My only American purchases were Intermountain wheelsets from Arry.

 

[Stephen]

After the initial 'success' of getting the airbrush working again, my latest exploits have been a disappointment. I decided to have a go at painting an A-50-13 Auto box car, and buoyed on by the lack of thinning required with Tru-color paints, set everything up and started to spray.

I check on the manufacturers website their preferred pressure to spray prior to commencing and duly set the compressor to suit. The results were not good:




It looks like the paint was drying before it hit the surface of the model, which would have been down to me spraying too far away, or sweeping the air brush too quickly....or I wonder whether it might have been down to the heat? There might even be other factors I'm not aware of, but I'll treat it as a learning curve.

What I'm not sure whether to do is try to add another coat and hope it evens things out, or just take the hit and strip the model back to bare plastic and start again - thoughts?

Cheers,

Stephen

 

[JasonD]

Oh boy ... spray painting, something else I haven't done for many years. But I used to enjoy it, Floquil, Scalecoat I with the heady thinners ... what's that? It's all different now??

The colour looks satisfactory so you have a choice: as you say strip it/start again (with more thinner in steps until OK?) or a coat of gloss varnish to 'fill' the surface to take the decals. Being lazy I'd try the varnish (on a sprayed inside surface or the roof?), just an extra bit to take off if it's still not up to standard.

Do the current suppliers of the paint supply suggestions? Where are they, USA is a big country to assume the weather conditions they tested under are like ours.

Bring me up-to-date, what gloss and matt varnishes are favourites/easily available here, what brand of colour and thinner are you using?
Jason

 

[Jordan]

A rather severe case of 'orange peel', that. I'd say strip it & respray.

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

Yep, I'd start again. The paint is drying too quickly before it hits the model.

Although they say they do not require thinning what is the consistency of the paint in the bottle - is it akin to single cream or thicker? If thicker then I'd thin the paint to at least single cream consistency, set the airbrush pressure to the higher end of the scale and test on a scrap piece.

In most cases thinning paint to skimmed milk consistency seems to be the norm.

The attached MRH document may be useful: The Model Railroad Hobbyist’s Guide to acrylic painting ... in a post-Floquil world by Joe Fugate.

 

[richard carr]

The recent heat would also have had an impact on the paint drying faster than normal, it certainly needs thinning for those temperatures.

Richard

 

[Stephen]

Thanks for the thoughts/responses gents!

The Tru-color paint is an acetone based paint, which in all honesty I've not used before. On reflection the consistency is probably slightly thicker compared to acrylic and enamel paints that I've thinned previously - probably not a huge amount in it, but enough to produce shoddy results.

Stripping of the box car should be interesting - a coat of acetone based paint, then the halfords primer, and finally the majority of the original Atlas finish.

I'm thinking of sealed tupper wear and submersion in detox for this one, although I will try the Precision/Phoenix Paint stripper on a section, but I don't think I have enough left todo the whole body.....plus that does soften the detail in places.

Cheers,

Stephen

 

[JasonD]

Thanks for the low-down on the Tru-color paint, I have some untouched, litre bottles of acetone if you need some thinner next time you're passing.
Jason

 

[Stephen]

So its been a lot longer than thought since I last posted, and in all honesty not much work has been undertaken on any of the box cars or motive power in the interim.

Production of the latest edition of the. Somerset & Dorset Railway Heritage Trust 'Telegraph' magazine has been a distraction:


As has the new addition of a rescue cat....(and L&B models)...


She doesn't seem too bothered by Lionheart's excellent recent offerings....

On top of that, after having a hernia op cancelled on the day due to high blood pressure, I've finally managed to have the op and am now in recovery mode so can think about doing something productive again......and that thought has been hugely boosted by the surprise arrival in the post today....

A few months ago I contacted Sarah Griessenbock to see whether she had any plans to expand her range of 3D Printed AAR 1937 Box car parts (1937 A.A.R. Box Car). We started talking B-50-24 box cars, and the differences with these 'Overnight' cars to what is supplied in the Intermountain kit. After decent dialog and supply of diagrams and photos, not only were new Improved Youngstown doors designed, but also new Early Improved Dreadnaught (EID) 3/4 ends.

Five sets of the ends / doors and internal supports arrived today (so I've not had time to remove them from the printing supports), and the result is nothing short of excellent:

Firstly the B-50-24 Improved Youngstown Door:

Then the 3/4 'EID' End:

The Morton style end steps:


The internal supports, which will aid stability when removing the existing ends of the IM box car:




The iphone camera really doesn't do the quality of this printing justice!

Originally I was just going to repaint a few box cars into Overnight livery, but now I have the parts for five box cars to be converted with prototypical doors, ends, Protocraft Morton walkways and additional rivets from Archer (good to see them back in production too). Just need to debate whether I now upgrade these cars with prototypical trucks vice the Bettendorf IM versions supplied. I'm sure a few people will only think the conversion is complete if undertaken to Proto48.....!

Whilst I'd never (ahem) blame my tools, I think a new modelling saw and set of clamps is required before I start the hacking about of the IM kits, so I'll see if anything is available at Erith on Saturday, otherwise I'm sure amazon will produce the goods.

Would like to think that I can get at least one box car converted before heading to Chicago for the March-O-Meet, but there is no guarantee of that presently.

Cheers,
Stephen

 

[Stephen]

Got back from the March-O-Meet in Chicago on Tuesday - first time I’ve been and thought it was a really good event. Seven days in the Chicago area with @Scale7JB, @richard carr and @Big Train James provided a good mix of layout visits, 1:1 Rail Fanning and of course the main event of the Saturday trading show.

Plenty of bargains to be had, could have done with a further two suitcases to the two I already had….

So first up, a Sunset Brass Mk-5 2-8-2, purchased on eBay before Christmas and stored by Jim, so duly collected:
Nice model, needs some refinement to take it up to the next level, but was a good price.

I’d also purchased this beaut before the event, and picked it up from American Scale Models on the Saturday morning:


It’s a Glacier Park Model Mk-4 2-8-2 and is already DCC Sound fitted. Absolutely stunning model!

What I wasn’t expecting was another Glacier Park SP loco to be on offer….



American Scale Models has this S-12 0-6-0 for sale with DCC and Sound fitted…..couldn’t leave it there, especially for the price offered, which was a shadow of what Brass Trains has one of offer for.

Like the Mk-4, the S-12 is a cracking model, with really refined detail and it crawls along at a smooth slow speed.

There was an abundance of Intermountain kits available for as little as $10 each! With one suitcase already full, I had to be selective so picked these three up:


Looking at the Thompson SP book on Hoppers, the SP didn’t have any 55Ton USRA Hoppers, but Rule No.1 comes into play, especially for $10 a kit.

Also found a couple of the GPM Gondola Kits, one steel sided, the other composite - just need Protocraft trucks to complete:



And finally, a bit of a curveball, a Rails Unlimited SP Auto car resin body:

Need todo a bit of research on available Trucks and various other parts required to complete the model, but should be a nice change to the abundance of AAR 1937 box cars I already have.

A few other freight cars were purchased including an Altas 70Ton SP cement Hopper, for a bargain $25 and the odd SP IM pre-built box car for $10 already fitted with Kadees.

If I’d had a third suitcase I could have filled that with IM Reefer kits, and lord knows what else!

If you model American O scale, it’s well worth at least one trip to the event, especially if you do the layout tours (Fox Valley and Rockford) and the Illinois Railway Museum.

The social side of the event was also very good - plenty of vendors happy to chat ‘railroads’ with no obligation to make purchases, although three did think I was an Aussie! Also met Sarah Griessenbock who produced the resin replacement doors/ends for the Overnight box cars, and saw her first example of a 3D printed kit for an O scale tanker.

The big thing is NOT to get distracted by the new purchases and start finishing off the box cars that I’ve already started…..we’ll see how that goes…..

Cheers,

Stephen

 

[Brian T]

Got back from the March-O-Meet in Chicago on Tuesday - first time I’ve been and thought it was a really good event. Seven days in the Chicago area with @Scale7JB, @richard carr and @Big Train James provided a good mix of layout visits, 1:1 Rail Fanning and of course the main event of the Saturday trading show.

Plenty of bargains to be had, could have done with a further two suitcases to the two I already had….

So first up, a Sunset Brass Mk-5 2-8-2, purchased on eBay before Christmas and stored by Jim, so duly collected: View attachment 211979
Nice model, needs some refinement to take it up to the next level, but was a good price.

I’d also purchased this beaut before the event, and picked it up from American Scale Models on the Saturday morning:

View attachment 211978
It’s a Glacier Park Model Mk-4 2-8-2 and is already DCC Sound fitted. Absolutely stunning model!

What I wasn’t expecting was another Glacier Park SP loco to be on offer….

View attachment 211977

American Scale Models has this S-12 0-6-0 for sale with DCC and Sound fitted…..couldn’t leave it there, especially for the price offered, which was a shadow of what Brass Trains has one of offer for.

Like the Mk-4, the S-12 is a cracking model, with really refined detail and it crawls along at a smooth slow speed.

There was an abundance of Intermountain kits available for as little as $10 each! With one suitcase already full, I had to be selective so picked these three up:

View attachment 211980
Looking at the Thompson SP book on Hoppers, the SP didn’t have any 55Ton USRA Hoppers, but Rule No.1 comes into play, especially for $10 a kit.

Also found a couple of the GPM Gondola Kits, one steel sided, the other composite - just need Protocraft trucks to complete:

View attachment 211981

And finally, a bit of a curveball, a Rails Unlimited SP Auto car resin body:
View attachment 211982
Need todo a bit of research on available Trucks and various other parts required to complete the model, but should be a nice change to the abundance of AAR 1937 box cars I already have.

A few other freight cars were purchased including an Altas 70Ton SP cement Hopper, for a bargain $25 and the odd SP IM pre-built box car for $10 already fitted with Kadees.

If I’d had a third suitcase I could have filled that with IM Reefer kits, and lord knows what else!

If you model American O scale, it’s well worth at least one trip to the event, especially if you do the layout tours (Fox Valley and Rockford) and the Illinois Railway Museum.

The social side of the event was also very good - plenty of vendors happy to chat ‘railroads’ with no obligation to make purchases, although three did think I was an Aussie! Also met Sarah Griessenbock who produced the resin replacement doors/ends for the Overnight box cars, and saw her first example of a 3D printed kit for an O scale tanker.

The big thing is NOT to get distracted by the new purchases and start finishing off the box cars that I’ve already started…..we’ll see how that goes…..

Cheers,

Stephen

Good to hear the trip was a success for you if not for your wallet....Liking the S-12 though and even more so that you never brought the one they did with a green boiler...(just does'nt suit it imho..!)

I,ve noticed that a couple of the rails Unlimited kits are bare bones,but still should be a nice build when finished,have one of the 1932 ARA steel car kits here,which unlike yours is a 'flat pack'.
As for the coal hoppers,did SP have any with TN&O sub lettering at all.(Perhaps a question to post on the main@RealSTMFC.groups.io | Topics )

Cheers,
Brian.

 

[Stephen]

Hi Brian,

to be honest, even if he S12 had been a green jacket version, I would have snapped it up for the price, but agree they do look so much better in black, so utterly happy with the purchase!

It seems the SP didn’t have much USRA designed freight stock, they mainly used their own design, or that of Harriman. The Thompson books do mention cars which the SP produced and subsequently designated to the T&NO, although I don’t think it’s an exhaustive list of T&NO freight equipment In them.

I’m more than happy with modellers licence for the Hoppers, should look pretty good once built up with a real coal load and appropriate weathering.

Cheers,

Stephen

 

[Stephen]

I don't often get time to get down to any modelling in recent months, but when I do it's inevitably blighted by feline intervention....



There was however completion of one of the $10 Chicago box car purchases - this one had previously been 'constructed', and I use that word loosely, seeing as almost all the parts had fallen off of it due to a lack of any glue. Most parts were glued back on, where there was damage, spares were utilised, and then Kadees fitted, along with IM wheels.



Seeing as its an 'early' SP model, I'll aim to paint the underframe black - which was the general policy pre-WW2. Then a liberal weathering in due course.

Cheers,

Stephen

 

[timbowales]

Your feline companion doesn’t look very impressed?
Tim T

 

[garethashenden]

Your feline companion doesn’t look very impressed?
Tim T

They were just described as a blight. If, perhaps, they had been described as a blessing things might be different.

 

[Stephen]

Your feline companion doesn’t look very impressed?
Tim T

After four attempts to squeeze herself into an Intermountain freight car kit box, she reluctantly settled in full view, requiring me to move tools around and put lids on mek-pac etc. Ten minutes later she was back on the window cill......

They were just described as a blight. If, perhaps, they had been described as a blessing things might be different.

Unlikely - she follows the usual feline trait of providing 'judging' looks whether being praised, pampered, ignored or reprimanded.

Cheers,
Stephen