Passenger Cars 2021

[De Bruin]

Okay... still a little amped up with the Braves winning the series last night.
So here's another Walthers P70FAR kit-build from 2004, this one finished in the dreaded PC green pea scheme.

PC nation on FB apparently loves these, I do too but only mixed in with an appropriate number of Tuscan versions as well.

As I recall, these Scalecraft trucks required major bolster surgery to meet the coupler height standard. I think some of the prototypes may have received lightweight Commonwealth trucks after a State of New Jersey court ordered upgrade. I intend on building some of the other P70 variants to go with it too for a "Long Branch" commuter train.

[ScaleCraft]

Learned long ago with Half 0 to measure roof height to rail head FIRST and compare to prototype.

Start whacking bolsters (or shimming) to get coupler height correct will bite you on the backside.
Easy to fix the truck bolster AND fully insulate in make a new one of 1/2" square acrylic rod (I think it's half inch).
The knobs on the end are 4 penny nails. To make sure they actually fit, chuck in a drill and file off the edges and any extraneous protrusions until it fits the pockets of the sideframes.
Once you know WHERE the top needs to be, drill the ends that far off center, cut the nails to length (short enough to miss the kingpin) and super glue into place with a slower set to allow movement to make sure the sideframes is snug yet moves freely...and remove the sideframes while the super glue sets up.
Be further advised, if the SC truck has black tenite style bolsters...they shrink with age. Make the new bolsters long enough to allow sideframes to fit snugly and wheel (axle ends) to rotate freely.

I've had to do a LOT over the years.

[Chris Rock]

the Diner in particular looks like a modified Walthers D78. True? Metal sides?
I love that #2000 Mac Shops 10-6 too, these were beauties but wound up getting picked up by the PRR and converted into buffet coaches (really coaches with snack bars) I have two, one slated for the N&W's later blue scheme (sacrilege right?) and the other MP.
Pete

Pete, thanks. I think the diner is made out of a paper product but I'm not going to take it apart to see. I'd be interested to see a Walthers D78 to compare.

The Mac Shops is good except it has two extra ribs spaced on the sides the length of the car under the windows. They'll be close enough, here. That's the way the Pennsy had the ribs so it goes.

I'm looking forward to seeing the car in the blue scheme someday.

[Chris Webster]

So here's another Walthers P70FAR kit-build from 2004, this one finished in the dreaded PC green pea scheme.

Looks great!

I intend on building some of the other P70 variants to go with it too for a "Long Branch" commuter train.

Your friends in Buford currently have an American Standard P70 kit in stock...

[E7]

I've had to do a LOT over the years.

I wish I knew half of what you've forgotten....and in case you have any doubt, that's a compliment of the highest order.

[ScaleCraft]

Sometimes, out in the shop, playing around with broken bits, it's surprising what you can think of that works.
Like a 4d nail.

There are inconsistencies, as in zero QC on nails, but a drill motor and a file sorts it out.

When you're fighting 4 SC tanks that WILL NOT roll freely, and you've tried everything....make a new bolster longer than original and VOILA! it works!

(or, if you're an internet troll, it's wa-la!)

First tie you whack a pilot up on a 225E or 675 to make a functional front coupler...you have an idea....but have to work out the engineering, and I've done a dozen for me and a buddy.

Freaks folks out at a show, when a LONG freight comes by double-headed, helper 60% back in tonnage, and another on the back.....at scale speeds....yeah gets attention.
Especially when they're all lettered Northern Pacific with different cab numbers.
And ALL the rolling stock is NP.

I should do that downstairs and video it.

[E7]

The Mac Shops is good except it has two extra ribs spaced on the sides the length of the car under the windows. They'll be close enough, here. That's the way the Pennsy had the ribs so it goes.

Chris, I have seen many videos of your superb "N&W Fuel Satisfaction" layout and knew you were a rivet counter, but never knew until now that you were a ribit counter.

My Bad!
Rich

[Chris Rock]

Rich,
Ribet counter among other issues. I counted the number of almonds in 1 cup the other night. I didn't trust the Internet story count.

I've really enjoyed this thread. Hopefully it can keep rolling.

[up148]

Looks like it might be slowing down a little here and we can't allow that, so here are some before photo photos of some Wasatch cars I sent to Dan Pantera last January. Every time I look at them I can't understand why the original owner didn't remove the trucks before painting and tape off the under floor details. But, his folly allowed me to buy them right. All have orange peel and dirt in the paint. Reminds me of the Dirty Harry saying "a mans gotta know his limitations".

[De Bruin]

Their folly is your gain indeed Butch, really like these Wasatch ACF's a lot. Also one of the few series of prototype models with complete readily available commercial UP decal sets thanks to MicroScale. Great looking car bodies.
Help me out here as my memory is foggy and I know we've discussed this here in the past.
The Wasatch are the evolution of the old Kemtron/Briggs cars or dimensionally a new line altogether?
I like the old Kemtrons, tricky as they were to build, they're evidently good fodder for kit-bashing too if you have soldiering "chops" like Bill Badsen.

[bob turner]

The Kemtron/Briggs cars are really good models, but the Wasatch are in a different class - and I believe came factory painted with interiors. The difference in $ ten years ago was about $500/csr. Erik L. has some excellent photos of the stock Wasatch - maybe we can get him to re-post some here?

[R.K. Maroon]

Didn't the Kemtron/Briggs line wind up at Des Plaines? I recall that their version came with the shells pre-formed, which eliminated the toughest step of building the Kemtrons. Not sure whether Russ sold them flat or formed.

[bob turner]

I think so. Russ, too, may have pre-bent them. The Kemtrons I have seen were annealed, making them dead-soft, and generally they get mis-handled, suffering warpage.
Blasphemy, I know, but I am happy with the relatvely inaccurate K-Liners.

[bob turner]

My K-Liners are on page 10/11. Change gears here a bit- always a soft spot for Harriman cars, and PSC did the best ones, although not painted and no interiors. Still, state-of-the-art in 1986:

[De Bruin]

Yep. I painted one of these in SP for my OKC buddy Joe Grillo back in the late 80's, despite the hyper-accurate detail it was quite sturdy and easy to handle and mask etc. Opinion they're one of the best series of brass HW's ever, right up there with the PRB Santa Fe cars.