Winter Challenge 2016 - Dean Halls - Build a Car (or 12)

[deanobeano]

Hi Folks,

As Koos says I also have a lot of items on my To Do list and but have primarily chosen to build a "fleet" of Reefers in this years Challenge. Unlike last year I aim to complete this project and if possible maybe something else but that's for another day.

The photo below shows the parts laid out as they have emerged from one of the kit boxes.

N Scale Reefer Kit by Dean Halls, on Flickr

All fairly straight forward although not sure why i've got three truck frames!! (a spare I hope). As you can see the whole kit comes ready painted and decorated so hopefully all I need to do is follow the instructions and find some weathering powders!

N Scale Reefer Kit by Dean Halls, on Flickr

I have found some details in one of the MRR Books "Freight Cars of the 40's & 50's" by Jeff Wilson which show one or two of these R-40-23 units although the numbering used in the kits needs to be checked out, all though to be fair I'm not after a "Rivet Counter" finish this time around. I also need to look to improve on the parts provided to see if I can provide any betterment.

Now where did I put that magnifier!!

[deanobeano]

So first a little bit of history (as I can fathom it) regarding R-40-23 Refrigerator Cars. Many thanks to Arved Grass at Arvedgrass.com for the details.

An order was placed in 1946 for some 5000 Cars and these were built and delivered by 5 differing manufacturers between Jan and Oct 1947. The manufacturers were:
American Car & Foundry (ACF)
General American Transportation Company GATC)
Pullman-Standard Car Manufacturing Company (PC&F)
The Mount Vernon Car Manufacturing Company

The steel cars ordered were numbered 46703-48702 (2000) and 5001 to 8000 (3000). There appeared to be a single design although there were some differences between builders (ain't there always!!) although they were limited to Running Boards & Brake stops, Hand Brakes, Air Brakes and Door Fastenings.

Originally the R-40-23's were UP Orange with the pre 1969 UP Herald as well as the SP logo.

And that's were the history stops and the fiction begins because the Intermountain kits I have to build are slightly different.

First they are numbered differently 902, 906, 909, 913, 917, 921, 928, 935, 939, 941, 944 and 950. Secondly they are Green all over and have no heralds or logo's other than the PFE Express Refrigerator.

So does this matter? - To me, not really as I'm not planning and building a prototype layout so I'm happy to invent a new history for this build.

So today I started by working my way through Car 931's parts, cutting from the spru's, cleaning up and attempting a dry fit. The glue stayed securely in its box.

Todays tools simply consisted of:

2016 Winter Challenge - Bit by bit!! by Dean Halls, on Flickr

Will be back after dinner!!

[deanobeano]

One of things I wanted from today's test run was to understand any issues such that the build of the next 11 Cars moved forward knowing all the pit falls - well I certainly found out that small thin plastic ladder steps don't take much to break!

2016 Winter Challenge - Bit by bit!! by Dean Halls, on Flickr

And this wasn't the only one at the end of the session. Looks like I'm into a bit of scratch building for this unit if nothing else.

The other issue is that I struggled with the underframe "plumbing" element although to be fair had I read the instructions properly I might have got the answer sooner!!

2016 Winter Challenge - Bit by bit!! by Dean Halls, on Flickr

And yes the Triple Valve unit is missing (well broke off actually) but I've still got it so a bit of strategic glue placement will solve that problem.

[deanobeano]

It does seem you can have too many URL's............

The trucks with plastic wheels fit nicely together and are in gauge (B2B) and run well on Peco Code 55. The unit build (at least this one) has truck mounted couplers - there are body mount parts in the kit if needed - a decision need not be rushed as the truck unit and coupler section is all a push fit element.

2016 Winter Challenge - Bit by bit!! by Dean Halls, on Flickr

The big decision before starting to glue is what bits should I paint or at least weather? As the kits paint scheme is seemingly non typical and as the build is based on a 1947 Car being run in a 1957ish layout then there would at least be some layer of dust and grime so its probably more weathering than paint - another new challenge.

If anyone's got a good picture or two of the undersides of a PFE Reefer then that would be good. There is a tome by Mssrs Thompson, Church & Jones all about PFE however its value far exceeds my need in this instance.

In review of the kit the parts, whilst small do seem to fit together well so all being well the next step is to get the syringe and glue out and see how well that goes.

Of course I also need to decide if I place a man on the step!!

2016 Winter Challenge - Bit by bit!! by Dean Halls, on Flickr

[deanobeano]

So the glue came out (a Revell Liquid glue for plastics product 39604 complete with very thin metal spout-others are available) along with some very small clothes pegs and rubber bands - essential for holding parts together while you go make that next cup of tea.

A few steps more by Dean Halls, on Flickr

The Ice doors in the roof have a nice arrangement to enable you to either glue them shut or open (and they also provide replica sticks to hold the doors open!!). For this car i have decided to show them shut although I have a thought on trying to create a hinge so that you can have them shut or open - maybe the next car in the series.

Having glued the floor to the body along with the end panels it was time to figure out the weight issue before gluing the roof on. The NMRA recommended practices protocol for N Scale cars is an initial 1/2 ounce + .15 ounces for every inch of car body length. The reefer is 3 1/8 " long so the maths are:

1/2 + (.15 x 3.125) = .96875 Ounces

I had purchased from the well known auction site a bag of 5 gramme metal weights with sticky pads attached. 1 gramme = 0.035274 ounces - are you ahead of me!!

4 x 5 gramme weights = .70548 Ounces so nearly there but if you add the car body and put it all on the scales you get

A few steps more by Dean Halls, on Flickr

a car weighing 29 grammes or 1.022946 ounces - so close enough!!! - Glue the lid on quickly

The next section is the underbody elements but that's another story.

[PeterBowen]

Dean,

Well done... and you are working in N scale...! you must have good eyes.

Nicely documented, looking forward to your posts.

Peter

[deanobeano]

Hi Peter,

Thank you for the encouragement and kind words - as for eyes I'm a spectacled man and if you add in the head mounted magnifier it all becomes so much clearer!!

Not sure I'm going to get any more done before Santa arrives so here's wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a happy modelling New Year.

[deanobeano]

Just starting to realise that retirement doesn't necessarily mean more modelling time!! - there remains however a bit o time left and I aim to complete this year!!

As can be seen in the pic below - all 12 cars have been built in so far as bodies and truck assemblies (apart from one set where I seem to be missing the truck retaining pins - the local hardware store doesn't hold small enough screws so back on the web I guess!!)

A whole lot of fruit! by Dean Halls, on Flickr

Needed a panoramic shot to get them in which isn't too good but hail prevented a trip to the "depot" to run and video them.

So now to the fiddly bits and the brake gear:

The fiddly bits by Dean Halls, on Flickr


Dean

[deanobeano]

As can be seen in the previous photo the brake pipes are very easy to brake (pardon the pun!!).

Some judicial placement of glue seems to have worked but I would rather have had it fitted properly and whole - anyway at least we now have two braked cars so its not completely a runaway!!

The fiddly bits by Dean Halls, on Flickr

I imagine a coat of brake dust and grime will also help to hide the issue but there remains 10 more sets of brakes and all the ladders, Hatches and step irons (another really fiddly issue that will see the supplied plastic items replaced by home made wire ones).

Just to show something is in gauge:

Simple but true wheel sets by Dean Halls, on Flickr

Getting there but not ready for release from the shops!!

Dean

[jimbotten]

Your progress is making me jealous - but it is all too true what they say about retirement. Good luck with the fiddly-bits...

Jim-who-makes-minimal-advance with-his-Trestle

[deanobeano]

I promised myself that if I entered this year I would finish and as today is the last day then I guess I've finished - or at least at a point where I am happy (and able) to run the units around "the Depot" (the shed)!

They run!! by Dean Halls, on Flickr

All 12 are complete with most parts which include wheels, couplings, ice hatches, access ladders, under body brake gear. Some have step irons and tag boards fitted, none have as yet hatch cover lock arms (3mm long x .25mm wide) or top of car hand irons (just too fiddly). None have been "weathered" other than one that has a coat of Tamiya Acrylic "Brown" on its underbelly, and one that has brown wheels. I've read loads on how to weather but as yet haven't had the courage to try!!

They run!! by Dean Halls, on Flickr

So what have I learned this time around:

1. There is not one car out of the twelve that didn't suffer from having small components broken off during handling!
2. No matter how hard you try glue will find a home where you don't want it!!
3. Use the correct tools - I bought a new pair of tweezers last week and they worked like a dream in picking up the small parts.
4. Think carefully about how you cut small parts of the plastic sprue(s)
5. Nice kits (and they were reasonably purchased through EBay) but does your model railway benefit from having such a detailed set of cars - especially if you cant handle them because of all the small fragile parts!

But, Rome wasn't built in a day (nor in a Winter Challenge either!) so other than having dillied and dallied far too much because there is soooo much time available I've enjoyed the process and I'm happy (enough) with the outcome.

Happy modelling

Dean

[torikoos]

Well done Dean!

[jimbotten]

Ditto that. And a result to be announced soon?