Done.
I finished by applying two coats of Krylon flat clear, one with the car right-side-up and one upside-down, to ensure all glossy areas were covered. The coat seals the decals in place and provides most of the dullness. I then applied the trucks and checked that everything was level. A final coat of Tamiya TS-80 flat clear dulls the model down the rest of the way, including the trucks, and brings it all together. The Tamiya flat clear is expensive and can sometimes eat decals, but provides a much duller finish than just the Krylon paint, thus my two-stage approach here which minimizes the amount needed and protects the decals for the same effect.
Another comparison to the 1937 AAR boxcar:
Lastly, personal progress. The passenger car on the right is the first model I ever built, about 15 years ago now. It's crude and sloppy by my standards now. Don't be afraid to begin a project because you don't think it'll be as fantastic as that store bought model, or some of the great work that we see online. Model building is a skill that requires development, and the enjoyment is just as much in developing that skill as it is the finished product.
~Chris
