Built Up Vintage Kits - Rolling Stock

Nice work - neat prototype!

Very nice 

I bought this old Lobough kit was partially done and finished it painted printed up decals and weathered it. I think it makes a fine model  

Thanks for posting.  That is one burly looking tank car. There have to be scores of old All Nation, Reynolds, Ambroid, Gloor, Lobough, etal. models that have been/are being built that the rest of us would like to see.  Next up for me is an Ambroid composite hopper.  It's got a way to go, but when finished I'll post.

I have several All Nation, lobaugh, etc. and vintage brass freight cars that I have bought already built up. They are excellent.

Nice work guys.

I love the wood kits. Built a couple Mainline Models 50' REX reefers. Have a pile of Ambroid  X23 boxcar kits to do plus a flanger.

Labelle coach:

Here's the bones of a Picard Novelty kit:

With a little work:

I have a Westbrook 50 Ton steel box car, Burlington.... Zephyr, waiting  construction, I think there are some parts missing, and the instructions are slime. Has any one built one, some pics would be great!!    cTr....( Choose the Right )

Stephen, there is a Westbrook kit currently on ebay. The pictures may help, though not much is shown.  What do you think is missing?  One of the old manufacturers sold "body kits".  I believe the box ends were so marked.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/272344...e=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Jim

mwb posted:

Here's the bones of a Picard Novelty kit:

With a little work:

Martin that's impressive 

box of sticks for sure

Erik C Lindgren posted:

Here's the bones of a Picard Novelty kit:

 

 

Martin that's impressive 

box of sticks for sure

Thanks.  Everything after the 6 "bones" was added by me including the scribed siding...

I should do more of these projects - some serious fun value.

But I'm putting model train building on hold and going back to working on furniture projects and other restoration efforts.

Back at an Ambroid composite hopper I had started a few years ago then put aside. The basic body structure had gone together quite well. Last night the lower hopper sides were added.  The paper patterns on the plans weren't right, so the pieces needed reshaping to fit.  The metal hopper doors were also too large; they were filed down. 

I'm discovering these old kits are a combination of good engineering and time saving and bad engineering and time consuming.  Overall, though, they really do make for pleasant builds.  They'll accept as much effort as you're willing to expend.  One of these hopper kits is currently on ebay for $10.00 buy it now.  Lots of enjoyment for the money.

Jim

T

That Scale-craft reefer looks great! I have a bunch of those that I have picked up over time, some in decent shape and others in bad shape.  I notice on several of mine that while they are scribed on the sides, the actual surface is very rough, seemingly to the extent that a light sanding to smooth them out would completely remove the scribing.  I'm just curious, did you have to re-scribe your reefer?  These old cars started my semi interest in 2 rail scale and have been tempting me to complete a two rail loop on my layout... maybe someday lol

Man, Dennis, I would happily send you a hunk of track!  Those would look better just on a tabletop.  They are stunning models, though.  I really like well done Scale Craft.

Thanks Bob, They were all just picked up off fleabay over time for a few bucks a piece with a sprinkle of patience and timing luck.  As you can also guess, these were already built probably a long time ago.  I sure wouldn't tear these up!

Dennis, my reefer body was built but unpainted.  It required a few minor repairs of dents and dings.  I sanded then primed.  The scribing was quite good. It did take some passes with the back of an xacto blade to clean up a few of the lines.  Jim

Hopper is moving along.  I've taken significant liberties from scale in mounting the brake gear and piping.  The kit provides the typical 3 castings found in box car kits, and the instructions provide no hints in how to mount the castings in the end.  So I've just made up some simple brackets to get the parts in the approximate correct spaces.

The body corners call for 1/16 bass "L" shapes.  This seemed way too weak; brass "L" was used instead.  The other ends of the ladder supports call for 1/16 x 1/32 bass.  I'll use brass strip instead. 

Jim

Finished up the grab irons and supports.  These all need to be individually bent from straight wire.  It's a lot of fussy work and difficult to do uniformly.  Brake staff and platform installed.  Yet to do are the stirrup steps.  I ordered a set of dry transfers from CDS; these need to come from Canada.  The kit decals are Walthers.  They're OK to use but very thick.

Jim

Very nice!  I should have you do all my grab irons.