Model Railroading > It’s Freight Car Friday

Here are a few of my recent freight car projects.

1. GBW 904 was built from an undecorated Intermountain PS-1 Kit.  The original plastic stirrup steps were very fragile and I was breaking them off during the assembly so I made new steps using .030" x .010" brass strip.  The bottom sills were modified, cut levers were made from brass rod and Hi-Tech Details air hoses were added.  If you're familiar with the Green Bay and Western, you'll agree that the car looks right coupled to an Alco.

2.  These two 70-ton coal hoppers stared out as Accurail kits.  I carved off all of the grab irons and replaced them with brass wire.  The cars were custom painted and lettered using 40-year old Herald King decal sets.  The decals went on just fine.

3.  The OTTX flat is a work in progress built from an Intermountain kit.  I'm still looking for a prototype photo that shows the cut levers, air hoses and associated train line piping on the end of the car.

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Nice bunch!  The coal looks very realistic - is it real coal?

I used to have an RTR version of that flat car but it had a quite a upward bow in it that I couldn't completely straighten.  I sold it.  Yours look quite good and nice and straight.

Cheers,
Jim

SPDRGWfan Wrote:
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> Nice bunch!  The coal looks very realistic - is
> it real coal?
> Jim

The coal loads are made from pink foamboard carved to shape, with lightweight Woodland Scenics ballast glued to the top.  The ballast was airbrushed with Model Master Gloss Black Acrylic.  Some Dulcote was airbrushed to match the sheen of other loads that I have.

Dennis

Looks quite good.  There is guy in the Washington DC area that sells coal loads made from real coal and it sparkles and look quite nice.  Yours looks similar although time consuming.