Model Railroading > Walthers UP Difco Dump Cars [HO Scale]

I've been impressed with the overall quality of the latest run of Walthers HO Scale Difco side dump cars. I picked up a couple of the HLMX (Helm Leasing) black cars a while back and weathered them to prototype photos. I noticed from videos online UP has been running unit ballast/rip rap trains down the Coast Sub with a mix of older MP/UP/SP/Leased dump cars along with the newer/repainted brown/white cars offered in this run. I had to pick up a couple more to add to a short MOW train I've been wanting to build for quite some time. This was my first attempt at rust streaking using a mix of Testors paint and powders down the sides. I could not find photos online of the insides of these newer cars so some creative assumptions were made to paint over the base colors with a mix of rail brown, black and light brown. The only minor error I could find was the air cylinders mounted under UP 998175 were black, which prompted me to remove and repaint them to match. Another subtle detail was using Kadee #120 SBE lower shelf couplers as I found these cars always use lower and sometimes full shelf couplers to prevent them from tipping over when unloading. 

Thanks for looking and feedback is appreciated. I am happy to share my techniques or answer any questions. 

Alex Wilson
Castro Valley, CA
ApproachAspect's Flickr Photos



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/24/25 15:28 by east_bay_alex.

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Here is another view of UP 998023 and a pair of HLMX dump cars.

Alex Wilson
Castro Valley, CA
ApproachAspect's Flickr Photos

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Cool cars and fun to operate.These will need dried mud and dirt inside and along the side sheets, underside and trucks.

ChrisCampi Wrote:
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> These will need dried mud and dirt inside and along the side sheets, underside and trucks.

Chris, would you happen to have any detail photos? It would be great to have some references in the future.

Alex Wilson
Castro Valley, CA
ApproachAspect's Flickr Photos

More nice work. Keep them coming! T4p

east_bay_alex Wrote:
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> ChrisCampi Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > These will need dried mud and dirt inside and
> along the side sheets, underside and trucks.
>
> Chris, would you happen to have any detail photos?
> It would be great to have some references in the
> future.

Here's some. 

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Thanks Chris! Interesting ops and I guess I wasn't too far off on the interior colors of the dump cars! Looks like I omitted the random graffiti though! ;P 

Alex Wilson
Castro Valley, CA
ApproachAspect's Flickr Photos

Those are nice looking cars. I wish they made the Western Wheeled Scrapper dump cars.

If there ever was a car that begged for underbody detailing. Here is a Walthers kit I superdetailed in 2018.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

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funnelfan Wrote:
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> If there ever was a car that begged for underbody
> detailing. Here is a Walthers kit I superdetailed
> in 2018.

Ted, superb detail! I always thought BN had the mineral brown cars, but maybe I'm thinking BNSF repaints with BN reporting marks... Do you recall what size brass wire you used for the brake lines? An underside shot of the custom rigging you made would be an excellent reference if I get around to upgrading my cars.

Thanks for looking! 
 

Alex Wilson
Castro Valley, CA
ApproachAspect's Flickr Photos

I like'em. VERY NICE!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/26/25 17:50 by gandydancer4.

Difco's at Work in Joliet IL 4-18-15.  Dan

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dt8089 Wrote:
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> Difco's at Work in Joliet IL 4-18-15.  Dan

Dan, thank you for sharing your photo. My assumption is those ratty looking dump cars in the 10-year-old photo have been rebuilt to be the white and brown cars like my models!

Thanks,

Alex Wilson
Castro Valley, CA
ApproachAspect's Flickr Photos