# My First Attempt.....



## CV-62 (Dec 9, 2018)

At designing a custom car. I picked up a brand new MT undecorated caboose with the window kit for $20.00 inc shipping. 

Then some Microscale decals and here is the result. I think I did OK for my first attempt. I am really enjoying this hobby. 

The EZ Mate coupler on the back of the caboose is a long story. Lets just say part of my learning curve and call it at that. LOL. Suffice to say it will one day be changed over to a Mage-Matic coupler. It works well right now but does not line up exactly.


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Looks Great!*



CV-62 said:


> At designing a custom car. I picked up a brand new MT undecorated caboose with the window kit for $20.00 inc shipping.
> 
> Then some Microscale decals and here is the result. I think I did OK for my first attempt. I am really enjoying this hobby.
> 
> ...


CV-62;

Congratulations on your first paint and decal project' It looks really good. Did you work from a prototype photo? 

regards;

Traction Fan:smilie_daumenpos:


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## CV-62 (Dec 9, 2018)

traction fan said:


> CV-62;
> 
> Congratulations on your first paint and decal project' It looks really good. Did you work from a prototype photo?
> 
> ...


Thank you. Yes, a search of CV cabooses brings up a scad of cabooses over the years. Zeroing in on the era they used the maple leaf logo yielded some nice results. The caboose is not the exact one, but close. I really want to stick with MT rolling stock as I get going as they are top shelf and this one is the closest I could find. Also, Microscale includes detailed instructions on where to place the transfers for all the different eras and different roads within the family. 

Thanx again for the kind words. Cheers, mate.


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## PoppetFlatsRR (Jul 29, 2018)

Looks really good CV!!!!


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## Vincent (Jan 28, 2018)

Looks good, CV. Do you have a "before" photo?


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

Before I saw this thread, I never really considered that someone could do a presentable job on an N scale car. Maybe it’s done all the time, but I just don’t look at N scale stuff very often. But I have to agree with the others. That looks excellent.

Some time ago, I picked up a few MTH NOS “Happy New Year” boxcars for crazy low prices. I bought them because the price for the cars was well below the price for a set of trucks. I haven’t had a need for trucks, so I have been thinking about dipping my hand into striping the paint and doing a custom paint job on the cars. You have given me a push in that direction. If you can do this good a job in N scale on your first attempt, maybe I can do a decent job on O scale cars.


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## CV-62 (Dec 9, 2018)

PoppetFlatsRR said:


> Looks really good CV!!!!


I've seen the quality of work you do so that is one hell of a compliment. Thank you. 



Vincent said:


> Looks good, CV. Do you have a "before" photo?


Thank you!!! Only the photo from Ebay. Boxcar brown is was. LOL.











Lehigh74 said:


> Before I saw this thread, I never really considered that someone could do a presentable job on an N scale car. Maybe it’s done all the time, but I just don’t look at N scale stuff very often. But I have to agree with the others. That looks excellent.
> 
> Some time ago, I picked up a few MTH NOS “Happy New Year” boxcars for crazy low prices. I bought them because the price for the cars was well below the price for a set of trucks. I haven’t had a need for trucks, so I have been thinking about dipping my hand into striping the paint and doing a custom paint job on the cars. You have given me a push in that direction. If you can do this good a job in N scale on your first attempt, maybe I can do a decent job on O scale cars.


Wow, thank you so much. As a kid I was one of those crazy modelers. Scouring the old Newberry's and Fishman's stores for the latest Revell or Monogram airplane, ship or hot rod to build when I had the money. I kept my Dad busy building shelves in my bedroom. LOL. I have rediscovered the joy in doing this. Problem is, the eyes ain't what they were and the hands not quite so steady but that is OK. 

I am sure you will do fine. While skill is important, patience has always been the key.


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*a weighty decision*



CV-62 said:


> Thank you. Yes, a search of CV cabooses brings up a scad of cabooses over the years. Zeroing in on the era they used the maple leaf logo yielded some nice results. The caboose is not the exact one, but close. I really want to stick with MT rolling stock as I get going as they are top shelf and this one is the closest I could find. Also, Microscale includes detailed instructions on where to place the transfers for all the different eras and different roads within the family.
> 
> Thanx again for the kind words. Cheers, mate.


 CV-62;

Hard to go wrong with Micro-Trains. Their quality is always excellent. About their only "faults" are two that they share with many other brands; plastic wheelsets, and light weight. Fortunately Micro-Trains now makes metal wheelsets, and you can always add extra weight, if you want. They are great looking, free rolling, cars right out of the package, and adding metal wheelsets and extra weight will only improve their operation.

again nice work;

Traction Fan:smilie_daumenpos:


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## CV-62 (Dec 9, 2018)

traction fan said:


> CV-62;
> 
> Hard to go wrong with Micro-Trains. Their quality is always excellent. About their only "faults" are two that they share with many other brands; plastic wheelsets, and light weight. Fortunately Micro-Trains now makes metal wheelsets, and you can always add extra weight, if you want. They are great looking, free rolling, cars right out of the package, and adding metal wheelsets and extra weight will only improve their operation.
> 
> ...


Yep, I was first enamored with them when I discovered their box cars actually have operating doors. Then, after research, discovered that many consider their couplers top of the line of all those available in N Scale. I was hooked. Again, thank you.

BTW I looked up the NMRA specs for N Scale added weight while redoing the caboose. I discovered that adding .15 ounces of weight per inch of car was recommended as long as the original weight was around .5 ounces which it is. So......I added three 1/4" stainless steel nuts inside which came out real close.

For my box cars I think I will use automotive stick on wheel weights if I can find some in lead.


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## Nikola (Jun 11, 2012)

Nice job, CV! You guys with that little N stuff. Amazing!


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## PoppetFlatsRR (Jul 29, 2018)

Lehigh, it is just too small, you blink you miss it. CV has motivated me, not so much for a caboose, I don't have them on my layout, but maybe to start painting and weathering some of trains. Looks like it would be a lot of un to figure out the painting, and the correct decals to go with the era. Again great job CV! Did you get the switcher figured out yet?


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## CV-62 (Dec 9, 2018)

Nikola said:


> Nice job, CV! You guys with that little N stuff. Amazing!


Thank you. N Scale is a challenge but I knew that going in, but the concept of being able to run anything on 20" radius was too tempting. LOL.



PoppetFlatsRR said:


> Lehigh, it is just too small, you blink you miss it. CV has motivated me, not so much for a caboose, I don't have them on my layout, but maybe to start painting and weathering some of trains. Looks like it would be a lot of un to figure out the painting, and the correct decals to go with the era. *Again great job CV! Did you get the switcher figured out yet?*


Thank you, sir. The switcher appears to have a defective decoder. Those Bachmann decoders get power from the wheels at both ends of the decoder. Front truck front of decoder, rear truck rear of the decoder. Wheels and copper pick ups working just fine. Voltage all the way to the decoder then nada on the rear half. Spoke to Bachmann and they agree with my assessment. I have my eyes peeled for a decoder to swap out on ebay but so far nada.


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## Stumpy (Mar 19, 2013)

Very nice, CV!


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## bewhole (Dec 31, 2016)

CV-62 is that a Atlas or A bachmann switcher?? Or does it matter nowadays with everyone buying one another out.
Nice job on the caboose wish I had the "Eyes" to do that.(Less the fat fingers too)LOL

Edit:I just see the Alco S-2s on Spookshow and I did not know they had two different pc boards. Sound has one big board and without has a smaller ps board with a 6 pin decoder underneath of it. Interesting to say the least. I know you may have or not but have you checked on Tony's web site I see they have some of the Loksound decoders on there.


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## CV-62 (Dec 9, 2018)

Stumpy said:


> Very nice, CV!


Thank you!!



bewhole said:


> CV-62 is that a Atlas or A bachmann switcher?? Or does it matter nowadays with everyone buying one another out.
> Nice job on the caboose wish I had the "Eyes" to do that.(Less the fat fingers too)LOL
> 
> Edit:I just see the Alco S-2s on Spookshow and I did not know they had two different pc boards. Sound has one big board and without has a smaller ps board with a 6 pin decoder underneath of it. Interesting to say the least. I know you may have or not but have you checked on Tony's web site I see they have some of the Loksound decoders on there.


It is a Bachmann S4 switcher I was referring to with the decoder issues. At first Bachmann tried to tell me that the decoder was damaged due to the fact it was running on a NCE DCC. Now, mind you, I am most likely the dumbest model railroader on this forum, but I know better then that.  

Tony's Trains are my go to store as they are located in the next county over and one of the best when it comes to DCC. 

They have a huuuge inventory and keep it well stocked. They will be installing a loksound decoder in an Atlas RS3 when some bills get paid and I can start spending railroading money again. 

Cheers and stay safe with the snow storm coming.


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## bewhole (Dec 31, 2016)

CV-62 said:


> Cheers and stay safe with the snow storm coming.


Here they say 38 degrees and rain.

I know what you are saying about Tony's I have been ordering from them lately.(Got to get up and go thru the store again soon)
I do ebay (Sell,Buy) so I will keep an eye out for one for you. I my self have 2 Bachmanns A NW-2 and a F7A both with decoders and I run NCE and never had any problems so they are just trying to "Pass the buck" on to NCE.LOL


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