# Scratchbuilding a pair of reefers



## c.midland (Sep 22, 2015)

I've gone my own direction when it comes to O-gauge trains. This topic probably isn't all that interesting to most, but thought I'd post it here for the few. 

Building kits is an aspect of the hobby I really enjoy, along with researching my favorite railroad region. Knowing that I'm in the minority, and no manufacturer/importer is going to build what I want, I figure I'll build it myself.

This is what I want:








This is where I'm at with the construction. I am using a reefer roof, and scribed siding from Northeastern, along with run of the mill hobby wood found in Michael's and Hobby Lobby. I decided to build two at the same time so I wouldn't have to remeasure and cut another one later. I do stay a little ahead with one so mistakes don't have to be fixed on both.

The more clamps the better:








The roofs are coming along well. One has been sealed, and the other is almost ready. I've found using shellac before priming makes for a better finished product on rolling stock. Due to painting requirements, I can't finish the roof before painting.









The floors were built using wood from Michael's, and bolsters from Northeastern. Both cars will have scale trucks. If 3-rail trucks were used, I would have skipped the bolsters. The measurements are easily seen on one floor, and the finished result on the other. 









Next up will be the sides. Due to the flush fitting doors, I'm going to use the LaBelle method, meaning using a thin piece of wood running horizontally, and scribed siding running vertically. This seems to make for a strong car, and I don't have as much work fitting the doors. The doors won't be operational. Atlas sells individual sprues of their reefer door hardware, but until the doors are built and compared to an Atlas car, I don't know if they'll work. 

Honestly, I don't know if I'll be trying to find this topic next year at this time to show the finished project or if it'll be sooner. I seem to get 5 minutes this week, 1/2 hour the next, none the next...


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## rdmtgm (Nov 25, 2011)

Your work looks excellent so far! I will be following along as I am always interested in the" Build it yourself" method.
Randy


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## seayakbill (Jan 16, 2016)

keep posting progress photos, looks like a great winter project.

Bill


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## Scotie (Sep 27, 2013)

Great work on the reefers. I remember seeing an ad for a kit in HO for that car. It always fascinated me.


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## c.midland (Sep 22, 2015)

Had a few minutes this morning to start on the sides. Marked the door locations and made a handrail template. You can see from the picture the importance of measure twice.


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## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

Cool project, and building two is the right idea, I think. At least two. I keep thinking that when its done, you very likely would want a few more, but at least you will have it down how to build them. 

It is a very different reefer, I like it a lot.


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## c.midland (Sep 22, 2015)

My layout is small, so don't know if I'll need more than two, but... The Santa Fe also had these cars painted white, which would make for a very good looking car IMO. 

I do keep a notebook handy that I write the measurements and draw some pictures in so if I decide to do more I won't have to remeasure everything again. I didn't do that on my caboose, and now wish I would have so I could build a better one more easily.


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## teledoc (Oct 22, 2014)

It looks like you are making good progress. Keeping notes is a great idea, even though nit became an after thought with the caboose. If we didn't make afew mistakes along the way, how would we learn!!!! Keep posting, no matter how slow it takes you with time.:smilie_daumenpos::smilie_daumenpos:


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

That's pretty cool, looks like nice workmanship. It's always interesting to see how people attack these projects.


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## Spence (Oct 15, 2015)

Very interesting post. :thumbsup:


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## c.midland (Sep 22, 2015)

Started gluing the siding on the car. Started at the center for no real reason. Door opening measurements were tweaked a little so I wouldn't have a partial siding board.

Don't know if I've shared this little trick here. I put a piece of sheetmetal under my cutting mat and use magnets to glue pieces of wood together. It's much easier than trying to clamp 2 pieces of thin wood together.


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## c.midland (Sep 22, 2015)

Finally have some kindling for the fireplace.
The doors just weren't working out for me. Tried everything I could to fix them, but have determined it's easier to start over. Looking at black and white pictures with a magnifying glass shows some sort of flush frame, which I just couldn't seem to duplicate. Think I've figured it out now. Figure I'm out about $6.00. 

Might as well post a picture of the failure. 








I'm not really all that bummed out, it happens, and I'm learning.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

When I read the first line, I thought you gave up on the whole project! Glad to hear it was only a setback and progress is still on tap.


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## AG216 (Sep 28, 2011)

Nice project.
at a glance I thought are Ye Olde Huff N Puff.

Please if you need to cut something, don't hesitate to contact us
I will glad to help you.

Andre.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I'd take Andre up on that, I'm sure he can cut almost any shape you need. 

One problem, after seeing the laser cut parts, you'll be spoiled!


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## rkenney (Aug 10, 2013)

c.midland said:


> Don't know if I've shared this little trick here. I put a piece of sheetmetal under my cutting mat and use magnets to glue pieces of wood together. It's much easier than trying to clamp 2 pieces of thin wood together.
> View attachment 277465


 That's a cool trick, Thanks for sharing it!:thumbsup:


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## emmetd (Aug 1, 2012)

i have some paper sides for those old reefers if you are interested. contact off list.


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## PatKn (Jul 14, 2015)

I enjoy this type of post. Thanks for posting. Love the magnet trick. :thumbsup:


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## c.midland (Sep 22, 2015)

Thanks for the replies.
Andre, I contacted you through your link.

No pictures to post until tomorrow at the earliest. I've improved the doors, but still not 100% happy with them. The door hardware arrived yesterday. Settled on Grandt Line and they are a perfect fit with the measurements I'm using for the doors, so at least that's going well. I'm also considering switching to Wiseman trucks. I used them on the caboose and was very impressed with them. On the other hand, I have Athearn trucks on hand. 

The project has proven more difficult than I thought (those doors), and is taking much longer than I projected. I'm ready to start another LaBelle passenger car, but need to get the reefers done first.


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## Don F (Dec 5, 2015)

Looks good, stick with it. 
Don


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## AG216 (Sep 28, 2011)

Roger,
Email received.

Andre.


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## c.midland (Sep 22, 2015)

Still nothing picture-worthy to post. I've "finished" one side. I don't hate it, I don't love it, and I've run out of wood for the door trim, and haven't had any luck finding it locally. 

I'm also on a self-imposed deadline on my project car. I need to get the exterior put together for an insurance appraisal and then get it registered. At the moment it isn't insured, which isn't a good thing as it nears completion.

At this point, I'm hoping Andre comes up with something for me. Not really how I wanted this to turn out, but I want these cars to be as "right" as possible. As far as I know, these will be the only cars of this type in O-scale. 

I've purposely designed the car around the Ye Olde Huff-n-Puff 36' boxcar kit, so perhaps if someone else is interested it could somewhat easily be added to their layout as well.


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## c.midland (Sep 22, 2015)

Not picture-worthy, but will post anyway.


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## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

It is picture worthy. Good progress. 

Thanks for the update.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Can't wait to see this one done, it will be unique. :thumbsup:


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## Don F (Dec 5, 2015)

Very interesting project, and I'm eager to see the finished product. As Lee mentioned, it is most certainly picture worthy.
Don


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## sanepilot (Mar 11, 2012)

*good job*

Hi,looks pretty good to me[I`m no expert]. Kinda wish I could do as good. keep it up..


Thanks,sanepilot:smilie_daumenpos:


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## 89Suburban (Jan 4, 2017)

Great project, thanks for sharing.


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## walter (Jan 31, 2014)

As one that enjoys scratch building, it looks good and eager to see end results. Very unique car. Keep us updated.


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## c.midland (Sep 22, 2015)

This project took an interesting change a couple weeks ago. I was reading the recent RMC when I came across an article about building a logging train, and the author was casting his parts in resin. I had been stalled on my reefer project for some time, and this article gave me a "light bulb" moment. 

With some help from some OGR forum members, especially MWB, I decided to try my hand at resin casting. A quick trip to Hobby Lobby for an Alumilite casting kit and some scrap wood, I was ready to go. My first attempt was less than stellar, but the second was successful. So successful that I'm going to try and build a mold and cast the roof as well. 

A quick picture of the master, the mold, and the four car-sides I've made so far. Well, I should be honest, I've made six car sides, one was "stuck" in the first mold I made, and the second has imperfections due to too much mold release.


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## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

c.midland said:


> This project took an interesting change a couple weeks ago. I was reading the recent RMC when I came across an article about building a logging train, and the author was casting his parts in resin. I had been stalled on my reefer project for some time, and this article gave me a "light bulb" moment.
> 
> With some help from some OGR forum members, especially MWB, I decided to try my hand at resin casting. A quick trip to Hobby Lobby for an Alumilite casting kit and some scrap wood, I was ready to go. My first attempt was less than stellar, but the second was successful. So successful that I'm going to try and build a mold and cast the roof as well.
> 
> ...


Fantastic! This is fascinating to me. 'm learning a lot studying your pictures.


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## c.midland (Sep 22, 2015)

Using left over materials from the car-sides, I made a mold of the roof and cast a couple of them as well. The mold wasn't 100% successful, probably due to the undercuts on the roof underhang, but it's serviceable. There is a bit of cleanup on the castings, along with some filling, but much easier than building roofs out of wood.








This now gives me the ability to build early and late Colorado Midland reefers, along with Santa Fe reefers. Lettering is available for all of them. 

This has been a great learning experience.


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## c.midland (Sep 22, 2015)

Wow, I've been busy. Can't believe I haven't posted any progress since early May. Actually I can. This is my 1st. day off since late May, and some non-train related things have taken priority. 

Anyway, I have "assembled" and done most of the major painting on the car. I washed the resin casting in soapy water, rinsed, dried, and primed them a dark gray. Bad idea. The ScaleCoat reefer yellow was never going to cover the gray. I had some cheap flat white and used that as a primer. Worked much better.







The black is semi-gloss Krylon and craft paint. I've still got some work to do on the hinges. Casting the details in made it to where I only had to be right once, and saved some money, but I may remove the details the next time I cast, and paint and apply them separately.

I scratchbuilt a caboose years ago that I really like. Somewhere along the line the weights came loose inside, and now there is no way to get to them. I wanted to solve that problem without visible screws so I came up with the car side glued to a piece of wood that fits tightly into the structure of the model.
















Now I can access the inside of the car.

I made a jig and started on the handrails today. still have quite a bit of detail work to do, decals, and dullcoat.


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## Wood (Jun 9, 2015)

c.midland, I've followed your work before and look forward to this. Time will eventually move me into another aspect of the hobby and I am looking forward to building a few pieces.


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## c.midland (Sep 22, 2015)

Wood, I follow you layout building topic, just don't have anything of value to add. I look forward to your "new aspect" of the hobby, and hope you find it rewarding. My hobby has evolved in the last 10 years.

I added the side decals today. I don't like water-slide decals very much, but am very happy with the quality of these. I still would have preferred dry-transfers. 

So I thought to myself after completing the decals, why not post a picture of wet decals, glossy paint, on an incomplete model (honestly, it could be 2021 before I get it finished at this rate), in poor light requiring a flash on my favorite forum?


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## Wood (Jun 9, 2015)

c.midland - Colorado Midland. Now I've got it. No c. for first name "Charlie", its the real McCoy railroad from the late 1800's. 

The hobby truly does evolve. My original interest was a Christmas layout for my grandchildren, then it evolved to a full blown operating RR and now it is primarily a modeling adventure. I understand 2021. My projects, also, seem to take forever.

Your detailing is impressive and your decals are beyond belief. That is a wonderful looking reefer. The Colorado Midland was a very poor railroad. But, they proudly made their equipment sparkle. 

Below is a picture of the unit you are modeling -


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## c.midland (Sep 22, 2015)

Thanks again, Wood. It's nice to know there's a little interest in this project. You've found the only picture of this reefer ever published. I have a few books that you can see the reefers in the far-off background, but all modelling has to be done from that 1 picture. There's been a lot of guessing over the years about how these cars actually looked. 

I'm just happy that I've acquired the modest skills to be able to reproduce the car for my layout.


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## cole226 (Feb 8, 2013)

great job on a great project. :thumbsup:

and your posts are very informative and interesting. :appl:


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## Wood (Jun 9, 2015)

Midland, If I could make a suggestion, would you add more information about how the resin castings work. Maybe a new thread. I would like to learn the technique and I don't have the time to do the exploration.


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## c.midland (Sep 22, 2015)

We're heading out to Colorado in a couple days, so "production" has come to a halt. This will be the last picture for awhile, I promise.









Wood, I'm not sure I'm the guy to post a how-to on resin casting. I just kinda fumbled around until I got it acceptable for me. There are many more people better than myself to give a tutorial. I'm honored by the request, but am not knowledgeable enough on the subject to post anything meaningful.


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## Wood (Jun 9, 2015)

Midland, Have fun in Colorado. I'll figure the resin out.


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## c.midland (Sep 22, 2015)

Was doing some cleanup in the basement today and found my resin kit. There wasn't much left, and it had expired, but thought I'd try and use up what was left. Had enough to do one more car.









Although strangely speckled, it seems stable enough. This will be a back burner project. Glad I was able to use up the remaining resin. I'm also impressed that the molds are still usuable. I guess I could go into production...

Need to put in a Clover House order for my Ye Olde Huff-n-Puff boxcars, so think I'll order a set of dry transfers for the Santa Fe for this reefer.


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## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

Nice project. It is impressive that the molds were still useable - the results look perfect.


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