# Freight drag fillers... reefers, flatcars & tank cars



## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

My mixed freight drags are loaded with boxcars, covered hoppers and gons, (mostly Accurails) which leaves a glaring conspicuous absence that's been neglected for too long.
I didn't have any decent reefers, flatcars or fuel/oil tank cars, so I'm accumulating some to fill in the voids.

In looking at RTR on the shelves, I've discovered that some brands I've disrespected in the past are in fact pretty nice these days.

_*Reefers:*_
Among 40-foot reefers for instance, the InterMountains are top drawer, (I now have two) but the Atlas Master series is quite a bit better than I'd given it credit for... wire grabs, lift bars, separate door-hardware, etc.
Kit-wise of course, _Accurails_ remain the reefer of choice economically, so I'll probably lean heavily in that direction. TruckTuned, and with Kadees & metal wheels, they're excellent-quality models.

_*Flatcars:*_
As far as 40-foot flatcars go, there aren't a lot out there, with the exception of Athearn BB (thusfar, I've acquired a Southern, SP, and D&RGW).
Tichy are nice, but require paint & lettering, not to mention fastidious assembly. I'm not impressed with the Bachmans I've seen. Protos are nice, but I'm not looking for 53-footers.
ExactRail has a 42-footer, but only in UP, and it's $45 (plus, you have to glue on the separately included deck planks).

_*Tank cars:*_
1920's to '50's tank cars are a different animal all together as far as I'm concerned.
I do have a few archaic Mantuas and Varneys, but they suffer from the dreaded 'toy train' look.
Walthers Protos are excellent, (I now have two) and Athearns are very nice, but the very best I've seen are _Tangents_... unfortunately at $45 each.
However, they're pretty much a gem in the realm of tank cars.
I broke down, and got two of the green-domed Warrens... they definitely have a "hubba-hubba" factor, not too far from MTH passenger cars.
But are they worth $45? It's all subjective I suppose.

If only Accurail would come out with tank cars and flats(!).


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Intermountain has 42' flats (originally by Red Caboose) that are very nice.

Old Proto 2000 tank cars rival Tangents in detail, and can be found on the used market; many in kit form, but some were RTR....

I don't regret owning many of those in various roadnames.....


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Flat car production at the moment does seem to be focused on TOFC and intermodal versions.

Accurail did make some nice kits a while back. I have about a half dozen or so of them. You can still find them at train shows. Maybe a nice e-mail would get them to drop another run of them?

Assembly isn't a big deal for me. The Tichy ones go together easily -- usually an evening's work is all.


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## Chet (Aug 15, 2014)

I model the transition era so nothing I have is newer than 1957. This is an example running on my club layout on the two and a half percent grade. 






Here's another example on my layout at home. I also have a two and a half percent grade. I was just screwing around and kept adding cars. Had a longer train, but the camcorder battery died before all of the train passed.


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## 89Suburban (Jan 4, 2017)

Really nice!


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_Broke into my 'back pocket fund' to get some freight drag fillers..._
• Athearn BB KCS flatcar.
• 2-car set of Athearn SP tank cars.
• 2 Tangent tank cars.
• 2 Tangent covered hoppers.
• InterMountain reefer.
• Atlas Master® reefer.

The flatcar, reefers and Athearn tank cars were 'closeout' priced at an LHS.
The Tangent cars, well... not so cheap, but they sure are nice.

Need more tank cars though. The Athearns are very suitable. Atlas _Master_ reefers are as good as the InterMountains, and easier to find around here.
I've scoured the Earth for the six-numbered InterMountain _Armour_ reefers, but they've dried up.
Bummer... I really like that puppy.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

CTValleyRR said:


> Assembly isn't a big deal for me. The Tichy ones go together easily -- usually an evening's work is all.


I've built several Tichy kits. They're very nicely detailed, and as you say, "go together easily".
However, I'm not sure about the ones you've acquired, but all the ones I've seen are gray styrene, so assembly is just one step involved... paint & decal-lettering are required.
Currently I'm tied up with other P&L projects.
I have six Tichy flatcar kits in queue, ready for paint and SP and Frisco decalsets should the time become available.
Until then, Athearn BB will be sufficient, and are quite acceptable.


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## D&J Railroad (Oct 4, 2013)

I think the depressed center flat car was built in the time frame you're are modeling.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

D&J Railroad said:


> I think the depressed center flat car was built in the time frame your are modeling.


Thanks, but I'm not sure about that.
The really nice ones, i.e., ExactRail, are '70's-'80's.
The only others I can find are Bachmans, and I'm not sure of their vintage, and I'm not a fan of their oversized molded-on detail. Maybe weathering would help. I saw a good YouTube vid of one with wire grabs, and washes over burnt sienna bolt heads that looked very nice.
I'm considering it, pending vintage verification.
The brake-wheel would need a scale replacement as well.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Early Bowser flatcars*_
As a kid back I the late '60's, I bought a Bowser flatcar kit... with an injection-molded Zamac body.
Bowser stuff back then was quite good, and their lost-wax and 'pour' castings were often top drawer.
However, their earliest examples of _injection moldings_ were flawed.

When material is soft-injected into a mold, it's 'gated' off when pressure reaches a certain point. If pressure isn't maintained long enough through the cooling process, shrinkage will occur at the point of the injection flue.
This shrinkage was evident right in the top/center of the car deck... a severe 'sag' from declining pressure on the opposite bottom-side injection point.

All other kits I've seen have the same process defect.
It's a shame... they really did a good job on the wood plank detail, and would've made an excellent sans-load flatcar. But I had to put a D7 bulldozer on it to hide the sag.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

LateStarter said:


> I've built several Tichy kits. They're very nicely detailed, and as you say, "go together easily".
> However, I'm not sure about the ones you've acquired, but all the ones I've seen are gray styrene, so assembly is just one step involved... paint & decal-lettering are required.
> Currently I'm tied up with other P&L projects.
> I have six Tichy flatcar kits in queue, ready for paint and SP and Frisco decalsets should the time become available.
> Until then, Athearn BB will be sufficient, and are quite acceptable.


I think that's the way their production is trending: undecorated models.

However, the ones I have (NY, NH, &H) are painted and lettered out of the box.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

CTValleyRR said:


> However, the ones I have (NY, NH, &H) are painted and lettered out of the box.


Because I grew up in Connecticut, I've been hunting forever for those exact models.
_Extinct_.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*On the tank car front...*_
Tichy tank cars are a good buy, if you're into painting and lettering when you have the time.
Tichy offers them in different dome sizes and configs when and where you can find them.

In the '50's & '60's there were a couple of private-owned company names in Connecticut, that have recaptured my imagination... _Turley_ and _Mull_, which I've been snipping decal sets for, to replicate (in the name of nostalgia, albeit regionally ridiculous).

I've acquired several Tichy tank car decal _data_ sets.
I've also acquired their six-number decal set for the green-domed _Warren_ (billboard) car that I love so much.
I guess you could say I've got the easy part done.


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## riogrande (Apr 28, 2012)

CTValleyRR said:


> Flat car production at the moment does seem to be focused on TOFC and intermodal versions.


Don't forget Wheels of Time has done nice accurate 60' SP and SSW flat cars and also done them in red Canadian Pacific and KCS, and has a new run due in a couple months with WP, black CP, MILW and more SP.

Of course ExactRail has their pricey but very nice 53 and 42 flat cars.

Walthers has re-released the Proto 2000 53 flat cars, and Tangent has some nice bulkhead flat cars in GN, ACL, SCL, BN and MP.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

LateStarter said:


> Because I grew up in Connecticut, I've been hunting forever for those exact models.
> _Extinct_.


Mine!!! Mine!!!


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

riogrande said:


> Don't forget Wheels of Time has done nice accurate 60' SP and SSW flat cars and also done them in red Canadian Pacific and KCS, and has a new run due in a couple months with WP, black CP, MILW and more SP.
> 
> Of course ExactRail has their pricey but very nice 53 and 42 flat cars.
> 
> Walthers has re-released the Proto 2000 53 flat cars, and Tangent has some nice bulkhead flat cars in GN, ACL, SCL, BN and MP.


I'm mostly interested in 1940's and '50's northeastern or eastern roadnames.


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## riogrande (Apr 28, 2012)

CTValleyRR said:


> I'm mostly interested in 1940's and '50's northeastern or eastern roadnames.


The Proto 2000 flat cars should fit your time frame and they do make eastern versions.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

riogrande said:


> The Proto 2000 flat cars should fit your time frame and they do make eastern versions.


I have enough rolling stock for the moment. That's why I said "interested", not "looking for". But thanks for the recommendation.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Premier quality if you want it*_
From what I've seen on the shelves, it looks like Atlas Master® and InterMountain are in the top drawer of RTR 40' wood reefers.
As with their Gold® and Silver® series of locomotives, Atlas Master models are superbly fitted with honest, scale-looking, separately added details.
They're also good rollers.

Accurail is an excellent (and cheaper!) alternative in the _kit_ market, and are well enough detailed to satisfy most non-rivet counters.
Athearn BB are a notch below, but are still "get-by" adequate.

As far as pre-transition & '50's era tank cars go, I'd say Proto, Tangent and Athearn are the best in the RTR venue.
BTW, Proto's are the only non-Kadee models that I don't swap couplers on.

If you have the time or the inclination to paint, assemble and decal them, Tichy tank car kits render superb models. They also offer decal sets for them in many different company and road names.
Properly painted before and during assembly, they can yield rewarding results.

I find it strange that Tangent has no reefers, and ExactRail only offers one... a Trinity 64-footer.

40-foot flatcars are a neglected breed.
TOFC-type cars have highjacked the market. Athearn BB and Tichy are about all that's currently available, unless you want to spend $45 on a UP 42-footer that still needs glue-on final assembly.

It'd be nice if Bachman came out with a premier line of freight cars, but I suppose it'd be outside the lines of an "entry-level" marketing philosophy that's kept them around for so long (although Athearn, Atlas, Bowser and Walthers have suplimented _their_ lines).


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## riogrande (Apr 28, 2012)

Those Proto 2000 flat cars are very detailed, similar to Intermountain detail, very nice. Kit versions are still out there on Ebay and train shows for good prices. The newer RTR versions are around $30 or so. Not as pricey as the ExactRail at least. I have several of the ExactRail 53' flat cars (GSC) and they are nice. Paid full price for one and when on sale got a couple more.

Intermountain has some 42' flat cars that would fit your era and local too, and are nice.


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## riogrande (Apr 28, 2012)

Here is an IMRC example planned for production

https://www.intermountain-railway.com/ho/html/48715.htm

Here is the IMRC flat car page with many examples for earlier eastern flat cars to hunt for already made:

https://www.intermountain-railway.com/ho/hoflatcar.htm


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Those 42-footers are interesting, depending on vintage.
I think I see 1-43 on the Pere Marquette, which would be great.


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## riogrande (Apr 28, 2012)

Yes, IMRC has done a number of 42 foot flat cars to treasure hunt.

So depending on era and region, you short flat cars aren't really that neglected.

There are ExactRail, Intermountain, Proto 2000, Athearn and probably one or two others.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Made a few phone calls*_
Got hold of a guy we call _"The Train Pimp"._ He had these:
Three car numbers -- $26.50 ea.
Build dates, 1925 & '27.
Very nice. Excellent rollers. There were more, (B&O and C&O) but I bit my lip and walked away. I'll regret it I'm sure.
They're coming out with a 1950 Frisco in yellow (yes, it's prototype). My railroad has lots of Frisco, so I'll wait for that.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

riogrande said:


> Yes, IMRC has done a number of 42 foot flat cars to treasure hunt.
> 
> So depending on era and region, you short flat cars aren't really that neglected.
> 
> There are ExactRail, Intermountain, Proto 2000, Athearn and probably one or two others.


If I may, Proto 2000 never made a 42 ft flat car.....52 ft, yes, but not 42 ft....

Red Caboose, now made by Intermountain made 42 footers.....the pics above are the Red Caboose ones in an Intermountain box....as per the "RR" in the product number....


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

LateStarter said:


> Those 42-footers are interesting, depending on vintage.
> I think I see 1-43 on the Pere Marquette, which would be great.


Unfortunately that PM flatcar is a 52 footer....


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Reefer rabble*_
• Since I was a kid I've wondered why yellow and orange were the predominant colors for reefers.
Maybe it's because they were easily spotted in a marshalling yard, or for cutting out.

• Reefers didn't always carry what was stenciled on the car.
In the mid '50's I watched dock workers transferring Birdseye frozen vegetables to an A&P truck from a _Swift Meats_ car.
I suppose cargo manifests and bills of lading are often like that, even in trucking.


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## riogrande (Apr 28, 2012)

Old_Hobo said:


> If I may, Proto 2000 never made a 42 ft flat car.....52 ft, yes, but not 42 ft....


I am well aware of that.

I never claimed that Proto 2000 made a 42' flat car, but rather was pointing out that people interested in 1940's and 1950's era flat cars can look to Proto 2000 among others for that time frame.


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## riogrande (Apr 28, 2012)

LateStarter said:


> _*Made a few phone calls*_
> There were more, (B&O and C&O) but I bit my lip and walked away. I'll regret it I'm sure.
> They're coming out with a 1950 Frisco in yellow (yes, it's prototype). My railroad has lots of Frisco, so I'll wait for that.


Well, if you change your mind, maybe the that guy will still have some in stock if you don't wait too long. IMRC/Red Caboose make some nice models. I have picked up some of the D&RGW drop bottom gons which were still active in the 1970's, mostly haulling limestone.

As for Frisco, Nick Molo of Moloco wrote the Frisco color guide and has offered some very nice yellow Frisco box cars. I couldn't resist and though pricey, I've bought a couple of his very nice 1970's era 50' Frisco General American box cars. He still has one the 1960's and one of the 70's versions still available:

https://www.molocotrains.com/collections/freight-cars/RBL1

A former MDC 60' flat car was released in RTR form by Athearn in yellow Frisco paint, and appear to be a pretty good match to a photo I found but don't remember where atm. I got one of them with the lumber load.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

LateStarter said:


> _*Reefer rabble*_
> • Reefers didn't always carry what was stenciled on the car.
> In the mid '50's I watched dock workers transferring Birdseye frozen vegetables to an A&P truck from a _Swift Meats_ car.
> I suppose cargo manifests and bills of lading are often like that, even in trucking.


That's because the railroads often don't own the specialty cars; shippers do. Rather than let assets sit idle, they lease them to other shippers.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

riogrande said:


> I have picked up some of the D&RGW drop bottom gons which were still active in the 1970's, mostly haulling limestone.


Those InterMountain drop bottom gons are very nice cars.
I got hold of them in SP, NP, WP, & MILW.
I sprinkle them into my hundred-car coal drag, carrying limestone and coke.... makes it visually interesting.
Couldn't find any D&RGW though. :dunno:


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## riogrande (Apr 28, 2012)

For sure. They used to be Red Caboose - I have some of the exact same D&RGW drop bottom on in the Red Caboose boxes I picked up NIB at a train show. The guy sold me six of them and they came out to $12.50 each, which was a total steal. The last bunch I bought were rebox in Intermountain boxes and cost me about $29.95 each by comparison, which is about about the best street price on them these days. The D&RGW sold out very fast but there seem to be other road names still available. I only got 4 of the 6 numbers from the last run as I was a bit short on funds at the time; so total now is 10. Those, btw, were still going up to the standard guage Monarch branch in the Colorado Rockies until about 1982 IIRC.

The Rio Grande trains seem to be pretty solid D&RGW marked gons but there might have been the odd foreign road, maybe WP as they were a friendly connection until about 1982.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

riogrande said:


> I am well aware of that.
> 
> I never claimed that Proto 2000 made a 42' flat car, but rather was pointing out that people interested in 1940's and 1950's era flat cars can look to Proto 2000 among others for that time frame.


I apologize if you detected any harsh criticism in my comment....that was never my intent.

Cheers!


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## riogrande (Apr 28, 2012)

No worries. Just wanted to clarify I wasn't trying to recommend a model that didn't exist!


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

But it's too bad Proto never made a 42 ft flat....their kits were top-notch!

Another (old style) 40 ft flat car that comes to mind are those that ERTL put out some time ago (1991)....they really seemed to be RTR versions of Tichy's 40 ft flat car....came with plastic wheels, but that was easily fixed....

https://www.modeltrainforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=458632&stc=1&d=1530213076


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

ERTL MP flatcar on eBay for $19, new.

https://www.ebay.com/p/Ertl-Collect...8%26rvr_ts%3D47d1598c1640add8c8b51291fffce29b


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Clicked that link...says $12.90....


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Tangent is right nearby in Asheville.
The good news is, I get my order really fast. :smilie_daumenpos:
The bad news is, I have to pay sales tax like it was an LHS. :smilie_daumenneg:


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Got notified that this puppy is in the mail for my birthday...
InterMountain Armour issue.
I've seen it listed in nine different widely spaced car numbers, and I've been searching for it.
IMO, it's one of the nicest looking reefers out there.
He got it from Amazon, and paid an exorbitant price, but I would've passed on it for that much money.
It's nice to have a birthday now and then.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Old_Hobo said:


> Clicked that link...says $12.90....


Plus $5.95 shipping.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Dribs & drabs*_
_InterMountain_

[EDIT]:
Bad photo...
Cellphone flash doesn't work. Lighting makes it look orange. It's actually yellow.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Blue Box flatcars have a place in the scheme of things...
They're not bad, as far as visual quality, (low profile hides cast-on shortcomings) and they fly off the assembly bench without fuss.

As far as flatcars, I'm only employing 'link' and geo-similar roads, i.e., KCS, M&StL, Frisco, etc.

_The 50-footer will assume static-status on a dock-spur under a gantry._


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Going Tichy reefers over Accurail*_

The Tichy #4024 reefer is much better detailed, and can be found for around the same price.
Yes, they'll require paint and decal-work, but the end result is a night & day difference.

Tichy decal sets are $4 each, or six road-number sets for $20, and are MicroScale quality















.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

LateStarter said:


> _*Dribs & drabs*_
> _InterMountain_
> 
> [EDIT]:
> ...


This is a more accurate representation of the color:


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*The first RTR tank cars on my roster*_
_Athearns_.
Appearance-wise, they 'look' okay, but overall quality is only so-so.

They roll terribly. Wheels are 'draggy'. I'll need to TruckTune, and change to InterMountains.
The McHenry couplers won't function at all... won't even couple.

The only reason I bought them is for the road name. They'll suffice, after changing wheels and couplers.

_Note: The center photo suffers from a cellphone 'lensing' effect... makes the brake-wheel appear canted. _


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Car numbers -- narrow minded*_
The only gripe I have with Tangent and ExactRail is their narrow-band car numbering...

Their pride of "fleet" status, with 3 to 12 different car numbers isn't widely disbursed numerically enough to be realistic in a string of cars.

Offering cars with numbers only a few digits apart is poor planning in my view.

The numbers on the two inexpensive Athearn tank cars I bought (for a fourth of the price) are separated by 821 car numbers, which is more like you'd expect to see in a train.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Mo' better*_
_Tangent_
About as good as it gets.
Everything's there... underbody & brake detail, MU hoses, cut bars, etc.

Great rollers, Kadees, authentic scale detail, and crisp lettering.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*InterMountain*_
_Southern Pacific_
Not much brake or underbody detail, (which is fine with me) but the rest is nice, and mostly to scale.
Ajax brake-wheel; MU hoses; crisp lettering.
Good rollers.

A third one is on the bench for repair of a bent MU hose... he knocked $5 off.

The decks on these cars are superb. and they're ideal for weathering with washes and powders.

I'm definitely not a fan of their packaging... it's terrible. The 'split folded' design is just a lousy idea.


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## riogrande (Apr 28, 2012)

Nice looking flat car - Intermountains stuff is pretty nice to me.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Just so you know, and you may already know, those Intermountain 42 ft flat cars are Red Caboose cars, which are now sold by Intermountain, packaging and all.....

And yes, the plastic insert that holds the flat cars is not ideal.....Red Caboose sold them in Red Caboose packaging, which was way better than Intermountain's....don't know why they would change that.....


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## riogrande (Apr 28, 2012)

Yes, Intermountain has been repacking some former Red Caboose items under their own name and they say so on their website. I have some drop bottom gons from earlier runs in Red Caboose boxes and the last run I bought of the same cars came in Intermountain boxes.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Atlas Master® Line*_
It's all there...
Good brake & underbody detail.
Separate ladders, wire grabs & door hardware; Scale steps; MU hoses.
Crisp lettering.
As good as, if not better than _InterMountain._
Excellent roller.

Apparently this is an ugly duck.
It sat on the shelf for weeks at the closeout price of $13.45.
I don't feel the least bit guilty for buying it.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*In queue:*_
Found some nice cars for July's 'train fund', and put them on layaway.
• Two Proto tank cars.
• Two Tangent three-domes.
• Two Atlas Master® reefers.
• Two InterMountain reefers.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

That Atlas reefer is very nice! :thumbsup:


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Got a six-pack of Tichy reefers on sale for $15 off.
Also ordered decal sets for Armour and Swift billboard reefers in different car numbers.

I'll split them up, 4 + 2... not sure which way yet.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

riogrande said:


> Yes, Intermountain has been repacking some former Red Caboose items under their own name and they say so on their website


Additionally, it seems the Red Caboose items have "RR" in front of the product number.....makes it easy to tell which items are Red Caboose....


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*A Phoenix in storage*_
Found an old diecast flatcar in my storage bin. I think it's a Mantua but I'm not sure (there's nothing on the casting underside to indicate). It's painted black, and unlettered. No 'zinc rot' that I can see.

It's got Kadees on it, so I must've run it awhile in the '70's or '80's, but I can't remember its origin (the original hook'n'loops were packed with it).
It's a fishbelly pedigree, and measures a scale 40 feet/8 inches sill-to-sill.

It's not bad as far as rivet and plank detail. The brake-wheel is a sheet metal stamping, and still firmly soldered to its wire rod.
Corner steps are wire inserts, which makes them look very 'scale'. End grabs are molded on.

Being a Zamac casting it's very heavy by today's standards, and would likely be a detriment in a long train without a lot of muscle.

I believe my reasoning behind leaving it in storage is that Zamac can't be glued or soldered, so I more or less abandoned it in favor of plastic or brass (the '70's were my brass scratch-building years).

I can see this car being cleaned up, stripped, painted & weathered, and placed in 'static mode' somewhere on an overgrown weedy factory spur.
I did a graffiti'd boxcar for the same reason. They'd look good together.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Pics of the flat car.....?


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Just made a phone order to Lombard Hobby for some cars. They often have good deals.

One of the cars I grabbed is an Atlas Master® Grand Union reefer, which I think is visually interesting... it's green.

The only down side to Lombard is that shipping is a flat $13.95, so you need to order enough to make it worthwhile.
So I also ordered an Atlas PFE reefer, and a couple of Proto tank cars, plus a wildly discounted "last-in-stock" Athearn covered hopper.
That's it for June's train fund... All gone.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

June's "train fund" got disrupted...
Had to get new glasses.
It was getting so that I couldn't see any detail at all without the OptiVisor or the Mag-Lamp.
I actually had to put away the Tichy & Accurail kits for awhile. :goofball:


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

My grandson fixed the flash on my phone-cam. :smilie_daumenpos: :appl:


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Was thinking of bottom-weathering a few, like this boxcar I bashed last Fall.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Covered hoppers*
Another shortage_
I have only nine covered hoppers, so that means I'll need more of those as well.
Almost all are Kadees like this one, or Bowser Execs, which are rather nice also.
All are PS2 shorties.

I'll need some 2893's and 3500's to fill-in the late '50's gap.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Athearn PS-2893*
Build date 7/55_

The Southern Pacific had lots of 2-bays in black Roman lettering, and didn't stencil these in red Gothic until the mid '50's.

Detail is pretty darned good... scale grabs and steps (ladders are a little beefy). Underbody detail is nice.
Lettering is clean; Decent roller; McHenry couplers are lousy.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Atlas Master® Line*
Couldn't resist this for the unique *color*._

Outstanding detail... scale steps, separate grabs, ladders, door hardware and brake rigging. Crisp lettering.
As good as InterMountain.

Good weight; good roller; needs Kadees badly.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*InterMountain*
The Armour "Star" issue._

This is a later paint scheme. Earlier prototypes were without the star (before the word 'Star' was added to the name) and were more of a brazen billboard design.

As can be seen, the roof walk is warped. Hard to tell from a normal viewing angle though.
Otherwise, overall detail is excellent. InterMountain does a fine job. But then I'm not sure if it isn't Red Caboose pedigree.

Every now and then you find a 'super roller' out-of-the-box. This car will roll forever.

InterMountain lists these in six car numbers. I recently found a full stock of them. A couple more would be nice.

_Note:
You cannot handle these cars with your thumb or fingers underneath... or you'll cause damage to brake rigging. Extra care must be taken, when removing them from the packaging (lift them out with the Mylar sheet).
Yes, they're that fragile._


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

I have come across many Intermountain cars with the warped roof walk issue.....the roof walk is so thin, temperature change from the time of gluing to purchase causes it to buckle.....

I have fixed it by gently prying up the shortest length of the walk, and re-gluing it, making sure to do one attachment point at a time, always working toward the end of the car......


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## riogrande (Apr 28, 2012)

Old_Hobo said:


> I have come across many Intermountain cars with the warped roof walk issue.....the roof walk is so thin, temperature change from the time of gluing to purchase causes it to buckle.....


Yes, apparently a difference in materials which expand/contract at different rates when the temperature changes.

Seems to be real common with Etched metal roof walks.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Good to know... thanks. :smilie_daumenpos:


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Just picked up a fourth InterMountain SP 42' flatcar, #140258.
I believe they issued five or six numbers.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*There were six car numbers issued*
This is the fourth I've found._


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Athearn BB*_
_50-foot KCS_

This will be weathered in the extreme, with scorched areas on the deck and sides, to resemble extinguished fires.
It'll reside on a factory spur, under a gantry.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Proto arrivals*_


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Tangents*_









_Warren (third car number)_


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Initial Athearns*... (one of two car numbers)_


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Yet another Tangent*_


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*InterMountain*
PFE... Icon of the West_

These dual herald reefers were everywhere, west of the Mississippi.
Many made their way east from Chicago, and up the eastern seaboard from Mobile and St Louis. It was a massive fleet... I've seen strings of sixty or more at a time in freight drags out of the San Joaquin.
Some wore WP heralds (which were later stenciled for _Fruit Growers Express_ or "FGE").
The dual herald concept was born in 1946 when the fleet was being refurbished from war fatigue. In the '70's, they were divided, and re-stenciled to "UPFE" and "SPFE".

Very fine-scale & delicate brake rigging. In fact, you might call it _"break rigging"._


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_InterMountain cars are notoriously good rollers, and up 'til now I've had zero issues with them.
However, lately, I've experienced some cars with jammed axles out-of-the-box. Car number 7836 in the above post was such an example.
No biggie, as a TruckTuner fixed them, but I wonder if others have found this to be the case._


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

ExactRail has a really nice Southern Pacific wood chip gondola in 12 car numbers.
The Gunderson design is 1965, so I took a look at them...
They're stenciled as re-shopped in '73.
Oh well.

That's my only problem with ExactRail -- so much of their stuff is too contemporary for my era.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

LateStarter said:


> _InterMountain cars are notoriously good rollers, and up 'til now I've had zero issues with them.
> However, lately, I've experienced some cars with jammed axles out-of-the-box. Car number 7836 in the above post was such an example.t
> No biggie, as a TruckTuner fixed them, but I wonder if others have found this to be the case._


I have had no problems with rolling, but I do know that Intermountain changed from their own trucks to Accurail trucks, at least on some type of their cars, in the last while. Who's type of truck gave you the problems?


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Yup...
The trucks on that car are Accurail.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*What rolls around comes around*
Mostly for kit builders._

I like to pull long trains.
So if a car doesn't 'glide' like an air hockey puck, it drives me crazy.

Almost five decades ago, Lynn Westcott came up with a concoction to test the rollability of HO cars. In theory it rendered a definitive scale of 'good, better & best' among what constitutes the least rolling-resistance in a model train.
It was cumbersome, and although I always intended to build it, I never had the room to keep it anywhere.

Anyway, for freight rolling stock, I have dozens of Tuned Accurail trucks, with InterMountain wheelsets installed, ready to fit onto kit-cars, or to replace on vintage finds at yard sales.

I've found the combination of Accurail trucks and quality metal wheels to be one of the best recipes for a good rolling car.
I also have some old Varney Delrin trucks that I found in a backroom bulk-box some years ago. They work quite well.
By the way, if you're not a rivet-counter, putting incorrect trucks on a quad-hopper or caboose until you find the right ones won't bother you. Furthermore, some won't care one way or the other.

Conversely, I find the old sprung Kadee trucks (that I sometimes find on vintage models) to be the most troublesome. I guess they were popular in the '60's & '70's, but they don't work for me. In my experience they get skewed or twisted, and turn into frog-hopping "switch jumpers" _(it only takes once to convince you)._

IMO, the best RTR out-of-the-box rollers are Rapido, MTH, Kadee and Tangent, with InterMountain, ExactRail, Proto and BLI close seconds.

As far as passenger cars go, I've had good luck with what the models came with, and I've rarely had to do much beyond a TruckTune.
MTH, Con-Cor-_Branchline®_ and Rivarossi passenger cars get a free pass out-of-the-box, as they're superb rollers to begin with.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Declining acuity = RTR*
My swansong for Accurail?_

Accurail has been a reliable staple of mine for years.
Low cost, acceptable detail, and superb compatibility with Kadees, are reasons enough to be comfortable with them.
Add easy assembly to the list, and they're a no brainer.
In fact, anyone who's familiar with them, can put one together in under an hour, without having to refer to, or even unfold the instruction sheet.
Just grab a sprue cutter and go.

But I digress...
I need reefers, and Accurail was going to be my best bet.
However, the two boxcars pictured here are my most recent endeavors, and they were _extremely_ difficult for me... it seems my aging eyesight has lowered my game considerably. Not just a little -- a lot.
Optivisor and a lighted mag-lamp are no longer helping enough, and the underbody brake rigging alone took all of a half hour each to accomplish.
I'm afraid to even _think_ about trying any more hoppers.

RTR, I'm afraid, is in my future.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*More Accurail*
Despite my misgivings._

Found five Accurail Frisco 40' steel boxcars for $8 each.
In spite of my failing ability to attach the underbody details, (aging eyesight) I took them home, along with a Pennsy, Burlington, ATSF Super Chief, and a D&RGW, plus a Super Chief reefer.

I've also ordered a decal set from Accurail to re-number the Friscos.

I'll battle them to completion under a _Magnalite_, with an _Optivisor_, and then go on vacation.
You can join me if you bring beer and barbeque.


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## Chet (Aug 15, 2014)

I am in the same boat as you when it comes to eyesight. I am finding projects that I never gave a second thought about now becoming quite a project. when it comes to under body details, I just do the minimum. I usually keep my car right side up on the tracks. :


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

I didn't think that some of those older Accurail boxcars had a lot of under carriage detail, but their newer kits certainly do....


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

*To my surprise*

Just got hold of a few tank cars by _Red Caboose_, (n.i.b).

Billboard motif, in Conoco, Texaco, and Phillips 66.
_They're superb!_

Excellent fine detail, with fine-scale grabs, steps, handrails, underbody, and complete brake rigging.
Better detailed than Proto.
And they have Kadee couplers.

Nice original packaging, with snap-together plastic nests, and Mylar wraps.

I hadn't known that Red Caboose made any tank cars.
Now I'm on the lookout for more.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

The Red Caboose tank cars are indeed very nice....they're now sold by Intermountain, with "RR" preceding the product numbers.....

Between the two, I think that Proto2000 makes the more detailed tank car....if you see the kit version of each, you'll notice that there are way more parts in the Proto2000 kit....

Tangent is the king of tank cars though, which comes with a higher price, of course....


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Old_Hobo said:


> The Red Caboose tank cars are indeed very nice....they're now sold by Intermountain, with "RR" preceding the product numbers.....


InterMountain didn't add or assign the 'RR' designation... Red Caboose cars always had it.

These are in the original Red Caboose reddish-brown & white boxes, and they have 'RR' numbers.
InterMountain assigns them the same exact numbers that Red Caboose did.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

You're right about Tangent tank cars being king... they're the best, hands down.
_Awesome rollers too._

But I've found them _on sale_ at places like Lombard Hobbies.
I got a Humble Petroleum car (discontinued) for under $30.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Reached my quota*
I now have 21 tank cars._

• 10 Tangents
• 5 Red Caboose
• 4 Proto
• 2 Athearn

That's sufficient as a good mix for a long 3-diesel freight drag.
The two Southern Pacific Athearns will get some 'rust-&-dust' weathering to give them a touch of character.
The others will remain as-is... I don't like weathering premium cars.


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

LateStarter said:


> Anyway, for freight rolling stock, I have dozens of Tuned Accurail trucks, with InterMountain wheelsets installed, ready to fit onto kit-cars, or to replace on vintage finds at yard sales.
> 
> I've found the combination of Accurail trucks and quality metal wheels to be one of the best recipes for a good rolling car.


I have come to the same conclusion, for most of my cars -- with one exception.

I collect early 1900s cars (nothing beyond 1930) from selected Eastern railroads. I have a lot of Roundhouse cars with Roundhouse Arch Bar trucks on them. I found that KaDee metal wheels usually run better in Roundhouse Arch Bar trucks than do Intermountain wheels. Roundhouse Arch Bar trucks are slightly wider than are Accurail trucks, and Intermountain axles (not the wheels) are slightly shorter than Kadee axles. So, the intermountain wheels were a little too sloppy in the Roundhouse Arch Bar trucks, leading to occasional binding on curves.

Unfortunately, Accurail does not make Arch Bar trucks. They do make Andrews trucks, which I are OK for some of my 1920s cars. But earlier cars need Arch Bar trucks.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Couldn't help myself*
Two more tank cars._

Yeah, I said I had enough, but you know how that goes. :laugh:
Found a Proto billboard _Mobilgas_ in the _red_ paint scheme, and couldn't resist it.
Also, another Tangent Humble Oil, that I got in trade for an ExactRail out-of-era (BN) boxcar.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Serendipitous find*_
Scrounging through the back room of an out-of-business LHS, I stumbled on a FedEx box full of bagged Accurail truckframes (10 bags of 24).
They're all roller bearing types, and a little beyond my era, but that's for rivet counters to pick up on.
There's a mix of about 50/50 black and mineral red (#165's & #177's). The red ones will make a good base for easier 'rust' weathering.

Of the black ones, about one in every other bag of 24 (less than 1% total) has a curious defect -- the bearing journals have a casting blowout on the bottoms... rendering them useless. I found nine total.
All the reds are fine.

I now have more truckframes than I have wheelsets for them.
Up to now, that was thought to be impossible. I'll have to look for another InterMountain sale. The Kadees and Tangents (although just as good) are generally too expensive, and rarely discounted.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

LateStarter said:


> InterMountain didn't add or assign the 'RR' designation... Red Caboose cars always had it.
> 
> These are in the original Red Caboose reddish-brown & white boxes, and they have 'RR' numbers.
> InterMountain assigns them the same exact numbers that Red Caboose did.


I didn't say Intermountain assigned the "RR".....I was just pointing out to those who may not know that the "RR" preceding the product number indicated a Red Caboose car....

Sorry if I wasn't clear....


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Sidetracked*
(for the moment)_

I'm always on the lookout for anything _Frisco_...
These will be re-numbered to blend with a sixth car already on the roster.
I might weather them in varying degrees.


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## flyboy2610 (Jan 20, 2010)

Nice!


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Accurail reefers the rest of the way*
(a no brainer)_

The few InterMountain and Atlas Master reefers I have are superb, but they're much more expensive, and swapping out couplers is not all that straightforward.
From this point on, all reefers will be Accurail kits.

As dicey as it is for my eyesight, (with installing underbody detail) _their price is right_, and Kadees are just too easy to slap on.

Besides, I have a penchant for weathering, and I disdain the thought of weathering premium cars... I just _won't_.

Tank cars are a different story for me.
Athearn, Mantua, Bowser etc. are okay, but are too toy-like for my taste, and overall general quality just isn't there.
There's something about a premium tank car that puts lead in my pencil (Tangent, Red Caboose and Proto).

As far as flatcars go, InterMountain 42-footers are the best IMO, and I've fulfilled the supply I needed.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Weathering Accurail trucks*_

I have a good supply of Accurail _Mineral Red_ trucks, (as well as black) and I'm experimenting with weathering techniques on the red.

There are three primary methods:
1.) Light airbrush
2.) Powders
3.) Dry-brush.
All three have their merits, but Dry-brushing is very easy, and doesn't _require_ airbrushing to seal it.

Dry brushing is just wiping off most of the paint before applying it... barely enough to "smudge" onto raised areas with dabbing or wiping strokes. A flat #2, #3 or #4 brush is good.

Use both dark and light browns (seinnas and ochres) for old and new rust. Roof Brown and Freightcar Red are also good for old rust.

The Mineral Red color is ideal as an 'old rust' base or foundation to build on.
Lighter (newer) rust can be applied to raised areas, and grime or 'dust' can be added for age and character (grays & tans).
Blacks like 'Grimy Black' are ideal for greasy spots where rust wouldn't easily form.

The best weathering treatment for _black_ trucks IMO, is gray or tan colors to simulate roadbed or desert dust, with a touch of rust in the depressed areas.

Less is more!
Don't over-do it.
If you have to make it permanent and durable, Dullcote is recommended.
_Wheels must be done separately,_ but don't Dullcote them!


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Red Caboose*
(superb quality)_

These rival Proto in detail; good rollers; paint and lettering quality as good as Tangent.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Old_Hobo said:


> Sorry if I wasn't clear....


No apology necessary... we're good.
My comment wasn't intended as a contradiction.


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## flyboy2610 (Jan 20, 2010)

Nice tankers!


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

*Athearn*
These are very inexpensive. Overall quality is okay, and detail is acceptable, but certainly nowhere near premium. Brake stands & wheels are okay; ladders and steps are thick; underbody detail is cast on... (you get the idea) but you get what you pay for.
I bought them simply for the road name. They'll mix-in just fine.

These two are surprisingly good rollers.
Couplers on Athearn cars are the worst on the planet... these won't even couple with _each other._

Weathering will give them character. I don't mind weathering cheap cars.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

*Accurail... steel vs wood*_
(an eyesight issue)._

Only steel-side boxcars and reefers for me!
The three Accurail wood-side boxcars I have are still in their boxes, 98% complete...

As it is, I'm barely able to attach the underbody detail on them, but attaching the vertical brake rod and wheel are beyond me, even under magnification.

From now on, I'll only be buying steel-side boxcars and reefers with bulkhead-mounted brakewheels.

It wasn't always like this of course, but Father Time has caught up with certain attributes, and I'm conceding to limitations.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Tangent*_
Most of my covered hoppers are 2-bay Kadees and Bowser Execs, plus some 3-bay RTR Athearn 2893's.
These 48-foot 3500's add a little lead to the sled.

_'59 MoPac
Black roof was signature and unique._

_'59 Burlington
Placard-heralds... opposite sides have different slogans._


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

*Accurail truckframes*_
Black & Mineral Red_

These are two of ten packs found in a FedEx shipping box, in the backroom of an out-of-business LHS (12 pairs per bag). Six bags of black; four red.
They're roller bearing types, which are a little out-of-era for me, but I'll use them anyway, as I think some early versions appeared in the '50's.
_Anyway, I'm not a rivet counter._

The mineral reds will make a good base for 'rust' weathering.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

*Giving these a try*_
So far, so good._

I'd been using _InterMountain_ wheelsets for quite some time. They were generally always the cheapest, and they consistently work very well in Accurail truckframes.
But these appeared on sale for far below the usual InterMountain price.

Jury's still out, (small sample size) but knock on wood.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

You won't be disappointed.....nice wheels, as you can see on the Tangent cars themselves, and cheaper than Intermountain....


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Old_Hobo said:


> You won't be disappointed.....nice wheels, as you can see on the Tangent cars themselves, and cheaper than Intermountain....


You have a good point...
Aside from MTH, Tangent cars are (IMO) about the best rollers on the RTR market.
None of my InterMountain cars could match them without some degree of TruckTuning.

But in my NC location, Tangent items are historically more expensive... possibly due to their NC address, whereby I think sales tax is passed along in the price.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

*Accurail steel-side reefers*_
End-details -- the curse that keeps on giving._

The brakewheels are easy.
But the brake platforms, fulcrums, and chains aren't going all that much better for me... only slightly easier to jockey than the vertical brake rods on wood-side cars.
Plus, the platform lugs aren't sliding in without some careful trimming under magnification (I've rarely ever had to trim assembly lugs on Accurail kits before).

Underbody brake detail (which for me is a chore) is a comparative 'breeze' vs _end_ detail.

I really like Accurail kits.
They've always been a great alternative to pricey rolling stock, and in recent years have improved greatly in detail.
But finer details have proven to be a double-edged sword for me.
_You gotta' be able to see fairly well, to put 'em on._

I bought three InterMountain and three Atlas Master reefers to start the series, but I really don't want to go any further with that kind of expense, so I'll have to suck it up and slug it out. Finished Accurails blend-in very well with them, and are a third of the price.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

*Accurail steel reefer detail*_
Pretty darned good._

I'm a bit amazed at the level of detail on the current generation of Accurail steel reefers.
Separate door and corner-steps are to scale, and as fine as detail gets these days. Underbody and end brake details are as good as you'd want.
Paint and lettering are very good... far better than it used to be, and about as good as some pricey brands.
_One caveat..._ The scale corner steps are a sloppy fit on the kits I have, but a dot of cement should be used anyway.

The scale center door-step-irons are very delicate, and like InterMountain reefers, the finished cars need careful handling to avoid snapping them off.

Now if the next generation includes separate _ladders_ of similar caliber, they'll be be on a level with premium cars... _revolutionary._
If that'll be the case, I'd expect a 15% or so increase in price, but they'd still be a third the cost of Atlas and InterMountain, which are currently the leading examples of premium transition era reefers on the market.

With Kadees, a Truck-Tune, and good wheelsets, they're a sure thing on a budget.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

I doubt we'll see Accurail will go with add-on ladders and grabs....but that doesn't upset me, they are still the best cars with molded on grabs and ladders, of any of the competition in that genre.....


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

I doubt we'll see Accurail will go with add-on ladders and grabs....but that doesn't upset me, they are still the best cars that fill the niche, with molded on grabs and ladders, of any of the competition in that genre.....


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

*Two invaluable tools*_
(for those who might not know)._

If you build Accurail kits, (or _any_ plastic kit with sprue parts) you'll need a good sprue cutter, like the Xuron cutters shown here. They perform superbly.
Xuron's are available at just about every hobby outlet, and at Walmart and Amazon.

And if you want to improve the rolling quality of sub-par trucks, you'll want to get a TruckTuner tool (currently marketed by MicroMark).
The truckframes provided with Accurail kits will accept the plastic wheelsets supplied, or any _metal_ wheelsets (which will function much better).
The TruckTuner quickly smooths the truck's axle-point bearing cups, so rolling quality can be greatly improved.
It's a snap to use, and very durable.

Cars with TruckTuned Accurail trucks and metal wheelsets will roll as well as almost any premium RTR car on the market.
Better-rolling cars generally means longer trains, or at least they require less effort to pull them.
Your underpowered locomotives will thank you.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

*Occasional defects*_
(Accurail out-of-the-box)._

These two have the same detached roofwalk end, at the same spot, at the same end.
Each roof _hatch_ on that end is lifted along with it.

You can either leave it, and hope it goes unnoticed... or pry it, and place a dab of cement with a toothpick.
Or you might even return it for a refund.
_Your call._


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

There are no roof "hatches" on those cars.....?

I wouldn't go to the hassle of returning them for that reason.....way too easy to fix.....


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

When I was a teenager, I saw a 3-bay open hopper with a missing corner step (it was parked behind a printing company where my dad worked). Not sure if it was unbolted, weld-failed, or just broken off.
I didn't photograph it, but I've always remembered it.
I can now say, that I've got _two_ just like that. Talk about 'prototype'!
Both are Bowser Executives.
_Cool or what!_


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

*No small significance*_
(nostalgic throwback)_

This vintage 1952 reefer was purchased for nostalgic reasons.
The color, lettering and road name is the same as a plastic kit made by Varney that I had as a kid... snap on the roof, and screw on a pair of trucks and horn/hook couplers.
It wobbled terribly, so I placed printer's line-space lead inside to stabilize it.

Of course the Accurail version is galactically better detailed than that Varney was, but it "looks" the same to me, and it pegs out on the goosebump meter.
That Varney reefer was the first car that I ever swapped over to Kadee couplers.
_I was so proud!_


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## flyboy2610 (Jan 20, 2010)

LateStarter said:


> *No small significance*_
> (nostalgic throwback)_
> 
> This vintage 1952 reefer was purchased for nostalgic reasons.
> ...


You've got some very nice cars there, LateStarter! It's always fun to regain a small piece of your childhood, isn't it? :thumbsup:

I have 4 Branchline Trains Blueprint Series boxcars to build someday. Boy, do those have a LOT of pieces!


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

*Accurail steel reefers*_
Near premium quality on a budget...
(for those who might not know)._

The current generation of Accurail steel-side reefer kits are about as good as it gets in the $10 range.
Corner stirrup steps, center door steps, and Ajax brake rigging (both end and underbody) are all fine scale, and prototype.
Ladders and grabs are still cast-on, but are rendered well enough to impart realism. _There are much worse at higher cost!_ The instructions are easy to follow.
They'll blend-in nicely with premium RTR cars in a train, and they're great for weathering, (if you're so-inclined) because they're so inexpensive.

And if you have Kadee couplers and good metal wheelsets in _bulk,_ plus a TruckTuner, it gets quite a bit better.
Adding Kadees and good wheels from a bulk stash will only bump-up the total cost by about $2 or less.

With tuned Accurail truckframes, (supplied) and good metal wheelsets, (plastic wheels supplied) you'll have a car that's not only nicely detailed, and looks great, but it'll glide like a curling stone... all for about twelve bucks.

You'll need a good sprue cutter, (Xuron) CA glue, a solvent-type cement like Plastruct, good tweezers, jeweler's files, good light, and decent magnification, plus Kadee #5 couplers (others will work, but I prefer #5's).
_(Accumate couplers are included, but they're plastic, unreliable, and not durable)._

_"Tricky spots" to look for on some kits:_
1.) Car ends are 'End-specific' (for proper brake orientation). Assembly lugs may be a tight fit, making flush contact difficult. Test fit for a complete flush mate before glueing!
2.) Tiny brake platform lugs are generally oversize, and may need careful trimming.
3.) Corner stirrup steps are generally a sloppy fit, and may need careful glueing to keep them in place and straight.
[Note]... Trimmed, sanded, or filed black parts will render a brownish color, and might require touch-up (i.e., brakewheel rim at sprue cutoff).
4.) As with InterMountain RTR reefers, the center door-steps (and corner steps) are so fine-scale and delicate, they could easily be broken off by your thumb if the car is carelessly handled.

These tricky areas shouldn't be a deterrent. They're more of a guide than a warning. A $10 or $12 car this good shouldn't be passed up.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

*More nostalgia*_
(memories from chance circumstances)._

My uncle was a foreman at the Royal Typewriter Company, and he'd take me there occasionally on idle weekends.
But my interest was more focused behind the building, where there was a dead-ended railroad spur.

I'm not sure why it was an insulated car, but the prototype for it (and a McGinnis New Haven) was always sitting there at the dock.
It was one of the only Pennsy cars I ever got a close look at.
It was, I was told, continuously hauled to and from a parts supplier in Pittsburgh.

I was amazed when I saw that Accurail had produced it.

Like all the "special" Accurail cars in my collection, this one won't be weathered... (except for 'rusty' trucks and wheels).


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