More Boxcar Projects

[jonathan]

Thanks. Yes, it's a resin kit... comes with 90% of the parts you need... except trucks, couplers, eye bolts, chain and tools.  I usually get the chain from train shows (40 links to the inch). I also add a slack adjuster and coupler lift bars.

Regards,

Jonathan

[J3a-614]

Hello, Jonathan, am glad your doing better! I think you had some of us worried for a time.

As to interior colors, most steam-era steel box cars were lined with unpainted wood on the sides and perhaps the ends (the roof not needing the protection from shifting or sliding cargo), and the floor would be the same.  In fact, there is or was somebody who offered laser wood kits to fit certain plastic box car interiors that had the details, such as bolt holes and boards.  I don't know if this would have applied to wagon top cars or not with their unusual construction, though I have a strong suspicion it would have.

Doors, I believe, were typically unlined; I think the interior paint there would be the same as that on the outside.

The advantage of wood was that it was easily repaired, and in the case of the floor, could also have blocking nailed in.  This of course predated nailable steel flooring that came out later.

[rogertra]

Excellent work Jonathan.

Sadly my model railroad work has been put on hold since I had an accident at work April 01. 

While on tour, in the dark backstage, in a strange theatre, on an uneven floor, I missed a 12" Step and fell and broke my right hip.

30 minute ambulance drive to the nearest hospital, where I spent the night and then at 07:00 next morning a 40 minute ambulance ride to another hospital where I finally went down for surgery at 19:00.  Released the next day around noon with a three to four hour drive to get back home.  It was a two ambulance shuttle to get me home.

Now facing a six month recovery period before I'm back close to 100%.  As it was a work accident, Workers Compensation Board take care of all expenses.

So keep posting those inspirational photos so I have something to strive for once I'm able to move without pain and do some modelling.

Cheers

Roger T.

[Len]

Ouch! Hope you're up and about soon Roger.

Len

[jonathan]

Wow!  I feel lucky now.  Hope you get back to reasonable health soon.  I feel your pain.

Thanks and Regards,

Jonathan

[jonathan]

Here's a couple preliminary shots of my loaded boxcar.  The load is supposed to look like rough cut lumber.  The farther away one stands, the more convincing it is... 

I still have some finish work to perform on the car, but it's getting there...

Regards,

Jonathan

[jbrock27]

Like it and like the figure, nice touch .  What's the lumber really made from?

[jonathan]

Thanks much, JB.

The lumber loads are a single block of hardwood, with lines scribed in with a razor saw, then weathered with some light colors of powder.

The figure has a wire drilled into his backside and pushed between the seams of the lumber.

Weathering the car and setting up a scene on my layout. Will post a couple more pix when completed.

Regards,

Jonathan

Addendum:

Here's the car weathered.  Will attempt some scenery shots in the morning.

[jbrock27]

Thanks for getting back to me Jonathan.  Nicely done!

[electrical whiz kid]

Another trick that was employed at least once by John Allen is to take that block, and just cement the 'lumber' around it.  It looked really good-
-and no stegosauruses...

Rich C.

[jonathan]

Some final shots of this project... This is the Hardwood Furniture Company.  It sits in the background on my layout.  I used the tops of foreground buildings and small cardboard boxes as camera stands. Managed to get a Bachmann, Sound Value S2 in the shot (modified of course)...



A little closer:


And closer:


Closer still:



Regards,

Jonathan

PS:  Here's a link to a photo showing how I keep the figure upright.  I took the photo off this thread as it might seem inappropriate to some.  Better safe than sorry...

http://s642.photobucket.com/user/jsnvogel/media/Projects/DSC_0154_zps31w4dkhg.jpg.html

[rogertra]

Jonathan!

Stop it!

You're setting that bar too high for the rest of us mere mortals!   

Seriously. excellent work, you are worthy of praise.  Well done.


Cheers

Roger T.

[jonathan]

Well, thank you.  I call it obsession.  I have built 22 wagontop boxcars.  With each one I try to take the detail to a higher level.  Plus, I abhor making scenery.  Obsessing with rolling stock is an excuse for me to avoid detailing the layout.  

Oh, and thanks to J3a for the inspiration on interior colors.  I spent a good amount of time coloring the interior, but you can't see it. darn

Regards,

Jonathan

[jonathan]

As an aside, for the photographers out there:

Using a basic DSLR (Nikon 3200), with a macro lens, I get about 3-6 inches of depth for sharp images, with the aperture down to f25... depends how close you can set the camera to the subject.

With a standard lens, the camera will close down to around f32 with about a foot of depth, However, you can't get real close with the camera.  Still learning how to set up photos. 

I'm sure a fancier camera body would do better.

Regards,

Jonathan

[electrical whiz kid]

Jonathan;
On figures:  It would be nice if it were feasible to produce figures with a "flex-feature"; that is, to have the  quality that is needed to a), be pose-able, and b), to be able to be painted in a convincing manner, as limbs would be moveable.
John Allen did it with wire armatures covered with a waxy compound; I believe this could also be done using a putty-like compound; possibly a slow-setting epoxy.  Heck; if we can kill the world 150 times over; surely we can come up with the technology for something as mundane as this!
As an aside; I received my valve-gear from Bowser.

Rich C.