MODELING: Rio Grande Auto Car Build 12.0

The photo above was submitted by Warner Clark of his layout.  Richard Bourgerie shot the photo and added the impressive background.   Warner has an excellent eye for combining kits with scratchbuilt models to create an interesting..  The tall building is cheese factory.

 

P_48 GROUPS HAS MOVED FROM YAHOO

IT IS NOW AT  groups.io.com

proto48@groups.io is the new email address

RIO GRANDE BUILD 11.0

I have been working on the automobile car build during the last few weeks between interruptions.  I am now at a point where is needs only weight added inside, running board and primer.  Due to a finger injury I will have to wait a couple weeks for paint since acetone on a wound is not the greatest.

I added a number of final details prior to painting.  The first item are stirrups.  They are made from .010″ x .040″ brass strips.  I used a bending tool to create shape ninety degree bends where needed.  The tool is sold by the Small Shop. I have mentioned this before when I was forming some etched brass parts.

I build a simple jig to allow me to form consistent parts.  It is made from a few bits of styrene.

The stirrups were drilled as part of the forming process.  The is a ninety degree twist in the right side.  I used two pliers to make the bend.

The stirrup was attached to the car body with .7mm rivets that I purchased from Scale Hardware.

The next bits that were added are door stops.  I built a set of stop to fit on the lower door track.  I used a similar Chooch part as a guide.  They were made from .020″ x .040″ strip with a .010″ x .030″ surround.  I also added stops on the car sides. There are four required per side.  I used a part from Grandt Line.  The part is on a sprue which has other hardware.  It is #6 in their catalog.

There is a sheet metal wrapper that ties the upper side strap to the end.  I used a .010″ x .080″ strip to make this detail. One end is tapered to .060″ to match the end strap.  I pre-bent the strip to approximate the end shape.  Start by bonding the wide end first.  Once the joint is set, I bonded the other end to the car end.

Well that wraps up the basic construction with the exception of the running board. I will add weight to the inside and prime and paint the interior before bonding the roof and running board in place.

The model will be primed with a lacquer and painted with Star Brand D&RGW freight car red.   Star Brands is sold by P-B-L direct and through some dealers.  It is a lacquer as well. If you are sensitive to this type paint, I would suggest using Model Masters acrylic as you base color.  You will need to mix the right shade.

Our next posting will be on modeling modern prototype railroad equipment.  No, I won’t be doing any but I will show some of the creative cottage industry suppliers who are making it easier to this in P48 as well as O scale.

Thanks for tuning in,

Gene