Gauge 1 CPR Express reefer of the '40's era....

[tac foley]

The CPR express reefer is finally done. I'd like to say how much fun it was, but I'd be lying. The stress of ordering necessary details from the US, the inevitable wait, and then another while wait the vendors sent the missing bits, added to the truly horrendous cost in the end in both shipping and UK taxes, made it a lot less fun than it might have been. The project saviour was Stan Cedarleaf, and his nigh-on instant provision of custom-made decals. The result is, I think, OK for a first attempt at a Gauge 1 freight car, but you can be certain that there will be no more - I'm sticking to 16mm and Fn3 from now on - everything there is MUCH easier to source. The other only things I bought were the trucks, couplers and door fittings, oh and the brake-wheel. All the rest was cobbled together from bits alloy tube - flattened or left round - two tiny bits of car-body repair mesh for the side-vents and of course, the scribed siding. Total cost came to an horrendous $244.86...plus $54 for the decals............................

 

[Rhinochugger]

That's part of the problem with scratchbuilding in this scale, the costs are far higher than a production item.

I scratchbuilt a 2-6-2 with bogies tender something like ten years ago, and the wheels alone cost me £120

That said, the reefer looks pretty good, tac

 

[korm kormsen]

reminds me of an advertising slogan for a cigarette brand in the 1960ies Germany:
It was always a little more expensive to have something special - Atika

 

[Henri]

But the result!!! Bravo!!

 

[tac foley]

This just might be the next project, I know, I said that would be it, but Jay Kovacs over in the US has just popped up and adviserated us that he is now handling all the Sunset Valley stuff - wheels and all....



Being of planked construction it lends itself perfectly to me reducing my store of around 3000 coffee stirrers..........and now Piko do the correct style Bettendorf trucks for not a lot of £££. I'll have to make a custom brake for those wacky-shaped grabbed rails - they are handed, y'see...................hmmmmmmmm.....................................

BTW, for those of you concerned that this might be construed as the current Canadian Pacific Railway dining car, please be comforted by the knowledge that this was a Maintenance of Way crew car from around 1910-15, albeit with upgraded trucks. The 'Canadian' Tronna-Vancouver train has proper seats and windows and stuff...