Hartford Products 30' Box car kit revisited (restarted)

[beavercreek]

Well, the turkey has gone, the pressies are opened, the family has returned to the parts of the world that they came from and I have had a little time on me own.
A few months ago I started a post about this little (little??) kit but due to me doing a bit of building of a 1:1 garage conversion kit, this box car one just came to a stop.

Well...no more. It has sprung back into life once again.

It began with the underframe minus any trimmings the bogie-bolsters not stuck in place

Now the queen posts are on, the bolsters and bolster angles are in place and sides are on. No detailed brakework yet

The sides have the grab irons and lower slide hangers for the doors and door stops. The grab irons are really, really to scale but this makes them oh so fragile. Still if they are bent a little it will add to the weathered effect when the kit is completed (that's my story anyway)

The end has the grab irons in place but no other detailing like brakework, coupling hangers etc

The small door end has the grab irons but no other detailing

The doors are ready but have no locking/ clasping details yet

The inside

For you plan loving folk

 

[Richie]

Hi Mike
You have been busy over Christmas the work so far looks fantastic Those white metal fittings look very fragile bet there not easy to fit ,the detail looks very nice on those sliding door hangers
Have made a start on my low sided gondola now it's warmed up in the garage .

 

[beavercreek]

Hi Richie
I started it again, after the long lay-off, last night at about 10-ish. First time I have had time to myself this holiday. Will do a little more this evening.
The kit is so well endowed and the plans are pretty detailed for the bits that you have to manufacture yourself. Hundreds of whitemetal castings!. There are a few parts that have no description and you really do have to stop and think about their orientation and placement as the instructions are meant for very experienced modellers and do not in any way take you by the hand. Have not had too many 'oh s**t' moments yet. The end brakework and coupler handling rods will be interesting as will the roof construction as there is no room for mistake!
Will update...when there is something to post!

 

[Richie]

Those plans do look very complicated i think i would struggle as there not in Metric had the same problem with plans when i started to build a 3 1/2" gauge Juliet steam loco only got as far as building the buffers still have the castings in the loft

 

[beavercreek]

Apologies to anyone wondering why no progress (I am probably speaking to me self here!).

Some progress has happened.



More hardware gets fitted: braces, brackets, reinforcement bolts etc.

Walkway detail

Brake pieces are now in place

Sides are now more or less finished

The doors are complete and have working catches. These were very fiddly and I had to drill fine holes make pins from brass rod to allow the parts of the catch to move. The doors have not been fixed in place permanently yet as I need to paint the body , the rear of the doors and then make sure that they can slide before final fix.

The trucks were screwed together ready for the brake detail to be made up and fixed on.

 

[beavercreek]

If I was to make this kit again or one like it, I would add the grab irons last as they are white metal castings and are very fragile and some have got bent and when bending them back into shape they become weaker.

The bent ones can be seen here

It will be ready for painting and placing of decals now

 

[Tony]

fantastic looking kit mike

Tony

 

[beavercreek]

Hi Tony, Many thanks mate. It has certainly challenged me! Keep on getting superglue on me fingers and then scratch the nose................

The proof will be in the pudding when I paint, decal and then weather it. I am not sure if it will ever actually be on the layout other than just posing...I just could not take it having a spill! :bleh:

 

[Tony]

mmmmmmmm yes i was wondering about damage as i have a few bought in home made wooden items that tend to get a little lighter each time they are used
Tony

 

[beavercreek]

I had forgotten about the roof construction and also some of the under carriage detail so here are a few more photos

The roof framework of carlins and purlins

roof sheets go on

running board saddles in place

roof walkway

underbody

brake levers and good view of the queenposts with underbody truss rods

detail of brake system.

Brass rod was cut and shaped to make the hook and line to go from from brake lever to the chain for the brake staff

 

[Alec K]

Truly a museum specimen, Mike. Utter dedication...

Alec K

 

[steven large]

EXELLENT KIT SO FAR!!!...WOW...u shud be a craftmanship!!!

 

[Bram]

A cracking job there Mike, I don't know that I would have that much patience. Well done you

 

[yb281]

That looks like a fantastic kit and a really good job Mike.

The bogies look like they're white metal? Are the wheels well insulated with no chance of coming into contact with the bogie frames? I say that because I had all sorts of problems with the old IP metal bogies shorting out against the wheels and causing short circuits under track power. IP have moved on to wooden bogies now to get rid of the issue. Just something to consider at this stage, rather than getting it all painted up and then discovering a problem.

 

[beavercreek]

Thank you for your kind words Alek, Steve, Bram and Mel.
Mel Indeed it is white metal and yes I am mindful of the old shorting problem. The wheels are fully insulated but the brake assembly is pretty close to the wheel tyre and flange so although I have tested and it does not come into contact, it is worth bearing in mind that the white metal does distort very very easily and could in theory touch both side's wheels.
But I am not too bothered (bothered ....me?) as she will be probably just a poser on the layout and be kept in an isolated block so accidents should NOT happen.....Oh oh fate,..... tempted...........

Here are a few close ups of the truck assembly. The journal cover were also a separate part (very comprehensive this kit)

 

[JRinTawa]

I do like the detail, well the quality throughout.

 

[trammayo]

Brilliant job! Envious - I wouldn't have the patience! Well done.

Mick

 

[Richie]

WOW Mike that looks fantastic your making a Real Grande job of that mate :love: Looks to good to paint would look very nice as a piece of art in your gallery . Just love the work that has gone into the trucks and those wheels look like they have just been turned in the work shops

 

[beavercreek]

Thanks for the support lads.
It has now got to the stage where I have bent back into shape all of the damaged grab irons (only two casualties - the very thin grab iron white metal casting does not take kindly to too much manhandling!).
The trucks are ready with the brakes bent just slightly more out of the reach of the wheel rims...just in case I decide to hook this car up to a loco and not want any possibility of shorting!

I have really enjoyed this kit and learned a hell of lot about care and patience as well as reading three plan sheets at once to make sure of dimensions and fit!
Painting is now the next thing

Richie it is nice of you to say the kind words about leaving it unpainted, but I am going to give this little project the 'whole' McCoy and try to do some goodly weathering like yourself and 'Woderwick'...I am not sure that I am up to it...but if all else fails then i will just have to respray it!

What ever happens, she will get a good thorough coatings of Dullcoat to protect her in the probable occurrence of being left out in a rain shower!

 

[beavercreek]

Well, had a bit of time over the weekend and got a chance to paint the box car. I used Plasticote red oxide "Super primer' with an aerosol nozzle from a much finer art rattle can.

Doors stained on the back and even with the paint still slide and latch

Brake end some of the grab handles are still a little bent but if I do any more manipulation I may weaken them too much. The coupler lift bars will work with chain connected to the coupler (this will not actually lift the kadee coupler but will work if I use Accucraft couplers)

The small end door, it also slides and coupler lift bar operates

The underneath is complete and shows the planking and pipework well now that it is painted

The wheels have been painted where it shows and the brakes are at 'missing' distance so they will not foul the wheels' revolutions

Now comes the decals and then the final coats of Dull coat