FBOX 504587 Detailed and Weathered

[ednadolski]

Here is a recently-completed project.   This is an ExactRail FBOX Gunderson boxcar that I detailed with wire stirrup, etched brake platforms, and (of course!) the Bowser/Lee English Z-scale couplers in the photo-etched coupler pockets.   This is an example of the pocket with the extended air hose.  Installation was pretty simple, just attach the new pocket with a 00-90 screw in place of the factory pocket.  I've also done these with the new pocket simple glued in place with CA, and it holds up fine even in long trains.

Weathering is mostly an exercise in hand-painted tags, using PolyScale white as a base for the large tags and water-mix oils for the other colors.  The rest of the weathering is a matter of grime and rust washes in various places, all on top of a light, initial airbrush fade coat.

The proto pic for the tags is at this link:  http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc97/notllr/fbox504623.jpg


Thanks for looking! 















Ed

[tom mann]

Nice Ed.  Looks really sharp!

[peteski]

Excellent Ed!  This model reinforces my opinion that well-executed molded-on ladders look as good (or better) than free-standing added-on ladders (which are usually well out of scale).

[avel]

Very nice!

[basementcalling]

How did you put such a heavy car on so thin a piece of wood without breaking the support. It sure does look realistic.   

[ednadolski]

Many thanks guys for your comments.   Peteski, I think you make a good point about the molded-on grabs. I had considered replacing them with wire parts, but often it takes a repaint to do that without leaving noticeable traces of the old grabirons behind.   (BTW that's the one thing I've always like about the FVM locos: they do not have the cast-on grabirons, and I don't think that most modelers notice their absence.  Now if only Kato would learn from that wisdom, **sigh**...)


Ed

[peteski]

Well, if you use something like 0.006" wire for N scale grab-irons, they will look realistic.  That's true.  Paint matchign is another story. But if weathered, the color mismatch will be well camouflaged.

I was thinking more of all those factory made models where they use separate injection-molded ladders. Even though they are fairly fine in cross-section, they still look clunky, compared to the real ones. But if done properly, the molded-on ladders look more realistic than the separate plastic parts tacked onto the car.  Your car and photography shows that rather nicely.

[Smike]

Another fine example ed!  I really can appreciate those tags! WELL DONE. So how steady are your hands? 

[Theteejmiester]

A beaut right there!!! love it.

[basementcalling]

A car that detailed will do nothing but make your foreground scenery look like crap.