April Challenge Voting

[Ed Kapuscinski]

There weren't many prototype shots for me to go off of, most were in the corner of a photo. Here is one online:
http://digilib.syr.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=%2Ferie_railroad&CISOPTR=1765&DMSCALE=75.09387&DMWIDTH=600&DMHEIGHT=600&DMMODE=viewer&DMFULL=0&DMOLDSCALE=25.03129&DMX=0&DMY=0&DMTEXT=caboose&DMTHUMB=1&REC=6&DMROTATE=0&x=23&y=109

I started with a Bachmann bobber caboose. So I cut off the sides and replaced them with scribed styrene, then cut new window holes and added windows cut from a MDC caboose shell. The cupola also had bits removed and replaced with scribed styrene. I covered the roof with paper and ACC to look like tarpaper. Used a smoke stack from Micro Trains. The cupola mounted marker lights are just scraps of styrene with Grandt Line Nut/bolt/washer castings as vents and a dot of paint for the lamps. Flags are aluminum foil wrapped around .010" wire. The corner steps were removed and replaced with etched brass steps from Sylvan
http://www.nscalesupply.com/SYL/SYL.html
(bottom of the page)
The couplers are 903 Z scale and the wheels were replaced with metal Kato wheelsets, they were the best rolling and fit into the Bachmann sideframes. Decals are from a Northeast Decals boxcar set.

Before and after:

Just after:

After paint:

Grand finally money shot  :

Those Brake Vans were built
around the turn of the Century and have undergone a multitude of rebuilds
over the years, that one is a Thirty Footer, others were as long as 40-45
foot, there was even a little 16 footer that bounced along behind the Train,
Nearly all survived until the end of steam. They can now be bought quite
cheap and make great Layout Rooms, Tool Sheds, Garden Sheds Etc`.
That little Slit Window was referred to as the Bay Window or Lookout.


Here they are:

OK here goes...... ;D. DRGW EV Caboose 01513......Started with an Atlas undecorated EV caboose....before the roof walkways etc version was available. Remove all the handrails and stack, panel in all the side windows. Add new wire handrails all round. Grab rails to roof and new stack made of brass. Etched stainless steel walk way. brass ladders. Spray pale yellow....it was a stock car spray paint but I can't find the can. Microscale decals, flat varnish, weathering with thinned enamels, some spray paint and chalks. sprayed flat varnish.
This is the original car photo courtesy of Railarc.  www.railarc.org I couldn't bring myself to deface the caboose with graffiti so its  "eau naturel".
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/debbiepb@btinternet.com/detail?.dir=/8afcre2&.dnm=d9dcre2.jpg&.src=ph

Heres my entry a Atlas NE-6 NKP # 772 Modified and bent to fit.
Out of the box

Prototype

Finished car



Added to this car where a Plano roofwalk Moloco battery box and end steps.
12 end window bars a additional end cross bar, Coupla grabs and shades.
Modified smokejack and radio antenna, Side window screens and the car was
lowered a scale 3'' Weathering was done with A.I.M's black powder. The underframe
was lightly weathered with some tarnished black and a dark brown powder mixed
with Floquil flat.
Good Luck to all entrants.
You can view a how I did this car at
http://modeltrainsweathered.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=911&sid=cfbeba64f8726a1cf092b1f7eb7f7e9a

What a crazy month! I did manage to get my taxes done but not much
painting. I decided it would be totally lame if I passed the caboose
challenge since I was one of the people pushing for it. Before I say
another word, let me offer a disclaimer because that's what we do in
America. I HATE the screen thingees. I've never scratchbuild anything in
my life and these screen thingees tell me I have a LONG way to go. I
wasn't going to hold back the entry just because of that. If it affects me
in a negative way, then so be it. This is just a friendly competition. If a
bottle of Jack Daniels or maybe a death metal CD collection were offered
as prizes, then I'd rip those suckers off and start over. I ran out of time!
Anyway, this is a "modernized" WM-CHESSIE Norhteastern style caboose.
Basically what makes it modernized are the filled in windows and the big
patch with the new number. The new number is just the old number with
a "90" in front of it. That's what they did...with caboose after caboose
after caboose. The prototype is a different number than my model BUT I
saw #1887 and it's the same deal. The picture I found of #1887 wasn't
real clear so I used a different one as a guide. Both were pretty much the
same thing. You can see the faded "1887" on the cupola and the new
"901887" on the side. I'm least happy with the screens. I'm most happy
with the color fade. I used about five paint washes to get that color
change so you can imagine how faded the "Chessie System" was. That's
a problem because it's not faded on the real caboose. I had to repaint
the Cat and "Chessie System" by hand! YUCK. Using decals is probably a
smarter option but I didn't have time to obtain them. Anyway, it is what
it is. If you aren't already fast alseep, here's a quick and incomplete guide
to how I got the model where it is today. Paints used are Polly Scale and
the official colors used were CSX NEW IMAGE GOLD ("gold" below), ATSF
SILVER ("silver"), C&O ENCHANTMENT BLUE ("blue"), ROOF BROWN
("brown"), NEW GRAVEL GRAY ("gray"), SEABOARD AIR LINE ORANGE
("orange"), AGED WHITE ("white") and SIGNAL YELLOW ("yellow").

1.   Paint trucks and underbody blue
2.   Fill in 4 windows with .040" thick styrene
3.   Paint filled in windows with three coats of yellow
4.   Fade cupola reporting mark by dry brushing yellow
5.   Mask remaining windows with liquid masker
6.   Paint select areas of brake wheel area yellow
7.   HEAVY coat of dullcote
8.   HEAVY spray of rubbing alcohol
9.   Paint washes...white, gray, gold
10. Dullcote
11. Repaint Chessie System logo by hand with blue
12. Paint small yellow patches
13. Paint additional trim orange
14. Add rust on rivets around window patches & on side w/ kiddie marker
15. Dullcote
16. Paint large yellow patch
17. Paint silver trim around windows
18. Weather roof with gray blotches, silver washes, all kinds of crap
19. Apply decals (ACI,lube plates)
20. Apply dry transfer "901887"
21. Dullcote
22. Screen thingees...let's forget this part...to be revised later  :-[
23. Paint wheels, couplers, etc. It's getting late. Gotta go!!!

I just didn't want this to be a "drive by". Hehe. 

Jeff (MrKLUKE)

[Mile 1]

It was nice to see more than the typical 3 entries this month.  Excellent work by all.  For me it was a toss-up between MrKluke and Daves, but in the end Daves got the vote because his model just seemed to capture the feeling of the prototype better than anyone else's.  Jeff's model seemed like the most ambitious of the entries but just didn't seem to be up to his usual standards...maybe it was the time crunch?
All in all congrats to all the entrants on a job well done.  I am always amazed by the work I see here and one of these days you guys will inspire me to get off my butt and get into the game.

[uspscsx]

For me, it came down to Daves and MrKlank-Klang-Kluke. Daves nailed the weathering and the 'bash. I like Kluke-o's kitbash on the screens, and the plated-over windows. I dunno, it's close. Give me a while to think about this one...


Matt

[Centauri]

A Note to Ed,

I`ve been looking at the photo`s of my entry, something was
not quite right, Finaly I`ve found it, I`ve totally forgotten to
install or fit the Two Lookout Windows spoken of in earlier type.
Therefore I dont consider this Model is complete for judgement
and I`m quite happy for her to be struck off the list.
But, be warned, "I`ll be Back" {cannot remember who said that quote?};-}

Regards,

John.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

John, it'll be quite difficult to remove you at this point, I'd have to restart the voting, so if it's not too much trouble, I'm just going to leave it.

[nscalesteve]

But, be warned, "I`ll be Back" {cannot remember who said that quote?};-}

I bet you do... !   ;D ;D

I was not happy with the new "form" of the weathering challenge. I'm over it and ready for the next project but first I need to know what the ... a Battle Gondola is to make my final decision...   :

[Centauri]

ED,
No problem, I never thought of that,

Nscalesteve,
I agree, What`s a "Battle Gondola", Years ago, Hornby or Triang
bought out a "Battle Series" of trains, You can still see them from
time to time on "Ebay", I`m hoping it`s not one of them????.

Regards,

[Raildog]

Guys, it's like "Iron Chef"...

Ya know, like "Let the octopus battle begin!"

In the TV credits it would say. Today's Iron Chef, Battle Octopus.

Only here it's "Battle Gondola".

Thank you very much...

[John]

Seems pretty easy to me .. find a gon .. crud it up ... post the pic .. get voted on ..

[tokenbrit]

Years ago, Hornby or Triang
bought out a "Battle Series" of trains...

WoW   That takes me back :-[

[Chris333]

Congratulations!

I was surprised I got the votes I did. (BTW those who voted, the checks will be sent out today )

My entry wasn't really about weathering or following a prototype photo, but I thought to include it since it matched the topic. I don't usually get to play with all this wacky modern stuff you guys do. I do like the weathering though and always check it out so keep it up.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Congrats Daves and every one else!!!

Sorry I didn't post earlier, but today was the first day at the new real (9-5) j-o-b.

Chris, please make the check out to my shell coporation...  ;D

[Raildog]

Congratulations Dave!

[John]

Great job to all .. the models were all worthy of the competition ..

[MrKLUKE]

.