N scale Weathering Challenge January 2007

[nscalesteve]

The Weathering Challenge is back !

Wellcome to the January 2007 Weathering Challenge. There are some new but simple rules for the new challenge.

The Rules:

1. The entry must be of the same car type as the prototype picture, and must attempt to match the protoype, including any graffiti or paint modifications. Additional details may be added, however, they shall not count for the voting.

2. The entry must be an N scale model. The intent with this rule is to have everyone on the same canvas. I realize this may limit participation.

3. The entry must be submitted by MIDNIGHT, US EASTERN STANDARD TIME, 1 March 2007 ! Voting will commence on 2 March, and continue for 10 days. (yes right, two months time now !)

4. Picture size: max. 800 x 600 ! (bigger pictures turn out to be blurry because the forum software sizes them down !)

5. In progress photos are encouraged.


The first car for 2007 is:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=124195


have fun and happy weathering...

[bsoplinger]

What type of car is this? That's what manufacturer and model. Is the closest the Intermountain ACF 4650 Cubic Ft. 3-Bay Hopper? So I can go out and buy one. I'm more of a 40's to mid 70's person and although these (or something like it) were around, they weren't too common.

Looks like we're SOL for off the shelf EL decals for this creature although I think one of the CR diesel sets may have a can opener with the longer tail (longer than what's in the boxcar decal set).

Does anyone know what height the letters would scale to, or the size of the logos?

I just looked through what colors the ALPS will produce, nothing looks too close to the EL maroon I see on engines, I assume the hopper lettering is the same maroon, am I right?

That means inkjet decals. At least for the EL bits.

[Chris333]

EL lettering would have originally been black.

The maroon look is just due to being re-painted and weathering.

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/el/frt/el20149l.jpg

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/el/frt/hopper.html

[cv_acr]

What type of car is this? That's what manufacturer and model. Is the closest the Intermountain ACF 4650 Cubic Ft. 3-Bay Hopper? So I can go out and buy one. I'm more of a 40's to mid 70's person and although these (or something like it) were around, they weren't too common.

The Atlas Trainman car doesn't work; it's too small. The Intermountain car looks to be the right size but is a later version (the angle at the roofline on the proto car doesn't have the ribbing, and has the angle stiffener along the car side). The most appropriate car is the early version of the Atlas 3-bay ACF hopper, but that's only available in HO. I haven't found a comparable car in N.

[bsoplinger]

EL lettering would have originally been black.

The maroon look is just due to being re-painted and weathering.

Ok, I can accept that, especially considering everything I found seemed to imply it was black not maroon. Nice to know I wasn't going crazy  ;D

Having said that, its pretty tough to try to turn black into that deep maroonish color (without affecting the surrounding surface and bits between the letters), so I still think it'd make more sense to start with a maroon colored decal. I know I've seen boxcar models that had maroon markings, but they could have easily been a made up scheme painted onto an entirely inappropriate car for all I know and since I never bought one its not like I have it in front of me to check.

I found that HO scaled Atlas car doing a Google search on "Atlas n-scale 3 bay". It was a hobby shop that had both HO and N on the same page. Instant disappointment once I realized it was a HO car. So I'm still looking for a good choice of car to purchase.

[3rdrail]

Remember, this is  supposed to be a Challenge! It is up to the participants to decide which car model most closely resembles the prototype, what modifications may be necessary, and how to accomplish replicating it as closely as possible.

Please leave it up to each potential participant to decide how to meet the challenge.  No more "armchair quarterbacking", please.

[bsoplinger]

Guess I'll bow out of these then, since I'm up for a weathering challenge not a car identification challenge, oh well.

[nscalesteve]

Guys, please, is it really that difficult ? It's called weathering challenge, right ? As long as you do not use a gondola nor a 60' box car for the January 2007 challenge you should be on the right path. I will use a MicroTrains 3-bay ACF Centerflow Hopper for my contribution, there are also similar cars from Atlas, IM and Bachmann available. It's the coloring and weathering that counts most not the rivets nor the hinges on the hatches. Happy weathering...     

[Robbman]

Message deleted

[MrKLUKE]

.

[nscalesteve]

where are we with this months challenge ? any updates ? who is participating in this months challenge ? just curious...   

[nscalesteve]

hello ? anyone... ??

[Sokramiketes]

All signs point to... No.

[MrKLUKE]

.

[nscalesteve]

Jeff, now's the cat out of the bag...
...now they know that there will be a H0 challenge in February !