Adding Corrugations to Thrall Gons

[Denver Road Doug]

So, I want to take the Trainworx MoPac gon (http://train-worx.com/52gon.mp.htm) and make this:



So, right off the bat a couple of issues:
1. Slightly deeper angle on fishbelly.  (I can live with that)
2. One row fewer corrugations per panel (I can probably live with that)
3. Logo/Reporting mark panels.  (see below)
4. Grabs on one end versus dual ladders. (Without throwing someone under the bus, let's assume that a later release will have both ladders and the logo/reporting mark panels in place)
5. So that leaves...the short/half-corrugations on the very end panels.

I would like to find a way to add those end corrugations on, let's say half dozen cars.   Thoughts?

Here are mine:
1. I would love to make the mods and otherwise keep the factory decoration.  So, I see cutting out the panel as close to the ladders (or including the ladders?) as I can.  With that, I could graft corrugated panels from another donor car (I could do six with one donor) and mask/paint them as close as possible to factory. (these will be heavily weathered per the photo, so it wouldn't have to be perfect)  The donor would already be factory painted, but with two splices and likely somewhat imperfect transplant I expect there to be some touch-up needed.
2. Corrugation via Decals?  Not ideal, but easy-ish.
3. Archer Transfers.  I have no idea if they do custom work, or if someone else could do something along those lines of laminating to decal paper.  Then I could conceivably add the additional row of corrugations along the bottom, too.

EDIT: The logo/reporting mark panels are wider as well.   Probably wouldn't change that, but might try it if I went the Archer route.  Might mean I could squeeze the normal corrugations in there without the extra splice which would probably be an acceptable compromise.

EDIT EDIT:  Actually, I guess if I'm grafting from a donor anyway, I could just cut the brace, too and make the whole thing wider....hmmmm.  But then I'm really looking at some surgery and matching paint and then the factory logo panels would be off.

[wcfn100]

You didn't mention the 14 vs. 15 panels.  IDK if if that's a big deal.

Archer will do custom work but it won't come close to matching the depth of the other corrugations.  It ain't cheep either.

I've made louvers from styrene that look okay.  It's not exactly easy, but once setup it goes good and produces a lot of pieces.  I can try an find my pictures if you're interested.


Jason

[Denver Road Doug]

You didn't mention the 14 vs. 15 panels.  IDK if if that's a big deal.

Archer will do custom work but it won't come close to matching the depth of the other corrugations.  It ain't cheep either.

I've made louvers from styrene that look okay.  It's not exactly easy, but once setup it goes good and produces a lot of pieces.  I can try an find my pictures if you're interested.

Jason, thanks...yes, forgot to add about the panels.   That's probably the biggest obvious difference, but I think even the HO guys deal with that. (maybe they have better options now...I know at one point they didn't)   A complete burn down and build up project is not in the cards right now....heck I'm just glad to finally have a car that's remotely close.

I definitely think the styrene option will be added to the list.   I think that's a decent option.   Challenge being keeping things consistent.

Thanks for your feedback.

[wcfn100]

Here's the tools.



Here's the operation.





You'll need to work the math math and dimensions ahead of time but after that it's just step and repeat.

I goes slow and you have to get a feel for how deep to scribe.  But if you have the tools and the time, it's cheap to try and get the results you want.

Here's what I got for louvers.



Painted.



Jason

[Denver Road Doug]

Thanks for posting the pics.  (incidentally, it looks like one of the pics is a dupe and probably intended for a differnet photo URL.)  Man, holding that razor blade like that makes me nervous!

Along the same line of thinking, I wonder if I could make a resin casting of the side and make copies of the corrugations?   Might be more trouble than it's worth...and maybe too small to successfully make a mold of.   You're right though...the styrene route should be easy to test out and cheap to do!

[wcfn100]

Thanks for posting the pics.  (incidentally, it looks like one of the pics is a dupe and probably intended for a differnet photo URL.)

Ooops, can't change it now but here's the pic.



As for holding the blade, I don't remember the blade edge ever being a problem, but do remember the two u-channels on top digging in a bit. Nothing that couldn't be taped over (the blade, not the finger).

Now that I think of it, maybe making some sort of 'v' shaped tool that you could then scribe into the styrene would be a something to look at.

Next time I try this I'm going to look at mounting the styrene to a clear decal sheet so I can cut further down to the base.

Jason