BLMA bx-166 boxcars are up

[kiwi_bnsf]

Hi all,

I have received my 24-pack of BLMA N scale ATSF late scheme Bx-166 Box Cars today - I'm in New Zealand so it takes a while for them to get here.

Firstly, let me say that I'm a big fan of BLMA, and very grateful for the N scale models that Craig has brought to market. I own every road number of their RAFC 3-unit and 5-unit Spine Cars, as well as F89Js in a number of schemes.

With models in-hand, I thought I would share some photos given all the controversy in this thread regarding color.






The above photo was shot in my layout room on a shelf under very bright fluorescents against a pure white background (my backdrops are still in primer). No corrections have been made apart from the automatic white balance of my Canon EOS 7D, exposure adjustment, and cropping.

To my eye, the Bx-166 brown is significantly darker that that shown in the printed flyer (shown in the background for comparison), and different from the the shot Craig posted to this thread earlier. It looks very similar to the photo from M.B. Klein (ironically from where I purchased my box cars).

The next photo hopefully rules out some of the vagaries of lighting and white balance futher…




On the left is a Red Caboose PC&F 62' Beer Car, in the middle is the BLMA Bx-166, and on the right is a BLMA PS-4000 Hopper. In comparison, I think the Bx-166 looks darker, and browner.




In summary, for me personally, this boils down to the following:

  - Is the color a big a enough issue for me to on-sell these on eBay? No.

  - Will is require some significant weathering to get it to a point where I will be happy with running these over my rendition of Tehachapi as part of my Wine train? Yes.

  - Am I a more "picky" modeller than most, and obsessed with what locos and rolling stock looked like in my chosen era of April 1999? Yes!

  - Will I be buying future releases from BLMA? Hell yes!

  - Is there an opportunity for future runs to have a more reddish hue to the brown? I hope so.


Cheers

[GaryHinshaw]

Well done kiwi_bnsf.  Now when do we get to see your rendition of Tehachapi?   

[kiwi_bnsf]

Thanks Gary.

Good question regarding my own layout - I ended up having a hiatus of more than two years. Other priorities have taken precedence - specifically two kids under five, and running my own company.

I've focused on some smaller tasks that I could sneak into small slices of time - like overhauling and upgrading my loco fleet, learning to hand lay track, and working on some modules with a local group of like-minded Nscalers.

I've significantly simplified my plan, and as of three months ago, I'm making steady progress completing room preparation for my Tehachapi East Slope.

Your progress on Tehachapi B.C. is great to watch, and I hope to have something respectable to post to the Layout Construction forum before Christmas.


Cheers

[GaryHinshaw]

Looking forward to it.  Good to keep your priorities in order though.

[eric220]

@kiwi_bnsf We SPF's have the same problem with color. I've got some wildly different interpretations of PRR Freight Car Color in my fleet. One trick to reduce the obviousness of the color difference in a train is to put other roads between them. The colors are actually close enough that as long as they're not right next to each other, you probably won't notice.

[jagged ben]

Seems to me that the color is just asking for a carefully formulated fade application.   The real issue seems to be that nowadays the prototype cars don't look anything like they did when they were first painted.

[GaryHinshaw]

Yep - a string of these and the RC beer cars will look great with a range of fades and (dare I say) graffiti.

I wonder if the BLMA under-frames, with their rigging detail and body mount couplers, would fit the RC cars?

[ChrisKLAS]

The minute color inaccuracies haven't reduced any of my enjoyment of running the (empty) wine train over the hill, and eventual weathering will only further soften the blow. I love these cars!

[nkalanaga]

On my screen they all look very close to the BNSF brown cars that I see on NS.  Those seem to come in enough variety that I'd be satisfied with any of these.

[Craig Martyn]

Thanks for the support guys.

Just to throw this out there:  Our execution is based on research of the actual prototype.  I can assure you we will always deliver the most accurate model possible.  That said, worrying about online images, or even comparing the model to other models won't get you accurate information.

Our research was based on photos of the Bx-166.  As you can see from the fresh-paint photo below, we did our best to match the 'fresh' brown. 

[tom mann]

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[ednadolski]

The real secret behind Tom's fade technique   

(But at least the pic is at Walong! )


Ed

[jagged ben]

Between Chris' layout photo and the prototype photo this is just a great page in this thread.

I probably will have to get some more of these.

[John]

did any of these make it to Tropicana?

[Santa Fe Guy]

kiwi_bnsf, I agree with Gary good comments. I like to see a slight variation in the cars from one model to another. Paint companies can not always match paint and it depends on where the cars run they will fade differently as well.
Great product as usual Craig.
Rod from down under.