Weekend Update 12/31/23

[thomasjmdavis]

@thomasjmdavis - Some luck finding photos but not the one I wanted.  Might answer your questions though.

Here the V1 master build.  I too was concerned about fitting everything in without stretching the roof.  Hence the frankenbuild shown below.  The photo does show how I replaced the double doors with a 10' door (old Roundhouse IIRC, it has been a long time) and two sections from a second shell.



As you can imagine, all the joints created lots of opportunity for misalignment.  I rebuilt the master (V2), leaving the roof untouched and left the ends and first section in as part of the roof.  What I can't remember is if I cut out and replaced any of the sections to the right of the new door.  I think I did.  Anyway, here's the V2 master.

The two sections to the left of the door appear newer (less weathered?) than the other section in prototype photos.  I weathered mine similarly to one degree or another.

Lots of info is available at ACYHS.org.  Scroll down and on the right side is a download of the modelers notebook for this car.

SAH-
Thanks for the additional photos and all the info.  Also for the reference on the ACY magazine. Lots of good info there. I am more likely to do one in Frisco paint (due to my 1956 cut off date) but the article will give me a good start. I have a couple of the Walthers bodies here somewhere (I took warped doors out of them several years ago, so they must be in a project box here somewhere).

Great work on that car.

[lock4244]

I can certainly post more pictures as I build my CN fleet of locomotives, here's a pair of Atlas engines getting the C630M modifications




Dofasco trucks, quad air filters, split fuel tanks. Needs a nose HL and bell.

Oh yeah, that's the stuff 

[OldEastRR]

Tho it's at the back of my downtown area, this building fronted on the parking lot for the train station. So if you viewed it from farther to the side (or front on) tho it was several feet away, it's big open windows showcased a completely bare interior. For some reason I decided it'd be a bakery, needed a detailed interior. And after that I wondered where I'd find N scale bakery items. I improvised. I need to fab new window glass and put the bakery name on that (should be fun).



From viewing distance, all you can tell is there's little bits of things on the window shelves. I went ahead and built a counter w/ display cases, an interior partition where the oven is, but then realized people would barely make out the front window display so I didn't go all-DKS on it w/ people, more filled cases, cash register, etc.
That's supposed to be filled donuts, bread loaves, and cakes in the window. I'll let you guys figure out where I got those red and green "pies". 

Speaking of my downtown, the buildings are finally getting color and some detail. The leftmost building is to be a Woolworths.



 

[peteski]

I've had good luck with white primer under yellow (from Tru-Color) but it STILL takes at least one extra coat.  Without primer it was hopeless.

Yes, always use yellow paint over white surface. White plastic works, and so does white primer.  That's the rule!

[lock4244]

I like this scene... has a real B&LE in Greenville, PA., feel to it.

[dandopinski]

Lock4244

Yes, more pics please. I regret not getting any of the Briggs M-636's, was not in the cards financially at the time (I want a fleet of around 10... CN & CP).

Wouldn't that be a sight to see! I have a feeling the Briggs may be resurrected in some way, so who knows...
My fleet of Alco/MLW will be 1 M636, 2 C630M, 2 M420, 3 C424, 2 RS18 and a S2

[dandopinski]

Hi Tim

Nice to see some 1970s era CN diesel locomotives being done in N Scale; you will have a nice fleet there.  I have just started a second CN C-424.

I've got 3 LL C424s with TCS decoders. They run fine, but one sounds like a coffee grounder. I plan on fixing the tail end and radiator sections, but not sure about any cab modifications. I also installed underframes in them where the gap is between the trucks and chassis-major improvement! Did the BCR buy any of the C424s that they leased from CN back in the day?

[lock4244]

Lock4244

Wouldn't that be a sight to see! I have a feeling the Briggs may be resurrected in some way, so who knows...
My fleet of Alco/MLW will be 1 M636, 2 C630M, 2 M420, 3 C424, 2 RS18 and a S2

Those True Line RS-18's are pretty nice models, and hard to find now (and pricey).

It'd be nice if Briggs would come back, those M-420's are pretty well executed and, other than those handrails, a nice build. For now I'd like to concentrate on the Bedarail SD40's. It's typical that while CN's SD40's were still on the roster I was somewhat cool to their complete ubiquity (I loathed the more ubiquitous GP40-2L's), but now find myself totally giddy at the availability of these shells (and the Atlas GP40-2W). The big MLW's are a big sore point for me... mostly because the Atlas C628/630 is such a poor running model, grindy and love to stutter. I have many I bought as cores for conversion over the years from several different runs and I've never had one that ran as well as their four axles.

[lock4244]

Hi Tim
I've got 3 LL C424s with TCS decoders. They run fine, but one sounds like a coffee grounder. I plan on fixing the tail end and radiator sections, but not sure about any cab modifications. I also installed underframes in them where the gap is between the trucks and chassis-major improvement! Did the BCR buy any of the C424s that they leased from CN back in the day?

Did you make the underframes yourself or is there a source for them? I recall someone made parts to Canadianize the C-424's but can't recall who or if still available. I know MBE did the rear hood end for the CP C-630M.

BCR didn't buy any of the CN C-424's, those that weren't cut up escaped to Mexico.

[dandopinski]

lock4244

Did you make the underframes yourself or is there a source for them? I recall someone made parts to Canadianize the C-424's but can't recall who or if still available. I know MBE did the rear hood end for the CP C-630M.

I used Evergreen styrene H channel for the underframe. I also replaced the drivetrains on the Atlas C630s with the Briggs drivetrain ,now they are champion pullers.. The Briggs models now come with etched handrails, just paint and bend to fit. I do have parts to modify the C424s, can't remember who made them but not MBE. I purchased them from Central Hobbies in Vancouver in the 1990s. 

[lock4244]

lock4244

I used Evergreen styrene H channel for the underframe. I also replaced the drivetrains on the Atlas C630s with the Briggs drivetrain ,now they are champion pullers.. The Briggs models now come with etched handrails, just paint and bend to fit. I do have parts to modify the C424s, can't remember who made them but not MBE. I purchased them from Central Hobbies in Vancouver in the 1990s.

Oh, I didn't know Briggs made a drivetrain for the C630's. if it's an improvement then I really, really, really hope those become available again... I have 17 sets of his Dofasco trucks so in theory I have at least 17 of them I'd like to have run well. Did he ever offer etched handrails for the M-420? If so I guess I bought mine early because all I have is a sheet of paper with a scale template on it.

Those gaps on the trucks of the LL C-424's are pretty hideous, but kept clean and oiled they do run pretty well. Mine are all destined to become CP 4200's as my the late 80's CN's were pretty much extinct.

[craigolio1]

Oh, I didn't know Briggs made a drivetrain for the C630's. if it's an improvement then I really, really, really hope those become available again... I have 17 sets of his Dofasco trucks so in theory I have at least 17 of them I'd like to have run well. Did he ever offer etched handrails for the M-420? If so I guess I bought mine early because all I have is a sheet of paper with a scale template on it.

Those gaps on the trucks of the LL C-424's are pretty hideous, but kept clean and oiled they do run pretty well. Mine are all destined to become CP 4200's as my the late 80's CN's were pretty much extinct.

Briggs did two releases of the M420. You and I have the original release which is a resin casting and came with the paper bending diagram. His latest (last) release of the kit was 3D printed and came with an etched sill/handrail assembly.

Craig.

[BCR 570]

I plan on fixing the tail end and radiator sections, but not sure about any cab modifications. I also installed underframes in them where the gap is between the trucks and chassis-major improvement! Did the BCR buy any of the C424s that they leased from CN back in the day?

I am replacing the rear end with one from an Atlas C-420 shell:




I have added battery boxes below the deck on the left side, and will scribe hatches into the deck:




Next step is to remove the battery boxes from the deck ahead of/behind the cab, add cab steps, remove the headlight on the cab and restore the peaked edge:




I have also removed the fuel tank blisters, added new segmented ones using .187" half round styrene, Eric fuel filler pipes, and scratchbuilt air tanks:




A fellow in Quebec offered a resin parts kit for the fuel tank mods and the later carbody filters seen on CP Rail units, but I have been unable to source one.  Briggs offered a replacement universal kit for the Atlas C-630 which did solve some of the running issues, but they are still quite inferior to other models of theirs in running qualities.  Some of mine run well with the Dofasco trucks; others don't.

The CN C-424s were leased during the 1970s to address a motive power shortage, and were used largely to fill in for the recently acquired EL C-425s as they were cycled through the backshop.  None were purchased.


Tim

[lock4244]

Briggs did two releases of the M420. You and I have the original release which is a resin casting and came with the paper bending diagram. His latest (last) release of the kit was 3D printed and came with an etched sill/handrail assembly.

Craig.

Regarding the handrails... noooooooooooooooooooo!

[dandopinski]

Briggs did two releases of the M420. You and I have the original release which is a resin casting and came with the paper bending diagram. His latest (last) release of the kit was 3D printed and came with an etched sill/handrail assembly.

Craig.

Briggs offered the M420 handrails separately for those who had the resin kits.