Rowa passenger cars - what to paint for early Amtrak era.

[randgust]

I've always wondered why Microscale makes Amtrak Phase I arrows and names, but no stripes, since they have a bunch of other styles of stripes.

I painted my color stripes, used the Amtrak arrows, and I 'think' I used the stock MicroScale white stripes to separate everything.

I know it was a complete PITA difficult job.  The white stripes above and below the windows basically wanted to go everywhere.

[learmoia]

I've always wondered why Microscale makes Amtrak Phase I arrows and names, but no stripes, since they have a bunch of other styles of stripes.

However, there is a solution.  Microscale 60-427 is marketed as Superliner Phase III stripes.  They're actually Phase II stripes, and look identical to Phase I stripes.  I've used quite a few of them.  Just throw away the parts with the Superliner logo, and use the "Amtrak" name from the original 60-99 set.  The colors match fine.

Maybe different widths of the stripes at the time?.. Cut Trim film into strips?

Fusion scale graphics makes phase 1 stripes and it's 4 different sets of different widths..

I used the Fusion decals for some El Cap High Level with the early high stripe.. it went fairly well.. Lots of Micro sol...

[nickelplate759]

Maybe different widths of the stripes at the time?.. Cut Trim film into strips?

Fusion scale graphics makes phase 1 stripes and it's 4 different sets of different widths..

I used the Fusion decals for some El Cap High Level with the early high stripe.. it went fairly well.. Lots of Micro sol...

I've used Fusion decals for this as well.   Not as easy to apply as Microscale (their ink seems less flexible) but the complete stripes make the job easier overall.

[nkalanaga]

I tried the Fusion Scale stripes - once.  Didn't have any luck at all.  I applied them as a single piece, over the windows, like I do Microscale.  When I tried to cut the windows out, the decal film actually stretched, the the entire strip peeled off, looking just like a piece of kitchen plastic wrap.

They might work on a baggage car, or with a different technique, but I'll stick with Microscale.  They've worked well for 40 years.

K4 decals don't give me any trouble, or the old Walthers, of which I still have a LOT.

[nickelplate759]

I tried the Fusion Scale stripes - once.  Didn't have any luck at all.  I applied them as a single piece, over the windows, like I do Microscale.  When I tried to cut the windows out, the decal film actually stretched, the the entire strip peeled off, looking just like a piece of kitchen plastic wrap.

They might work on a baggage car, or with a different technique, but I'll stick with Microscale.  They've worked well for 40 years.

K4 decals don't give me any trouble, or the old Walthers, of which I still have a LOT.

I was able to make them work - here's an old thread with pictures:
https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=57628.msg793929#msg793929

I used lots of Microsol.  Once the decals were good and dry they weren't stretchy for me.  I trimmed the windows out with a sharp #11 blade, then used Microsol again.    That said, Microscale stripes are indeed much easier to work with.

[nkalanaga]

I remember that thread.  Yes, it seems that there decals work well for some, and they obviously sell enough to keep making them.

I'm actually glad to see that we do have multiple options.  How many remember when the only N scale decals were Walthers? 

[altohorn25]

Here's a Rowa dome that I sanded the fluting off to better match the B&O prototype:

[ Guests cannot view attachments ] [ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[chessie system fan]

I don't know if I said it in weekend update, but I'm super impressed how straight those stripes are!

[learmoia]

I started with MicroSol and used Walthers for tough spots.  I'll post a photo tonight..

I'm going to be doing more this Thursday night.

~Ian

[Mark5]

I was able to make them work - here's an old thread with pictures:
https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=57628.msg793929#msg793929

George, those are really nice! 

Been too busy to check the weekend updates much - sorry I missed that one!

Mark

[Angus Shops]

OK, I’m convinced - I noticed that my local HS has a Rowa coach and a sleeper in the used dept. I’ll grab them if they’re still there at my next visit. The sleeper will be repainted into a proto scheme that would be appropriate for my 1958 time frame and run on my Mountaineer train (CP’s Mountaineer being a Chicago - Vancouver summer season train that used a wide variety of charter sleeping cars in package tour service and is a great opportunity to include almost any foreign road sleeping car). I’m not sure about a use for the coach but maybe a repaint into D&H just for the fun of it - I can’t think of any reason for a foreign road coach to be present on a CP train in the Rockies in 1958…
It’s nice to see the Rowa cars get some love - they were top of the line back when they were introduced and I had a few when I was starting out back in the day.

[nkalanaga]

"they were top of the line back when they were introduced and I had a few when I was starting out back in the day. "

And, if you find one that hasn't warped, all they really need to be excellent models today are Kato trucks.  If you want the truck-mounted couplers, Katos are also the right length there. 

I wonder what happened to the tooling for these?

[Sokramiketes]

And, if you find one that hasn't warped, all they really need to be excellent models today are Kato trucks.  If you want the truck-mounted couplers, Katos are also the right length there. 

I hadn't tried Kato trucks.  Do you have to trim the skirts at all (or remove brake shoes from the Kato trucks)?

The Rowa cars are slightly undersized, at least in length.  And Kato trucks tend to be bigger.  But that would make it run better in my otherwise Kato consist.

[spookshow]

I wonder what happened to the tooling for these?

Charlie Vlk once told me that Con-Cor's Jim Conway actually made an attempt to acquire the tooling, but found out that somewhere along the line it had all been lost (or maybe confiscated) and was no longer "out there" to be had.

-Mark

[nkalanaga]

I had to file a little on the skirts of mine, but removing the brake shoes would probably be easier.  Many cars had disc brakes, so check your prototypes.

I posted, some time back, how I did mine, but have no idea what the topic name was.  It was actually very simple, IF one can get the car apart.

Take the underframe out, if possible, because you'll likely need to remove the end portion, over the truck-mounted couplers.

Take the interior out.  Under that should be a weight.  It's fine, keep it, but set it aside for now.  Note where the bolster hole is, and cut a piece of 0.030" styrene sheet to fit inside the raised ribs, over the hole.  It doesn't have to fit snugly, a loose fit is better. 

Drill a 1/8 inch hole in the sheet, and glue a piece of 1/8 inch styrene tubing in the hole.  The length isn't critical, now, but it must not stick up above the top of the sheet.

When thoroughly dry, make sure the tube can be centered in the hole.  If not, trim you sheet until it fits. 

Holding it in place, put a Kato truck, with the pickup strips trimmed (they'll hit the floor otherwise), on the car.  trim the tube so it extends just a little below the truck bolster.  Too short and the screw will bind the truck, too long and the truck wobbles.  Too long is better, it can be trimmed later.

Note that the truck won't swivel, because the body bolster is square, and just fits the depressed portion of the top of the truck.  Trim the corners, a chisel-blade in you hobby knife works fine, until the truck can be turned easily.

Now, glue the sheet to the floor, making sure the tube is centered in the hole.  Being paranoid, I added a short piece of 5/32 inch outside diameter aluminum tubing as a spacer.  If you're comfortable centering it yourself, there's no need for the spacer.

Let it dry, reinstall the underframe, and check that the car rolls through your curves and turnouts smoothly.  The Kato screw fits fine in the tubing as-is, just screw it in.  If everything is good, reinstall the weight and interior.

If you want lights, cut holes in the floor to clear the Kato pickups, and solder wires to them.  I didn't bother.

It really does go quicker than trying to type all of this!