So I started cutting into a pair of Athearn 50' Ice Reefers. I ended up cutting the frame in 4 places so I could move the trucks in 7' from the car ends. I also had to move the jack pads, though I'll probably replace these with larger rectangular ones that the prototype had. Unfortunately I knicked too far into the carbody cutting one off (visible in the first photo), but this shouldn't show up as much when the car is painted black. I also removed the ice hatches, used a #11 blade to remove the cast in hatch detail, and filled the holes with styrene and putty. Next on the agenda is filing down the putty on the roof, and finding a new roof walk. I also need to cut some skirting for beneath the door, and bend a foot hold there out of wire. Then onto removing the lettering on the car so I can paint it.
And a prototype shot
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Relmbwil3M0/ToU8Qa5JH7I/AAAAAAAAC-Y/8thBKj9ABiM/s1600/BM_MilkCar.jpg
