Best Of Detailing the Micro-Trains DODX M1 Abrams Tank Sets

[James Costello]

Ed's Law   .. but I appreciate the input .. And I learned what the pipe is I'm just trying to not make them look like out of the box .. some of this stuff MTL should have added, such as the little boxes on the turret .. they are such clear spotting features ..

http://apwrr.blogspot.com/2014/09/car-load-photos-pt5-tank-loads.html

The link John provided here has some really great top-down reference photos for deck weathering too - thanks John.

[Lemosteam]

Sure are when you dig deeper in the the various moths of posts!

[John]

Nice job on that paint! 

We sure got side tracked being 9 pages in before the first show of the tie-downs.

LOL .. what we need to figure out is how we can take the loads off the flat and put them back in the box for storage . .those M1s are to fragile to move around too much without the chance of breaking somehting .. I'm thinking maybe some sort of styrene platform to mount the tank and tie downs on for easy removal ..

[peteski]

You could also permanently pin them to the flats.  Basically drill a hole in the bottom of the center of tank's bottom plate and through the flat, then glue a brass rod to fasten the tank to the bed. Then make custom nests for the loaded flats and their jewel boxes.

[Peavine]

OK, that picture weathering shamed me. Here’s the first deck, I’ll do each one a little bit differently.

[James Costello]

OK, that picture weathering shamed me. Here’s the first deck, I’ll do each one a little bit differently.

Ha! Welcome to the Railwire. Looks great though - what methods did you use?

[Jbub]

You could also permanently pin them to the flats.  Basically drill a hole in the bottom of the center of tank's bottom plate and through the flat, then glue a brass rod to fasten the tank to the bed. Then make custom nests for the loaded flats and their jewel boxes.

You'll have to get an extra jewel box. Two cars come in the same box and the third in its own.

[wazzou]

OK, that picture weathering shamed me. Here’s the first deck, I’ll do each one a little bit differently.

Very nice effort.

[Peavine]

 I used an ink/alcohol wash in the tracks (be careful because isopropyl alcohol apparently eats micro trains paint), then I stippled some camouflage grey paint with a sponge and then dry brushed over it to smooth it out. Then I used light gray and light brown weathering chalks, and then I use some rust chalk in the tracks. If I was a little more patient, I would have done all of that before mounting the tanks, it would have been a lot easier.

[peteski]

You'll have to get an extra jewel box. Two cars come in the same box and the third in its own.

That should not be difficult. MTL sells empty jewel boxes (and some dealers, like MBK, carry them at a discounted price).

[John]

The M1A1 two packs are in stock @ MBK ..  57 54 in stock as of 3:43PM

https://www.modeltrainstuff.com/micro-trains-n-49945901-m1-abrams-tank-kits-2-pack/

[Mark W]

The Mixed green 3 Flat Pack (6 Tanks) should be there any day now too. 

I ordered a bottle of Grey resin that should arrive tomorrow, then I'll be printing a whole lot of tank treads. 

[John]

M1A1 reinforcements arrive -- another tank platoon for the train -- these will go on my die cast NscaleKits 68 footers ..  Nice box as well

[Mark W]

Dang, looks like ModelTrainStuff is sold out of the 2-packs already.  Still some red flat sets though.


First batch of 3D printed threads are now available!

[pmpexpress]

The Mixed green 3 Flat Pack (6 Tanks) should be there any day now too.

The Micro-Trains 99301630 3-Pack green DODX cars with six M1 Abram tanks have arrived at MB Klein .

79 in stock as of 7:27 AM EST.

In addition, MBK is running a six day sale on freight cars:

SAVE 5% ON FREIGHT CARS! USE PROMO CODE 5FREIGHT ENDS 12/6