First time scratch build - N scale BC Hydro Rail caboose

[craigolio1]

I've wanted to build a BC Hydro Rail caboose ever since I first discovered the railway existed. I'm just about done kitbash one their SD38-2 and finally, thanks to another modeller, I have accurate plans for the home made caboose.

Here is a link to the prototype:


http://www.trainweb.org/westernrails/bc/cp-BCHa3P.jpg

I couldn't find a link showing the blue scheme I'm modelling but below is a link to this scheme on the locos. It's basically the same.


https://www.flickr.com/photos/121621563@N04/14115737260/


Construction is all styrene. I built the body walls and roof braces out of .020" sheet, the corner braces from .060" square strip, and the roof from .010" with two extra layers laminated under the ends to add thickness.









Tomorrow I'll start the under frame.

I'm pretty happy with it so far.

Craig

[Puddington]

Great looking van... you've captured the lines of those distinctive BCH crummies, especially the slope of the cupola. I'm looking forward to seeing you complete this project, it looks like a potential award winner.

[craigolio1]

Wow. Thanks. I guess we'll see. 

Those distinct lines are why I chose to scratch build it. I found some similarities to other N scale cabooses but none that wouldn't need major changes. Plus its so much cheaper.

I have to stay up the next two nights so I might be able to get it mostly finished. I'll post more as I go along.

Thanks for the encouragement.

Craig

[Scottl]

It looks great.  A very unusual prototype, I have never seen that before.

[tankcar]

This is a great looking build, can't wait to see the completed van.

Regards, Bobby

[jmarley76]

Nice work so far, Craig! Look forward to seeing your results.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Looks great. The joys of working in the "welded car era", right?

Those cupola windows look exactly like locomotive windows. I bet you could find some nice ones from a Kato unit and save yourself some effort there.

[wcfn100]

I wonder what the story is on the inner step walls.

Jason

[sirenwerks]

I couldn't find a link showing the blue scheme I'm modelling....

You mean this?


https://www.flickr.com/photos/121621563@N04/14301780924/in/datetaken/

[craigolio1]

You mean this?


https://www.flickr.com/photos/121621563@N04/14301780924/in/datetaken/

Yes that one! When I say I couldn't find one, I also mean I didn't look very hard, haha.

Great idea on the loco windows. I was just going to use Crystal Clear. The windows will he covered in mesh screen so too much detail will be missed, but I am going to have a look at a few of the loco window parts I have.

Craig

[craigolio1]

I wonder what the story is on the inner step walls.

Jason

The caboose was built bu Mann Shipbuilders I think. It was built to BCH specs and the bare body was sent to BCH for glass fitting, trucks, etc.  I bet there was some kind of an error in either the drawing, that had to be compensated for on the fly, or someone in the fab shop messed up. I see no reason for those crazy angles. Not only do they angle in vertically but also from front to back. I think someone had to make them fit.

Not sure how I'm going to model those. How ever I do it, I think it will be done last.

Craig

[craigolio1]

I had the stairs on my mind so I decided to tackle them.

First I came up with a scale drawing and decided on how I would construct them. I opted to use styrene angle. The smallest size I had was .125" so I used that and shaved it down to the sizes I needed.



I arranged them so they nested together and created a very strong set of steps in a long strip which I cut to size on my Chopper.

 



Next I filed that odd angle on the sides and then added a bottom step and sides from .010" strip.





I need to file the backs down but not until the solvent has fully cured. Their still a little too bendy for that kind of rough handling.

I'm happy with how they turned out.

Craig.

[jimmo]

Looks like it would be a fairly easy one in 3D. Do you have drawings?

[craigolio1]

I do. But honestly I'm into this one for about $5 so far. 3D would cost a lot more and I have no idea how to draw it. If I wanted a few of them I would look into it.

Craig.

[craigolio1]

I got back into it again tonight and made some good progress. It looks like a caboose now.

I tackled the floor tonight starting with a sheet of .040" styrene. I'll add the bolsters later based on where the wheel sets look the best vs where the plans say they should go.





After gluing the steps in I tested the fit to the body. It fit fine but in order to get a coupler under it I had to jack the body up so high it looked like a monster truck. Looking closely at photos I see that on the prototype the draft gear is right up under the walkway so I did the same. I cut enough material out to fit a Z scale coupler and then covered the open top of the walk way with a piece of left over tread plate from another resin caboose kit.







After that I laminated another strip on the bottom of the beam to raise the body up high enough that the coupler will be at the correct height, and that's where I am for now.






Craig