1. posterid:378829
  2. More MKT "War Emergency" Modeling

Re: More MKT "War Emergency" Modeling

Bill Keene
 

Bill,

Thank you for the play by play reporting on your adventures with the creation of these MKT box cars. I have been “planning” in doing a few—perhaps three—of these models for operation on the layout as there is an interchange track with the Katy. So far the project is on hold awaiting the unearthing of the IM kits which are long out of production. I do not get out to the swap meets very much so the search for the kits has not been the very productive. Thanks to you I do now have a set of “instructions” to follow. 

I had not noticed the slight extension of the bracing to below the sill. Thanks for pointing this out.

Cheers & Happy Modeling,
Bill Keene
Irvine, CA


On May 8, 2018, at 1:21 PM, Bill Welch <fgexbill@...> wrote:

Close examination of the prototype photos I have of these cars show that the diagonal braces extended slightly below the lower sill. This is pretty subtle but in the Sloan yellow scheme I think they will be visible in 1/87 so I decided to try to create the effect. I started by gluing pieces of .030 x .030 cut a slight angle to the bottom of the model's diagonal braces. Then I glued .020 x .020 behind the .030 x .030 to act as brace. After the styrene liquid glue had set up, I added some CA around the joint for more strength. This was enough strength 10 out 12 times when I cut them off with sprue cutters so I repeated what I did on the two joint failures. i am pretty happy with the result.

I have known from the beginning of this kit-bash that it would require compromise since it is going to be slightly shorter that the prototype. This will be most evident if it is ever coupled to a 10' 6" high car or if someone looks too critically at the 5/5 Dreadnaught ends and see how much material has been removed above the top rib and below the bottom rib. I can live with it because I think is is such a neat car. The attached photo shows the how I have modified the top of the end. When my new Miter Box arrives from Micro-Mark I will start working on the bottom cuts. Meanwhile because these cars did not poling pockets pressed into the bottom corner gussets, I drilled out the polling pocket impression and used 1/16 Styrene rod to fill the hole. After the cement cured, carved the excess off and cared filled and sanded the excess to conform with the contours of the gussets.

Stay tuned.

Bill Welch <Prep for extending diagonals I small.JPG><MKT Extending Diagonal Braces front side small.JPG><MKT Extending Diagonal Braces back side small.JPG><MKT dreadnaught end shortened at the top I small.JPG>
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