Last year's new year's resolution was to build the sizeable stash of unbuilt resin kits. I put on my best Clark Propst cape and got them done (the first time I have ever accomplished a NY resolution!). Unfortunately, I bought some more at Chicagoland 2019, so the treadmill continues.
With the resin kits gone, it was time to look into the DEEP STASH. There I found six undec C&BT 1944 AAR boxcar kits that I had bought in the 80s for cents on the dollar at a LHS clearance firesale. I know several on this list have been around long enough to remember C&BT -- among the first kits with separate details. The carbodies were very accurately executed with various door openings and end types, but the parts sprue was abysmal (photo). Thus the challenge for today was to replace all the C&BT parts with contemporary aftermarket parts.
Having done this, the project took on the shape of a cast resin kit -- in time, cost, and modeling fun.
While RPC never got around to doing an article on the 1944 AARs, there were still some good references. Richard Hendrickson did a late-80s series in MRing, followed by some articles a decade later in RMJ by Ed Hawkins -- both essentially photo features. More recently, Ed's spreadsheets on the 1944 AARs were invaluable in making correct choices for things like runningboards, handbrakes, etc. Thanks, Ed!
The SR car is first out, and pretty much parallels the Speedwitch kit for the car. The large locator holes for the C&BT parts were first filled with .025" styrene rod. Detail parts include Yarmouth Morton runningboard, Kadee ladders/grabs/brake wheel, and Tahoe Barber S-2's. I had hoped to use Speedwitch's 8-foot superior door, but it has been out of stock for a l-o-n-g time, so I made do by splicing a couple of 6-foot doors. Decals are Speedwitch's outstanding set. The car is lightly weathered with a bit of dust and highlighting; maybe it's imagination, but SR's steel cars always seemed a bit fresher than average.
Back to the bench for the next one,
Bob Chapman
