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NWX 40' Wood Reefers

George Corral
 

 Hi all,
I plan to use an Accurail #4800 undecorated kit to build an NWX 40' wood reefer in the gray and oxide red color scheme as used until the early 50s.  I will be removing the ladders and grab irons to improve the detail of the model.  I have the kit and decals and all other parts needed.

Since I don't own a copy of Gene Green's Refrigerator Car book, I'm asking if anyone knows what shade of gray these cars were painted and what acrylic paint best matches this shade.



George Corral
Just north of the Clearwater Car Shops

NWX 5019 in 1955.jpg

Tim O'Connor
 


Do you know that the Branchline ACF wood reefers actually model the NWX cars?
The Accurail model is of a different prototype.

Tim O'Connor


On 2/28/2022 9:01 AM, George Corral wrote:

 Hi all,
I plan to use an Accurail #4800 undecorated kit to build an NWX 40' wood reefer in the gray and oxide red color scheme as used until the early 50s.  I will be removing the ladders and grab irons to improve the detail of the model.  I have the kit and decals and all other parts needed.

Since I don't own a copy of Gene Green's Refrigerator Car book, I'm asking if anyone knows what shade of gray these cars were painted and what acrylic paint best matches this shade.



George Corral
Just north of the Clearwater Car Shops

Attachments:



--
Tim O'Connor
Sterling, Massachusetts
Bill J.
 

I have a surplus Branchline Blueprint NWX reefer kit unbuilt.  Same as above but road number is 84075.

Any takers at $12.50 plus shipping?  Msg me privately if interested.

Bill Jolitz
Tim O'Connor
 

George, on 5/11/2012 Bill Welch posted a long message discussing the
modeling of BRE/FGE/WFE reefers with regard to the Accurail model.

Dennis could say, but I seem to recall Dennis saying he based the car on
a prototype BREX reefer - and the model can be kitbashed various ways
to model other prototypes as well.

Bill's post should be in the STMFC message archive on groups.io

Tim O'Connor

P.S. I have Branchline kit #1217 which is a 1956 repaint of NWX 70152
and this kit will be offered for sale. It is in the yellow & green paint scheme.




On 2/28/2022 7:58 PM, George Corral wrote:

Tim,
I am aware that Branchline made kits of both the early version (1215) and late version (1216) of the NWX cars.  Unfortunately, both versions are very scarce these days.  However, I was not aware of what prototype was used for the Accurail car. 

I would be very interested to know what prototype was used for the Accurail 4800 series . 

I will use it as a stand-in until I can find a Branchline late version, hence, the reason I wanted to know what shade gray was used for the sides.
Cheers,
George
Just north of the Clearwater Car Shops

--
Tim O'Connor
Sterling, Massachusetts
Jack Mullen
 

On Mon, Feb 28, 2022 at 06:01 AM, George Corral wrote:
Since I don't own a copy of Gene Green's Refrigerator Car book, I'm asking if anyone knows what shade of gray these cars were painted and what acrylic paint best matches this shade.
George, I don't think the shade of gray has been "officially" matched, but from color photos, a medium neutral  or slightly cool gray.  Your photo seems to be a fair representation of new paint, though perhaps shifted somewhat toward blue.  But this is when new; the photo of 5019 was taken about 6 months after repainting.  Photos taken a few years after painting consistently show a lighter gray, so apparently the color faded significantly. Black and white photos with multiple NWX cars show different tones between cars, so I wouldn't obsess about the exact shade.

Since NWX comprised the principal fleet of gray reefers, the NWX color is the likely prototype for "reefer gray" Floquil and other model paints, fwiw.  

Sorry, can't help with an acrylic match, but thanks to naval and aircraft modelers, there are a lot of grays available out of the bottle. Or white plus some black, maybe what the original was.

Jack Mullen
Fred Jansz
 

George,
Ran your picture through Photoshop, which removed some of the blue haze.
Looks rather natural to me now (who am I....) with 'acceptable' blacks-grays-whites.
Hope this helps.
cheers,
Fred Jansz
Tony Thompson
 

Arts people will tell you the there really are no “neutral” grays out there, but always having a tinge of blue, green, purple, red, etc. Mixing black and white sometimes gives you a curiously “flat” color, likely because that familiar tinge of something else is missing.

Tony Thompson
tony@...
Chuck Cover
 

Here is a photo of a Westerfield NWX reefer that I built last year. I used ACE gray primer from a spray can over a flat black primer for the color of the sides. Make your own decision on whether it is acceptable to you.

My belief is that you do not need an exact match, as the prototypes all look a little different depending upon where the car has been, the quality of the photograph and how long it has been between paint jobs. One can modify the original colors on a model through weathering so I never worry about an exact match.

Chuck Cover
Santa Fe, NM

NWX 5028 Westy (1).JPG

Paul Doggett
 

Chuck

That’s a really nice job.

Paul Doggett England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

On 1 Mar 2022, at 23:36, Chuck Cover <chuck.cover@...> wrote:

Here is a photo of a Westerfield NWX reefer that I built last year. I used ACE gray primer from a spray can over a flat black primer for the color of the sides. Make your own decision on whether it is acceptable to you.

My belief is that you do not need an exact match, as the prototypes all look a little different depending upon where the car has been, the quality of the photograph and how long it has been between paint jobs. One can modify the original colors on a model through weathering so I never worry about an exact match.

Chuck Cover
Santa Fe, NM


Attachments:
NWX 5028 Westy (1).JPG: https://RealSTMFC.groups.io/g/main/attachment/190890/0
Chuck Cover
 

Thanks Paul, much appreciated.

Chuck

-----Original Message-----
From: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io <main@RealSTMFC.groups.io> On Behalf Of Paul Doggett via groups.io
Sent: Wednesday, March 2, 2022 5:20 AM
To: main@realstmfc.groups.io
Subject: Re: [RealSTMFC] NWX 40' Wood Reefers

Chuck

That’s a really nice job.

Paul Doggett England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
On 1 Mar 2022, at 23:36, Chuck Cover <chuck.cover@...> wrote:

Here is a photo of a Westerfield NWX reefer that I built last year. I used ACE gray primer from a spray can over a flat black primer for the color of the sides. Make your own decision on whether it is acceptable to you.

My belief is that you do not need an exact match, as the prototypes all look a little different depending upon where the car has been, the quality of the photograph and how long it has been between paint jobs. One can modify the original colors on a model through weathering so I never worry about an exact match.

Chuck Cover
Santa Fe, NM


Attachments:
NWX 5028 Westy (1).JPG: https://RealSTMFC.groups.io/g/main/attachment/190890/0
Claus Schlund &#92;(HGM&#92;)
 


Hi Chuck,
 
Nice job.
 
I have a question - how did you paint the door hardware (hinges, lock bar) black? Are there any special tricks you can share on that topic?
 
Inquiring minds want to know...
 
Claus Schlund
 

----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2022 6:36 PM
Subject: Re: [RealSTMFC] NWX 40' Wood Reefers

Here is a photo of a Westerfield NWX reefer that I built last year.  I used ACE gray primer from a spray can over a flat black primer for the color of the sides.  Make your own decision on whether it is acceptable to you. 

My belief is that you do not need an exact match, as the prototypes all look a little different depending upon where the car has been, the quality of the photograph and how long it has been between paint jobs.  One can modify the original colors on a model through weathering so I never worry about an exact match.

Chuck Cover
Santa Fe, NM
 
Chuck Cover
 

Thanks Claus,

 

I use Microbrush fine or extra fine applicators to do the small hardware, etc.  https://www.hobbylobby.com/Crafts-Hobbies/Model-Kits/Tools-Adhesives/Fine-Microbrush-Applicator/p/876?gclid=CjwKCAiAyPyQBhB6EiwAFUuaksnWOy2i8MKK3vI1p_OVr11gfLDrD_kZtJoM2qRu329BPFsYdwpCchoCAesQAvD_BwE

 

There are other brands and there are various sizes, but for fine work, I use the two listed above.  For almost all of my weathering and to for this reefer I used artists acrylic tube paint, for this job Mars Black.  A small amount of paint on a surface with a small amount of water next to it.  Touch the applicator to the water, then to the paint to slightly dilute the paint, and then touch the applicator to the surface of the hinges, etc.  Usually several dabs of paint for each area of hardware.  The great thing about this paint is that it can be easily removed with water if you smear it or just don’t like the look.  I reuse the applicators by washing them with soap and water like I do with paint brushes but they are not expensive if you wish to just use it once.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Chuck Cover

Santa Fe, NM

 

 

 

From: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io <main@RealSTMFC.groups.io> On Behalf Of Claus Schlund \(HGM\)
Sent: Wednesday, March 2, 2022 7:24 AM
To: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io
Subject: Re: [RealSTMFC] NWX 40' Wood Reefers

 

Hi Chuck,

 

Nice job.

 

I have a question - how did you paint the door hardware (hinges, lock bar) black? Are there any special tricks you can share on that topic?

 

Inquiring minds want to know...

 

Claus Schlund

 

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