I built and upgraded a Great Northern (GN) stock car kit.  I built the Accurail GN  stock single deck stock car in GN class SM that I numbered 55756.  The Accurail kit is a excellent match for GN prototype.  Upgrade includes carving off molded on parts, adding wire grab irons & ladder rungs, etc.  If you are interested in the build of  Great Northern stock car 55756, photos and write up of the build process including painting mineral red, lettering from various sources and weathering are now available on my blog I have to share photos and information of modeling projects on my Minneapolis & Northland Railroad Company.  If you would like to take a look please do at the following link:

 

http://mnrailroadcab100.blogspot.com/

 

Lester Breuer
Plymouth, MN

Lester,
  Excellent - both the car itself -and- the blog entry documenting what you did to
produce it.  Thanks!

  I have two questions.  First - it seems, from the pics, that the ends of the car
are just a tad shiny compared to the sides and roof.  Is that just a trick of the
lighting for the picture?
  Second - have you ever tried using a dry brush technique to add just a touch
of color to the details (such as the grabs and ladders) that is a few subtle shades
different from the car body color ... in order to make them just ever so more
noticeable?

  I liked your coverage of the underbody.  It made me want to say - don't paint it
because you can't see the details after they are painted.  *G*  As both a
modeler and 'researcher' I wanted to -see- the underbody as much as have it
be the correct look for a finished car. 

  Very NICE car - thanks for posting the link.
                                                                                                - Jim in the PNW

Jim you thought in the blog photos the ends of the car were  a tad shiny .  Yes they are due to lighting used to take the photos.

And, you asked, “ have you ever tried using a dry brush technique to add just a touch
of color to the details (such as the grabs and ladders) that is a few subtle shades
different from the car body color”
I have not.   I have used Pan Pastels, usually the Payne’s Dark Grey to go over the ladders and grab irons to add a dirty look.  I will consider trying your suggestion.

Lester Breuer