So I've stopped buying any 40 foot steam early diesel era freight cars..(have more than I need)...so I have to get to work on a box full of projects.
First up is a LIMA brand plug door box. They call it a reefer so I'll keep it as such. But these cars, sold by LIMA, AHM and Rivirossi, are not fish nor fowl. They are not 3rail cars nor are they scale 2rail cars. With trucks that will nor swing very well, deep flange wheels and couplers bigger than Lionel 'crab claws' they need work to run anywhere. They are scale size.....so that's an added plus. Here is where I start....
Simple but rugged cars. Decent detail molded in and separate ladders and brake wheels. All plastic trucks and wheels do not roll well and cars are SUPER light weight.
First I removed the frame/chassis. It is held on by two snaps, one on each end. Ugly and not very secure. Trucks are held on by plastic pins or small screws.....just depends on when it was made.
One goal with this conversion was to make it run as well or better than it looks. I am a runner. This is not a contest model. So I am going to do an easy refit to allow new trucks and the ability to run on O-36 or so track. To do this I cut the frame/chassis as such.
I made new frame/chassis from .080 sheet plastic and some .125 plastic for bolsters. I made splice joints from the same .080 stock, lined all the parts up and flooded on solvent to weld it all together. The 4 holes in the corners are for attaching the frame to the body via 'L' shaped brackets glued inside the body of the reefer.
The body was prepped for paint as was the frame. Now I may be thrown out of the painting guild for my methods......but I sanded off the lettering and logos. I did not strip ALL the paint off......it was extremely thin, translucent really, and stable. Body and frame where cleaned up for paint. The side ladders were removed to paint and keep me from breaking them!!
Paint on frame.......Dupli-color Red oxide sealer on the bare plastic.....
Up on a set of Industrial Rail trucks. Yes.....they are rolling bearing.....not the best for this car.....but tucked up under the car and weathered.......rolling by at speed....OK for me. I have a box of them and they are nice die cast metal and HEAVY!
The reefer body was primed with Dupli-color gray sealer spray can. Two coats were needed to cover the colors and provide an even base. I didn't photo this....just forgot to!!! And I was in a hurry to get the Tamiya TS-12 Orange on it. Three light coats of the Tamiya was used.....just a few minutes between coats. Then into my food dehydrator for 30 minutes.
Dupli-color black primer was used for the ends and roof. It is not dead flat but between flat and semi-gloss. I really like it for model trains. Also note I added corner step I had left over from last weeks InterMountain box car kit. But in the future will go back to my using staples as these are fragile!
Decal art was produced. Not based on any one car.....but somewhat like the car on display at Orange Empire Museum in So Cal. Again...not a contest model but a decent looking model that runs well. I have one extra set if anyone wants to replicate this car. Free....I just ask that you use them!!!
Decals applied.
It still needs the ladders replaced. I forgot to paint them....so they are in the dehydrator right now.
I really like the look of this car. The LIMA body is well proportioned and getting it to sit at a prototype height on the trucks helps a lot. It tracks and rolls great with the super low center of gravity and free wheeling trucks. It will get some light weathering on my next 'weathering day' I have.
The goals I had were met. I started with a $2 LIMA freight car (I bought a box full at that price) and with a little work made a decent looking car that runs just as well. It may have been easier to go out and buy a new MTH, Atlas or Lionel car. But part of the model train hobby I enjoy, like my real cars, is bring something back and making it better. And I have fun doing it.......also have a car NO ONE else has! Thanks for looking!!!!
