Results of Union Station Products wrap for a CVSR coach

Very brave! Look good.

Hey Scott: you said, "I am not completely happy with the results but overall they accomplished the goal" in your write up. What did you not like about the results, the Union Station Product Quality or your modeling efforts?

The reason I ask is that I was looking at USP products to create a train for some lonely passenger locomotives I have. One concern I had with the USP sides is that I will need to "curl" the bottom portion of the side body to crate the streamline look, an issue you did not seem to have on your project. However, I am not confident in my abilities to create this curl with repeated results... so I am still looking for advise from members with experience.

Thanks Scott.

Charlie

Haynes MacDaniel, t/a Mac Shops did the Pennsylvania's 21 roomette sleeper as an aluminum casting a number of years ago. Although Mac Shops is long gone you may still be able to find one of these kits.

Haynes' model was a one piece aluminum extrusion for the sides and roof.

I was hunting for some of the Mac Shops cars but really nothing surfaced.  Those would be welcomed additions!

Charlie posted:

Hey Scott: you said, "I am not completely happy with the results but overall they accomplished the goal" in your write up. What did you not like about the results, the Union Station Product Quality or your modeling efforts?

The reason I ask is that I was looking at USP products to create a train for some lonely passenger locomotives I have. One concern I had with the USP sides is that I will need to "curl" the bottom portion of the side body to crate the streamline look, an issue you did not seem to have on your project. However, I am not confident in my abilities to create this curl with repeated results... so I am still looking for advise from members with experience.

Thanks Scott.

Charlie

Charlie,

They are extremely difficult to fit.  Once firmly attached with 2 sided tape, the opposite side stretches further than the many test fits.  The second car I had to cut one side off detaching it from the roof.  I had to trim 3 ribs of corrugated from the roof.  I used Lionel 21" cars as donors.  Also, be sure you have the best 2 sided tape there is.   I also cut the openings for the USP window locations too exact. Not leaving room for error and the thickness edge shows a bit thru some windows.  The added applied slab siding helps cover the slight gap where I had to trim.  I do not pretend to be a master modeler and I expect more experienced modelers could have better results.  I still recommend the USP sides etc, as a way to build what you need. But be aware, be prepared,  it's not as easy as it might seem.  

For what it's worth, the cars look great!  Could you elaborate a bit on some details?  If I am understanding correctly, you had to carefully align the window openings in the USP wrap with the openings in the OK shell, is that correct?

Also, are the car ends and underbody details from OK as well?

Thanks in advance.  I am trying to learn about these options to put together an action plan for some cars of my own.

Terrific thread, Scott.  Looking forward to more details about this project.

Thanks Scott, I agree with Carl above. I think you have started a great thread topic and will follow/contribute as much as possible. Thanks for sharing.

Daniel Raible posted:

For what it's worth, the cars look great!  Could you elaborate a bit on some details?  If I am understanding correctly, you had to carefully align the window openings in the USP wrap with the openings in the OK shell, is that correct?

Also, are the car ends and underbody details from OK as well?

Thanks in advance.  I am trying to learn about these options to put together an action plan for some cars of my own.

Daniel,

Thanks!   They did come out well enough. Also thanks to Christine Braden who paints my CVSR cars for me, her paint job helps tremendously!  There are a number of grab irons that need added. I want to add some strip material around the added open steps, see attached pic of a "metro" car on last weeks CVSR Polar Express.  The trucks need to be painted black.  The undercarriage and ends as well as trucks were there already from the donor Lionel  coaches.  I chose coaches so that the undercarriage and interior would be more Similar. The existing car remains except you are wrapping the sides and roof around the car.  I had a few blemishes along the seam where I had to cut the wrap to salvage the ill fitting wrap.  This is in no way USP fault.  Main advice I can offer is to give yourself larger cuts beyond what is needed for the USP window areas.  Test fit as tightly to the donor car as you can.  I should have clamped it down harder but was trying to avoid damaging the new exterior wrap.  Also, I tried 2 kinds of double sided tape, and the thicker more heavy duty tape is much better.  USP suggests using tape vs glue.  I did use glue to apply the slab siding and other strips that come with the wraps.  Blemishes are all over the real cars after a half century of hard use.  I will add better pictures this week as time allows.  USP also sells a clear core that you can use to build your car around if you do not have a donor car you can use.

Scott

Outstanding, and thank you for the added information.  I now understand you were using a Lionel donor car.  It seems there are many ways to accomplish the task, and yours in resulting in a fine model.

Very big fan of the CVSR, and looking forward to some winter rides later in the season.

Daniel Raible posted:

Outstanding, and thank you for the added information.  I now understand you were using a Lionel donor car.  It seems there are many ways to accomplish the task, and yours in resulting in a fine model.

Very big fan of the CVSR, and looking forward to some winter rides later in the season.

Daniel,

 Thanks again!  Winter on the CVSR is my favorite time actually.  You can see more with the leaves off.  Our retired Trainmaster Larry Blanchard has an awesome CVSR in winter DVD.  Not sure if he still sells them or not.  He didnt charge much for them and they are wll done!

Scott

Someday I hope to repaint an Alco in CVSR, but that project is pretty deep in the queue, haha.

I always loved this painting of streamliners snaking through the valley.  I guess they used to sell it the gift shop, but I haven't been able to locate one.

Daniel,

 I have the same poster, really like that one!  I think they still sell them onboard.  I will be on the train tomorrow evening I would be happy to pick one up and send it to you if you like. I think they used to be $10 or $15.  

  I prefer the new paint scheme on the Alco FPA's to the older scheme shown in the poster. Christine Braden has the exact CVSR paint colors.  I sent her a sample of actual cvsr red which is an unusual red actually.  The real cvsr red is not even a paint but a 2 part epoxy that becomes this color of red.   Christine is an option for your CVSR repaints if you get down the list.  I will post a pic of her work on the Alcos.

DAVEJR0,

 It was a battle to get that roof to lay properly,  I had to so gradually press down on a small area all the length of the car at a time, while holding up the opposite side and roof from dropping and sticking too soon.  

I'm not eager to start any more of these.  I'm relieved they came out as well as they did. I need to post pictures of the problem areas though.  Mostly the seam where I had to cut the roof from the one side to salvage the project.  Terrible feeling in the gut when you think you may have to throw out a few hundred dollars of passenger cars and styrene.  

 I think if you could find a donor car with the right roof, you could use just the car sides from USP and the project would be much easier.  USP sells just sides.  If I do any more I would rather compromise on the roof style and just do the sides, than fight with the wrap again.  The Lionel UP cars I used had a roof rail that needed removed which left holes where the roof rail had taps holding it to the roof.   

Looks great Scott, and thank you for the lead on the paint colors.  Yes, I agree the newer scheme is an improvement over the older one, and the paintwork Christine did for you is great!

I must have missed those posters when we were there.  Hate to derail this thread and inconvenience you, but I'd be most happy to pay you for your time in picking one up.  I can send you some details in a PM.

Daniel,

 Not a big deal, happy to help. 

Scott

Although I've done several cars with the USP sides, I haven't tried a wrapper. You said earlier you used two sided tape to attach the wrapper. What kind of tape did you use and have you ever had any problem with it coming loose over time?

Ken

Ken

The first car I used Scotch thin double sided tape.  Do not use that tape, it does not hold as well.  I upgraded to a thicker 2 sided tape by 3M.  It is thicker but it really holds and you can press the wrap firmly into the tape for a good bond.  The thicker tape is sort of a grey gummy substance that is sort of moldable vs. Just 2 sided clear scotch tape.  The first car with the lighter thinner tape does suffer from a few corners where the wrap wants to come loose.  Make sure you buy the heavier duty tape.  When I first shopped for tape the stores I visited did not have the heavier tape.  I wish USP offered better info rather than allowing us to experiment and find less than good results.  

Pictured is the thinner tape, yellow scotch by 3M packaging.  And the thicker 3M tape with the red backing, it comes in a blister type packaging.