Weathering Red Caboose Auto Racks

A few months ago, I posted a "how to" on weathering Micro Trains Auto Racks, and promised a follow up on weathering Red Caboose  Auto Racks.  There is a big difference in construction and assembly of the two models, and the following should help you to "age" those auto racks properly. The Red Caboose Auto Rack does not want to be disassembled!  Please refer to that blog (July 9, 2012) for review of materials needed and weathering tips.

Spray the entire car with dull coat and let dry thoroughly.  Next, mask off the support pillars for weathering.  It is easy to do two cars at the same time.  Carefully align the two cars together per the above photo.  Use Tamiya 10 mm wide masking tape and mask off the outside pillars.  Then work your way into the middle.  Weather all the pillers with chalks and seal with dull coat before removing masking tape.



The next step in the process is to mask off the roof and the frame portion of the auto rack.  Weather the frame with oils and chalks, dull coat the frame portion, and set aside to dry. Use needle nose tweezers to remove the masking tape at the appropriate time.



At this point, your auto rack should look something like this.

The Red Caboose Auto Rack has terrific roof detail.  The cars shows the rivet detail much more so than the Micro Trains model.  This is no slight to the M/T model, as these are models of two different types of auto racks (two level for pickup trucks and triple level for automobiles). 



Now is the time to weather the roof.  This should be done with attention to the riveting on the roof.  I like to dab a little mixture of rust and dark sienna oils with a toothpick to the center of the rivet line and sweep back and forth along that line with a clean, dry paint brush, one used only for weathering.  A very tiny dab should be used on the downside of the roof if necessary. Let dry completely.  The above shows results so far.

Close up of completed weatering of roof.  Don't forget to seal with dull coat and set aside.

 

 

 

Next we want to mask off the panels.  Many of these auto racks in the late 70's and early 80's were heavily weathered per the above photo.  Mask off as suggested by the photo, again using Tamiya tape.

Weather each panel individually, trying to vary weathering in each panel.  Why some panels are heavily weathered and others not is a mystery to me, but makes for a very cool looking model on my Needles Division, and will on yours, too.  After the panels dry, remove masking and slightly weather remaining panels.  Seal with dull coat, and install trucks.

When finished, your model should look something like this.

PHOTO GALLERY

This is not an easy project, but a very satisfying one.  The difference between an "out of the box" auto rack and the finished product as illustrated in this blog is enormous!  Good luck on your project.

 

I have a previously posted an N Scale video of a 1981 Auto Rack train on YouTube (the Red Caboose auto racks are primarily in the middle of the train) at:

                                              http://youtu.be/XxzUouLStgo

Renumbered "Super C" FP45's 1971

 

As part of a general renumbering  scheme on the Santa Fe in 1969-70, the 100 Class FP45's were renumbered into the 5940 class, just ahead of the 40 F45's (5900-5939).  At this time, the FP45's still retained their steam boilers necessary for use in passenger service.  However, with Amtrak taking over, the FP45's were relegated to freight service, and any use of Santa Fe locomotives by Amtrak were to be handled by the venerable F7's.  The newer FP45's were to be used hauling freight.

 

 

Renumbered FP45's 5944, 5947 and 5946.
 

Close up of the Athearn 5947

The 5946 and 5947 were painted into the blue with yellow trim paint scheme (as rendered in my August 6th blog) sometime between July 1971 and May 1972.  The 5944 bypassed this paint job, and was painted in the yellowbonnet scheme in August of 1973.  That paint scheme would be present on the Santa Fe until the railroads' independent operations ended and they became part of BNSF in the mid-nineties.

 

 

Mitsui 40' container and independent operator trailer. Both custom painted.



I originally put this train together in the early 80's.  The Trailer Train 85' trailer is an early ConCor 89' trailer cut down to about 85'.  Some of the cars are Rapido models, again cut down to size.

 

These are early Con Cor 40' trailers.  These are custom painted.  Please also note these and nearly all the trailers have Micro Train wheelsets.  These are available via special order direct from MT. 



The Micro Train wheelsets hugely improve the looks of these old trailers.  While the trailers did not have much detail, a little custom painting, decalling and weathering can greatly improve the looks of the model.

TRS and BN

Not sure if the BN  trailer is era appropriaate.

Looks like I need to work on these two trailer hitches!

Note weathered flat car.

Couple more customs, a K Line container and an IC custom trailer, which should not be in this train as the ICG was not consolidated until 1972.

Matson container on spine trailer and MT 40' CNW trailer.

This era is not my area of expertise, and as I said, I put this train together in the late 70's or early 80's, so I am not sure if the trailers are are appropriate.  However, I recently got some of the new Trainworks 40' trailers, and those, along with the recently released Athearn trailers,  would make this train authentic for the time period.  As soon as I get enough of them, I will modify this train, and create a new video.  In the meantime, please click on the link below, which will take you to YouTube and a video of this train.  Thanks for you interest.

 

You can view a 3 minute video of this train on YouTube at:

 

                http://youtu.be/_bDnnOIJ5A0

                                               

Santa Fe Bicentennial SD45-2's 1976 Piggybacks Pt II

Two MT trailers. The Santa Fe trailer is custom painted and decaled.

Stock MT 45' Santa Fe trailer and custom Southern container on chasis.

Two stock MT trailers slightly weathered.

Micro Trains ICG 45' trailer and custom Santa Fe Trailer Transportation 40' trailer.



Weathered MT custom Preferred 45 trailer and Conrail trailer.

Slightly weathered ICG trailer and Vermont Railway trailer.

Two custom MT trailers, Co-op and CB&Q trailer.

Two MT trailers.  I believe the Tranamerica trailer is custom and the KCS is stock and slightly weathered.

Wheels, tires, trailer and flat car all weathered.




Note weathered deck.

Note contrast of framing with side panels.

Note: Most trailers in 1976 were 40' trailers and many flat cars were not of the length of the MT 89 foot length. But 1976 is not my area of specialty, so things are not 100% accurate. At least some of the trailers in this train did not really appear til the 80's.

You can view a 3 minute video of this train on YouTube at:


http://youtu.be/z2D8IuKX_so

Trackside Photos

Check out my Bicentennial FP45 on page 81, Trackside Photos, in the new October 2012 Model Railroader.

I'll have more on this custom painted FP45 in a later blog.  Thanks for your interest.

Santa Fe Bicentennial SD45-2's 1976 Piggybacks

Bicentennial Locomotives

In 1975 the Santa Fe railroad painted  five  SD45-2’s in a patriotic scheme to honor the nation.  They were split up in order to maximize their visibility,  spotted as the lead locomotive on priority piggyback trains, and seldom seen in pairs.  They were numbered 5700 to 5704.  They were quite popular with employees, shippers, rail fans, and the general public.



Bicentennial Locomotives 5703 and 5702 in front of the Needles, CA station durng a crew change.  Not normally seen in pairs.

Two custom painted MT trailers. the Gelco trailer has been modified with a refrigeration unit and fuel tank below the trailer.



Forty five foot Con Cor trailer  and stock MT trailer.  I put MT wheel carriage and wheelsets on the  Con Cor trailer. Greatly improved the look of the trailer.

Custom silver trailer has framing edges weathered darker than side panels.  Note white trailers have silver panels and roofs.




Custom painted and decaled Preferred 102 trailer.  102 refers to one hundred and two inches wide trailer.  Probably a trailer that did not appear until the 1980's.  The Norfolk Western trailer is a 48 foot trailer shortened to 40 feet.



Forty five foot custom painted Western Express trailer with refrigeration unit added.  APL container mounted on chassis.  Many containers were shipped on the chassis due to limited facilities at origin. 

Another Gelco custom Trailer with refrigeration unit.  The 40' from MSA Lamda is on a trailer from way back when.  The trailer may be Con Cor's first attempt,  Front and rear detail is fine, but the side is completely flat!  Nice decal job and replacement MT wheelsets and landing gear.

Two custom MT trailers, with the Rio Grande trailers revealing a replacement panel.

Another Prefferred 102 MT trailer.  The Santa Fe trailer is a kit of some kind from the 1980's, manufacturer unknown.  The silver portion represents replacement panels, necessary due to some prototype accident, or maybe I screwed up someplace.

Tires should be painted a weathered black, while the wheels shoulod be very dirty.  Note the support edges weather very differently from the van sides as the materials are very different, thus different weathering patterns.

On the prototype, wheels are replaced with whatever is handy. In this case a maroon colored wheel.

 Note: Most trailers in 1976 were 40' trailers and many flat cars were not of the length of the MT 89 foot length. But 1976 is not my area of specialty, so things are not 100% accurate. At least some of the trailers in this train did not really appear til the 80's.

        You can view a 3 minute video of this train on YouTube at:

                               http://youtu.be/z2D8IuKX_so