Kitbashed CN Box Car

R

RobertInOntario

Active Member
Mar 22, 2006
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Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Here are a couple pics of my recently painted CN box car, which previously had cartoon graphics and ads all over it. This was a box car from a Loblaws Presidents Choice set. Each year Loblaws (grocery store chain) sells an IHC Christmas train set -- while the locos are good the freight cars are often covered with Loblaws ads.

At any rate, I spray painted it with some brown/red Tamiya paint (not 100% accurate but close). Then I applied some CN decals and then I weathered it with some rush and grey chalk, also made by Tamiya.

I'm curious to hear your comments and feedback. Please note that, while I've done spray painting and decals before, this was my first weathering attempt! :mrgreen:

I included the diesel just for effect. It's also a kitbashed/repainted GP9.

Thanks in advance.

Rob

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I'd say you did a nice job. Any chance you have a before and after picture? As for some feedback on the weathering (and I'm by no means an expert) You could add some rust colored chalk to the trucks, couplers, and wheel sets depending on how weathered a look you're shooting for. Also, you could use a downward stroke from the CN lettering in white chalk to give the impression of rain washing away and running the white lettering down. A touch of rust on the door hinges, ladders and hatches might work too. Naturally, the front and end of the car would be dirtier from road grime and from the rain runoff from the other cars in the train - assuming this car is used frequently. Also, a little white chalk all over the roof will give the impression of sun damage and fading to that red paint. I'm partial to using chalks since I've got no talent for using dry-brush paints or alcohol wipes (as my first and embarrassing weathering photos a few years ago proved). Plus with chalks, if you don't like the result - you can rub it off and try again!

Great job and that diesel looks really nice!
 
Herc Driver said:
I'd say you did a nice job. Any chance you have a before and after picture? As for some feedback on the weathering (and I'm by no means an expert) ... Plus with chalks, if you don't like the result - you can rub it off and try again!

Great job and that diesel looks really nice!
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Thanks! I appreciate your feedback and will try to add some of those details.

I tried to weather lightly and not over-do it (which is my tendancy). I was hoping to minimize any sloppiness.

Sorry, I don't have an exact "before" pic as I didn't think of posting these pics then! I think it was a bright green with cookie ads on it. I could take a pic of one of my other Loblaws freight cars though.

Thanks also for your comments about the diesel. It was a fun project which I slowly worked away at. Overall I'm pleased with it but if you look closely you can see errors or where I a bit careless.

Cheers, Rob
 
60103 said:
A little light paint on the trucks would be nice.
Car ends often have a bit of dirt kicked up by the wheels on the car ahead of them -- two thin cones centered over the tracks.
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Thanks, David! I'll try to add some of these suggestions. I still have one other car to weather. I had repainted two Loblaws/PC cars and this second one has CP emblems.

Cheers, Rob
 
Go ahead and post a pic of the original color scheme - I've never seen a Loblaws/PC car. Sure is nice that a store offer's such a good perk like that...beats a can opener any day.

Keep us posted on how the weathering progresses!
 
doctorwayne said:
Nice work on that car, Robert, which, by the way, is a reefer. Here's a link to some weathering tips that I find useful:
Some simple tips...
and you can find many other ideas in the Weathering Forum here on the Gauge.
Wayne
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Thanks, Wayne!

Actually, I wondered if I had correctly applied the CN decals to the reefer, as the diagram that came with the decal set seemed to show another type of car.

I'll check out those weathering links as well -- thanks!

I also have another box car to weather. I might get my almost 7-year-old son to help me as he really enjoys adding scenery to my layout, etc. While this might be a good father-son project, he isn't as neat or careful as I am! :eek: But it will still be a fun project for us and I should be able to tidy up any places if he gets carried away! :mrgreen:

Then, if all goes well, I'll gradually weather other freight cars as well!

Thanks again,
Rob
 
Herc Driver said:
Go ahead and post a pic of the original color scheme - I've never seen a Loblaws/PC car. Sure is nice that a store offer's such a good perk like that...beats a can opener any day.

Keep us posted on how the weathering progresses!
Click to expand...

Well, I'm taking a break at work and don't have access to my camera. However, I found the attached pic on the web -- this is the train set which this box car from. I believe the box car that I repainted & weathered was either the yellow one in the top center or the green one in the lower right.

I know I could have bought a new freight car for what I've paid in paint, decals and weathering items, but it wouldn't have been as much fun!

Cheers,
Rob

Loblawsjpg.jpg
 
I hope you have some paint and weathering items left over; the decals may only have done 1 car.
But divide the cost but the number of hours to see what your fun cost.
And now all the unmodified cars are worth just a tad more.

I met a friend in the Superstore today. We were both counting the number of last year's sets on the shelf and speculating when the price would come down for clearance. (7 sets @ $99.99)
 
60103 said:
I hope you have some paint and weathering items left over; the decals may only have done 1 car.
But divide the cost but the number of hours to see what your fun cost.
And now all the unmodified cars are worth just a tad more.

I met a friend in the Superstore today. We were both counting the number of last year's sets on the shelf and speculating when the price would come down for clearance. (7 sets @ $99.99)
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Thanks, David. I probably won't kitbash/repaint any more of the PC freight cars -- although I am very pleased with how these kitbashed ones look! They kids also like to run the cartoony PC ones.

So far, I've spend about $10 on decals (two sets), $10 on spray paint (which is all used up) and about $10 on weathering stuff (still lots left though for many more cars!).

Yes, I've been wondering when the price of last year's train set will drop. I recently saw them for sale at our local Superstore, still costing $99.99. Maybe, because they improved the quality & value so much, they won't drop them, or won't drop them until much later?

Rob
 
I think you need to ask for a price drop.

I went in one year (the yard goat year I think) and talked them down to 29.99 each, but the remaining sets were so smashed (details gone, siderods bent, parts missing from boxes) that I ended up declining.

Andrew
 
MasonJar said:
I think you need to ask for a price drop.
I went in one year (the yard goat year I think) and talked them down to 29.99 each, but the remaining sets were so smashed (details gone, siderods bent, parts missing from boxes) that I ended up declining.
Andrew
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Maybe I'll send my wife in to get the price drop! She's really good at that sort of thing! :mrgreen: She has more charm or something whereas I just annoy people when I ask for deals! :mrgreen:

But I'm not too keen to get this one though, despite the quality improvements. I'd sure like to get the PC Bullet Nose Betty or CP steamer from a few years back if I could ever find them.

Rob
 
Rob,
Looks nice. I'd recommend some heavier weathering to the roof, trying to make the logo look faded, and a coat of dullcoat/flat finish.

The dullcoat is actually the single best thing you can do when weathering...shiny model railroad items are very common, but shiny things of very rare in the real world. But beware...it will soften the weathering of the chalk you've already used.

Since it looks like a steam era car, some black cinders on the roof would be in order.

You're off to an excellent start! Perhaps the updated picture might include your OO scale 0-6-0 pushing it :mrgreen:
 
nkp174 said:
Rob,
Looks nice. I'd recommend some heavier weathering to the roof, trying to make the logo look faded, and a coat of dullcoat/flat finish.
The dullcoat is actually the single best thing you can do when weathering...shiny model railroad items are very common, but shiny things of very rare in the real world. But beware...it will soften the weathering of the chalk you've already used.
Since it looks like a steam era car, some black cinders on the roof would be in order.
You're off to an excellent start! Perhaps the updated picture might include your OO scale 0-6-0 pushing it :mrgreen:
Click to expand...

Thanks! I'll try to improve those details then, especially on the roof.

Although I'm not a rivet-counter, I do try to be "proto-typically" correct when I run my trains, so I don't think I'll mix my British 0-6-0 with my CN stock!! :mrgreen::mrgreen:

Cheers, Rob
 
That's a great change from where you started. I bought the CNR hudson set two years ago. I haven't done a thing to the cars (maybe never will) But the engine sits proudly on my layout. Last year I did mangae to latch onto a bullet-nosed betty from a fellow model railroader who dropped it and wrecked the cab. I plan to add a vestibule cab anyway.
Which sets are still available where you are? The Big ten set disappeared within a week on them going on sale here. I remember the hudson sets stayed around for almost a year before they were all sold out.
 
Glen Haasdyk said:
That's a great change from where you started. I bought the CNR hudson set two years ago. I haven't done a thing to the cars (maybe never will) But the engine sits proudly on my layout. Last year I did mangae to latch onto a bullet-nosed betty from a fellow model railroader who dropped it and wrecked the cab. I plan to add a vestibule cab anyway.
Which sets are still available where you are? The Big ten set disappeared within a week on them going on sale here. I remember the hudson sets stayed around for almost a year before they were all sold out.
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Interesting! Yes, I too get lots of good use of the Hudson on my layout.

About 3 weeks ago, last year's train set was still for sale at $99.99 so maybe they have gone on sale -- I'll have to check.

I'd really like to get a Bullet Nose Betty loco. Otherwise, I'll check our Superstore and see if they have any sets on sale or left.

Cheers, Rob
 
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