Cheapy Tank Car

jmarksbery

Active Member
Started with one of those red/white tank cars that come with cheap train sets and messed with it a bit just to see what could be done. What do you think? Better-Worse-Needs something old man? I don't know much about rolling stock! :rolleyes: :p :D

2 pictures coming up:
 

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roryglasgow

Active Member
Nice! How did you get the rusted/pitted look on the tank? I could imagine something like that running on some old branchline out in the middle of the woods!
 

jmarksbery

Active Member
The tank I spray painted (can) flat black, then I assembled the car and added the wood etc. when all was done I painted on the rust on the bands and other places that rust may occur. After that had dried for a short period I gave it a wash with alc/ink and after a short period again and before it completely dried I brushed on some black chalk and followed with a rust colored chalk. The alc/ink wash holds it on fairly well if you do not handle it too much. If you do a coat of flat clear or hair spray will hold it. You may need to rechalk to get the effect you want. The wood was then lightly sanded to the effect I wanted.
:rolleyes: :D
 

belg

Member
Really well done. I was myself drawn to the fact that you had texture in the rust. the car itself would make a GREAT addition to any layout. My only concern would be the "cheapy" truck and wheels,but maybe you changed them already?
 

Blake

Member
I love cheap frieght cars! I had a few old Atlas 3 dome tanks and a Bachmann 3 dome tank. I cut off all the grabs and the walkways and replaced them with wire and styrene. Here is the Bachmann car.
 

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sapacif

New Member
Blake: Very nice tank car! I did that, too, and decided it was too much work primarily because of the wire around the tank. The ladders were easy. How did you do the wire? It really looks nice.
 

sapacif

New Member
Blake: Also, how about adding steps at the corners? The walkway is too thin to do this. Maybe add some styrene blocks and then put the steps in that? It might look strange because the styrene did not run the length of the car. Anyway, very nice kitbash.
 

jmarksbery

Active Member
Yes Belg, I will be changing the wheel sets and the couplers also, but that will be at a latter time when the layout starts. :(

Blake, that's a nice tanker also. I have a couple of those also and may tackle them later. Thanks for the tips. The WC & T has it's own standards and may not confirm to the other roads but it is not hazardous to your health. :D

Thanks all for the comments;
Tyson, I really am trying it is just one of those things. I hate building layouts!! :eek: ;) :p
 

Blake

Member
I knew I forgot something!! I was wondering why everytime one of my plastic railroad employees would try to hop on that car, they would wind up with their face in the dirt!! I did put steps on the other ones though. When I made the walkways, I used .010" strip styrene. I laminated this to a strip of .020" styrene that was .020" narrower than the walkway. This way, you see the thin material and also have the strength of the unseen, thicker material. I mounted flat brass stock bent into steps to the thicker piece of styrene. As far as the wire grab, the one on the Bachmann car is fine as it is. On the old Atlas cars, I carefully scraped off the cast on ones. Where there was a mounting bracket, I slices the handrail on either side and then gouged out the center. I then drilled a #80 hole at these locations and installed a Gold Medal Models lift ring from their diesel loco set. I threaded the wire through the rings and bent them using the tank as a guide. Here is a pic of the handrail brackets.
 

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Blake

Member
And here is a car with steps (the plastic employees like these cars better).
 

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sapacif

New Member
Blake: I like it! Stirrups look good! Now, did you drill the holes from the bottom and stick the stirrups up that way? Walkways look very good. Did you build the whole walkway all around? Did you use any part of the original frame?
 

jmarksbery

Active Member
New (duh) flat car and eoad

Made another car to go with the tanker. The box on the rear and the ties on the other cover the weights I added. Comments please. Jim :rolleyes: ;) :D
 

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Drew1125

Active Member
Man, you guys are really getting my juices flowin' with this one!
I have a whole bag of busted up cheapo tank cars that I bought at a swap meet, & I think you two are inspiring me to dig in there & see what I can come up with!:D :cool: :D

Here's an attempt I made a little while back...I took the tank off of an Atlas modern "shorty" tanker, & put it on one of those Bachman old time flat cars...
 

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Blake

Member
There are plenty of N scale cars that are cheap and usually all they need are new steps, brakewheels and roofwalks. The photos show an old Roco boxcar and a Trix cattle car both with Microtrains parts added. Drybrushing also brings out the details. Above all, its fun!:D
 

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