Repainting an IHC Crane and boom car - Printable Version

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Repainting an IHC Crane and boom car - cnrglen - 03-25-2025

I was recently given this:

   

To repaint into this:

   

I also have to rework both the crane and boom car to convert them from truck-mounted horn-hook couplers to body mounted Kadees. 

Wish me luck.....

RE: Repainting an IHC Crane and boom car - FiatFan - 03-25-2025

I've seen your work. You are an excellent modeler. You don't need luck, just time.

Tom

RE: Repainting an IHC Crane and boom car - LiveSteamer - 03-31-2025

Glen, I’m sure it will turn out great. Good to see someone else repainting one. Mine is almost finished that I did.

RE: Repainting an IHC Crane and boom car - cnrglen - 04-11-2025

Change of plan:

   

I found an Athearn Crane and idler car at an estate sale that is a much better model than the IHC. This also has frame mounted couplers that the customer wanted. I've been disasembling it and getting it ready for paint.

     

And while I was at the sale another modeler bought a second Crane and idler car that he wants me to paint in Northern Alberta Railway. I'm still looking for good photos and decals for that one. In the meantime, I'll be working on the Canadian National version.

RE: Repainting an IHC Crane and boom car - cnrglen - 04-13-2025

Dissasembly and primer over the last couple days.
   

I took the crane and tender apart, mostly. I removed the carbody but left the mechanism together as I can't remove the swivel assembly since it was glued together. 
Everything took a swim in isopropyl alcohol for a day or two. 

   

I then airbrushed a light gray primer from Vallejo on everything. I masked the inner cab mechainism before painting. I'll leave this unpainted since it will be inside the carbody and I don't want the winches being gummed up.

RE: Repainting an IHC Crane and boom car - ngauger - 04-14-2025

That looks great, all primed!

RE: Repainting an IHC Crane and boom car - nachoman - 04-16-2025

I've got one from the early 1980s, probably a life-like, and the crane looks similar to the Athearn, but the boom car is completely different. I am enjoying watching your progress.

RE: Repainting an IHC Crane and boom car - cnrglen - 04-19-2025

Thanks. There are a number of crane models out there I perfer the Athearn model since it is designed to be taken apart for repainting or customization. I have one myself, but I built (kitbashed) my own idler car, based on a Canadian National prototype:
   

I used a Rivarossi combine that I cut down the passenger compartment to accomadate the crane boom.

   

Getting back to the project at hand. I started to look at the back of the crane's body:

   

I had two issues with it. One, the crane had been dieselized so the was no reason to have the large coaling doors in the rear, as well as the cast-in ladders. Two all these detail would make masking the black and white lines very difficult so I sanded the back smooth:


   

Then a quick repaint in both primer and then white 

   

RE: Repainting an IHC Crane and boom car - cnrglen - 05-11-2025

On with the painting:

   

Here was the real challenge of the job. It took me a couple hours to figure out the black and white striping on the sides and back of the car body. I first airbrushed the carbody in white, then Using photos of the prototype I determined how wide the white and black stripes were and where they lay one the body. I masked off the white stripes and the rest of the carbody and sprayed the black stripes.

   

Then I masked over the black and white and airbrushed the light red on the rest of the body. The final color was the silver on the roof but that was an easy mask-off and airbrush.

   

While I was at it I did the same masking and painting with the crane boom. Now that that is all done I sprayed matt clear over all the parts before I start applying decals

RE: Repainting an IHC Crane and boom car - Ensign - 05-14-2025

Glen, nice work!
Those zebra stripes must have been tricky to do.

Greg

RE: Repainting an IHC Crane and boom car - cnrglen - 05-25-2025

It's probably the most challenging paint job I've done. 
After letting the paint set up for a day or so I decaled and reassembled the crane and idler.


   

The CN 'noodle' came from and old CDS dry transfer set. the numbers are all from a recycled Black cat decal set. The numbers are all seprate parts 

   

I re-threaded the boom and crane hooks using some nylon thread. That was actually harder that some of the masking and painting. Other than that it all went together quite easily.

   

The idler was painting in boxcar red with the same decal treatment. I hand painted the grabs and added a weathered deck.
It went to it's new home last week and the new owner is quite happy with it.

RE: Repainting an IHC Crane and boom car - LiveSteamer - 05-25-2025

Excellent Job Glen!!!!!!!

RE: Repainting an IHC Crane and boom car - ngauger - 05-26-2025

Fantastic!!!

RE: Repainting an IHC Crane and boom car - FiatFan - 05-26-2025

Beautiful work!

Tom

RE: Repainting an IHC Crane and boom car - Ensign - 05-26-2025

Glen, looks wonderful!

Greg