Changing a simple coach

[modelsof1900]

A short time ago I bought a 50’ Roundhouse/Athearn passenger car of Overland series. I would like to make an addition to an existing Virginia & Truckee RR. historic passenger train with a Bachman 4-4-0 and three cars made by Rivarossi. Ok. These models are not the best and not the most detailed models but this train should run as a really historic passenger train while our exhibitions.
I have seen a few pictures of similar trains in the book “History of Virginia & Truckee” picturing all V&T’s passenger cars and one of them #18 is very close to the new model – with the need to modify a good number of details. Look here a picture of the original car. Many years ago this car #18 was rebuilt to a combine however I will use it with the original version as coach as is was built in 1890.

The most remarkable difference is the more modern roof of the original model …





… and there I did make a radically change - the roof ends are cut off.



Preparations for new roof ends ...









… and building the new roof ends step by step from a plywood basic and styrene sheeting.



The roof ends are finished however now I will like to change, replace and add ten or fifteen more parts before I can give the model a new color scheme and lettering for the V&T RR.

[Sumpter250]

Nice!!!!
It looks like you used sheet balsa for the new roof end. If so, think about applying a liberal amount of ACC (superglue,thin) to the wood, and let it soak in. Once it is set thoroughly, you can sand to final finish and paint.
This "hardens" the balsa so it won't get damaged as easily.

[modelsof1900]

Nice!!!!
It looks like you used sheet balsa for the new roof end. If so, think about applying a liberal amount of ACC (superglue,thin) to the wood, and let it soak in. Once it is set thoroughly, you can sand to final finish and paint.
This "hardens" the balsa so it won't get damaged as easily.

At same time when this reply was written I edited my post with a short remarks. I used plywood for the ground structure and I sheeted it by styrene sheets and strips. Thanks for your idea.

[tomustang]

nice custom job

[Ralph]

Fantastic! Nicely done! Looking forward to seeing in the completed paint
Ralph

[Steamtrains]

Hi...Will surely be following this thread, as it promises to be as enlightening as all your previous ones...!!

[Russ Bellinis]

Looking good s as usual, Bernard

[nkp_174]

Very nice work! I'll offer the finest form of flattery, incorporating your methods into my work for broken bull nose roof ends.

[ocalicreek]

Looks like a good method for building up the complex curves on the ends of these beautiful old cars. Another idea, although perhaps a bit late for your work now, is to use a form guide to match ends. What I mean is, one of those tools with all the stiff metal wires gathered together like a comb, where the wires are pressed against a surface in order to take an impression of the shape. I think the original use is for moulding and edging, but any complex surface will work. The wires are stiff enough to allow you to trace the shape on a surface then cut that to use as a guide.

I've got another NorthEastern wood coach kit to build someday. Carving and building up the roof ends from their solid strip of wood was tricky, but rewarding. I'm still not 100% satisfied with the job I did on the combine so at some point I may be referring back to this thread for thoughts/advice.

Galen

[Puddlejumper]

WOW!! You sir, are very skilled! Between you and NKP_174 I should have plenty of tutorials on ancient passenger car construction. Outstanding work!

Dave

[modelsof1900]

.
Hallo to all, thanks to all for your honouring words!

Before building this roof ends I discussed with a few friends for technology of this modeling job and a few of them meant to build a mold for pressing warmed styrene in it. First I would need three such molds for these ends and second I would built these molds as negative patterns of the parts. I think that this way is not the right intension for use with rebuilding of only one model. Building a simple basic structure from a hard plywood and shetting with small and curved styrene strips (cut from a sheap plain styrene sheet) was the most fast and very simple way detting this roof ends, I think. And this is a technology where I was sure that I could work without problems.

Thanks all also for discussion about technological hints then these give new and often very well usable ideas for future projects. This is the reason since my first post here in forum and before in the Gauge.com that I get opinions and answers also for dificult modeling problems. Thanks!

And Michael / nkp_174 - wish you good success with your old time passenger car modeling!

[tetters]

Bernhard, that is going to turn into a work of art!

[BR60103]

Bernhard:
I remember making a roof like that from wooden roof stock in a kit. It didn't look nearly that neat.
I have another one that I made from a plastic sheet roof kit. It looked better but there are still gaps in it. (These were done around 35 and 45 years ago.)

[modelsof1900]

Tetters, David,
thanks you also for your friendly comments. I'm surprised that this small work has got such an advertence in your eyes. I worked so as I tought that it will be the most simple way getting these round roof ends. And I must not make some repairs or corrections while modeling.

David,
that what I did was to make well fitting parts. I have grinded one side of each styrene strip well fitting to the previous glued and fixed strip, the other side was so as I did they cut from the plain sheet. Also in all cases I filled the gaps by ample ACC glue and let it harden before the next strip was added. While the gluing process I grindet the rounded profiles only in a very row style - each roof segment got its finish not till before completing the whole roof segment. This all worked well and I was surprised about the result. After getting the ready roof shapes I glued additionally all styrene strips to all edges and also to the roof ends so I have got the thypical overhangs at the roof. All was ready after grinding them also.
But I'm sure I would have more complications when I did build all the parts from wood. There are too many wood fibers and many zones of different hardness in the wood and these would not given this even curvatures as I have got them with plastic.
I think that today's modern materials will give better results in many cases than the relatively simple materials of former times.

Edit: David, your nickname BR60103 remebers to a German engine of class 60. Is there a connection?

[Herc Driver]

Very nice job!