D&RGW 'Cookie Box'

[cnrglen]

Continuing to finish up some projects. I found a Branchline Blueprint 40' AAr boxcar awhile ago and painted it for Denver and Rio Grande Western:

   

Why this roadname after painting so many CN and CP cars? Well I've alway liked the D&RGW and if I wasn't modeling Canadian, I'd probably be modeling this.
I had the decals in my collection for a number of years and this was the perfect candidate for them. However I had two sets of decals so I wanted a second car. Finding another indentical boxcar kit was easy but expensive (especially shipping) So I waited until I found another build boxcar at a swap meet.

   

It needed to be stripped of paint and ecals and a few repairs but at 3$ I couldn't go wrong.

   

This afternoon I sprayed it in primer along with an Athearn hopper that I also had in the projects pile. 

     

Up until now I've been using light gray paint from a rattle can to primer my painting projects. A couple months ago another modeller gave me a lot of Vallejo products including paints, thinners, airbrush cleaning fluid and two bottles of Acrylic-Polyurethane primer. I had never used it before but it airbrushes well right out of the bottle and cleans up with water. The finish was quite acceptable with any flaws being my fault. I think I'll be using this from now on as long as the paint goes on well overtop of it.

[cnrglen]

Just a quick update
   

I airbrushed the silver on the sides of the car tonight using Vallejo silver. The primer dries pretty fast enough to paint within 24 hours. 
I'll be masking the sides off in a few days and painting the black.

[Amalynn]

Glen I really like that model holder. Is that a product from somewhere or something you made?

[cnrglen]

That's a paint stand from Tamiya. It's probably close to 15 years old and needs a good soak in paint cleaner.

[cnrglen]

Moving right along with this project.
   

I masked the sides off and painted the ends, roof and bottom with Model master engine black. 

   

I pulled the tape off and sprayed the entire car with Vallejo flat to seal it. Then I pulled the decals out. I'm using CDS dry transfers. I don't think these are produced anymore so they are getting rather scarce, especially the american raod names in Canada.

   

I cut the transfers out and lay them down on the model using tamiya tape to secure them. I use an HB2 pencil to burnish them into the car.

   

And the finished side. It took about 30 minutes to do the side.

[tompm]

Looks great.

I personally like the CDS dry transfers. I feel they look crisper than decals.

[cnrglen]

Thanks Tom.
I'm kind of split on transfers vs. decals. the crispness varies by manufacturer and age. Lately I've been using decals by Black Cat which are some of the best detailed ones I've found.

I completed the 'Cookie Box'

   

I weathered it very lightly, concentrating mostly on the trucks and then sealed it with Valejo matt varnish.

   

[ngauger]

Nice!!!!!