What is box car red?

Six cars with new decals are ready for the next step.

Freight car colors are a constant topic with many modelers. We aim to paint our models reflecting the prototypes as closely as possible. The lead photo here represents my efforts on six Accurail USRA double-sheathed box car kits. The photo captures them after the gloss coat dried to seal the Westerfield Models decals.

Continue reading “What is box car red?”

Workbench Update – October and November 2020

I’ve been busier than expected the last couple of months. The lead photo is where I left off on the gondola models. Progress has moved forward to expand the freight car fleet.

Continue reading “Workbench Update – October and November 2020”

Weathering Ideas

Photo X4939, Railfan.net ‘erielack’ E-Mail List Photo Archive

I recently came across this 1926 image featuring a couple of boxcars on the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western railroad in New Jersey. Let’s take a good look at the weathering on these cars. They have obviously seen some mileage as the lettering is faded. Some streaks are visible from water and a little dust is apparent. But there’s much more here that we can model. Click on any image here to review a larger size.

The images on this blog post were originally taken by William B Barry, Jr., in his service as a DL&W company photographer. Thousands of historic DL&W photographs have been scanned my NPS Steamtown and can be found through the Erie Lackawanna E-Mail List Photo Archive.

Continue reading “Weathering Ideas”

Weathering Demo

A new Rapido Trains FPA-2 gets a workout just east of San Bernardino on the Middle Tennessee Model Railroad Club’s Salt Lake Route.

Since moving to metro-Nashville several months ago, I’ve met many local model railroaders. Recently, I had a few email exchanges about weathering with a couple of modelers. Questions and answers went back and forth. After a few messages, I volunteered to lead an informal weathering demonstration.

Continue reading “Weathering Demo”