of the car. Cut two strips to fit between the revised clearance mark near each end and the end of the carbody; allow a bit of excess overhang at the end of the carbody, which we can trim later. Glue the three skirting strips to the bottom of the skirting base on each side. Re-install the trucks and rotate
them, checking clearances; the tops of the trucks should clear the skirting base, and the ends of the trucks should clear the skirting strips. After remov- ing the trucks, a few strokes of a file will cure any inadequate clearances. Using the prototype photo as a
guide, shape the ends of the skirting strip at the truck cutouts to an S- curve. A small convex file is handy for the concave portion of the “S.” Shape the skirting strip longitudinal-
ly to a gentle curve ending at a near- knife edge at the bottom of the skirting. Work transversely across the skirting strip with a coarse double-cut mill file to achieve the basic shape, then finish longitudinally with a medium single- cut mill file to achieve a consistent pro- file the entire length of the skirt. The prototype has retractable steps
which swivel into receptacles visible behind the skirting at each end. Cut a .080″×.250″ styrene strip 2′-3″ long, then bisect it diagonally forming a pair of triangles. These triangles will repre- sent the step receptacles and can be glued to the bottom of the end behind the skirting and perpendicular to it. Trim the ends of the skirting base and skirting flush with the surface of the step receptacles.
Detailing the underbody
The underbody presents a mixed modeling opportunity. Some of the un- derbody components are highly visible and demand to be modeled. Others are hidden behind the skirting in normal viewing and can be omitted at the dis- cretion of the modeler. The must-model components include the highly visible battery boxes and ice bunkers, and the
10.
partially visible water tank, steam traps, and generator.
The battery boxes and ice bunkers protrude through the skirting, and the skirting must be notched to accommo- date them. Begin with the non-drawing room side of the car (the same side as the prototype photo), and, using the photo as a guide, notch the skirting at the left to match the length of the kit’s battery box. The height of the battery box notch is 1′-3″.
Since the battery box is almost flush
with the surface of the skirting, the box will need to be notched at its top. Place the battery box on the floor of the car- body and mark the height of the notch on the box. Using a file, notch the top of the battery box in several small steps until it fits snugly into the notch in the skirting. Glue it in place. In like manner, install the single ice bunker to the right of the battery box on the non-drawing room side. My mechan- ical air conditioned kit lacked this part, so I used New England Rail Service’s part No. 251; if the NERS part is un- available, a Bethlehem Car Works single ice bunker (part No. 81) can be substi- tuted. The height of the notch in the skirting for the ice compartment is 1′-0″. Lacking photos of the drawing room side of the Pennsy prototype, I had to guess at the configuration of the visible underbody components. To make the arrangement credible, I duplicated the arrangement of a Plan 2585D Pullman shown in a prototype drawing in the August 1985 issue of Mainline Model- er, whose arrangement on the non- drawing room side was similar. This plan showed a side-by-side pair of dou- ble ice bunkers (NERS No. 252 or Bethlehem Car Works No. 82), so that’s what I went with. You may need to trim some of the detail from the sides of the centersill to clear the battery boxes and ice bunkers.
I opted to install the remaining un- derbody components, even those hid- den; they were free with the kit, and I
11.
Parts list
Bethlehem Car Works No. 102 Modernized roof, wood
Branchline Trains (now Atlas) Pullman 12-1 Sleeper, Plan 3410A
Evergreen Scale Models No. 104 .010″×.080″ Styrene strip No. 105 .010″×.100″ Styrene strip No. 106 .010″×.125″ Styrene strip No. 120 .020″×.020″ Styrene strip No. 353 .060″×.060″ Styrene strip No. 354 .060″×.080″ Styrene strip No. 358 .060″×.188″ Styrene strip No. 369 .080″×.250″ Styrene strip No. 9040 .040″ Styrene sheet
Floquil No. 110010 Engine Black No. 110012 Reefer Gray No. 110013 Grimy Black No. 110015 Flat Finish
Microscale Industries No. 114 Krystal Kleer Nos. 87-891 through 87-894 PRR passenger car decal sets
New England Rail Service No. 251 Ice bunkers
NKP Car Company B&O vents (need five)
Plastruct No. 90203 ABS ¹₄″ square tubing
Precision Scale Co. No. 4868 Wire, .012″ No. 48274 Boiler washout plugs
Scalecoat No. 20122 Scalecoat II Tuscan Red
Westerfield Models No. 1183 2-56×1″ Screws (need two)
had little alternative use for them. Fol- low the kit instructions and the model photo on their assembly and place-
10. The diaphragm spring mechanism struts are made from styrene rod terminating in boiler washout plug castings. 11. A section of square tubing will secure the removable roof.
RAILROAD MODEL CRAFTSMAN 51
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100