Modeling Atlantic Coast Line K-9, K-10 and K-17 gondolas
18″ drop grabs. I also installed Detail Associates No. 6215 cut bars on each end and Tichy No. 3063 corner gussets on the top of each corner. I retained the kit’s finely-done brake wheel and end brake system appliances, along with the Accurail AAR truck sideframes but substituted the kit-supplied plastic wheelsets with Reboxx semi-scale No. 33-1-1.020 wheelsets. After detailing was complete,
the
These views shows the coupler box gouged out of the completed model (left), and the .020″ styrene pad installed (top right). A Kadee No. 78 coupler box was glued directly to the pad, then screws were used to physically secure the coupler box to the model. With the detailing, painting and weathering complete, the model of ACL No. 93430, a class K- 10 gondola (shown here in front of the class K-9 car), is ready for service (below).
model was cleaned up for painting by giving it a thorough sandblasting in my North Coast blasting booth. Sand- blasting removes the factory paint and etches the plastic, wire and slippery engineering plastics to allow better paint adhesion. A sandblaster is an in- dispensable tool
for an experienced
it is easy to overdo it. On the car’s inte- rior, I lightly streaked the sides up- and-down with Bragdon’s powders us- ing tan, rust, brown and black. Next, I used model Masters Russian Earth Brown to bring out the details. I used a technique called “highlighting” made popular by master model maker Francois Verlinden. I dipped the flat brush slightly into the paint and then wiped about 98% of it off before lightly stroking the car from top to bottom. With light, even strokes, the rivets, cor- ners, and other stand-out details will pick up the color but not the flat sur- faces–providing a “highlight.” Gener- ally, use lighter colors to highlight dark-colored models and dark colors to highlight light-colored models. High- lighting makes the details really stand out without discoloring the rest of the model. I often overdid the highlighting, so I simply went back over the area with flat black paint and highlighted it again. I highlighted the entire car, in- cluding the interior, trucks, couplers, and all the underframe components. With the car completed, I added
72
Kadee No. 58 couplers, polished the wheel treads, then sprayed a finish coat on the car using about 50% Testors Dullcote, 40% thinner and 10% Testors Flat Black mixed in for good measure. With the K-9 complete, I moved on to the next project, the ACL K-10.
ACL K-10 No. 93430 My K-10 model was completed using a different construction philosophy. I completely stripped off all cast-on de- tails, used after-market brake gear parts, and stripped the car and re- painted it using a Sunshine Models de- cal set made by Rail Graphics. I began by removing all the cast-on
grabs and appliances and replacing them with aftermarket parts. I re- tained the kit’s brake gear components but added all new rods and linkage made from Detail Associates No. 2504 .012″ diameter brass wire. I added grab irons per the prototype on the sides and ends, and I used Westerfield No. 1198 straight 18″ grabs, except for the bottom grab on the right side of each car where I used Westerfield No. 1197
modeler and can be used to weather models as well. You can buy an inex- pensive one from Badger or make one (see Jack Burgess’s article in the Feb- ruary, 2012, RMC). A thorough, soapy water cleaning is also sufficient to re- move oil and mold release residue prior to painting. After the model is cleaned up, paint it with Testors Gloss Black and set it aside to dry for a week. I decided to use Kadee No. 78 cou-
plers on my K-10, which are advertised as “assembled scale metal coupler and scale draft gear box [with] medium (⁹₃₂″) center-set shank.” I really like the No. 78’s, as they provide a reasonable alternative to the Accurail scale cou- pler/draft gear box and allow the use of the nice Kadee “scale” metal coupler. Unfortunately, I decided to make this coupler modification after the model was completely built, which necessitat- ed removing the coupler pad on both the car end and forward of the bolster. It wasn’t difficult but required some cutting and hacking that normally I prefer to do before assembling the car. After the coupler pad was removed and
MARCH 2012
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