Rebuilt reefer


Charles Smiley

Charles Smiley

cspmovies
I first scratch built this car back around 1980. I built it with steel-riveted sides. Back then everything was plastic with fake-looking ladders and grabiron details molded in the ends and sides.

But I had bad info from a Champ decal book on colors and lettering. It showed a rivet-steel car in yellow that would be changed to orange many years before the rebuilding added steel ends. It was my mistake back in a modeling era that was less concerned about these things.

So I had to finally rebuild the side panels completely again and repaint and letter it. I already have plenty of SP-UP PFE orange reefers and I wanted at least one WP-PFE version - so here it is.

WP-REBUILT-1-SMALL.jpg
 
Scratch building is always fun for me also. I have a couple of them hanging around on my layout. I really enjoyed some of the old wood kits too. I have a number of Silver Streak car on my layout also and probably more than half a dozen sitting around unbuilt. If they are properly done like yours (needs a bit of weathering by the way), are still great models today. I put Kadee sprung trucks under all of mine and usually no weight is needed for these cars either. You really get a feeling of accomplishment turning out something like this reefer.

Nice build !!
 
Very nice remodel Charles, and I agree with Montanan about scratch built - nothing more satisfying I don't think, or soul destroying, than taking a bunch of timber and turning it into something identifiable.
 
Thanks,

I painted to original sides orange over the incorrect pre-1928 yellow color but when I used the dry transfer lettering the orange lifted off with the decal sheet! See photo below of a removed side panel.

This was using real Floquil paint too. I have never had that happen before. THe old sides were made of Strathmore board with a thin paper layer of rivets embossed from the backside using a dull pin.

So I decided to just revert back to the vertical board wood side look of a car with upgraded ends and roofing such as those done around the WWII era to extend their lifespan.

RUINED-SMALL.jpg
 
Charles,

That is a shame, but what you ended up with is great. Seeing your above picture makes you wonder what decal makers are using for their adhesive and certainly would make anyone have second thoughts about using decals.
 
I like the make over much better than the original. Your the master at these things.
What you really need to do to finish it off is to add some NBW castings right above the grab irons.
The holes stand out a little too much!
 
I noticed that about the grab iron holes as soon as I posted the picture. It doesn't show up in regular viewing very well. I also forgot to paint them!

Thanks...
 
HA .. I sort of thought that you had not quite finished.

The lettering, and the roof, looks really great!
 
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The roof is all bass wood shapes with epoxy-coated paper cut in small pieces to make all the steel panels.

When I get slick junk mailer ads in epoxy paper (glossy & smooth) I save them for projects like this. It works much better than regular paper since it is smooth and well sealed so it doesn't absorb glue and paint and swell up. It's a nice material and the price is right!
 
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