A Return and Resinating

 I am somewhat embarrassed at my lack of progress as I re-read my last post (from January!). Of course there are reasons, none of which are of much import other than life’s adventures. Everyone is healthy with no significant challenges or issues. No sense dwelling on where the time has gone as we can only go forward.

My workspace, while compact, is all set up and is proving functional.  The picture below shows the arrangement, with most of my commonly used tools at hand.

As usual, all pictures can be enlarged by clicking on them

The space is well lit and the compactness actually helps minimize my tendency toward clutter. The open shelves house more tools, projects, reference books, styrene, wire and small commonly used detail parts such as grab irons, ladders, uncoupling levers, screws and the like.  More details such as doors, roofs, roofwalks, underframe and brake components, scenery and vehicle details are on the shelving with doors just visible at extreme left.

While I have not been building much, accumulating more freight car kits has continued.  There are two cabinets above on the wall filled with my kit stash, which now has some 240 styrene, resin and hybrid kits in total (yikes, this is the first time I have put that total down in one place!). I have been disciplined about sticking with my 1965 modeling period with a focus on the West and my interest in forest products industries.  Opportunities to pick up a few out of production kits from Sunshine, Speedwitch and other small resin kit makers have allowed me to stash some signature cars that I am very excited to have.

Given my current interests, as well the limited space for a small six foot switching layout, I am honing my focus on the cars that I want to build for both my historical interest as well as growing my modeling skills. As a result, I have been judiciously selling a few kits that no longer fit and am also selling some ready-to-run (RTR) cars, particularly when there is a kit I can build to replace them.  My space will only allow use of a handful of cars at a time, so enjoyable kits to build are a priority now.  Model building is the part of this hobby that I enjoy the most, and I am finding that historical research to construct accurate models with high fidelity is very satisfying.

Resinating

On that note, I have finally started on my first resin boxcar kit after an epic length of time procrastinating.  The kit, Funaro & Camerlengo (F&C) number 8400, of a Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) X37 single door boxcar, is sitting on the workbench in the photo above.  The prototype is similar to a 1937 design boxcar, with some characteristic Pennsy design features.  These were 40’ length cars with a 10’ 4” inside height. The roof has distinctive depressed panels at each end for car clearance, with a wooden roofwalk.  The sides have a unique alternating rivet pattern and most of the X37’s rode on PRR coil elliptic 2D-F19 trucks with both leaf and coil springs. Here is a prototype builders photograph.

You will also note the interesting two rung steps on each corner.  It is a very appealing car with its slightly out of the ordinary look versus other cars of the time.  The PRR built 1000 of theses single door cars starting in December 1939 and a large number were still on the roster in my modeling year of 1965.

Here is the kit on my workbench after removing it from the box.

In deciding on which resin car kit to start with, I considered a few factors, including having a one piece body with a fairly standard underframe, standard ladders versus grab irons, readily available decals and good prototype data to work from.  I do realize that there are certain challenges that come with most F&C kits, but so far it has been within my capabilities and I expect it will look decent when finished. Honestly, I also purchased this kit at a discount and would not be overly distraught if I messed up.  The kit is readily available and could be replaced if the worst happened, unlike many of my others.

I’m making progress this week on flash clean up and have ordered trucks and decals.  I will post in progress photos and commentary, including some enhancements, over the coming weekend.  For now, I wish all of you in the US a Happy Thanksgiving.