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Post by cemr5396 on Jan 5, 2019 15:55:47 GMT -5
My next project is one of CN's Distributed Braking Cars. These are used in cold weather to help maintain brake pipe pressure. There is an diesel air compressor inside the car, linked to the head end electronically. This allows the DBC act essentially like a locomotive, assisting with recharging the brake pipe, but also initiating brake applications. I believe these cars have GN and BN heritage. This is my second attempt at building one of these cars. I was not 100% happy with the first one I did. My starting point is one of those old Details West Insulated Plug Door boxcar kits. Pics to come soon!
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EMDX6043
Chairman
Future ex-modeler
Posts: 837
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Post by EMDX6043 on Jan 5, 2019 16:42:58 GMT -5
Neat! I'm sure we're all looking forward to checking out the progress. Do you think adding a decoder for sound effects would be worth it??
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Post by annarborfan on Jan 5, 2019 21:47:43 GMT -5
Give Cannon & Co. 4021 and 4022 a look.
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Post by cemr5396 on Jan 6, 2019 1:08:19 GMT -5
Neat! I'm sure we're all looking forward to checking out the progress. Do you think adding a decoder for sound effects would be worth it?? To be honest, I don't know. Even standing still, the compressor unit is very quiet. In a moving train, it gets totally drowned out by other noise. But some sort of decoder may be in order to control the 4 flashing beacons the car has.
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Post by cemr5396 on Jan 6, 2019 1:10:41 GMT -5
Give Cannon & Co. 4021 and 4022 a look. you may be on to something here.... that 4021 car is strikingly similar to the prototype I'm working on. It looks so close, that may actually be the very car. I may have to reconsider my plan here.
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Post by cemr5396 on Jan 9, 2019 22:02:54 GMT -5
I've decided to go with my original plan for this kitbash. The Cannon car, while nice, would have cost me $100 after shipping, and the one I'm gonna hack up cost me $5.
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Post by cemr5396 on Jan 9, 2019 22:08:02 GMT -5
This is what I'm starting with. Basically, I'm going to sand off everything on the side of the car except for the door, and then start building stuff up from there.
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Post by cemr5396 on Jan 9, 2019 22:13:49 GMT -5
I had to lower the ride height a little, so I carved the ridge off the outside of the floor. You can see the truck mounting screws sticking up through the floor. I guess the last guy who had this car last thought it needed to be heavier, but I won't worry about it until the car is finished. If the weight needs adjusting, I'll deal with it then. The cushion underframe didn't stick out far enough, so I cut it off and glued it back on a little farther outboard. (For the moment) the car has Athearn trucks. They fit nicely over the mount on the underframe. I just need to dig up some 33" wheels that fit in them.
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Post by ironstef70 on Jan 13, 2019 20:15:27 GMT -5
Hmmm looks like an interesting built. I would also suggest that you add a keep alive chip inside, so to avoid the strobes flicking on dirty tracks.
One question: how do you plan to do the decals. Does Highball has them already in stock, or will you request a custom template? Stephane
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Post by ironstef70 on Jan 13, 2019 20:31:19 GMT -5
Hmmm looks like an interesting built. I would also suggest that you add a keep alive chip inside, so to avoid the strobes flicking on dirty tracks. One question, how do you plan to do the decals. Does Highball has them already in stock, or will you request a custom template?
Stephane
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artur
Chairman
Posts: 580
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Post by artur on Jan 14, 2019 10:24:19 GMT -5
That is a cool build, I'm going to have to build one myself
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Post by cemr5396 on Jan 14, 2019 19:36:34 GMT -5
One question, how do you plan to do the decals. Does Highball has them already in stock, or will you request a custom template? Didn't find anything from Highball that looked like it would suit my needs. I'll probably just piece all the lettering together from MS alphabet sets.
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artur
Chairman
Posts: 580
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Post by artur on Jan 14, 2019 22:38:30 GMT -5
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Post by cemr5396 on Jan 14, 2019 23:53:41 GMT -5
They're already on order
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Post by cemr5396 on Jan 18, 2019 22:24:54 GMT -5
The body after all the rivets, etc were removed. Starting to add the exterior posts.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jan 19, 2019 16:15:32 GMT -5
Following with interest.
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Post by mikeinwi on Jan 21, 2019 21:45:22 GMT -5
I'm also watching. I think you made a good choice going with the car you have, not only cost wise, but when you look at the Cannon car, there is an extra raised area behind each post.
Looking good so far!
Mike.
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Post by cemr5396 on Jan 23, 2019 20:03:48 GMT -5
I made a sketch to help figure out the post spacing, since that was one of the main things I did wrong the first time.
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Post by cemr5396 on Jan 27, 2019 16:53:38 GMT -5
Marker lights for the ends of the car. I'm modelling this car as at appeared before the markers were replaced with the strobes seen on the cars today. I filled the space between ribs with .030" styrene and used Details West E/F Unit backup lights (BL-162) for the marker.
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Post by cemr5396 on Jan 27, 2019 17:13:44 GMT -5
One of the prototypes in action the other day. Any opportunity to get proto pics of these in action is a welcome one. Note the flashing beacon on the end of the car, marking the end of the train. Generally trains with one of these on the end won't use a FRED, since the boxcar does all of FRED's functions. The cars also make appearances cut into the middles of trains, and in those cases a FRED would still be required.
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