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Date Created: |
11/4/2005 |
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Title |
Modeling Northern Pacific 50' RBL's In HO Scale |
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Keywords: |
NP RBL HO Insulated Boxcar |
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Author: |
Blair Kooistra |
Modeling
Northern Pacific 50' RBL's In HO Scale
Construction
No
truly accurate insulated boxcar (RBL) models exist to duplicate the distinctive
dark green Northern Pacific 50' cars. Northern Pacific built nearly all of the
hundreds of these cars they acquired from 1957-1967 at their Brainerd shops.
Seemingly, though, no two orders were alike, resulting in cars with door widths
from 8' 3" to 10', sides of welded and riveted construction, non-cushioned
and cushioned underframes, various types of
load-restraining devices, and safety appliances such as roofwalks,
grab irons and ladders. The all shared a few common traits, namely, 7-panel
sides, Late R + 3/4 dreadnaught ends, and a slightly-inset frame sill.
Of
the many 50' plug-door boxcars on the market, certainly the closest
off-the-shelf model to these NP cars are the Details West/Athearn
50' Youngstown door plug door cars, most recently produced by Athearn as stock number 91261. The paint looks good,
and the cars are certainly "close enough" for most model railroaders.
But I wished to raise my own standards somewhat and create a car far more
accurate for the Northern Pacific. To do so resulted in this kitbash of the NP 97853, constructed in 1965.
This
car isn't really 100% accurate for any group of NP RBL's;
the sides, however, with 7 panels (each side of the plug door), 10' width door,
and riveted construction, are pretty close for the 200 cars delivered in 1965
in the 98700-97899 series. I started with a decorated car, being careful not to
damage the nice paint (if I were to use an undecorated car, I'd have removed the
cast tackboards on the sides and moved them to their
correct position. I decided to let this one pass). I retained the car sides and
correct Hydra-Cushion underframe, cutting away and
discarding the ends (somewhat crude, and with molded handbrake supports down
low) and roof (an incorrect Stanray "diagonal
panel" roof).
I
recommend using photographs when choosing a car to model; resources I used were
the all-time NP equipment roster on the NPRHA website, pictures on the
George Elwood "fallen flags" website (http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/),
and color views in the Morning Sun NP equipment book by Todd
Sullivan.
After
cutting off the ends and roof, sand the sides straight, leaving the rivet
strip intact on both ends of the sides. I then added Branchline
100002, "Late R+3/4 Improved Dreadnaught Ends." Next was to add the
roof, a representation of the Pullman Standard "bowtie"
overhanging 50' roof, salvaged from a 10-year-old Walthers
waffle-side boxcar. This castings is somewhat crude by current standards, but
no readily available PS "bowtie" roof exists on the market, apart
from those included in the Athearn Genesis NACC 50' boxcar--and it isn't available separately,
but if you purchase an undecorated version of this car, you'll get both the
diagonal panel and bowtie roof. (Modelers of 60s freight cars ardently hope for
a PS bowtie roof to hit the market soon!)
You'll
probably have to shim up the length of the underframe
with a thin strip of styrene so it fits snugly. Then all you have to do is
detail the car, adding the correct signature 8-rung ladders found on most NP
boxcars (available separately from Branchline,
but not carried in their catalogue), Plano stainless steel brake platforms
(#131) and crossover platforms (#128), end stirrups (A-line pieces, bent to
properly match the prototype), a vertical handrail just left of the plug door,
and a stirrup under the door on the bottom of the car side.
To
the roof was added Moloco roofwalk
supports (RB-0802), and a Kadee roofwalk
(2013) with the mounting pins snipped off and the bottom of the roofwalk sanded smooth. I used Goo
to secure the walkway to the roof; others have used ACC, but temperature
variations may cause the roofwalk to warp.
I
painted the roof a mix of aluminum and light grey paint for that galvanized
metal look; I masked off the factory lettering, and feathered the paint over
the additions of the car in with the factory paint. I mixed up a batch of dark
green PollyScale paint using a CNW green, reefer
yellow, a touch of signal red, and some engine black; it was strictly
trial-and-error, and I’d suspect that if you prefer Scalecoat
II that their NP dark green might be a good match. The underframe
was painted in grimy black.
I
covered the yellow-gold striping and loader medallion with the orange decals
from Microscale 87-404, which also provided a correct
car number and builder's date.
After
slipping in the underframe, I added an extended draft
gear airhose and cut levers, and a now more-accurate
NP RBL was now ready to hit the road. Unfortunately, among the dozen
less-accurate similar cars on the layout, this one looks so much better that
I'll be busy upgrading the rest of the fleet. . . as soon as someone produces a
readily-available PS "bowtie" roof!
Bill of Materials
Athearn
91261 Northern
Pacific 50' PD
Branchline
100002 Late R+3/4 dreadnaught ends
Branchline
8-rung ladders
A-Line
Stirrups (style
A or B--to bend into correct shape)
Walthers 50' PS "bowtie" roof (salvaged from
earlier 50' P-S exterior post and waffleside boxcar
kits)
Kadee
2013
50' Galvanized Apex running board
Microscale
87-404 NP 40-and-50' plugdoor
boxcars
Moloco RB
802 rooftop walkway
supports
Photos
