Cibola Railroad Short Build, Repaints & Flatcar Loads

[Boomer_K_MOGWAI]

Box Cars

I have two different paint schemes in use. They reflect box cars painted pre-merger and post-merger with the mining company.

The older cars are repainted Bachmann Spectrum wood roofs.

Black primer then Cibola green. The markings are a combination of masking using vinyl adhesive letters and ink jet printed decals. The paint is then sanded down for ageing.

The second car has two hobos playing cards and getting snockered.

The post-merger cars are Accucraft with murphy roof. The lettering and logo are laser printed decals.

This last car was done by Bart Salmons for his layout. I gave him the car and decals. Don’t know what became of it but it is the only car lettered for my railroad that I do not have possession of.

[Boomer_K_MOGWAI]

Refrigerated Boxcars

I wanted some billboard reefers on the layout so I had to create the companies to own and use them.

These are all Accucraft with inkjet printed decals.

This first one is for a fruit and vegetable processor. This same company will be the owner of the pickle car.
The background design is from a 1920s porcelain china pattern.

The second reefer is owned by a cattle company and meat packer. Someday I will add a poultry car to their fleet.

Some light weathering to finish the job.

The last car is for an express to go with my passenger service.

[Boomer_K_MOGWAI]

Livestock cars

A simple repaint of two Accucraft stock cars. A base coat of black primer followed by white primer and then canary yellow. Masking with vinyl letters

Mitford Livestock Shippers. A wholly owned subsidiary of Mitford Poultry.

[Boomer_K_MOGWAI]

Gondolas

Low side gondola with 55 gallon drum load. The car is built from an Accucraft tank car. Remember when Al Kramer was selling these for $25? I bought a case of them.

The tank is removed and new sides are made from bass wood with Ozark detail castings and a coat hanger.

The drums were way more involved. There were at the time none in mass production of the correct scale. I had to make my own master from PVC and styrene, then hollow cast 30 of them. They were filled with spray foam insulation to make sure they had enough surface area on the bottom to glue them firmly in place.

Hand painted with inkjet printed labels on bond paper. They were glued on with Elmer’s white glue and then spray clear coated.

The car gets markings made from Inkjet printed decals and a little light wash for weathering. Finally done.

Dropside Gondola

Repainted Spectrum gondola. Green over black with inkjet decals.

The car had to be completely disassembled then painted and weathered in pieces to get around all the detail parts.

Once it was back together a Styrofoam block filler was glued in with a second mound shaped piece. Black primer to help hide the ugly truth. The ore load is medium ground cork mixed with black wash and white glue. I shaped it over the mound with a spoon. Once it dried I gave it a wash of gray.

All done.

[Boomer_K_MOGWAI]

Flatcar

Repainted Spectrum flats with inkjet printed decals.

Well it is all about the loads on these first two cars.

Bulkhead flat with hay load.

The bulkheads are made from basswood, Ozark details and floral wire. The hay bales are a advertising promotionals for a farm supply that I found on E-bay. They scale to within 1" of standard bales. The chain is from Hobby Lobby metal jewelry supply. I put a Styrofoam block in the middle of the stack to keep weight down.

Standard flat with cable drum load.

Another project where the load is an intense level of construction.

After considerable research I decided on wooden closed cable drums. These are made from Popsicle sticks with a Styrofoam core. After being glued together. They were cut on the band-saw to insure alignment of the sides.

The lettering is masked with adhesive vinyl letters. The labels are inkjet printed on bond paper.

To hold them in place I made a temporary rack from basswood to attach to the flat car.

DRGW Flat with tractor load.

Accucraft car factory painted and lettered with some basic weathering.

The tractors are 1/20 scale epoxy kits. They were given to me by a fellow trainiac here in NM. I have no idea who the manufacturer is. The crates are assorted a mixture of LGB, Prieser and Woodland Scenics products.

[Boomer_K_MOGWAI]

Mine cars

These are made from the Bachmann 4 wheel side dump gons.

The ore cars were disassembled for painting and weathering. I sanded down the top edges to make them look used and abused. The ore loads all have a Styrofoam block and are made from ground cork the same as the side dump gon above. Markings are all inkjet printed decals.

Bobber Caboose

Made from Bachmann side dump gon. The body is basswood with a plastic Delton locomotive roof. Grab handles are brass strap. A mixture of handmade and Bachmann details are used. No idea who the manufacturer of the figure is but putting tht cigarette in his hand was a bear.

[Boomer_K_MOGWAI]

Thats all I got… or is it?

[David_Marconi_FOGCH (David Marconi CHHNNG)]

Great log Boomer. And the thought put into the individual cars and the work put into their creation is outstanding

[Shane_Stewart]

Wow, someone has been busy. Projects all look great.

Shane

[capecodtodd (Todd Haskins)]

Wow that is some terrific old school modelling. Very nice. The loaded flatcars are really impressive.

[Dave_Meashey (David Meashey)]

Folks;

Way back in the day, a company called Scan Kit made a nice little (European) wayside telephone shelter. It was the basis for the body of my “Lil’ Duce Caboose.”

Imagineering such stock is a lot of fun.

Best, David Meashey