Box Cars

RC&G 200 series
There are two different classes of box cars on the line, wood and steel. Their are two different styles of wooden box cars but these are grouped together in the 200 to 249 number series. The first type are the Bachmann cars based on an ET&WCN prototype. These suffer from the same issues as all the cars from Bachmann's early Big Haulers series in that the trucks are inset too far and have Talgo style coupler mounting. All of these get new Aristo Delton sprung trucks and body mounted Kaydee #1 gauge couplers. Many hobbyists think these cars are made wrong because the doors on the car both open towards the same end of the car unlike most that open to the right when view from the side. The cars however are correct for the prototype they were model after. The other style of wooden box car in service are the Aristo Delton classics cars which are roughly patterned after a D&RGW car. These come with the correct trucks correctly mounted and I only need to replace the wheels with one of a smaller diameter and add the Kaydee couplers. The photo below shows one of the Bachmann cars after being modified.

This particular car has been designated for hide use only. These cars are used to transport hides from the meat packing plant to the tannery which usually leaves the car both smelly and messy and not fit for general use. It also illustrates the "wrong way" opening door.


The next photo show the other style of wood boxcar from the Aristo Delton line.

The RC&G was an early participant in car advertising and this car is an example of that as well. Other than the RC&G lettering and numbering, new wheels couplers and a little light weathering this car is otherwise unmodified. The majority of the box car fleet are painted a dark box car red.

The steel box cars are the line are based on the EBT steel boxcars. No one makes commercial models of these so they are all scratch built with acrylic bodies sheathed in styrene.
Some photos of the construction are show below The outside bracing is Plastruct styrene 'Z' shape

From the bottom you can still see the clear acrylic that is underneath the styrene sheathing. The floor has been scribed to represent the wood floor.

Some cross bracing added as well as the couplers.

The rivets are sequin pins which required drilling a hole for each and every one. The roof is wood with the angles cut on the table saw.


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Updated  3/7/19