RIP Track

RIP Track

By Gary Myers, part-time modeler (when I’m lucky)

It started off as a nice, hot, sunny day ……….. I checked the RIP tracks on my club’s layout, the Scenic Line Modelers HO Denver & Rio Grande Western. On our layout, we have Repair–In–Place (RIP) tracks next to the Salida Car Shops, where we place any rolling stock (and locomotives) needing service, from broken or missing parts to operational miscues. Whatever the issue is, it is recorded on a Bad Order slip by the operator, and inserted in the pocket of the car card associated with each piece of rolling stock.

After a few operating sessions, I had noticed on this particular day, the RIP tracks had become “full”, so I took a boxful of equipment to “repair” in MY “place”.

There were a few of the usual bad boys, a narrow gauge gondola with a broken stirrup, a standard gauge gondola with a missing brake wheel, D&RGW stock car #39497. The Bad Order slip indicated that there was a problem with an out of gauge coupler. I was putting the car back in the box with the car card when I noticed. The car card was numbered for D&RGW #39427, but the car was numbered #39497.

The Story

Checking the club roster I noticed that we had two of these cars numbered #39497. One was my son Alex’s, the “miss-numbered” one in RIP was my own. These were two old TYCO models, that we had cut off the truck mounted horn hook couplers and pockets and replaced with KaDee couplers and boxes. There is no prototype Denver & Rio Grande Western standard gauge stock car model, but surprisingly, the TYCO model closely resembles the 1948 40’ single deck 39400-39499 series. Apparently, I had written the car card with the intention of one day renumbering the car. Of note, TYCO had unprototypically lettered the car with yellow decals – and no car data.

Let ‘er RIP!

Well, I had a car card with a different number, so I guess this was the time. I removed the shell and used my Polly Scale Easy Lift Off decal remover to remove all the yellow inks that were impressed on the model. I dug through my decals for numbers, Rio Grande decals and car data. Before I started decaling, I noticed the weights attached to the top of the floor held with large plastic tabs and the unpainted interior.

The next thing I knew, I was painting the interior with a washed out dark gray and cutting scale 2’x6’ strip Evergreen styrene into floorboards to cover the top of the floor. I used my razor saw to ‘etch’ wood grain into the strips, to avoid the perfectly smooth look. After CA-ing the floor boards in place, I applied some acrylics and washes to give the floor a worn look. To cover up the large plastic tabs securing the weights, I cut up some Woodland Scenics grass to simulate hay on the deck, securing it with wet glue. I applied the decals, using not enough Micro-Set in the first place and using tons and tons of Micro-Sol to smooth and flatten them out.

Studying the photo of the prototype in Jim Eager’s “Rio Grande Color Guide to Freight and Passenger Equipment,” I noticed that the car’s stock doors did not really match the model’s doors, but could probably be easily made from scratch. Using some 2’x6’, 2’x8’, and 4’x4’ Evergreen styrene, I was able to make doors that resembled the prototype. Using the old door to measure the pieces, I cut up several pieces to make the boards and CA’d together. I used my black Humbrol paint to finish the doors.

As I often like to do prior to weathering my rolling stock, I took the time to drill #80 holes for eye-bolts to mount above the left side car pocket on each end, to thread coupler lift bars. Sometimes I make these from scratch, this time I used Detail Associates #6215 Uncoupler Lift Levers. I also painted these black after CA’ing them in place. I also took a pair of TICHY glad hands that I had pre-painted long ago (I usually paint these in batches for later use), drilled #66 holes and installed to the right of each coupler, again securing with CA.

I did not forget about the wheels and trucks. These were painted Rail Tie Brown. I added burnt sienna acrylic paint to the springs and near the journals to simulate rust. I also added my Bragdon Enterprises weathering powders and Testor’s Dullcote to the trucks.

I did notice the fake tack boards on the car ends, which were not on the prototype stock car. These were bulbous, smooth protrusions on the corrugated ends – which I did not have the energy to remove. Instead, I used some of my scrap planking from the floor to make new wooden tack boards to glue over the smooth plastic, to make them a little more interesting. I probably could have more easily scraped in some wood grain from a razor saw to get the same effect.

Finally, ………after many, many days,……….my stock car re-numbered as D&RGW #39427 is ready to return to the rails with corrected lettering, weathering, hay on the deck, new doors, and coupler – which after a check with a coupler gauge - checked out OK. It really didn’t take so long to do the work as getting around to it, but the car returns as a nicely improved model to the fleet. If I can remember, I’ll have #39427 on display at the 2016 Pike’s Peak or Bust Model Contest room! J

Reviewing the prototype with the TYCO car showed several similarities and the largest discrepancies, notably the side doors.

The old TYCO Denver & Rio Grande 40’ Stock Car with Yellow (Gold) Lettering.

My TYCO car after renumbering and decaling, with added details.