WC Boxcars

[Karl]

I have a bunch of WC boxcars I’ve been working on. The ex-Soo cars were used on the White Pine sun for added braking power on the steep grades

[Paul S.]

I did not know that, Karl. Did WC add weight to those 40-footers with concrete or steel slabs?

[Karl]

I did not know that, Karl. Did WC add weight to those 40-footers with concrete or steel slabs?

I have to research that a little. I remember they had something inside. I want to say it was bags of sand, but I’ll confirm that

[Paul S.]

That would make sense, cheaper too, I bet.

[Allen]

They look great Karl!

[Karl]

Here’s one I did a while ago to add to the pics

[Paul S.]

Looks like the modules are getting a real sunlight today, Karl?

[Karl]

Paul S. Yeah, we got the rare sunny day so I dragged one outside for a photo shoot

[Russ C]

A nice looking fleet of boxcars there Karl!

[Karl]

I know it’s not a boxcar, but I also run a bunch of gondolas on White Pine. Pulpwood and copper ore are both shipped off the line.

[Paul S.]

One of my favorite carloads on the Soo/WC. Nicely done, Karl.👍

[Allen]

Nice!

[Russ C]

Nice job on both the load and the car.

[Karl]

Thanks everyone! I can’t take credit for the load. A friend sent that to me from MN. I’ll probably build some new ones with pulpwood sized logs at some point. Maybe when SooParts releases the Thilmany gons.

[Karl]

I wrapped up another boxcar today. This one was a stripped down repaint of a FVM car.

[Karl]

I added another gon to the layout too. I saw a couple MP cars in some photos from White Pine, so I added one to the ops mix. TrainWorx had one in the right number sequence, so I just had to weather it. Prototype photo by Dennis Leopold

[Allen]

Looks good Karl! What are you using for a weathering medium?

[Karl]

Paul S. it was built for Copper Range Ry, the copper refinery used it until they leased an ILSX SW1, now the S12 is in display at the museum in Duluth, MN.

Allen I use a few different methods. I start with a coat of Tamiya Dullcoat, then airbrush a light brown wash, building up the road grime and faded look. Then I come back with a light hot of pan pastels (mostly on the trucks). For the inside of the gon, I use another brand of weathering chalks, applying the chalk dry, then dropping Isopropyl Alcohol on it to get the clumps to set in place

[Allen]

Nice Karl, thank you. I still need to get around to trying my hand at weathering the inside of some hoppers and gons.

[Karl]

I finished decaling 2 of the ex-SOO cars. Doing the small car numbers on the ends of the car takes some time. That and the unusual numbers used on some of the car sides… once I get all four decaled, I’ll seal and weather them.

[Paul S.]

Sure adds character to that cars, Karl. I take it Soo and WC carried wood products in those? Or copper ingots?

[Karl]

Paul S. the WC kept a string of these on the White Pine Sub to add extra braking power on the grades between Bergland and White Pine Michigan. They were added to the rear of heavier trains. I’m only building 4 of them, but I’ve seen pics with up to 8 on an L044 or L045 (White Pine EB/WB)

[Paul S.]

Ah, that's right, Karl! Now I remember you mentioning that the WC assigned some surplus 40-foot boxcars for braking on the White Pine.

[Karl]

Slight deviation from boxcars. I figured I’d keep it in this same thread. I had some old Walthers ballast hoppers I’ve been sitting on. I found a WC prototype they came close enough to. Well… close enough after I chopped 3/8” out of the car, stripped the ladders off and added brass details… before and after:

[Paul S.]

Masterful, Karl. I cannot see a seam. Just a little something atop the middle rib, and paint will obscure that.👍👍

[Karl]

I am adding another boxcar to ops on White Pine today. This one came to me courtesy of Allen. I swapped the trucks, body mounted the couplers, added etched stirrups and weathered it up. Not too bad for it only being here a few days!

[Michael Whiteman]

Nice addition. I bet Allen wants it back now.

[Paul S.]

"Nice addition. I bet Allen wants it back now."

Definitely on the first point. And perhaps this will be the germination of HRCX, lessor of N scale rolling stock?🙂

[Karl]

Another set of cars (thanks for hooking me up Allen!). I like the Roundhouse/MDC/Athearn 50’ tank cars, they just need some upgrades to make them fit in with more modern cars. White Pine will be getting cars of acid, so I started the process of prepping these for a full detailing. The Gold Medal models set has done well for me in the past, so I’m going to use it again. I started by stripping off the plastic details, now I’m smoothing the bodies out to minimize the seam line.

[Paul S.]

I always like the MDC tank cars too, Karl. Very decent appearance for the price tag. I'll be anticipating what magic you'll weave with them.

[Allen]

OMG! What have you done to those poor cars!!!! 😂

[Karl]

Now with the first coat of primer on!

[Karl]

While I’m jumping from project to project, I’ll throw one more in the mix. I got a NAFTA hopper kit to experiment with while I’m waiting for their barrel hopper kits to be realeased. The details are nice (and this is only a test run). I added GMM ladders and a brake wheel, as well as some .01” wire grabs. The primer is on. Maybe I can get this painted next weekend.

[Allen]

Cool! Thanks Scott

[DocHoliday230]

Did some digging on these cars in general. Built in 1965 ny National Steel Car for CN Great Slave Lake Division ore trains. 4 locomotives and 245 cars paint yellow. Later sold to NBEC and SSAM(WC)

[Karl]

That is great to know, thank you DocHoliday230!