Kitbashes and Craftsman Kits

I always have 15 or more projects going, so I can't get bored with any one project. These are all near finished or finished projects. Every once in a while I think I am done, then take a picture and realize what I forgot.

This is a Red ball wood, pre-printed paper side and metal kit. I laminated the sides to sheet styrene and built a styrene roof. It came with an embossed paper roof, which just did not look good to me. When I am building a vintage kit like this, I try to use as much of the original kit as I can, but there are many items that we have available now that were not available when this kit was manufactured 40 years ago...maybe more?

This is another Red Ball paper side kit. I could write a lot on this one, but suffice to say, it did not fit together like it was supposed to. Again, I laminated the sides to styrene, and used styrene for the slope sheets. The ladders that came with the kit were formed poorly, so I substituted Grandt Line ladders. Otherwise, it is fairly close to stock.

This will bring back memories for some of the MCoR members. I did not start model railroading until the 1980's, so this is before my time, but I like this type of kit. When I saw it, I just had to have it.

I think this is the first HOn30 item I have posted. I kitbashed this from a Readers Digest free give away N scale gondola. I just used the sides, scraped off the grab irons, and built the ends from styrene. To give it plenty of weight, I built the floor and supports from brass.

I also added brake detail as it really seemed to need it. I am working on an HOn30 tank car and a flat car. I am planning on soldering up the under frame for the flat car.

For comparison purposes, here is the HOn30 gondola in front of a standard gauge caboose. More on the caboose below.

I kitbashed this from two Tyco kits, Plastruct shapes using an article from a magazine. The Detail Associates antenna really makes the car Pennsy, doesn't it.

And now, looking at the pictures, I need to add Micro Glaze "glass" to the windows.

Update from several weeks ago. I added "glass" to the windows, except a couple, see the close up below, that I left without glass.

Since the car is modeled as being reconditioned, I modeled two window as being repaired with new wood on one side.

This car is from a Roundhouse 3-in-1 kitbash series kit. Obviously, it is the Tower Car. It is part of the Fire Fighting series, as is the car below.

And this is the water car from the same kit. With all 3-in-1 kitbash kits, you have to purchase added details and use lots of styrene and/or wood to complete the project. I still have one more car to complete in this set, but I have misplaced it...it will show up some day.

This is from one of my favorite manufacturers, Megow. This kit is probably older than my 54 years. Paper sides again, that I laminated to styrene. I also added styrene ribs to the side, and used 1/8" steel for a section of the bottom, to hide the weight. Other than the paper sides, ends, brakes cylinder, and hoppers, I don't think I used anything else from the original kit. The hoppers were cast metal that had degraded and I rebuild them and added some side detail.

This is a Tyco model kitbashed per a magazine article. I was able to find the Champ decals thanks to soobaldwin. Thats all for this week.