So that's where they came from! About 20 years ago, I purchased six Af
three-bay hopper shells from a modeler in Detroit for five Dollars apiece. One
became a CGW welded hopper, of which the company owned five. Another became a
regular CGW hopper, another an M&StL three-bay, and the others await their
fate. Interestingly, that modeler also photocopied for me a Perma-Bilt
catalogue. He said the original was in color, very interesting to see what was
once out there.
I also picked up from him and other vendors a few Perma-Bilt box cars. To the
one or two I have worked on the following modifications made them, I think, a
bit more prototypical:
1. Ditch the stamped roof. It looks like nothing a steel box car usually had.
Most steel box cars had the rectangular panel roof and later, of course, the
diagonal panel.
2. Use Northeastern S-scale roof stock rather than that stamped outrage. From
cardboard or styrene of the proper thickness, cut out rectangular panels of the
proper width.
3. Use Plastistruc T-sections for the stiffeners between the panels, cut them
to the proper length, and install them at the correct intervals. I use plans
photocopied from MM or even a PRS roof as a guide.
4. I use the wood blocks for the end, but rather than use the two narrow wooden
pieces on which the stamped roof would be mounted, I may find a popsicle stick
or piece of wood of that thickness and then mount the Northeastern roof stock
on that.
5. I have been using the stamped Perma-Bilt ends but may look for ends that are
closer to proptotype.
6. I have not yet tried but may in the future try the Archer rivet decals to
get greater detail for the horizontal rivets on the bottom and the top near the
roof.
Why take so much trouble? Well, I like the challenge and the end product. Oh,
and I do not use the Perma-Bilt stamped roof walk either but use an AM roof
walk. You'd be surprised at the change this makes.
Tom
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