Rationalization Continues

As I have continued to sell off  a few models that don't see much running time out on the layout, I offered up for sale this Kato SD38-2 leaser model.  A former Chicago and NorthWestern  locomotive, I had patched and re-lettered this one for National Railway Equipment (NREX). It really didn't take too long for this model to find a new layout, where hopefully it will see lots of running time.

6656 out on it's last run around the layout

This Kato SD40-2 is another leaser-type locomotive that has found a new layout.

 Both of the above locomotives have made their way to another modeler in Kingston, Ontario.

Also this week, I was rotating a few freight cars off of the layout, and cycling some others on. One that hadn't been on for some time is this heavily weathered waffle sided boxcar. At 7315 cu.ft., these cars are pretty big.

This particular boxcar started out all blue before it acquired all that surface grime and rust.  It's been a long time since I weathered this one, but I did emulate a prototype that I had a picture of at the time.

I was shoving the Pullman-Standard 60 footer to the loading dock, when I noticed some slight damage, so I took it over to the workbench for some quick repair.  The car is pictured again below, with it's two damaged stirrup steps repaired and FRA reflective stickers attached.  The stirrups were bent almost to the point of breaking off completely.  They're just such a fine detail that it's almost seems like they can be damaged if you just look at them.

I took a little time on-line to research the sticker locations.  I didn't find prototype photos of this exact number car, but I did find one that was close, so I tried to at least emulate that. There are differences in the placement of some of the labelling/marking between the prototype and this Exactrail model. A bit of compromise had to be made so as to not cover over any of those printed markings.

And another faded and weathered 7315 cu.ft. waffle boxcar had the reflective stripes added at the same time. This one is lettered for the Norfolk Western.

I have two or three other similar cars that will receive the stripes as they work their way onto the layout.