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Freight Cars Articles

"Springing" The Pacific Rail Shops Bettendorf Trucks

Improving the look and the performance of the PRS truck by removing the springs section and adding "real" springs. Includes photos.

A Beginner's Guide to Weathering

Weathering freight cars using both dry-brushing and airbrushing.

A Quick Fix for SHS Trucks

The sideframes of early S-Helper Service freight car trucks tend to cant inwards, so this article describes two ways to fix that issue.

A Truck Painting Mask

The author describes the mask he made so that he could paint the freight car wheels and not everything else.

ABCs of Freight Car Tune-up

How to make sure that trucks are operating correctly, couplers are functioning, and the car's weight is correct.

Adding Weights to Cars

Describes the NMRA-recommended weights for cars, and what kind of weights the author used to bring his cars up to spec.

Aging Plastic Cars

Using the heat of a lightbulb to deform the sides of freight cars to represent damage.

Air Brakes for Model Railroaders

This article covers how a freight car brake system works, how it is operated, and how we can simulate its working in our layout operating sessions. Includes several close-up photos and many diagrams.

Airbrake Pipes

The author describes how to create the piping for an AB and KC brake system of a freight car. Includes charts for each pipe and its diameter in the various scales. Also included is a diagram of how the brake system is laid out for a KD, KC, and AB system.

American Models AAR Freight Car Truck

A review of the standard North American truck used from the late 1930s on, which has self-aligning, spring-plankless, and double-truss plain bearings.

Analysis of the White Residue Found on A.C. Gilbert Plastic Cars and Accessories

People have seen a white residue form on their models and presumed it to be mold. The author performed a chemical analysis and confirmed it to be stearic acid (a mold-release agent) that was used on the polystyrene models.

Andrews and Bettendorf Trucks

In this Q&A section, the author explains the difference between an Andrews and a Bettendorf freight car truck. It also covers the Vulcan truck, which was a third competitor. Also covered are the PRR's "Type Y" truck, which is a Bettendorf variant that later became the AAR standard truck.

Back to Basics

It is prototypical to use passenger locomotives to pull freight trains.

Backshop Solutions

The author describes how to form grab irons, using a handful of jigs. Includes straight and drop grab irons.

Backshop Solutions

Apply details, weathering decks, installing LEDs in tall switch stands, 3D-printed details, and trackwork for modules.

Brake Wheels Circa 1930-1960

Describes many of the prototype's main brake wheels that were used, along with at least one photo of each of them.

Brake Wheels for N Scale Freight Cars

How to model and install the correct brake wheels in N-scale.

Building a Barrel Car Kit

This article covers how to build the Ye Olde Huff n' Puff barrel car kit.

Car Kits and Kadee Couplers

The author takes the beginner through the process of building freight car kits from several popular manufacturers. He also covers building and installing couplers.

Car Weighting

A basics article on using a scale, weights, and double-side tape to properly weigh cars to their NMRA specs. Shows types of weights available.

Cars Received and Forwarded on the Minneapolis and St. Louis Division of the C&NW Part 2

Eight more pages of a multi-page report indicating car type and commodity hauled from January 1, 1967 to June 30, 1969.

Civil War Rolling Stock

The author describes how he converted some A.F. train sets' cars to be used for Civil War equipment. Includes several photos of completed models.

CN's "Circus Cars"

Three boxcars and a cylindrical hopper car were colorfully painted with representative symbols indicating what was carried by that car as part of the company's advertising campaign.

Colorful Choices in New SHS Rolling Stock

The author describes a good number of new S-Helper Service's freight cars that are available.

Custom Decals

Tips for preparing decal artwork and using the Alps printer.

Decaling

The basics on applying decals.

Designing and Obtaining Private Road Name Heralds

When modeling a freelance railroad, you need to design your own logos and heralds. This article describes how to do this (before computers), and then how to order decals sets for your custom drawings.

Dual-magnet Uncoupling

The author found that using small, cylindrical rare-earth magnets, he was able to achieve more reliable uncoupling using the Kadee couplers. The concept has been tested in several scales.

Easy See-through Roofwalks

This article covers how to replace the American Models' roofwalk on a box car with an O-scale one made by Quality Craft Models. Includes construction photos.

Engineering Department

In trying to assure that your equipment stays on the track, this article covers trackwork, dirt, and center of gravity. Includes an explanation and diagram for the three-point suspension system recommended for cars.

Enhancing Classic Kits: Freight Car Trucks Part II

This article includes information about prototype trucks, and how to model them and keep them running on HO-scale freight cars. Includes prototype photos of three types of trucks.

Enhancing Maine Two-foot Trucks in On2/On30

How to add brake beams to the trucks to make them prototypically accurate.

Essential Freight Cars Part 20

For this installment the author show prototype and model photos of some oddball cars: QA&P boxcar, carbon black covered hopper, and a vinegar tank car. The article has a side bar on using abrasives to prepare a model for painting.

Express Reefer from Troop Sleeper in N

The author creates a postwar express car from a Micro-Trains troop sleeper, much like the prototype did. Includes prototype photos and detailed instructions about how to do the conversion.

Freelanced S Scale Cars as Gilbert Might Have Made Them

The author describes various cars he has kitbashed: 32-wheel PRR depressed-center flat car, a Doodlebug, a PRR E-6 Atlantic, a smoking caboose, and R-50B express box car.

Freightcar Tack Board

Prototype information about tack boards. S-scale placards can be ordered from the Dispatch editor.

Freightcarology

Prototypes for Plano autorack panel sets using Walthers autorack models. This is part 2 covering the newer panels.

Getting Real

To answer the question, "What is a "hot box"?", the author first delves into the design of freight car trucks, how the axle and the journal box interact, and what might cause a hot box. Also covers the Keeley (journal box cooler). Includes several prototype photos of the mentioned items.

Getting Real

The author shares his method of applying standards to his equipment on the layout, to help with performance, detailing, and lettering & weathering.

HOn30" Long-wheelbase Trucks

Using European HOn30 arch bars for two-foot gauge lines of Maine.

It Ain't Prototypically Correct!

Capacity data and actual wheels used on prototype cars can be inconsistent.

Joshua and Barbara Seltzer's Custom Painted AF Rolling Stock

The author describes how the Seltzers custom-painted and sold A.C. Gilbert American Flyer freight cars from 1973 through 1977. Includes ads and photos of the cars produced.

Keeping HOn3 Springs Intact

How to assemble Kadee No. 717 freight trucks without losing the springs.

Kitbashing a CN Ingot Car

Building models of the Canadian National 60-foot flat cars which were converted to carry aluminum ingots. Article includes model photos, prototype photos, parts list, detailed diagrams, and description of how the author converted a MDC 60-foot flat car.

Kitbashing Scale Cars from Toy Bodies Part 3

The series continues with converting A.F. cars to scale models, by converting a quad hopper, and a wine tank car. Includes diagrams and model photos.

Kitbashing Scale Cars from Toy Bodies Part 4

The author describes how to create a Virginian-style rotary coal car and a transfer caboose. Includes model photos and diagrams.

Kitbashing the TH&B's 1000-1149 Series Hopper Cars

Kitbashing a Toronto, Hamilton & Buffalo two-bay hopper from an Accurail 55-ton hopper car kit. Includes prototype photos.

Knuckles-n-Pins and Wrapping It Up

Several photos show how a coupler works.

Model 6 Different Mill Cars From State Tool & Die's Universal Mill Car

Steel slab car, plain deck slab car, well car, gondola, crop car, "X" car (used for heavy rubble service).

Model Railroad Maintenance of Way Part 1

This article covers using the NMRA standards gauge to check your rolling stock's wheels, verifying the correct coupler height, measuring the cars' weight, and lubricating if necessary. Coupler trip pin adjustment is discussed, and a portable test track is described.

Model Santa Fe TOFC Rebuilds in HO

Creating a model of the piggyback conversion covered in the prototype article in this magazine issue (see page 104). Many detail drawings and bill of materials.

Modeler's Guide To Freight Car Trucks

This article covers the history of freight car trucks, as well as naming the various parts that make up a truck. Prototype photos and texts are provided for Archbar, Andrews, Bettendorf, AAR, roller bearing, and several specific trucks. The last part of the article is an overview of N- and HO-scale trucks and wheels.

Modeling Tarpaper Roofs

Information on how to use tissue paper to model weathered freight car roofs.

Modeling Tips for Attaching Freight Car Running Boards

This is a sidebar to a larger article, in which the author describes the finer details about how to properly attach a running board (a.k.a. roof walk) to a box car. Also described are how to install the end supports and straps, as well as grab irons.

MR Workshop

This is an instructional tip on how to make an actuating lever to catch the axle of a piece of rolling stock that needs to be parked on a grade. His design also includes a safety LED, to be mounted in the fascia, to indicate whether or not the lever is in a position to catch the next axle.

MR Workshop

Jim describes a jig that can be used to consistently place grab irons' holes in the correct spots at the corners of freight cars. A diagram is included.

NASG Convention Cars

A listing of the annual NASG Convention cars from 1985 through 2010.

New Locomotives, Old Cars?

The author notes that Lionel has produced locomotives that can be seen on today's real railroads, but they have not made any freight cars to match the era. This article covers some of the cars by other manufacturers he was able to find that might be possible to model modern railroads.

NSC 53' Drawbarred Well Car Roster and Pictorial

On Building Bulletproof House Cars

The author shares his techniques for making freight cars relatively quickly, to be relatively sturdy, and to have a good amount of detail. Includes many project photos.

Page From the Past

Two pages of photos and brief descriptions of older S-scale freight cars.

Painting Wooden Freight Car Floors

The author shows techniques for painting plastic models such that their floors look like they're made from wood using an airbrush. Very realistic looking.

Perma-Bilt Clinic Follow Up

This is a follow-up article describing other modelers who have completed their Perma-Built freight car kits recently. Includes several photos of models

Puget Sound Tie Replacement Train Part II

Building models for a tie replacement train.

Quick & Dirty Freight Car Weathering

Shows how to weather freight cars using an airbrush. Shows which colors to use, what the typical weathering pattern is for particular cars.

Reflectorized Safety Striping

How to simulate safety striping that started appearing on rolling stock and locomotives in the 1970s.

Removing Lettering From Pre Painted Cars

The author describes his technique for wet-sanding the lettering off of an existing model. He used an S Scale America orange C&EI box car and converted it to a box-car-red UP one. The step-by-step process, with photos, is described in this article.

Reweigh Dates on Freight Cars

This article describes how car reweigh information is stated on the freight car, and how often it was done.

Rolling Stock Gilbert Could Have Made, But Didn't...

A hypothetical set of freight cars that A.C. Gilbert didn't make. Includes models by Gary Ippolito and Jerry Poniatowski.

Rolling Stock Grade Brake

The author describes how he built a handbrake to hold a car on a grade.

Santa Fe Piggyback Conversions

Discusses the conversions the AT&SF is undertaking (at the time of the article) to support the increase in 45-foot and longer highway trailer traffic. Many prototype photos and an HO-scale drawing of ATSF #293241 are included.

Scale Scene

The author continues to revisit old S-scale products that might be available on auction web sites. This column covers dealing with older freight car trucks (including re-gauging them to the current NASG standard). Several photos of discussed trucks are included.

Scale Scene

This article covers some of the older S-scale freight car kits that might still be available on the secondary market (in 2001). Covered are Rex Engineering, Super Scale (PermaBilt), Kansas City Kits, C-D Scale Models, Westbrook, Midgauge, Nixon Model Company, Bob Peare Engineering Corp, Sunshine Models, Northeastern Scale Modles, Kinsman, Stewart (now Ye Old Huff 'n Puff), Ambroid, Russ Mobley, and Quality Craft Models.

Scale Scene

The author describes the use of Kadee HO-scale and S-Helper Service S-scale couplers and how they are used and installed on S-scale equipment.

Scale Scenes

The author covers the various wheels available in S, and covers the various dimensions of parts of the wheels and what is used in S. In particular, the author describes the wheels that are available from NWSL, including the Proto:64 wheels.

Scratchbuilding Freight Cars

The article covers how the author built a commissary car, but it covers a lot of information about why you might want to scratchbuilt your own freight car and what the general steps might be.

Short and Easy

The idea is to decorate one side of a car for one railroad name or road number, and the other for another.

Short And Easy

The page includes a scale weight guide. Place a car on it, and the scale will tell you what the model should weigh in S-scale to meet the NMRA/NASG standards.

Short And Easy

Bill Lane contributes the idea of using music wire to reinforce the stirrups on Pacific Rail Shops' cars. Includes photos.

Short and Easy

Some early S-Helper Service trucks' sideframes leaned out an angle. Bill Mark, Jr. presents his solution to resolve that.

Simplified Lettering for Burlington Northern Freight Cars

Painting and applying decals for modern-day BN freight cars.

Slim Gauge Observations

The author shares a good number of photos of models are older ones in his collection.

Starters Part 3

This installment covers the AAR double-truss freight truck, with several S-scale models photographed.

Starters Part 4

This installment covers the S-scale versions of the National Type B, Buckeye six-wheel, and roller bearing trucks. Includes sample photos of each.

Starters Part 5

This installment covers the four-wheel plain bearing passenger trucks made in S-scale.

The 'S'traight & Narrow

How to build a reasonable selection of freight and passenger cars for narrow-gauge trains.

The Last Detail

How to add car tags to freight cars. A sample set of tags is provided on the page, as well as some photos of models.

The Long and Short of It

How to convert an ACF 3-bay covered hopper to a ACF 2-bay hopper.

The Scale Scene

The author covers the product lines of Sunshine Models, Liberty Models, Mainline Models, Regal Kits, Wisconsin Central, Train Stuff, and how they compare to the products available in 2002.

The Workshop

This column focuses on making a small modification to install Kadee couplers on an Atlas SW switcher.

Tips

Some ideas on changing things up a bit with freight cars, such as leaving off the journal box caps, leaving previous ownership paint schemes partially visible, odd gondola ends, hoppers freeze so a fire would be started next to them to defrost their load leading to interesting weathering,

Track Cleaning

Description of an extensive MOW train that includes at least 6 track cleaning cars to maintain a club's layout.

Tractors by the Trainload

Moving farm equipment to the market. Prototype photos of the early 1900s. Modern day photos of equipment moving freight cars. A model railroad layout track plan that models the transport of these types of equipment.

U-1 Wheel Stencils

Explanation of the yellow or white dots that appear in a black square on the side of freight cars. These indicate cars that are still equipped with sub-standard wheels. Many prototype photos are included.

Unique S Scale Freight Cars

Bachmann On30 flat cars, gondolas, and tank cars are a perfect fit for standard-gauge S-scale models. The author describes what he does to these to complete their conversion. Includes close-up and finished-model photos.

Using Semi-scale wheels and couplers

Changing the wheels and couplers of freight cars to more-to-scale ones improves the look of the models. He uses wheels from Reboxx and Intermountain, and couplers from Accumate. He uses the Reboxx Exxact Socket tool to improve the free-rolling characteristic of the trucks.

Weathering Steel Mill Cars

Unique hot-metal cars. Simulating glowing metal in the cars using miniature fluorescent light with red plastic filter.

What's On Your Workbench?

How to make secure walkways, using 3D-printed parts.

When Boxcars Were Red: Painting and Lettering in N-scale

Modeling the variations on the standard 40-foot boxcar. Includes some prototype and many model photos. There are also step-by-step photos on how to letter cars.

Wipe Out Freight Car Wobble

Explains how to get rid of wobble in N-scale cars.

Working Uncoupler Levers

The author describes how he builds working uncoupler levers for freight cars. Includes two photos and instructional diagrams.