MTL's pre-weathering getting better!

[3rdrail]

While it almost never gets below freezing at the South end of the FEC, it sure does at the North end around Jacksonville. Scrap or stone is loaded in a gon, then it rains and turns cold. You've got to thaw it to empty it, so you play a blowtorch in the sides. Real good for the finish, eh?

[up1950s]

While it almost never gets below freezing at the South end of the FEC, it sure does at the North end around Jacksonville. Scrap or stone is loaded in a gon, then it rains and turns cold. You've got to thaw it to empty it, so you play a blowtorch in the sides. Real good for the finish, eh?

Well  that answers that odd look , but it gets a lot colder north of the Jacksonville latitude , and I can't remember seeing this kind if condition on other cars . Strange eh ?

[GaryHinshaw]

To follow-up on my pointless question: a quick scan of the photo archives shows that basically all of the beige FEC gons look like this.  The lighting in this shot shows that the rust streaks follow the dents, as Lee postulates.  So I'd guess that these are loaded or unloaded with something like this:



which imparts pretty sharp ~vertical dents, and that the beige paint is cheap, and the Florida humidity is relentless.  :-[

[bbussey]

I'll get right on that!

You're doing them personally by hand?? You're insane man. 

[JoeD]

Tell me about it!  ;D  But it's a lot of fun...occasionally you get a little target fixated and lines start to wander, but it's a nice change from the daily responsiblities.  Production numbers are getting bigger so it's forcing me to look at some alternative ways of doing some of this stuff...which can help all around.  Pre faded cars are an area that I am pushing now.  I know the folks who like their stuff pristine will not be happy, but you don't know until you try.  Something like doing a two or three car release and have them all just a little shade variation would be interesting.  I've been working with some alternative materials for masking that I think have a lot of potential.  Just takes time.   Ideas are most welcome.   Now if I can only figure out a way of using Tom Mann's Sea Salt Technique in-mass   

Joe
MTL

[davefoxx]

Gary,

Thanks for sharing the picture of the FEC gondola in Pennsylvania.  I thought I had read that the gon was a MOW car, so it would not stray from FEC rails (or at least not often or very far).  That makes this car a possibility for me, depending on it's era.

Can anyone confirm whether this car existed in this scheme in the mid- to late-1980s?

Dave

P.S. By the way, Joe, it's an interesting thought that the purchase of a weathered MTL car is a custom job that was created in your own hands.

[Dave V]

Oooo...  Pre-faded.  A MUST for anything Penn Central after about 1973.  Sweet.

[GaryHinshaw]

We may be on the verge of something great here...  keep the lines open!

Dave,  a search of the UMTRR archive shows this car to be 2001-present, mostly in company service:

http://www.irwinsjournal.com/umtrr/index.htm?http://www.irwinsjournal.com/umtrr/mt0806.htm

(search for FEC).  Sorry.

-Gary

[bbussey]

...Production numbers are getting bigger so it's forcing me to look at some alternative ways of doing some of this stuff...which can help all around.  Pre faded cars are an area that I am pushing now.  I know the folks who like their stuff pristine will not be happy, but you don't know until you try.  Something like doing a two or three car release and have them all just a little shade variation would be interesting...

Joe, here are some examples of patches and pre-fades we've done at ESM over the years that sold well.  We're not MTL of course, but we've never had any complaints.





bb

[JoeD]

The toned down look really helps add to the visual weight of the car...less toy like I guess.  Like the patches to. 

[wm3798]

Hey Joe, before you add the weathering, how about an MTL version of that ancient and venerable Flexi Flo car!

Lee

[ednadolski]

Joe,

Could you also the lower the cars for us? ;D

There must be a way to make at least some cars so that they could easily be converted by the end user to a lowered configuration, and without adding too much production expense.  Perhaps something like a removable (or reversible) bolster?

I'd even be willing to buy & install a separately-marketed metal frame that was made for the lowered config (perhaps even a kit that comes with a set of low-profile wheels and a body-mount coupler?)

Anyways, just some thoughts FWIW.   I have some of the MT centerbeams that I've lowered, and the difference to my eye is dramatic.

Thanks,
Ed

BTW, I agree that the recent pre-weathered models are looking pretty good     Pre-faded is a great idea too, a good fade is intimidating for a lot of modelers but makes a dramatic difference in the appearance.

[tom mann]

I vote for prefaded too.  In fact, how about a patched, shortline boxcar set.  This would include patches, paint outs, and fading.

[jsoflo]

To follow-up on my pointless question: a quick scan of the photo archives shows that basically all of the beige FEC gons look like this.  The lighting in this shot shows that the rust streaks follow the dents, as Lee postulates.  So I'd guess that these are loaded or unloaded with something like this:



which imparts pretty sharp ~vertical dents, and that the beige paint is cheap, and the Florida humidity is relentless.  :-[

Hello from the south end of FEC country!
Those Gondolas are often used to haul stone, and they are loaded at the stone pits using front-end loaders. You can usually find a couple of those gondolas at the Ft. Pierce yard sitting in storage on the wye near piles of old ties, bridge sections and other debris, they are indeed heavily abused.

Here is one of the culprits (:
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td>[img width= height=]http://lh5.ggpht.com/_9TdoaaTxNLA/SiKJcuTol4I/AAAAAAAABVs/kopBmGFB3M0/s144/DSCN3044.JPG[/img]</td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From FEC convention photos</td></tr></table>
my best,
Jan

[ednadolski]

I vote for prefaded too.  In fact, how about a patched, shortline boxcar set.  This would include patches, paint outs, and fading.

Here's a few ideas for a common prototype.  Factory patches/paintouts/fades would really help both experienced and inexperienced weatherers, and yet still leave lots of opportunity to customize/individualize easily with rust patches/washes, re-stencils, and graffiti: