Atlas 40' USRA Doublesheathed cars (new release)

[bbussey]

GHQ designed the radial roof NP wood boxcar model as a kit years ago but never released it.  Same for the radial roof NP wood reefer.

[Missaberoad]

Here's a radial roof USRA car, should be a relatively easy conversion...

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=404228

Here's the earlier car kitbashed by @mmagliaro from the IMRC reefer, was this the car GHQ tooled?

http://steamerafreightcars.com/gallery/boxauto/np39731main.html

Both are on my projects list...

[Cajonpassfan]

GHQ designed the radial roof NP wood boxcar model as a kit years ago but never released it.  Same for the radial roof NP wood reefer.

Yea, I remember gettin excited and signing up for both at some convention long ago....Kansas City?
Oh well...
Otto K.

[mmagliaro]

Here's a radial roof USRA car, should be a relatively easy conversion...

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=404228

Here's the earlier car kitbashed by @mmagliaro from the IMRC reefer, was this the car GHQ tooled?

http://steamerafreightcars.com/gallery/boxauto/np39731main.html

Both are on my projects list...

Yes, the one I made myself was what GHQ *would* have produced if they had released the kit.  I've seen some of the castings that Greg Scott (GHQ) made for the GHQ radial roof cars.  They are good.  Too bad I (and everyone else) could not convince him to offer the kits for sale.

As for this Atlas release.... darn... so close, and yet so far.  If the roof were cast as a separate removable piece, I would buy some of these and replace all my MT NP "stand-ins", and then replace the roofs.  But most likely, the roof is cast with the sides, and replacing it would be a pain.   

[Cajonpassfan]

...
As for this Atlas release.... darn... so close, and yet so far.  If the roof were cast as a separate removable piece, I would buy some of these and replace all my MT NP "stand-ins", and then replace the roofs.  But most likely, the roof is cast with the sides, and replacing it would be a pain.   

Agreed, and yes, the roofs are integral to the body. If one had a precise radial roof casting, how hard would it be to pop off the running board and sand down/mill off the existing roof down to the eaves?..(this is not a rhetorical question, precision work definitely involved, so maybe the answer is "hard"?) They are definitely NP signature cars and I could use at least a couple for my Swig train...
Otto K.

[Chris333]

Shapeways roof swap?

[wcfn100]

, how hard would it be to pop off the running board and sand down/mill off the existing roof down to the eaves?..(this is not a rhetorical question, precision work definitely involved, so maybe the answer is "hard"?)
Otto K.

Nothing a good mill file can't take care of.



Jason

[nkalanaga]

If you want to do that, and don't plan on leaving the door open, I'd suggest adding some interior bracing.  Once the roof is removed that door opening will be very fragile.  Also, there's nothing to keep the car square while you're working on it, which would make the job more difficult.

[bbussey]

The radial roof from the Atlas ARA boxcar possibly could be swapped in. Still major surgery to do the kitbash but at least a roof exists.