N8 cab windows question

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I'm working on the CMR N8 caboose and trying to fix the cupola window issues.

Was the cupola the same height off the caboose roof as the N5C? The model's cupola is nearly a foot taller than the Bowser N5C.

When CR replaced these with FRA glass there seems to be two sizes. Any guess as to what the sizes are?

Were these windows rectangles? Trapezoids? Was the inner edge of the panes perpendicular to the car, or slanted?

If they were rectangles, were the sizes standardized with other cars, say like end windows of transfer or bay window cabs?

[prr7161]

Was the cupola the same height off the caboose roof as the N5C? The model's cupola is nearly a foot taller than the Bowser N5C.

On the prototype, the cupola heights were roughly the same.  The N8 might be an inch or two taller.  Bowser squished the cupola height on their model, so I would not work off the Bowser for comparisons (they hiked up the ride height to accomodate oversize couplers, then flattened both the main and cupola roofs to get the total height off the rail back to the prototype dimension).

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Ah that makes sense. The bowser car anyways looked a little off but I couldn't place it. The N8 also looks off to me. I guess PRR vans are hard to model.

[prr7161]

Here's a good 3/4 view for reference:



Looking at the CMR body, the one thing that definitely jumps out is the front and rear cupola windows.  They should definitely tilt up a bit towards the middle of the car, and are maybe a bit less rectangular than what the model has.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I did open up the end cupola windows and made the cupola sides a bit more upright. The end roof skirts are not quite right but I'm not sure there is anything I can do with that. Drip rails will help the side cupola windows.

I was able to get rid of most of the striations. Those on the car side will disappear with paint and weathering.

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The underframe is really brittle and I already broke it twice.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Do you have the Conrail caboose book?

If not.

Get it.

https://store.garbelypublishing.com/conrailcabooses

Second, you might be in luck. As these things got modernized, a lot of the window details changes. That should help with some of the weirdness.

Lastly, the fact that THAT is how Bowser decided to "fix" the car (by making impossible to reverse changes) is infuriating. I blame reviews in magazines that emphasize "height over the rails" over other dimensional accuracy.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I wonder if a new N5C cupola would be a good item for Keystone details.

Oh yes. I have the caboose book. It is one of my favorite books on Conrail so far. I also have the Morning Sub caboose book as well.

My main issue is that, while the original cupola end windows appear to be trapezoids, I just don't know what the size of the FRA replacement glass was. They had two versions. The small square windows, I'm pretty sure, were the same glass size used on their N4 fleet side windows. I think the rectangle windows may be common with the side windows of their bay window cabs, but that would make them rectangles and not trapezoids.

Getting this all to look right is very difficult.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I have reached out to the expert. Check your email Dan.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I have reached out to the expert. Check your email Dan.

Thanks man!

[Mark5]

Props to Dan for "taking one for the team"!

(Buying one of these knowing the risks)

[dougnelson]

I wonder if a new N5C cupola would be a good item for Keystone details.

Yes, excellent idea.  The Bowser cupola could use an improvement on an otherwise okay model, and the cupola us a separate part.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Thanks to some footwork by ED, I was able to get the dimensions for the FRA glass used on the cupola and sides.

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The car in modeling only has one side window so the others were blanked and .0125" wire used as drip rails.

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The one open window can be seen here with masking for the correct glass shape. The side cupola windows are squared out.

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Likewise, the cupola end windows were fitted with flush fitting clear styrene and the "bug eye" windows masked off.

This will get a clear coat first to seal the masking, then primer, CR blue and finally the roof will be painted black. After that I can start worrying about the grabs and end rails.

I still consider this an experiment so I'm not going to get too frustrated if it ends in failure.

Any ideas on the rock/bug screens for the cupola side windows?

[peteski]

Any ideas on the rock/bug screens for the cupola side windows?

How about some really fine stainless steel mesh?

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Hey @chicken45 , since you're friendly with the CMR guys, any chance you could talk them into doing a modernized version of the car with these things already done to it?

I mean, it'd be fitting, since Dan has done the "build it" part of "build it so they'll make it".