BLI K7 stock car 2nd release is in stock

[bbussey]

I picked up a two-pack of BLI non-sound Pennsy K7 stock cars to see how difficult it would be to open the gaps between the slats and the stirrup openings. My first surprise was that the sides are no thicker than any other N scale stock car on the market, so they could have designed the model with open slats. Second is that the free-standing details are not as crude in person, although they could have been finer and the exaggerated wood-grained roofwalk and overly-thick brake wheel definitely need replacement.  Ironically, super fine air hoses are attached next to the coupler.  Third is that the floor/underframe is designed to hold the sound mechanism, so all the extra metal will need to be milled off. The printing job is decent, although most of the circle-keystone will be lost when the slats are opened.

Not as much work to do as I thought but far far more than it should be.

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[peteski]

I just don't agree with your rosy evaluation Bryan.

Even the last photo in your post shows "Bachmann size" rivets, and thick ladders tacked on.  The braces also seem to be quite exaggerated. (protrude out way too far) That is in addition to those exaggerated items you mentioned. It all ads up to a toy-like looking car.

 Sure, with enough work you can take this car and improve its looks, but it is really worth doing?  Plus, the point is that with today's CAD and molding technology, there really aren't any excuses for manufacturers producing such crude models, Heck, even 40+ years ago companies (like Kadee) were capable of making much finer models.  Compare this thing to the models you produce. Why can you make so much better executed models (which are produced roughly at the same time as this thing)?

How do you envision opening the slats? One-at-a-time?  No thanks - I have much more fun things to do (like assemble MTL couplers). 

[bbussey]

How was that a rosey assessment?  I said it wasn’t as bad is it appeared in close-up photos, I didn’t say it wasn’t crude. Upgrading the details is doable. The effort is warranted because it’s a signature road-specific prototype, rather than some generic common prototype. 

Milling machine will make quick work of the slat openings.

[Missaberoad]

Excited to see what you are able to turn this into, hopefully it's more success then frustration.

I would love to have a couple R7 reefers in FGE, but I suspect it would be easier to scratchbuild them rather then use this as a starting point.

Are you planning on milling from the inside to expose the gaps?

[peteski]

How was that a rosey assessment?  I said it wasn’t as bad is it appeared in close-up photos, I didn’t say it wasn’t crude. Upgrading the details is doable. The effort is warranted because it’s a signature road-specific prototype, rather than some generic common prototype. 

Milling machine will make quick work of the slat openings.

"Not as bad as in the photos" seems rosy to me.  You said the same thing about that abomination  from CMW (Buick wagon). Yes, close-up photos reveal things that are not easily seen with a naked eye, but most of us also like to take close-up photos of our modeling, so it is important that the models look as good in the photos as the do to the naked eye.

I suspected you would bring up a milling machine.  How many model railroaders have such a tool?

I have nothing again you personally Bryan, but I'm just tired of seeing excuses made for sub-par models.  I also don't expect perfection, but something that is at least a reasonably scaled model (no grossly exaggerated features). Of course, everybody's standard is different, but judging by your fine and precise modeling, I would expect that your standards are quite high.  Maybe you are just more of an optimist than I am.

[Chris333]

So you mounted it upside down and milled around the inside?  How this are the sides now after milling.

[peteski]

So you mounted it upside down and milled around the inside?  How this are the sides now after milling.

I don't think Bryan did any milling yet.  As I see it, the sides are too flexible to be able to mill them without something holding them in place.  Thee mill will just deflect them.  A fixture will likely have to be made to hold the sides, and prevent them from spreading out while being milled.

[learmoia]

A fixture will likely have to be made to hold the sides, and prevent them from spreading out while being milled.

Like a mill vice?   

Milling the inside is what I had in mind but never got around to it after I discovered you could put anyone's shell on it.

~Ian

[peteski]

Like a mill vice?   

Milling the inside is what I had in mind but never got around to it after I discovered you could put anyone's shell on it.

~Ian

Yes, if the jaws are tall enough then a mill vise (with some non-marring material between the shell and the jaw) would do the trick.

[thomasjmdavis]

Bryan, since you have one of these apart, do you have the means to measure the thickness of the plastic between the slats? (or estimate as a percentage of the thickness of the side) Given the amount of the frame that "telegraphs" through the side in your photo, it appears pretty thin. (whatever backlight there is producing shadows of the bracing on the inside of the car in the photo).  For those of us lacking milling machines, would an Xacto punch through it? I mean, just in case I come upon one at a garage sale sitting next to outgrown Choo Choo shoes and High Speed train sets.

[bbussey]

The thickness beneath the “spacing” definitely is thinner than usual but may not be thin enough to easily slice through with an X-Acto. I’ll see if I can come up with a thickness and let you know.

[peteski]

I guess it doesn't make sense to post my own honest opinions (based on what I see) here.  Need to keep quiet. 

[learmoia]

I guess it doesn't make sense to post my own honest opinions (based on what I see) here.  Need to keep quiet. 

I think we ALL let our honest opinions known on the first run 

[bbussey]

... As I see it, the sides are too flexible to be able to mill them without something holding them in place.  Thee mill will just deflect them.  A fixture will likely have to be made to hold the sides, and prevent them from spreading out while being milled.

The die cast floor installed will be sufficient the keep the sides sturdy for milling. Industrial double-sided tape will secure the model to the milling table.

[peteski]

The die cast floor installed will be sufficient the keep the sides sturdy for milling. Industrial double-sided tape will secure the model to the milling table.

Oh, so the roof is removable?  Or am I misunderstanding how you will do the milling?  I envisioned just taking a long mill and thinning the walls from the inside.