Tips &
Instructions for| Home Purchase Kits Tips & Info About On30IMA Contact & Feedback Links Site Map |
The following
information and photographs are what I did to build the kit.
Your methods and needs may differ from this which is fine.
There is no right or wrong way if you are used to scratch building.
The idea is to make a final model that fits your railroad.
You can print these instructions by selecting them (highlight with your
mouse) and choose 'Print', 'Selection' in your printer. Or
you can copy and past into MS Word or similar program and print from
there. I do recommend having trucks and couplers on hand so they can be used to determine your final dimensions. Most kits include grab & step irons, truss rod wire & turn buckles and other various items for each particular car. You can add additional items as you desire. Most detail parts are available from Grandt Line, Tichy and others. You can also modify the wood parts to get a shorter or narrower car, or you may want to make a full width bolster or you might want to add a name board or an end beam. The point is, make it your own. Now for my tips. Passenger
Coach Assembly
Make sure you have all the parts shown in the photo. Any missing parts will be sent free of cost. Also, have your trucks and couplers on hand so you can complete your assembly to work with them. Some of your parts and modifications will depend on these and on you making them match the other cars on your railroad. If you are considering a combine and are going to modify the coach, let me know when you order the kit and I can include a flat scribed side in place of one of the coach sides. You will have to cut each in half to make up your car and doors will also need to be made up. The procedures given here are how I built the model. You may find better methods and of course are free to use what works for you. Just try not to get ahead of yourself and get blocked into a corner. These tips cover both the coach and parlor cars. The only difference being the windows. I currently do not supply windows for the parlor car, only the coach as an option, but you can make your own frames and sash from stripwood for the parlor windows. PASSENGER COACH or PARLOR CAR PARTS  Depending on your assembly preferences, you should consider painting the ends and sides now. Don’t forget to paint or stain the inside also. It is also easier to assemble and install the windows and doors now, although some modelers may prefer to do it later. If you chose to purchase the windows with the kit, the following is my method for assembling the windows and doors. The example I show is for the narrower end windows but the method is the same for the side windows.  First, paint them while they are still in the carrier sheet. Don’t forget to touch up the inside edges. I use a small marker to lightly go around the inside. You can also add glazing to the back of the doors and window sash. An alternate method is to glue a long piece of clear plastic on the inside of the walls and build the windows inside the openings. This is your choice. I added thin acetate glazing to the inside of the upper sash first and then cut it from the carrier when dry. I use a very thin line of canopy glue to attach the acetate. However, a new method you might try is to use Future (Johnsons) acrylic floor polish. Dip the clear acetate into a small dish of the Future, allow it to drip off, and then apply it wet to the back of the window sash. I then glued a heavier plastic (cut from food containers) to the back bottom of the inside sash. I made the inside sash glazing larger than the window. This will give something to glue to the inside wall when installing them. (see my photos) 
 After the glue is dry, cut the upper sash and outside frame from the sheet. First, glue the upper sash in position on top of the inside sash (exterior side), then glue the frame on the outside of the upper sash. This should give you a nice square assembly that will fit inside the window cutouts. After they are dry, cut the assemblies out (making sure not to cut the plastic glazing). You may find it easier to install the windows now, again your choice. I waited until the end. 
 Do the same for the doors, except use some scrap from the carrier sheet as the panels on the lower back side of the door. The Body assembly is next. Glue the floor to the frame, making sure the step cutouts line up. You can also paint or stain your floor now and paint the underside of the frame (don’t paint the frame outside edges). Now apply a small amount of glue to one end of the frame cutout (or the inside bottom of the end panel) and slide the end into the cutout, making sure it is flush with the bottom (underside) of the frame (set the frame on a flat surface and push the end all the way down on both sides). If it isn’t flush, it won’t align with the sides and the roof won’t fit properly. Also, make sure it is square with the floor. If it is not square, the edges won’t align with the sides. Now, glue the other end on. Now apply a light amount of glue to the frame edge and the end edges on one side of the car. Carefully attach one side, making sure it is flush with the frame bottom and that each end is flush. If the side is slightly long, the ends can be trimmed after the glue dries. As you proceed with each step, allow sufficient time for the glue to dry.  Next, make some roof trusses from the 'V' trusses included in the kit. Use the top of one end to scribe an arc on the truss. Cut or sand the truss to match the curve. Mark a line on the inside of the roof on each end, the correct distance to locate the inside of the end wall (leave a little space so the truss doesn’t hit the end). Then mark the center. Also mark a line along both sides to indicate the inside of each side panel. You don’t want the trusses to interfere with the sides when putting the roof on. Now, to get the slight curve in the roof, put a couple of small rubber bans around the roof and cause it to flex to the approximate curve. Apply a light coat of glue to one truss and place it at the end line (remember to keep it inside). With the truss in place and inside both the edge lines of the roof, use small clip clamps to hold each end until dry. Do the same on the other end and the middle truss. You may end up with a warp in the roof, but this will straighten out when you glue it to the car. Do not glue the roof on yet! Now, to the underside of the car. You need to add a bolster/spacer to keep the truck wheels from hitting the frame and allowing it to swivel. This is where having your trucks on hand will help you decide on how to proceed. I used the Bachmann On30 “low frame” arch bar trucks which have 21½” wheels (#29904). I added ⅛” thick bolsters (cut from scrap material) but you may want to use something thicker. Do not make these any longer than the inside width of the truck and I also added a taper to the ends of each bolster. Glue these to the frame at each bolster location, remembering to keep these centered on the frame. I had to add the round spacer between the truck and bolster for my wheels to swivel. A thicker bolster would alleviate this. Drill a #60 hole in the center of each bolster for the #2-56 truck screws. I had to buy some as the screws with the trucks were too small. I used another of the round wood spacers in the center of the truck frame as washers to keep the screw centered and eliminate wobble.  You will need to make up the end beams for each end of the frame. These are needed to allow for some glue surface for the steps which will fit in between the beam and the end wall. The end beams should also be 1/8" thick and 3/16" high and 1 7/8" long to allow for the railing and drilling the rail holes. You should also be able to determine your coupler height at this time and make the end beam accordingly. I make my cars so the height works with the standard Bachmann cars. This meant I needed to add a fill block to the coupler pockets in the frame and the couplers (Kadee #5’s) added to that. Do what fits your railroad. Before the next step, touch up any paint on the corners as it will be difficult later on. The grab irons are next. Use a #74 drill and ream out each hole in the sides and end. Take the .019 brass wire included in the kit and cut/bend it to the correct lengths to fit into the holes. (cut ¾" for the 4 short ones and 15/16" for the long ones) I made a jig to bend these. In a piece of thin basswood, I drilled a #74 hole the correct distance from the edge for each length grab iron. I then inserted one end of the wire into the hole and bent it 90º. I took it out and made it a true angle with a pair of pliers. When bending, make sure the short end is long enough to protrude on the inside of the wall and have enough length to be spaced off the outside of the wall by about .060 (1/16") (I use a thin piece of scrap as a spacer to slide under the grab iron when gluing). Put the bent portion back into the hole and bend the other end over the edge. Remove it and assure the bend is good (use pliers) then place the grab iron into the holes so it protrudes on the inside of the wall. Apply a small dab of CA (super glue) to the wire ends on the inside then gently pry the grab iron on the outside and slip the .060 spacer under it until the glue dries. Use care here as it is difficult to correct the super glue if the grab isn’t spaced properly.  The next step is to drill the holes for the end railings. I made a template out of scrap styrene and used the railings to mark the hole locations along a line that was marked equal to the distance from the coach end wall to the end beam center. A card stock template will be included in new kits.  I used a #69 drill in the pin vise and with the template held in place over the floor and end beam I marked the locations. Note: the brake wheel shaft should be on the left side of the end beam. I then removed the template and finished drilling the holes. Make sure the holes are perpendicular so that the railings will not lean when glued in.   I then used cyanoacrylate glue (super glue) to glue the railing into the holes. I put each rail in place and after assuring that it fit, I backed the rail post partly out of the holes, one at a time, and applied the glue with a toothpick.  You can then add the brake wheel to the top of the single post. It is planned in future kits to have the end beam cut and drilled by the laser. You can now assemble and install the couplers on the underside of the frame. You should also put the four step assemblies together now (parts included in kit). A tip I used was to place the ends on a piece of tape (sticky side up) and with the sides now firmly held, I could place the upper step (the 90º angled one) in the correct notch and then apply a small drop of styrene weld (MEK or similar) at the joint. Pay attention to the proper assembly orientation, look at the notches in the sides, and the positioning of the steps. Once the four are dry, place the opposite sides on the tape to hold them and turning the just finished ones over, hold them in place and apply weld at the joint. Make sure your sides and steps are reasonably square. Now, after they are dry you can slip the bottom flat step into the correct groove and apply weld to both ends. Slight tweaking can be made to get the steps squared up. After dry, paint the steps, then glue them in place between the ends and end beams. Keep them at the proper height so a step at the top is the same height as the step in the assembly you made.  We’re almost done. If you’re going to add an interior, seats and LP’s, now is the time. You may also want to add weight to the car. This can be done by adding sheets of lead into the frame cutouts or strips along the floor, under the seats. Sheet lead is available at all lumber yards (used for roof flashing). Now apply a light bead of glue around the top edges of the ends and sides and place the roof in position. It may help to use rubber bands around the assembly until the glue dries. The only thing to do now is finish off the roof. You may have already painted it or maybe you want to simulate a canvas type covering. There are many methods for doing canvas, such as tea bags, or tissue paper, etc. glued to the roof and then painted. Tar paper IS NOT appropriate for an in-service car. Add some weathering to your car and put it on your railroad. You are now ready to carry some of the LP’s to their destination. |