A quick update to show the decks fully painted and weathered. The first application of color was a thin coat of Mudstone over the gray primer with a few boards picked out in a lighter tan to show replacement work by the shop. Next was an all-over wash with Burnt Umber acrylic ink, thinned with Matte Medium and water. After that dried I applied a black oil wash, cleaning select boards with a pointy cotton bud for variation of the effect. The black wash seeps into the cracks, defining the boards as well as all the gouges and distressing I had applied earlier.
The sides were brush painted with Brown Iron Oxide. Brush painting took me about as long as it would have if I had taped off the decks and undersides, strained and thinned the paint, and applied it with an airbrush. I noticed this time around that my brush work has improved; at least I'm more comfortable with it, thanks to the miniature painting I've been doing lately. That, and using the Matte Medium and water mix to thin the paint. This mix makes the paint flow well and settle down without losing coverage or showing brush strokes. The craft paint I use is too thick straight out of the bottle and benefits from a proper thinning.
Once the sides had dried I gave them a coat of gloss varnish from a rattle can and have allowed that to dry/cure for over 24 hours. I gauge the time to let it dry based on how well I can still smell the odor. Not scientific, but it hasn't failed me yet. Today I spent some time laying out the spacing for the decals and selecting what I will use from the Rail Graphics freight car lettering sets. Funny thing - they didn't make a Flat Car set for the 1900-1920 period, so I'll have to cobble together the relevant data from other types of rolling stock. I also spent some time looking at historic shots of other prototype flat cars to get ideas for what to include and how it might look.
Thanks for reading, if you made it this far, and check back soon for the next Four Flats installment or click on the tag in the list on the right to read any of the previous posts. As usual, open the pictures in another window or tab to see them larger.
When were these Ulrich models manufactured? Your paint work is bringing out the best in them.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jim. I am enjoying the process.
DeleteThe earliest mention I can find in Model Railroader is October 1950, in an ad from Allied Hobbies. This would fit with the date of the drawings that came with the kit, "6-50". Model Railroader reviewed them in March 1951 where they, along with the stock cars, are listed as "new additions to the Ulrich line".
Interestingly, my kit instructions vary somewhat from each other. I have three - two dated 6-50 and one dated 1-54. The primary difference is the coupler. In the 1950 version it is a multi-part affair with a separate pin, knuckle, coupler body and locking pin that must be assembled before inserting into the box, adding springs fore and aft, and covering with the lid, the latter to be cemented in place. In 1954 there is a "NOTE!" that the "draft gear boxes on this car will accomodate Kadee M.D.C. Varney and other similar type couplers......", and a simplified non-operating knuckle coupler was provided.
Ads on the reverse side show the growing product line. This car originally sold for $2.35. Note - the more modern flat car with the fishbelly underframe sold for 10 cents less! Not sure why...perhaps it was easier to manufacture. Both versions included trucks.
On that last point about trucks: I have seen sellers offer these kits "without trucks or couplers", stating that this is how they came from the manufacturer. That's true for some kits, but not these. Two of my cars will be rolling on original trucks, two on Kadee Arch Bars, and from the sides they're virtually indistinguishable.