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Update: Hubert's Model Railroad Mfg. Corp. is now manufacturing the old E&C Car Shops models, including the coalporters, as well as new, accurate models.The E&C Shops #1408 is their version of Conrail's G52X stainless steel coalporter. The major problem is that E&C used their aluminum car and just painted it to look like the Conrail G52X. For example, there are no tow/pull holes, no varied rib spacing, and no seam running midway up the car sides. Plus the model is slightly longer than the prototype. Typically, E&C Shops coalporters run poorly because their truck bolsters are poor and do not properly line up, causing the car to lean. Plus the earlier model's coupler pockets were too long. In real life, the cars are coupled fairly close to each other. Keep in mind that as E&C developed this model, they changed the bolster from what they used on other coalporter kits. To build an E&C #1408, discard the kit's wheels, trucks, and weights. Replace these with JayBee 36" metal wheels, InterMountain trucks and couplers, Sunshine weights, and Kadee washer spacers. Kadee or Life-Like Proto2000 metal wheels can also work. First, enlarge the opening of the InterMountain bolster by pre-drilling it in a drill press or other secure method, using a 9/64 bit. Use the same bit to locate/enlarge the bolster/coupler box cover. If you look carefully, you will notice two different E&C bolsters per car. On the Intermountain bolster, remove the car stabilizers on top of the bolster. When done, assemble the truck, paint it, and then install your weathered metal wheels. Now, remove E&C part #4 (coupler box) from the sprue, removing any flash. File the side walls of this piece so they are perpendicular to the car. This ensures a good fit between the locator grooves, while giving some play in finding the truck screw. With the car upside down, remove any and all flash from the coupler box area. Pre-drill the screw holes from inside the car with a #52 bit. Before installing the end braces, remove the two tabs, which are underneath the coupler box. Then install the completed end braces. Now take your E&C parts #4 and locate them on the body. Raise the car so that you have enough light to see how the screw holes line up--they usually do not. File the tops of the tabs which rest on the end of the car until the holes line up. Insert the provided screw until the head rests on the bolster. Now check to ensure that the part fits flush and is aligned. With the screw in place, lightly apply liquid cement where the two pieces join together. Set the assembly aside until it dries. Now that the parts have dried, at the bolster cut the coupler tab off of part #2. Lightly file the tab, ensuring that both parts will fit. Insert an InterMountain coupler, which is slightly shorter than a Kadee. Place the lid over the coupler. Then install the bolster part of #2 and visually check the alignment. It should be flat in both planes. Use a Kadee .015" thick washer to get the wheels away from the body and attain the right coupler height. Install the trucks and check to see if the car is lopsided. If it is, chances are that bolster part #2 is not lying flat on part #4. Simply file down as needed. Next, install the Sunshine weight into the car. Use a thick, plastic-friendly, industrial cement of your choice. Install a thin piece of sheet styrene (.010) over the weight to fill the gaps, or, if you prefer, use strip styrene to fill the gaps. File the interior braces and check the fit. With a #11 chisel blade, remove the top 0.100" of the brace guides before installing them on the car. Paint and weather the interior as desired. For a new car, paint the interior with Testors Metal Masters stainless steel. You can also give your interior an undercoat of this paint, then an overcoat of rust-colored weathering. A heavy wash of Floquil engine black would be my recommendation over the CR12 finish. Finally, using photos, relocate the brakewheel to the correct height, fill the pre-drilled hole with styrene, and add the stirrup steps. And there you go. Your Conrail G52X coalporter is now ready for revenue service! You will spend about an extra $6.00 for the trucks, wheels, and weights, plus extra time to do the necessary work, but the site of seeing 36 of these cars behind three Conrail Quality C40-8W's is awesome! - Rob Russel  Photos for personal use only. All rights reserved by original owner of image. Reproduction or redistribution in any form without express written permission is prohibited. |
