HOW TO BEGIN

To start the kitbash, remove the underframe, brakewheel, grab irons, and coupler lift bars from the superstructure. I dislike the lift bar and its hardware. Besides, the deck is too long for the gondola; the ends of C&S coal cars were flush with the end sills. I sawed off both ends on the outside of the coupler release bar mounting holes, trimmed the end sill and deck square, and glued the three pieces together.

That will make the underframe too long so cut off each "inner end sill", remove equal lengths from each end of the remaining frame, then reattach the "end sills" to the shorter underframe.

The four points on the body bolsters where you screw the underframe to the superstructure are too high. File or sand them to reduce the height of the car above the rail.

Now to the superstructure: Use a razor saw to remove the stakes and pockets. Leave a little plastic on the board side of the cut, then file and sand the cut areas and scribe the board spaces through the area you reworked. Save the stakes!

C&S cars had four sideboards and, regardless of what Bachmann version you begin with, you must cut off the side- and endboards flush with the top of the deck. Then cut down the sides so they are four boards high, scribe the board lines into the interior of the gon, and reattach the sides. Plug all the grab iron holes, both in the sides and ends and on the deck. I found three or four applications of Squadron Green putty were necessary because the filler kept shrinking. [Under the circumstances, it might be just as easy to build up new sides from strip styrene.-Ed.]

DECKING, SIDES, AND ENDS

I used 3/32-inch thick plastic sheet for the decking. I decided on a board width of 3/8-inch and a tongue-and-groove contour. The overlap on each end is 1/16-inch. I used a 1/16-inch saw to cut the deck boards. First I set up a 3/16-inch end mill cutter on a vertical mill, then calculated how much to change the cutter for each pass. You could also use a router. Either way, by alternating the cuts between one side and the other, you can create the effect.

Use the small saw blade to cut the lengths in the middle of each slot, then drag a saw blade along the length of each piece to create a woodgrain effect. Finally, cut the boards to length, remembering to allow an overhang of about 1/8-inch on each side. You'll need about 2 1/2 sheets of 4 by 12 inch Plastruct sheet.

Sand the filled holes in the side and end sills smooth and flush, then apply the decking. Place the first of the 3/32-inch thick boards on one end of the gon, allowing equal overlap on each side and a slight overlap at the end. Glue and clamp that first piece. Dry fit the remainder of the deck pieces, remove them, apply cement, then add the deck. Turn the entire frame upside down on a flat surface (I use a piece of 1/4-inch thick plate glass) and check the overhang on the sides. Weight the frame and let everything dry for a day or two.

Smooth the saw cuts on the four board side and end assembly. I put a piece of 320 grit emery paper on a flat surface and ran the superstructure back and forth across it. Also sand all the holes you filled. Then put the superstructure on the new deck, center it precisely, mark its position, run a thin bead of cement along the underside, and replace it on the deck. I also ran a fillet of glue along the four inside edges. Make any final adjustments and clamp the assembly. Allow the car to dry thoroughly.

ADDING THE STAKES

I made new stakes from Evergreen 1/8- by 5/32-inch styrene strip. I dragged a razor saw over the surfaces before cutting the stakes to length but you could achieve a similar effect by rubbing with sandpaper or Scotchbrite. Measure the distance from the bottom of the side sill to the top of the sideboards and cut twelve pieces. It might help to cut a few extra pieces for insurance.

Measure 1/8-inch from one end of each stake and drill a #52 (.063-inch diameter) hole in the center of the 1/8-inch width of each stake.

Notch the decking for the stakes. I took my dimensions from a John W. Maxwell drawing but had to adjust them to fit the Bachmann gondola.

Measure 1 1/4 inches from each end of the car and make a mark on the side sill. That will be the centerline of the end stakes. The second and third stakes are 1 5/16 inches apart. Cut a 1/8-inch wide notch in the deck (measuring 1/16-inch on either side of the centerlines you drew) all the way to the side sill for each of the 12 stakes. Line up the stakes with the bottom of the end sills, then continue the holes you drilled through the stakes all the way through the side sills.

Use the same #52 drill to make holes for the brass reinforcing straps on each stake. Then cut 12 strips of .015-inch thick brass 3/32-inch wide and 1/2-inch long. Drill a hole on center and 1/8-inch in from the bottom edge of each piece.

Assemble a dozen each of 0-80 nuts, washers, and 1/2-inch long screws. Place one screw in a hole from the inside. Next put on a stake, the brass strap, a washer, and finally a nut. Tighten the nut to hold the stake in place. Repeat until you have secured all 12 stakes. If any excess screw thread is visible, remove it with a cutoff disk in a motor tool.

I secured the upper part of each stake to the sideboards with liquid solvent type styrene cement. Be sure the stakes are absolutely vertical and clamp them in place for a few hours.

HARDWARE

Now add the corner bracing. I cut 13/16-inch wide strips of .015-inch thick plastic to the same height as the sideboards. I punched a three rivet per board pattern on each corner piece and bent each 90-degrees to fit the corners of the gon. Refer to the photos. It is necessary to clamp the corner bracing or it will pull away from the carbody.

Attach the underframe to the carbody using the four mounting screws.

I used .045-inch diameter brass rod for the "U" brackets and grab irons. I made a bending jig for them from a piece of 1/2-inch thick by 1 inch wide by 3 inch long soft steel.

For the stake pocket "U" brackets, put a .045-inch diameter rod into one of the two complete holes while the jig is in a vise. Use a small hammer to bend the rod 90-degrees. Do that on both ends. You may speed the process by bending six or seven rods at a time. Remove the jig from the vise. Place one bent end into the same hole and squeeze the rod and jig in the vise at the top of the jaw level. Use a small hammer to make the second bend. Remove the jig and rod from the vise and the rod from the jig. Now cut off the long leg and you have your first "U". Make more than a dozen in case you drop or lose pieces.

To make grab irons, insert a rod in the first hole and bend both ends 90-degrees. When you have enough rods to start the next operation, place a bent rod into the first hole. Line up the rod with the half-hole (13/16-inch away). Place the jig and rod in a vise at the top of jaw level and make the second bend. Repeat until you have enough correctly formed grab irons.

Now for the offset: Place a large "U" in the two full holes along the jig's length. I used a height of 1/8-inch for spacing. Place a 1/8-inch spacer between the jig and the center of the "U" and push the "U" into the jig. When the space is set, remove the spacer and put the "U" between the vise jaws and close the vise on the "U". Remove the jig and, with the small hammer, bend the "U" 90-degrees on both legs-in the same direction, of course. Place the 1/8-inch shim on one vise jaw. Place the bent piece over the shim, holding the legs between the vise jaws. It helps if the shim is between 6 and 8 inches long and at least an inch wide. Push the shim up to make a 90-degree bend and finish the job with the small hammer. As you view it from the side, the finished piece should resemble a straight "Z" with two long legs.

Install the stake pocket "U" brackets by drilling a hole on either side of the stake with an .046-inch diameter drill and push the brackets into place.

Trim the ends of the grab irons just to clear the sides. Deburr the ends with a file. Drill holes and use CA to secure the grabs. I made a drilling jig for my grab irons. The two large (4-40) holes on the right edge of the 1/4-inch thickness are for a pair of large head screws. Their heads will catch on the end of the gon so, with the jig on the new decking, it is easy to locate the six grab iron holes. If the screw heads are sufficiently large and on center, you also may use the back side of the jig to drill holes for the single grab irons.

The brakewheel end of the car will need a board across the top (see the photos). It should be 1/16-inch thick by 5/16-inch wide and the same length as the deck boards. It will hold the ratchet and pawl. I made my own bracket from styrene.

FINAL DETAILS AND FINISH

Remember those stakes you cut from the original sides? Find them; also a vise, a small X-Acto knife handle, and a Number 17 X-Acto chisel blade. (Alternatively, you may prefer to buy 96 nut-bolt-washer castings. My method is time consuming and painstaking but less expensive.) Place an old stake in the vise. Slip the knife blade to under Bachmann's n-b-w castings and cut each off the stake. Clean up each part and cement it to a stake as in the photo.

I made by own lower brakestaff support though good ones are available commercially. I used brass and will refrain from burdening you with the construction details. I did purchase brakewheel, ratchet and pawl, and stirrup step castings from Trackside Details.

For couplers, I settled on Kadee® 820 (Number One scale) body mounts. I attached them with 4-40 flat head screws with the countersink in the new deck and the nut at the bottom of the coupler's draft gear box. I used 1:24 scale metal wheelsets even though, on Number One gauge (45mm LGB track) the distance between the rails is actually 3 feet 6 inches instead of the correct 3 feet. I painted the wheels rusty brown and buffed off the rolling surface. I installed the wheels after I painted and lettered the model.

The last details before painting were the coupler release levers. In my junk box, I found small brass eyelets with 1/16-inch diameter holes and used two on each end sill. I bent another length of .045-inch diameter brass rod to shape, slid on the eyelets, and mounted an assembly on each car end. Don't forget to bend a semi-circle in one lever to clear the brakestaff!

I primed the car with two coats of Krylon Gray Primer, waiting an hour between coats. I let the primer dry for an entire week. Then I masked off the interior of the car (to leave it gray) and sprayed the rest of the model with Krylon Ruddy Brown Primer. Again I applied two coats allowing an hour drying time between them. After about four hours I removed all masking tape and put aside the car for two weeks.

The lettering is from Larry Larsen dry transfers (set CG for the C&S gon). I referred to Robert Grandt's Narrow Gauge Pictorial, Volume VII, pages 70 and 75, as a lettering and positioning guide.