13
13: Car sides and ends for a wood Tweetsie boxcar
using a composite of styrene and scale wood. The cor-
ners of the sides were notched to fit over the end sills
as per the prototype.
The Lite and Narrow Column - 8
on what would be a 28’ car, thus making it look like the ET
stretched the car on one end only. This particular car retained
the wooden bolster and had the “jacked up” archbar trucks. The
car was retired and sold in December 1940.
The Linville River 4 was constructed from a David Hoffman kit.
David’s kits represent the traditional type of kit, with scribed
siding and stick construction with the addition of brass cast-
ings. The brass castings, door, bolster and end sill, brake gear,
and trussrods, have the added advantage of lowering the cen-
ter of gravity of the car while at the same time adding weight
to the car. However, they do add some challenges when it
comes to finishing the cars as the brass, especially the large
door casting, doesn’t take paint the same way the rest of the
14
14: Underframe and jig for the Tweetsie boxcars. This can
be used for both the 32’ and 36’ cars. It can also be used
for other railroads’ cars.
car does. The proper “jacked up” archbar trucks are included
with the kit and they do need to be assembled. This is easily
done using a #56 drill and then a #80 tap. They then assemble
with a screwdriver. I recommend the purchase of a Kadee drill
and tap set for assembling the trucks as everything you need is
included in the package.
There were three modifications made to the kit, and they were
made for appearances. The roof was thinned substituting 1/64”
plywood for the 1/32” basswood that was supplied in the kit.
Over this was applied a sheet of 80# paper to simulate a tin roof.
I painted the roof with Testors Silver and then used a Floquil Rust
marker to streak the roof. I wiped off the surplus with a paper
towel and then brushed Bragdon dark rust chalk onto the roof to
give it that unpainted and weathered look. The injection-molded
MRH-Feb 2014
