Atlas 3-Bay Cylindrical Hopper for ART (LOCX), KO&G, TP and MP

[peggyrothschild]

Keith at Plano Model Products has been working on a PE set to allow the Mopac modeler to convert the Atlas 3-Bay cylindrical hopper into a Mopac prototype car. Knowing he was working on this set several of us (Gary Herron and Nate Obermeyer doing all the leg work) started working with Hubert Mask to bring out a series of decal sets that will let us model the car in an ART (LOCX) paint scheme or as a KOG, TP or MP car with the large buzz saw. I’d emailed Keith several weeks ago tell him the decal sets were ‘in the works’ and was asking about the PE set. He didn’t answer but when I saw him at the RPM in Collinsville he surprised me with the set before I could ask him in person.

Hubert is having the LOCX set printed now and the KOG/TP/MP is to follow shortly. Here’s what you’ll need to build one of these distinctive models. This build log will cover doing the LOCX cars since they lasted until 1980 when my Bagnell branch was still operating (using Mr. Peabody’s Wayback time machine).

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Photo from Nate Obermeyer

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Atlas HO model of the cylindrical hopper – you can find these used at dealer tables or on Ebay. They aren’t hard to find, a search on Ebay this morning showed over 20 for sale with one being $9.95 ‘buy it now’ with $4.95 shipping.
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The Plano Model Products PE set. I don’t see this on his web site yet so just email him for postage. He’s still working on the instructions and will post on his web site as a PDF when finished so we can download them.
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Strip the old paint off the model; I used Scalecoate stripper for plastic for the first bath and 91% rubbing alcohol to really get it clean.
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Paint – I found that Testors Model Masters makes a nice match for the Mopac light gray. Here’s the color “Aircraft Gray”.
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And what it looks like on a covered hopper.
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[peggyrothschild]

Until Keith gets the instructions posted on his web site this is about as far as I can go with putting Tamiya putty into the bracket holes. The brass car photos are for reference in applying the brake cylinder and piping.

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[madonnasuffolk30]

Charlie,

Thanks for posting the item number of the Plano parts. I’ll be ordering two sets when I get home. Looking to do a LOC car and a MP car.

Nate

[peggyrothschild]

Here’s some detail shots from Gary Herron of a prototype car to help with modeling. Keith at Plano Model Products simplified the design of his PE set as the prototype car had the roof walks extending outside the carbody as the horizontal ‘L’ shape extended to support an additional support. Keith made his roof walk the same length of the car to ease construction.

The prototype car has 13 supports on each side and the PE set has 11; to add the additional 2 supports a modeler would have to remove the cast-on ‘L’ support on the model and substitute a brass ‘L’ shape and add the additional supports from another PE set. You’d also have to purchase the set made for the Atlas cylindrical hopper 6 bay cars to get the additional 6 inches of roof walk.

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[peggyrothschild]

Prototype shot from Missouri Pacific Historical Society archives of MP 709784 with the Eagle logo
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LOCX decals coming soon from the Missouri Pacific Historical Society [attachment=0:17njoe0j]image.jpeg[/attachment:17njoe0j]

[peggyrothschild]

Looking at the prototype shots and the Plano PE parts I determined that the #1 supports are the wider ones, the #2 are thinner and #3 are the ends for the ladders.

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I use double-faced tape to hold the drilling template in place and cut the template in half so you can move it in place.

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Template ready for marking with a needle.

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Its easier to mark where the holes are to be drilled with the #78 drill bit when the needle is in a pin vice.

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The supports on the the LOCX car are bend outward slightly – other prototypes are at 90 degrees.

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Found at the the PE supports are short by two #1 pieces – I emailed Keith Hapes tonight about this issue. Note too, I pencilled in what holes are for the #1 and #2 supports so there’s no mistakes.

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Lots more #2 supports than required so that maybe the issue..

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So now waiting; will slightly bend these supports out to match the LOCX photo.

[peggyrothschild]

I added all the brass supports I could and dry fitted the roof walk. Found that all the supports on both sides needed to be moved out; here’s a photo of the new holes. It’s important to get the #78 holes as close to the outer edge of the horizontal support as possible.

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[peggyrothschild]

Here’s the tricky part – bending the PE parts for the four end railings. I used two small needle nose pliers; one to hold the piece on the edge where you bend the leg 90 degrees and the other pliers to bend it. You also bend the bottom of the platform so the entire piece will slide on to the car. I took a file and slightly filed down the side of the frame so the brass parts would slide on easier. Be careful and don’t accidentally bend the handholds in this process.

I hope the photos do a better job of showing these parts as finished than trying to explain it.

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Given the nice details of the other parts the PE ladder just don’t look right on a HO model and looks more like it belongs on a 1930’s Lionel car; I’m going to look around my spare parts for something with rivets that matches the spacing or the rungs.
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[peggyrothschild]

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After looking a prototype photos I somewhat figured out how to bend the PE stirrups. Plus added the 18″ drop hand holds. Keith has small holes for all these parts in the ladder supports.
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Brake details applied. Now waiting on some parts from Plano for the roof walk
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[peggyrothschild]

Added the two missing supports, glued the roof walk on using thin Acc glue. Keith in his instructions recommends Barge cement or canopy glue but both of these are quite thick and I didn’t want to run the risk of having the glue showing through the PE grates in the roof walk. I put a few drop of the thin acc in a plastic coffee can lid and use a needle to add a small drop of either side of the roof walk where it sits on top the brass support. I’ve used this method on two of the six bay Atlas cars I added supports and roof walks to without any issues.

I also made up some plastic ladders I found in the spare parts box to replace the brass ones supplied by Plano. I spliced two ladders together to get the right length from the floor to the bottom of the walk. I like these better as they have the rivet detail that the brass ladders don’t.

Next stop will be the airbrush and decals.

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[peggyrothschild]

Airbrushed the Testors Aircraft Gray. It is already a gloss so hopefully decals are tomorrow.

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[Joseph Berry]

Looks great, Charlie. I think all the detail on the ends of the car really make it worth the effort. The color is excellent. Looking forward to seeing the decals!

Thanks for posting your project.

Gary H.

[peggyrothschild]

Gary:
I thought I’d get it decalled today but there’s still a slight smell of paint on the model; given it’s outside on the patio in the 93 degrees (hopefully drying) maybe tonight. I’m use to Tamiya’s paint where you can be decalling a model in a couple of hours after painting. Looking at the end of the car I left off the couple lift bars and the drop hand holds.

Charlie

[peggyrothschild]

Got up at 6:30 this morning and sprayed a coat of Tamiya Clear so I was assured of having a glossy surface for recalling tonight. 102 degrees today so am back in the basement this evening decalling one side of the LOCX car. Hubert was furnished the ART lettering and duplicated everything on the sheet including the small stenciling above the shocker pads on the outlet gates. His decals are vey thin and Im glad he provides two sets on each sheet as a messed up one of the ART shields moving it after is was somewhat dry. Anyway am pleased with the car even with the roof walk being a little short. Reference page 122 in the Missouri Pacific Freight Color Guide for decal placement or the photos in this blog.

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Once I get the decals on one side of the car the other side goes much quicker using a set of calipers to determine the decal placement on the opposite side. The Mask Island decals, once dry leave no decal film. Looking at photos I aded the COTS markings but I couldn’t find any reference on the placement for the ACI labels. I don’t believe they were placed on the car sides as they were curved and the readers probably couldn’t pick up the markings.

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[madonnasuffolk30]

Charlie,

I found a few photos for the ACI labels.

Nate

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