Today I picked up my Branchline reefer kits from the LHS.These are the only freight car kits Ive done except Athearn BB’s and theres just a little more to do on these.The kits look nice,but I noticed that the sides of the cars are bowed in.How do you fix this?Any helpful hints for building one of these Branchline kits?Thanks
For a bow that isn’t fixed when the floor is inserted, insert a false wall made of styrene sheet that’s the same width as the inside of the ends but a little shorter in height so it will clear the floor. I’ve also had success cementing a couple styrene timbers of the proper length between the sides. I suppose you could even use strip wood timbers in a pinch.
Something to be aware of: On some of the earlier kits, the side inserts were slightly tall and wouldn’t fit properly. It’s easy to correct with a little sanding or filing to remove the draft angle at the top of the sides – the side and top edge should meet at a 90 degree angle for proper fit. Later kits don’t have that problem.
Use sprue nippers if you have them to remove the parts, trim any flash or extraneous material off the parts, ream the holes for small parts (like grabs) slightly with a drill bit to clean out the paint, test fit before cementing, use only enough cement to do the job, and have patience. The parts really do fit and make a beautiful model.
Thanks for the ideas/info. Much appreciated.