Silver Fountain is my just-completed, kitbashed Walthers observation car. The prototype was one of four pre-war, CB&Q diner/parlor/observation cars. Notice the vestibule was located in the center. Burlington continued using them through the 1960’s. When ridership declined on some trains, the railroad could replace two cars, a diner and a parlor car, with this single car. At least one had a diaphragm installed on the rounded rear to allow mid-train operation.
The model was made from a Walthers Budd observation car. Some windows were relocated. A center vestibule door installed on each side. A kitchen access door installed on one side. Interior was revised and painted. Venetian blinds installed. Interior and rear lighting is 3 volt LED’s with two AAA batteries for power. A toggle switch in the floor’s center section can be operated from under the car.
I added a slight gold tint to my silver paint to more closely match BLI dome car ahead of Silver Fountain.
That car looks GREAT!!! Those Plano blinds really make a difference. I bet cutting those doors in was a royal pain in the rear, though. What paint did you use for the body and trucks?
Very nice Job on the passenger car, You should write a how to article up for Railroad Model Craftsman or Model Railroader. If you forgot to take photos, you can do another one. If you don’t want another one how much do you charge if you were to build one for me? LOL.
Thanks much for the comments: I started with the SCL car which was on sale recently at Walthers .com. In addition to what I said earlier, I made and installed the skirts because the SCL car had none. The roof antena is from steam loco handrails. The round roof vents are screw heads with body filler in the slots.
Answerring questions. The paint is automotive paint. I’ve experimented to find something close to BLI’s plated Budd cars (CZ protoype). It’s mostly metalic silver, but has some metalic gold, too. I buffed the surfaces after painting. Trucks are Floquil silver.
Model Railroader has published several kit bashing articles over the years. I dug out some old issues and reviewed their techniques prior to working on this car.
Also pictured is the interior including the AAA battery pack and toggle switch.
The interior’s parlor section was cut from the walthers Budd observation interior. Other interior pieces were from my junk box.
To be honest, I have an assortment of screw-ups in the model.
If there are ‘screw-ups’ in the model, they’re certainly not obvious. That’s one really LOVELY job of kit-bashing. Very distinctive and handsome prototype, and a very distinctive and handsome model. Nice job!!
