I just bought a boxcar kit, manufactured by Accurail, from a local hobby shop, and I was assembling it according to the plans. I finished the underside detail, and I was ready to snap it into the bottom of the boxcar body. I was pushing it so that the coupler box top would touch the bottom of the boxcar body (which is all one piece and not a cast-resin kit where you have to assemble the sides, ends, and roof) but wasn’t forcing it. Then, I found out that the sides of the boxcar were curved inward and I couldn’t fit the bottom on without breaking it. Any ideas on how I can push the sides back into their original positions? I’m using shortened toothpicks to see if I can get it back to it’s shape. Or, are they supposed to be that way? Please help!
I have had some box car kits with sides that bowed in. They have all gone together without breaking. Insert one end of the floor into the box, slowly work each side over the floor until the other end drops in. If it is really tight you could use a pallate knife or maybe a thin knife blade to guide it in.
Good luck,
Boston:
The sides of the Accurail car curve in because natural pressure holds the floor in without glueing. I generally spread the side of the car with the fingertips of one hand, set the floor at a slight angle, push in and use a small screwdriver or a knife blade to snap the other side in. It takes a few tries, so don’t get frustrated. But once in, that floor is SOLID.
For a ‘shake the box’ kit, they’re really good cars. I like them a lot.
Hope this helps.
Tom [:)]
Welcome Boston, what part of Monon country are you in? I original from Indiana myself.
On the box cars I built I leave the doors off, and pull the sides out from the opening. Some times you may have to sand the sides of the floors, or clip off mounting clips on the sides of the floors.
cudaken,
I live in Hendricks county.
And thank you everyone for all the great advice!
Coincidently, I put an accurail boxcar together last week (C&NW #4205). The sides were the same as you described, and IMHO its to hold the floor/bottom in place without adhesive. Ha, I actually got the car together and realized that I forgot to attach the car weight, and had to remove the floor and “do it again”. I used an Xacto knife with a flat end blade to help with this - which is a process you really have to be careful if you do it that way.
Also, even though Accurail has reinforced their end steps, they are just waiting to be broken off when you insert the flooring.
Have Fun!
Mobilman44
I agree on the fragility of the steps, so be careful. I usually use a small jewelers screwdriver (I worry about using sharp objects like an Exacto) and slide it along one side, between the frame and side to expand the side outward. This works very well and I have never broken a stirrup step in over 40 cars. One thing more, if you need to add weight to NMRA standards (not usually the case with Accurail), do it before you put the car together. I usually weigh the shell and the completed frame together on the scale before assembling them.
Len S.