FMC prototypes

I have slowly been working on painting a set of FMC4200 N-scale gons as demonstrators. Unfortunately, progress has been slow due to other projects and my day job which seems to drag on into the night. I got the original set of six models on July 6th. Here they are below:

The prints came out well, although I will admit that the stirrups are fragile! Just like on most N-scale models. The individual gons can be easily trimmed with my trusty nippers.

In minutes I had 6 individual gons. I also purchased coal loads, in sets of 3 trying both the versatile plastic from Shapeways and the professional plastic - both in black. I prefer the versatile plastic, which is fused Nylon. It has a slightly grainy texture, a flatter color, and looks a bit more coal-like to my eye. You may need to compare them to see which is better.

Professional Plastic Coal Load

Versatile Plastic Coal Load

Again, out came the nippers and I had individual coal loads. Which I quickly posed in a car.

I don't quite have it sitting in the car the way I would like it to yet. My plan is to glue a little foam on the bottom to give a soft friction fit - and I may revise the model a little once I have a fully painted car for comparison. But, for a first try - not bad. So, off to the paint shop. Well, not quite. As these are the FUD material, the cars needed a cleaning with bestine, followed by an ultrasonic bath, time to dry and then...the paint shop.

After a base coat of gloss black, I masked the cars and went about painting the blue ends. Lacking an airbrush (yet), I went to the spray paint aisle with a few pictures in hand. I settled on a spa blue color as being close enough.

Rustoleum Gloss Spa Blue Paint

Masked Cars - Sorry Black Cars don't photograph well

Blue Ends Applied

After allowing the cars to dry for a couple of days, I removed the masking to reveal...

Note the slight dark band where the black paint settled in the car seam. The seam is there - but it is a fine detail. Weathering will need to pull it out - but I got a plan.

The paint isn't perfect, but from what I saw in photos of the original cars, the same could be said of the cars in real life - particularly on the insides, where it seemed pretty clear that what paint there was if any was haphazardly applied. I figure that the load/weathering will clean that up. So, now it is off to the decal shop, followed by brake wheels, weights, weathering, a sealing dull coat, truck installation - and then 6 new FMC4200 Gons will be in service.

Sorry that progress has been slow - other projects have had some attention, including Gilpin Gold Tram Cars for another project. But they have not been forgotten.