# PRR N5c--how to model?



## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

I've been thinking it'd be nice to have a model of the PRR N5c caboose. I like the portholes and I like the "streamlining of the cupola:"




















The roof and especially the cupola have really smooth compound curves and it looks like it would be a real challenge to get right. Anyone have any suggestions.



Gary Mittner, who no longerposts here, made a truly magnificent model of an N5c a few years ago, but while he has a nice page on it:

http://www.angelfire.com/film/prrpics/GN5C-index.html 

He doesn't explain much about the hard parts.

I'm tempted to try to carve the thing out of wood


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## Mr Ron (Sep 23, 2009)

The first place to start would be a scale drawing at whatever scale you are working. I'm guessing 1:32 scale or 1:20.3 for standard gauge. Once you have a drawing, a piece of sheet metal can be formed over a wood form for the roof. The cupola could be made from a resin casting or carved from a solid piece of wood. The sides can be made from 1/16" plywood or styrene. On this forum, you can find people who can tell you how to do rivets. If you have a problem with the drawing or scaling, maybe I can help. On my projects which are quite large and complex, I make detailed cad drawings before starting to build.


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Mike, 

My suggestion would be to contact someone who makes wood kits using laser-cut parts. The curved areas that you have a concern with, could be made from 1mm thick model-grade plywood. Easily bendable. Everything else should be easy. Most laser guys use AutoCad for their drawings to generate toolpaths for the laser machine. If you have good prints and drawings for this caboose, I would be willing to draw them for you in MasterCAM and convert to AutoCad for your use. Let me know.


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

HMMMMMMMMMMM Isnt this a timely thread, i was going to start one soon but you beat me too it. Anyways i bought a Aristo brass one a couple of years ago new and its been sitting in a box since then. I opened it up a few weeks ago cause i wanted to convert it to kadees and LEDs and to my horror it was starting to fall apart from being made so poorly, No surprise there again it has to be Aristocraft. the solder joints on the trucks and the pot belly stove fell apart just sitting in the box, so i called Navin and he said he had no spare parts for these because there were never any made with the origonal order of cabooses.
So i called up Ro and got some new caboose trucks from there latest release and fitted them to the bottom and installed Kadees. Im now starting on the LEDs and will paint the interior and ad people before putting back together.
So what have we learned again about Aristocraft ? Sure nice that USA has the parts the fix Aristos poor Quality trains once agin. heres some photos so far. Sorry ive been trying to be good but once again Aristocrap has bent me over.


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## peteshoulders (Apr 10, 2010)

_*Yes timely is the order of it*_
_*I saw a few of these for sale last year,but perhaps fate was a kind intervener,*_

_*It cannot surely be a too difficult thing to develope a few basic good quality model kits everyone may want? or is this my naieve showing thro?*_

_*A decent PS1 a decent mill gondola, and to add icing a decent cabboose, not surely too much, if there is anyoe with the knowhow let me know, I am up for a business venture,*_

_*This reminds me of the eighties in the UK when nothing could be got, and then little companies started, it needs to be re-invented again, but in a bigger scale.*_


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## Richard Smith (Jan 2, 2008)

Mike, 

If I were to tackle that caboose I would look into using 1/8" PVC sheet. It is easily shaped with wood working tools. The windows could be cut with a forstner bit. A good one can be a bit pricey but you would only need one size it looks like. The roof looks as though it has quite thin edges and I would use styrene for that as PVC wouldn't be able to bend that severely and what is readily available would be thicker than that. The floor could be made from a thicker PVC or even wood. 

TAP Plastics stocks PVC sheet and appropriate glues for all kinds of plastic. Most TAP stores have scrap bins from which you can get various small, odd pieces large enough to use. Also if you give them the measurements they will custom cut pieces to order for a most reasonable extra charge. I'm pretty sure you'll have to do those round window cutouts yourself. 

Good luck on the project. I hope you'll keep us posted on what/how you model it. I've too have always liked that caboose but of course it would be of little use on my narrow gauge line.


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## chris lepore (Apr 12, 2008)

I back dated an Aristo N5c. I added a full interior, lights, full underbody ,new roofwalk laser cut by 3D proto and new paint and decals by Stan. It came out pretty good, I won first place at the PRR Tech & Historical Society convention last week. If I ever figure out how to post pics I could show you guys. By the way there was a flyer at the convention from Accucraft asking people if they would be interested in a 1:29 scale PRR N5 or N6 cabin car. My son and I are the only ones to sign up as far as I know, so if anyone is interested in either of these cars let Accucraft know.


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks for the suggestions. I think it's probably beyond me at this point, but I'll be thinking about it


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## itsmcgee (Jan 4, 2008)

Mike check this out you may find some tips. I did even though I have one of the fine Aristo brass N5c's. 
http://www.angelfire.com/film/prrpics/Scale-Models.html


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

I included a link to that site in my initial post--he did a fantastic job, didn't he? No explanation of how he did the hard part though. I have appropriate forstner bits, but I'm not sure how to get rounded curves like that with sheet styrene.

Here's a production shot from a very very high-quality O-gage model made by Kohs. You can see why that cupola would be a bear. 











They stamped it out with a die. I still think the easiest way might be to carve it in wood and them maybe make a casting--neither of which I've ever one before! Or maybe heavy PVC sheet that can be shaped with a rasp and files, as Richard suggested


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## Terl (Jan 2, 2008)

I probably would use plastic because it has a smoother finish which looks more like metal when it comes to paint. Also when properly glued together, the seam welds the pieces together and is as strong as the original plastic, which is important to consider when rounding off the corners with sanding and filing. 

Terl


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## DKRickman (Mar 25, 2008)

If I were tackling this project, I'd make the basic shape out of clear acrylic sheet (solvent-weld it with acetone), then make a .040" styrene overlay to give the windows a little bit of recess, and give enough material to round the corners over with. The roof looks simple enough - I'd probably shape a block of wood and heat-form a piece of styrene over that, then cut out the opening for the cupola. The cupola itself I'd build the same as the main car body - styrene over plexiglass.


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