# Spring Project--PNG 40' reefer



## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Greetings: 
Late last fall I ordered one of Phil's Narrow Gauge 40' refrigerator car kits. It is a car that I have always wanted on my railroad. I started building it in March and I finally finished it a couple of weeks ago. It didn't really take that long, but there were other things that got in the way. Such as, driving back to Virginia from Arizona and after being home for two days getting a call that our house in Arizona has been broken into. So back to Phoenix we went, this time we flew. 

At first glance the kit is rather intimidating, as there are a lot of pieces and parts. Fortunately, the instructions were very good and it all went together rather easily. With most kits that I have built there is a step that I have to read and reread and then still do it wrong, only to find out what I should have done 5 to 10 steps later. Fortunately, for this kit that didn't happen. The only mistake that I found in the instructions was that the instruction said to use part M-27, when it should have been M-28. Almost all of the wooden pieces are precut and predrilled. A little bit of file work was required on the white metal castings. 

I painted the roof, ends and bottom with KRYLON red primer and I used RAILROAD COLORS reefer yellow for the sides. 
I used several coats of paint on all the surfaces. It took almost a whole bottle of reefer yellow. The decals are dry transfer. After applying the decals I painted over them with several coats of MODEL MASTER clear gloss ACRYL to seal them. This was followed by several coats of TESTORS dullcoat. 

One thing that I learned while painting the car was that regulations prohibited the painting of roof walks. It seems as if all of the cars we are running are not in regulation. I may have to paint all my roof walks gray (and pretend it is natural weathering, not paint) to be in compliance. When I painted the roof I masked the walk. I didn't like the look of the raw wood so I went to Lowe's to get a can of gray stain. Instead of having to buy a can of stain, they have small sample packets of OLYMPIC stains. I got a trial size (0.20 fl oz) of storm gray stain for 79 cents. It gives a nice gray weathered look to the wood. 


































I am very pleased with the way the car turned out and the assembly wasn't all that bad. 

Chuck N


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## Bruce Chandler (Jan 2, 2008)

Chuck, 
That looks great! You did a great job, and I also like the shots of your layout. Looks like you have a nice passenger train running. 

How large is your layout? 


I really like Phil's kits. I built one of his 40 foot reefers as well, but I had it turned into one with a steel underframe. 










Later, I built one of his regular reefers and had it lettered for Richard Smith's Port Orford Coast. 












I kept a log of my efforts: http://largescalecentral.com/articles/view.php?id=94&page=1 


Herndon is sure close to Burke. Maybe we can get together sometime and run?


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Bruce: 

It's not very large. The main line measures about 90' The foot print is about 30x15. 

I've got two long passing sidings, so I can have up to 3 long (at least for me, 10 to 12 cars) trains out there at one time. 

I run on track power. 

I like your reefers, I've seen some of your trains out at Stapleton's. 

Chuck N


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## Big65Dude (Jan 2, 2008)

Bruce, Chuck -

I'd be glad to join you any time... Reston's right next-door to Herndon.


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## docwatsonva (Jan 2, 2008)

Chuck, 

Glad to see you back in the construction business. Your reefer looks fantastic. One of these days I'll have to try one of Phil's kits. He sure does a great job. 

Sorry to here about your problems in Arizona. 

I'm also sorry I won't see you at Jim's this spring. Too much going on here including building a railroad. 

Doc


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## tbug (Feb 16, 2008)

Nice reefers!!!


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks guys. I really appreciate the comments. 

Chuck


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

That is an interesting item about not painting roof walks. It makes sense, given the amount of roof walks the railroads had back in the wood roofwalk era. When I was a painter's helper at Hershey Park, I remember mixing sand into the paint we used for the fun house walkways. The cost of mixing sand into the paint for roof walks would most likely have been too prohibitive for the railroads to adopt that approach, however. 


Beautiful modelling! 


Yours, 

David Meashey


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Dave: 

Someone told me that there were several reasons for not painting. One was that the surface when wet might not be safe, and the other was that paint could mask dry rot that could give way. Another surface that was not painted was the coupler. Painting of the cast iron couplers could mask cracks that could lead to failure. 

Chuck


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## John McGuyer (Jan 2, 2008)

I just finished a PNG drop bottom gondola to run with my K-27 on Del Oro this weekend. Lots of fun building. Spent a lot of time 'trashing' it. Also have a 40' reefer that I'll start right after the show. If you like to build, I would recommend these kits. 

John


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## MikeK (Jan 3, 2008)

Just this week I completed one of Phil's 27' boxcar kits. It went together smoothly and looks great. Now it's on to the drop bottom gondola kit I purchased from Phil at the convention in Arizona....


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