Soo Line/Wisconsin Central

Nice prototypical model. Review has practical and proto detailing suggestions.

This kit builds to a highly prototypical and satisfying model, including spotting features differentiated from similar later built SOO wood boxcars. With 3D printing many details traditionally added as separate parts are printed on, without sacrifice to appearance of the model. The kit has two main printed parts, the body and the floor / under-frame with printed on air brake appliances and levers. On the car body, drilling for the fine brass grab irons was easy as the body has through holes for many and starter dimples for the rest. The floor required some sanding to fit into the car body. When fitting carefully observe that the notches in the bolster ends rest on the car body. I took some liberties with the instructions, some for practical reasons and some to maximize prototypical appearance. I drilled and taped the coupler boxes for 1-80 screws. Larger screws likely would have split the center post in the box. Styrene strips .010" thick at the front edge of the lid prevented coupler droop. Kadee #153 SHORT SHANK whisker couplers gave best prototypical appearance. On 3D printed trucks, small V shape notches filed into the bottom of the journal boxes reduced need to flex trucks with risk of breaking. (I previously have broken 3D printed trucks from another source.) I used Kadee wheel sets. I removed 3D printer lines from the roof by sanding with #320 wrapped around a stick, then carving along edges with a narrow chisel blade, and finished with #400 and #600 sanding. The 1913 SOO , 1914 WC, and 1915 SOO cars differ in strikers, left side stirrups (double rung for SOO, single rung for WC), and cut lever shape (bent over brake staff for 1913, passing behind brake staff for 1914 and 1915. Helpful photo references are "SOO LINE Freight Equipment and Cabooses", by Kenneth Soros ; and "the SOO" Fall 1994 (volume 16 number 4). The latter has a color photo in MOW service retaining original car number, markings, and $ logo.

Looks like a really great kit, very clean. Can't wait to start building it.