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Locomotive Workshop Vintage Styrene Kits

 

Anyone who has attempted to build one of the vintage Locomotive Workshop styrene 40' Box Car kits over the past many years knows the problems associated with their building.? These old kits featured flat styrene cast sides, ends roof and underbody with very poor quality styrene ladders, doors, steps and HO brake details.? They came with either Youngstown and Superior 10' 6" doors as well as Dreadnaught and Miller end choices. The sides came with a choice of riveted or welded versions and the roofs featured wood or metal walkways. One of the major problems has always been the joining of the sides & ends, always a pain and difficult.? After now having built more than a dozen of these kits over the years, I've pretty much found a fool proof way for assembling them.? With the addition of some Pacific Rail Shops detail parts, they build into some very nice models.
?
I recently discovered that they also marketed a double sheathed wood sided box car.? While these sides originally were much too tall for my taste, some minor trimming and modifications allowed me to duplicate one of the Santa Fe's Bx9 box cars.? I'm attaching photos of this ATSF car, a double door Southern Pacific Auto/Box car and Erie Railroad 40' Box Car made from these Locomotive Workshop kits.? They are worth the effort if you ever find any kits at train shows, etc.
Bob Hogan
 

Hi Bob --

While I agree with your assessments?of the LWS kits, at least I didn't have to put up with warping!? ?Resin kits were often more difficult and fragile (brittle) with uneven thicknesses as well as warping.? ?They generally were also a bit on the overweight?side for my tastes -- at least I didn't have to add weight!? ?I still have a few older kits to build, but only one that is brittle that?I started many years ago.? ?It was set aside (like several?of my early projects) when new, better, easier to build car kits became?available.? ?Over the last several years, some of those early projects were finished with acceptable?results.? ?

I recently went through my stash of kits which?I still intend to build and found about 60 (!!) of them between both the standard gauge and narrow?gauge versions.? I paired them up with all the trucks I had accumulated, sticking them in the boxes.? ?Amazingly enough, I came out just about even!? ?If and when I build them all, I will have to do some hard picking and choosing about what to keep and what to move on, as the railroad only has (realistically) room for about 25 more standard gauge freight cars.? ?More than that and gridlock will occur.

So, did you build some more LWS kits recently?? ?Are the two you mentioned on the NASG website now?

Bill Winans
-------------------------

Anyone who has attempted to build one of the vintage Locomotive Workshop styrene 40' Box Car kits over the past many years knows the problems associated with their building.? These old kits featured flat styrene cast sides, ends roof and underbody with very poor quality styrene ladders, doors, steps and HO brake details.? They came with either Youngstown and Superior 10' 6" doors as well as Dreadnaught and Miller end choices. The sides came with a choice of riveted or welded versions and the roofs featured wood or metal walkways. One of the major problems has always been the joining of the sides & ends, always a pain and difficult.? After now having built more than a dozen of these kits over the years, I've pretty much found a fool proof way for assembling them.? With the addition of some Pacific Rail Shops detail parts, they build into some very nice models.
?
I recently discovered that they also marketed a double sheathed wood sided box car.? While these sides originally were much too tall for my taste, some minor trimming and modifications allowed me to duplicate one of the Santa Fe's Bx9 box cars.? I'm attaching photos of this ATSF car, a double door Southern Pacific Auto/Box car and Erie Railroad 40' Box Car made from these Locomotive Workshop kits.? They are worth the effort if you ever find any kits at train shows, etc.
Bob Hogan
 

¿ªÔÆÌåÓý

Bob#2 speaking here!

Some will recognize that the world-famous BBB organization has offer some of those LWS kits to this group!? I am always amazed what can be accomplished with many of them.? I never really owned any of that series of cars when first on the market.? I had ordered them but the shipment bounced around to three locations.? I finally decided the newer AM boxcar would be a better choice.

I don't know how many I've sold (BBB) since but somebody has a ton of "just parts"!?

But just to prove a point, I did put aside a semi streamlined baggage car in desperate condition. Also I sometimes can find the time and pain pills for these projects.? I still don't have my old computer's HD available but a photo or two dressed as a Frisco car looks presentable.? It was the AF chippie baggage shells with sheet metal sides among other miscellaneous parts.? I used the AM six axle trucks and it will run on a M&E consist. ?

It's sometimes nice to go back and dig into your roots!

Bob Werre
PhotoTraxx




Hi Bob --

While I agree with your assessments?of the LWS kits, at least I didn't have to put up with warping!? ?Resin kits were often more difficult and fragile (brittle) with uneven thicknesses as well as warping.? ?They generally were also a bit on the overweight?side for my tastes -- at least I didn't have to add weight!? ?I still have a few older kits to build, but only one that is brittle that?I started many years ago.??
I recently went through my stash of kits which?I still intend to build and found about 60 (!!) of them between both the standard gauge and narrow?gauge versions.? I paired them up with all the trucks I had accumulated, sticking them in the boxes.? ?Amazingly enough, I came out just about even!? ?If and when I build them all, I will have to do some hard picking and choosing about what to keep and what to move on, as the railroad only has (realistically) room for about 25 more standard gauge freight cars.? ?More than that and gridlock will occur.

So, did you build some more LWS kits recently?? ?Are the two you mentioned on the NASG website now?

Bill Winans
-------------------------
Anyone who has attempted to build one of the vintage Locomotive Workshop styrene 40' Box Car kits over the past many years knows the problems associated with their building.? These old kits featured flat styrene cast sides, ends roof and underbody with very poor quality styrene ladders, doors, steps and HO brake details.? They came with either Youngstown and Superior 10' 6" doors as well as Dreadnaught and Miller end choices. The sides came with a choice of riveted or welded versions and the roofs featured wood or metal walkways. One of the major problems has always been the joining of the sides & ends, always a pain and difficult.? After now having built more than a dozen of these kits over the years, I've pretty much found a fool proof way for assembling them.? With the addition of some Pacific Rail Shops detail parts, they build into some very nice models.
?

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_._,_._,_
 

MRIM accepts most any donation of LWS boxcar kits and parts.
Combined with SMM floor and PRS details, you end up with a close copy of the PRS 40' steel car. Unless you have the wood sides. (I hadn't thought of the Santa Fe Bx cars before now, nice idea Bob)
Tommy

On Fri, Apr 4, 2025, 12:35?PM Bob Werre via <bob=[email protected]> wrote:
Bob#2 speaking here!

Some will recognize that the world-famous BBB organization has offer some of those LWS kits to this group!? I am always amazed what can be accomplished with many of them.? I never really owned any of that series of cars when first on the market.? I had ordered them but the shipment bounced around to three locations.? I finally decided the newer AM boxcar would be a better choice.

I don't know how many I've sold (BBB) since but somebody has a ton of "just parts"!?

But just to prove a point, I did put aside a semi streamlined baggage car in desperate condition. Also I sometimes can find the time and pain pills for these projects.? I still don't have my old computer's HD available but a photo or two dressed as a Frisco car looks presentable.? It was the AF chippie baggage shells with sheet metal sides among other miscellaneous parts.? I used the AM six axle trucks and it will run on a M&E consist. ?

It's sometimes nice to go back and dig into your roots!

Bob Werre
PhotoTraxx




Hi Bob --

While I agree with your assessments?of the LWS kits, at least I didn't have to put up with warping!? ?Resin kits were often more difficult and fragile (brittle) with uneven thicknesses as well as warping.? ?They generally were also a bit on the overweight?side for my tastes -- at least I didn't have to add weight!? ?I still have a few older kits to build, but only one that is brittle that?I started many years ago.??
I recently went through my stash of kits which?I still intend to build and found about 60 (!!) of them between both the standard gauge and narrow?gauge versions.? I paired them up with all the trucks I had accumulated, sticking them in the boxes.? ?Amazingly enough, I came out just about even!? ?If and when I build them all, I will have to do some hard picking and choosing about what to keep and what to move on, as the railroad only has (realistically) room for about 25 more standard gauge freight cars.? ?More than that and gridlock will occur.

So, did you build some more LWS kits recently?? ?Are the two you mentioned on the NASG website now?

Bill Winans
-------------------------
Anyone who has attempted to build one of the vintage Locomotive Workshop styrene 40' Box Car kits over the past many years knows the problems associated with their building.? These old kits featured flat styrene cast sides, ends roof and underbody with very poor quality styrene ladders, doors, steps and HO brake details.? They came with either Youngstown and Superior 10' 6" doors as well as Dreadnaught and Miller end choices. The sides came with a choice of riveted or welded versions and the roofs featured wood or metal walkways. One of the major problems has always been the joining of the sides & ends, always a pain and difficult.? After now having built more than a dozen of these kits over the years, I've pretty much found a fool proof way for assembling them.? With the addition of some Pacific Rail Shops detail parts, they build into some very nice models.
?

You receive all messages sent to this group.

View/Reply Online (#176901) | Reply to Group | Reply to Sender | Mute This Topic | New Topic
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