• Kadee #1 scale couplers (820 or 920)
• Aristo Craft Roller bearing trucks (ART-29100)
• CA (Cyanoacrylate) glue. I prefer "medium" viscosity
• PL Construction adhesive (optional)
• K&S .020" brass wire (for grab irons) or Creative Model Associates - Phosphor-Bronze Wire -- .020" Diameter
• K&S .032" brass wire (for cut bars) or Creative Model Associates - Phosphor-Bronze Wire -- .032" Diameter
• K&S 1/16" copper tubing (for stirrup steps / cut bars)
• #2 x ½ thread cutting screws (from microfasteners.com)
• # 6 flat washers
• Precision Scale Co. Ajax brake wheel housing (PS-9887) or Sylvan "G" Scale AB Brake Set (DP-0068)
• 12 AWG copper wire (for air hoses)
• 4mm heat shrink tubing (for air hoses)
• Ozark Miniatures glad hand (from Air Brake Hose set w/brackets - OM-0041)
• Evergreen styrene .015" x .125" (for door track)
• .100" styrene sheet (12" x 26")

To get the best bond when gluing castings, they should be cleaned prior to use. I don’t normally use a release agent when casting, but the molds can sometimes leave behind a trace amount of silicone oil. Also, the natural oil from your fingers can be picked up from normal handling.

I recommend a quick scrub (don’t soak) with 91% rubbing alcohol to remove any oils.

You can also soak them in soapy water for 24 hours. Add about a teaspoon of liquid dishwashing detergent to the water, then add the parts. After 24 hours, rinse them off with fresh water. Never use hot water, as the parts may soften & deform.

Do not expose the parts to excessive heat (such as baking after painting).

For the best possible bond, I recommend sanding the backs of the sides, ends, and roof castings with 60 grit sandpaper. CA will adhere better to a rough surface.

For the body sub-assembly, I recommend "tacking" all the major parts together with "spots" of CA. If something is misaligned, this will allow you to snap it apart & re-align. When you’re happy with how everything fits together, run a bead of CA along the inside of all the seams. Any excess can be wiped up with a Q-tip before it sets.

001 - Tack the ends and the sides together. The roof is intentionally slightly longer than the body. Mark it and sand or cut it to length. Be sure to take an equal amount of material off each end. Working from the inside of the body, tack the roof to the top of the sides. Make sure it is centered over the ends (fig 001a).

Using .100" thick styrene, cut and install three pieces, as shown in figure 001b. The tops of these pieces should be .100" below the ends - so the floor will mount flush.

If you’re happy with the alignment, now run a bead of CA around all the inside joints. Let the CA cure thoroughly before continuing.

For added strength, you may choose to run a bead of PL Construction adhesive over the CA joint. This has the advantage of staying slightly flexible when cured, unlike CA which can break due to a sharp shock. If you can't find PL Construction adhesive in your area, a polyurethane-based construction adhesive may be substituted.

002 - Glue the door to the body. Use .015 x .125" styrene strip for the door track.

Underframe

003 - Cut a piece of .100" styrene for the car bottom. Mark a center line and use this as a guide to center the bolsters. Notice in figure 003a where the bolster casting aligns with end of the styrene sheet.

From the back, drill a couple 1/16" holes and install 2x56 screws (fig 003b). Also drill a 1/16" hole in the bolster kingpin.

Attach the trucks with thread-cutting screws and # 6 flat washers. You may have to use fender washers as shims to get the right coupler height.

NOTE: tack the floor in place and check the coupler height before you permanently secure it.

Air hoses

004 - Drill a hole for the plastic anglecock and glue it in place. Take some 12 AWG copper wire, strip it, and bend it to the approximate shape shown in figure 004a. Thread this into some 4mm heat shrink tubing and heat it until it conforms to the shape of the wire, then trim the ends. Using another short segment of 4mm heat shrink tubing, attach it to the plastic anglecock.

Referring to figure 004b, using some insulation stripped from the 12 AWG, cut a short segment and insert the Ozark Miniatures glad hand. Cut a piece of 4mm heat shrink tubing slightly longer than the wire insulation. Attach this to the wire you installed in the last step (see fig 004c). Figure 004d shows another angle.

Ends

005 - Using a #70 drill bit, drill out all the holes for the grab irons. It is easier to drill out the end ladders before you install them. Install the brake wheel, tack boards, etc as shown in figures 005a and 005b

Using .020" brass wire, bend and install all grab irons. To secure them, put a small drop of CA on the ends of them before you insert them.

The cut bars are made from .032" brass wire, and 1/16" copper tubing (hammered flat). I bent & installed the .032" wire parts and then soldered the flat portion in place. This only works if you have a heat sink (I use an old pair of hemostats). Otherwise the resin will melt.

The horizontal bar between the top rungs of the end ladder is .020" brass wire. You can bend an eyelet for the center support out of brass, but small fishhooks are a much easier source of eyelets.

Drill out a 1/16" hole for the stirrup steps. The stirrups themselves are made from flattened 1/16" copper tubing. Crimp about a 1/8" segment of the ends to a square shape, and insert them into the hole. Secure them with a small drop of CA.

Paint

I recommend priming the entire body first with an enamel-based paint. Krylon and Testors Model Master rattle cans have always worked well for me.

Apply the decals using the included prototype photos as a guide.

These decals were printed with an ALPS "micro-dry" printer. ALPS ink is waxed based, thus having low abrasion resistance while still on the sheet. Avoid touching the printed area with hard or sharp objects (such as tweezers or the point of a hobby knife) as the ink can be scratched off.

I recommend leaving a small margin around the decals when trimming them from the sheet. This will give you enough room to pick them up with tweezers without touching the ink.

A glossy (or semi-gloss finish) is a must for proper application. A dead flat surface will result in a "silvery" sheen on the decal.

To apply the decals, soak them in water for 15-30 seconds and then slide them into the desired position. Distilled water is preferred. A wet, soft-bristled brush is an excellent tool to position them with.

The glue on the sheet is only to hold the decal on the carrier paper – it will not hold the decal in its final position. You will need a decal setting solution to bind the decal to the model. I recommend Champ’s Decal Set. Get the decal where you want it, blot out as much water as possible, apply the decal set and let it do it’s thing (don’t touch it again till its almost dry).

Once applied, let the decals dry for at least 24 hours before clear-coating. A clear overcoat (gloss or flat both work fine) will seal and protect the applied decal. If done correctly, the clear film will disappear.

I do not recommend you spray a Krylon clear coat directly over the decals, as they tend to wrinkle. I use Testors lacquer clear coat, then apply Krylon #1311 Matte Finish as the final clear coat.