Building a fleet...Part 1

ATSF 36 ft Boxcar class Bx 5/14.

Typical Santa Fe Boxcars are a rarity in S scale apart from the old Kinsman Fe-P (a decent basic model even today). But that's all on hand...Curiously for a road with the third largest fleet of all US roads in the 50's, and many typical signature cars, those were completely overlooked. That's it, and probably not close to change. So what to do when you want something and it doesn't exist: Do it yourself! I've planned to do 3 major boxcar type that lasted into the late 40's /early 50's : the 36 ft Bx 5 and 14 double sheated (and a War Emergency Caboose made on the basis of a Bx 5), a 40 ft Bx 3/6 double sheated panel side, and the ubiquitous single sheated ARA inspired 40' Bx 11/12/13 with raised roof.
So let's begins with a Bx 5, a modernised version of a Bx-O, typical of early twenty century practices. Based on drawings in Ellington's book Caboose car of the Santa Fe Railway and John C.Dobyne Santa Fe Boxcars 1869-1953, I've drawed a kit for this car and the War Emergency Caboose which is derived from it.The parts were laser cutted in 2 mm acrylic for the core and in Lazerboard type material for the exterior. The inverted Murphy ends are resin cast. The bogie bolsters are from Ye Old Huff 'n'Puff and the trucks are a pair of SHS Andrews type. Those will be modified to ressemble the type 551 used. Couplers will be Sergent. There's some minor errors with the side grab placement but I'll probably not modify it. Here's what the project look like today. Quite a lot of work to do but I hope to have it finished by the end of december. See ya'