the BN version

Here's a BN version based on the same Lionel O-27 model that I built as a shorter single door version a few years ago.....DaveB ​

Nice

DavidB, excellent work, I didn't know that you were into S scale also. That is the only scale that I have not venture to. Any way, looks very good.

" I didn't know that you were

 Thanks Nick. I think it will make a nice runner for an S  layout, very sturdy given it's toy train roots. S is one of those scales where building from scratch or converting or bashing something is still common since there are relatively few  commercial models made.  S is the same size as American Flyer toy trains which were popular at one time but S  scale has never caught on as a modeling choice with the mainstream crowd.  My two favorite sizes to work in are S for larger stuff and TT for smaller trains but they are both minority scales.....DaveB

Article

One sad thing about S being a minority scale is that an article describing how you did the conversion probably wouldn't be published in a main line magazine because of the limited interest.

"One sad thing about S being

Hi Roy, Yeah most S scalers still do this old school blacksmith style modeling but more mainstream scales don't really require it any more due to their wealth of production models. I enjoy the conversion process and the free flow modeling it encourages, very relaxing I've found. Crude as it may be the S car holds it's own when placed next to a state of the art HO car solely due to it's Superior Size :> )   ...DaveB

We'll publish it

"If Dave wants to write it up

   Hi Joe,  I didn't document the construction well enough to write an article but I'll be happy to answer any questions anyone might have about it. I'll post the few photos I did take during construction...DaveB 

The start

Here's a Lionel Hycube in it's normal state. 

Cut and glue

Here's the body parts after they have been cut apart and glued back together with a new styrene floor ,roof,and ends. S scale trucks and 802 Kadee couplers were installed. 

Roof, ends,and doors

Roof has added plastic strips for panel joints and ends were built up with square plastic ribs.Doors were glued up from plastic sheet and strip material. 

Metal details

Brass rod was used for door hardware, Ladders were constructed of brass wire and plastic strips on the car side and brass strips on the car ends. Grab irons and steps are brass stock, air hose is brass wire with soldered on angle cock made from finer wire. Brake wheel is a dress snap with a piece of jewelry chain attached. 

Starting to paint

First coat of touch up paint has been sprayed on the new plastic parts( door guides were not painted this round) Lionel lettering was masked over.  

Faded and tagged

Last step was hand painting the door guides and other touch up, then  fading the bright red with washes of lighter red and browns (acrylics were used to speed up the process, about a two hour job of weathering and tagging not counting drying time between sessions). A couple of patches of new paint and data were added. Rust was added here and there and graffiti was applied with decals and hand painted areas.Sharpies were used for the finer tagging. The result is a car that looks plausible in a modern setting, not up to finest contemporary standards but looks good from normal operating distance. I'll probably build another one of these days as Lionel made them in a few more interesting paint schemes....DaveB 

Nice

When I made my comment, I failed to mention what a nice job it was. I could use some hi-cube cars myself and I just might give it a try.

I appreciate Joe's offer. I really like the open mindedness of MRH to all scales regardless of the number of modelers. I'm sure that he gets a lot of urging to make MRH HO only and I for one am happy that they don't go that route.

Now if I could only get more S modelers to board the MRH train.

Good modeling is good modeling

Good modeling is good modeling. I feel the HO guys lose out a lot by not checking out what's going on in other scales. I never want MRH to make that mistake ...