Branchline Yardmaster 1937 AAR Box cars

Whenever I roll a new freight car out of the car shop, I usually take it to our club to see how well it performs on a large layout. Members often ask who manufactured it, what details were added, and how did I do the weathering. On occasion, I overhear someone say, “That looks too difficult for me.” Sadly, I hear this quite a bit when our club display layout is on the road for non-modelers to view. It really isn’t that hard to build a good model. For many people, the hardest part is opening the box and getting started. So let’s take a look at an HO scale kit that builds into a wonderful model.

Branchline Trains introduced the Yardmaster Series box car kits in 2003. The prototype is based on the 1937 AAR box car, a steel car that set standards in freight car building. These box cars are distinctive with rectangular raised panel roofs, a standard AAR underframe, and a ten foot interior height. There were thousands built for many railroads, with large numbers lasting into the 1960’s.

The kit features a separate roof, running boards, ends, doors, and underframe. Flash on the parts was minimal and the detail is pretty crisp. I read the directions through and began on the underframe. Kadee #58 scale couplers were added, with screws affixing the coupler cover. The underbody was fit to the frame and the trucks were attached. Styrene solvent cement was carefully applied where the underframe meets the car body. Take about a minute and hold these parts together as the solvent cement sets up. Next, the weights were glued inside the car using water soluble, latex caulk. You will be gluing the roof onto the car body soon, so be sure these weights are attached firmly. Leave the car body aside for the caulk to set up.

The running board can be attached to the roof by inserting the pins on the bottom of the piece into the holes on the roof. Be careful with the running board as there are some delicate details that are easy to break off. This is one area where some test fitting is appropriate as some parts fit properly in only one way. If the pins don’t line up, turn the running board end for end and try again. The pins don’t quite fit into the holes. Use an emery board to carefully sand the pins and give them a slight taper. Once the pins fit into place, apply styrene solvent cement to the pins from the underside of the roof. Set the roof aside and return to the car body.

Carefully cut the ends from the parts sprue. Note one end has four pins and the other has five. A review of the car body ends reveals holes to match the correct end. Before placing an end, chamfer the holes by twirling a #11 hobby blade in each hole to enable a better fit. Place one end into position, then press it in for a snug fit. Add some styrene solvent cement to the pins from the inside of the car. Do the same for the other end. Try not to bump the weights when you attach the ends, or maybe glue the weights into place after the ends are affixed. Glue the brake wheel into place once the ends are attached.

The roof snaps into place snugly. Styrene solvent cement can be applied through the doorways to the inside where the car sides and roof meet. Or, if you have a neat applicator bottle with a very small spout, run the tip of the applicator along the edge of the roof. Capillary action will draw the solvent into the joint and glue the pieces.

All that is left are the doors, which can be glued into place or can be made to operate.

No extra weight was added to this model. For a forty-foot car, the NMRA recommended weight is 3.75 ounces. As most new kits have better rolling wheel sets mounted in trucks made of slippery engineering plastic, I’ve modified this NMRA guideline. Cars weighing between 75% and 100% of the NMRA weight have been operating fine on a large club layout. For a forty-foot car, 75% of the recommended weight would be about 2.82 ounces. This completed car weighs about 3.0 ounces, so I left it alone. The NMRA Recommended Practice for Car Weight (RP 20.1) can be found here: http://www.nmra.org/standards/sandrp/rp-20_1.html The HO scale recommendations have not changed since the 1950s.

These Branchline Trains Yardmaster Series kits make a fine addition of a common prototype freight car at a nice price. The kits are suitable for modelers of many ages. A friend’s nine-year-old nephew recently assembled one of these kits in a little over an hour. If you take your time and make the parts fit before gluing them together, you’ll have a fine model ready for your layout.

Moderator note: the NMRA website has been completely revamped since the above link was posted. Please go to  https://www.nmra.org/index-nmra-standards-and-recommended-practices to find the information instead.