Hartford Products 24′ flatcar kit

1:20.3 scale, gauge 1, 24′ flatcar kit
Hartford Products, Inc.
18 Ranch Rd.
Cedar Crest NM 87008
Price: $89.95 + $8 s&h
Web site: www.hartfordpr.com

Laser-cut wood and cast white-metal kit for West Side Lumber Company 24′ flatcar; includes trucks; instructions with assembly photos
Pros: Most parts pre-cut, pre-drilled, and notched as needed; assembly and alignment jigs supplied; high quality materials; photos assist with assembly; high level of detail; good kit for first-time builders
Cons: Some parts numbered incorrectly in instructions

This kit is made up of cast, white-metal parts with crisp detail, quality pre-cut wood, steel for the truss rods, and decals. Instructions include a brief history of the car, several pages of written directions, line drawings, and photographs. There is also a list of common tools and materials required for assembly. I found, in reading the instructions, that the brake wheel was labeled with two different numbers. After looking at the drawings, it soon became clear where the part went and little time was spent solving the problem.

Our review kit offered the option of using Hartford’s link-and-pin or Kadee’s knuckle-style couplers. I chose the knuckles so I can operate the car with my other rolling stock.

The first step is to prepare the parts for assembly. This is done by removing minimal flash from the castings, drilling a few holes using the locating jigs, and deciding on the type of paint or weathering to be used. I washed all of the metal parts in soapy water, rinsed them, and allowed them to dry. This removes any mold parting compound that would keep paint and glue from adhering. I decided that my model should represent a well used, heavily weathered car. The wood parts were treated with an acrylic stain and the metal parts were treated with a chemical blackening agent before assembly. I used Titebond glue for the wood-to-wood assemblies and CA cement for the other joints.

The next step was to build up the basic underframe, which has mortised end beams to accept the sills; a laser-cut locating jig is also included. I found it better to use the jig upside down, which made inserting the sills much easier. There are a few holes that needed to be drilled, which are located with another jig. With the frame built, the various other structural and underbody detail parts were added, which included a detailed air-brake system. The decking was then laid down to complete the car body.

A pair of detailed, sprung, West Side Lumber, four-foot-wheelbase trucks are included with the kit. These actually form a separate kit with wood and metal parts. There is one page of written instructions and several clear photos to help with construction of these. A few holes needed to be drilled to accept the n/b/w castings and the transverse brake-shoe mounts. With this done, it was just a matter of slipping the various parts together to complete the trucks.

To finish the car, I glued on the brake staff and wheel, mounted the couplers, and attached the trucks. The completed car is a nice piece of well-detailed rolling stock that represents an actual protype. It went together quickly and easily and lends itself to kitbashing.