Detailing a C&O RDC-2 in HO scale

The Basement Subdivision

The recently released HO scale Life-Like Proto-1000 Budd RDC-2 represents the first "phase" of RDC exterior styling. With the addition of a few details parts, paint, and decals, it is possible to produce a very accurate model of C&O "Chessieliner" No. 9060.

With the body removed from the drive, I shaved off the cast hand rails and stripped the factory paint. Use caution when stripping the paint from the pilot/step castings, as they are very fragile. You may want to reinforce this area, or skip stripping them.

When drilling holes for the wire handrails, note that the baggage door only gets one on the side towards the front of the car. If you look at prototype pictures, you'll see that the handrails only go up to the belt rail between the smooth side and the stainless steel flutes. The grab irons on all four lower corners are bent from standard drop grab irons. Trim all of the handrail wire as close as possible to the inside of the shell, to avoid fouling the drive and steps.

The MU receptacles on RDC's look different from any I've seen and different from any commercial casting-I used Details Associates sand-filler hatches, installed using photos as a guide.

The C&O used portable dual Mars lights on the forward end of its RDC's, hanging them on a bracket attached to the door and powered via an extension cord. My thought was that if I ran the car coupled to another, the "extra" light between the cars wouldn't be visible, so I did both ends. The Mars lights are glued to the center of the end doors, with the top edge just touching the lip at the bottom of the window. Install the extension cord after painting.

The air horn is a DA Nathan M3 kit that I assembled to look like the horns in C&O photos. Install the assembled horn where the factory horn was-the hole is a bit oversized, but can be filled and redrilled.

A Details West BE-128 bell is a close match, and mounts to the right and slightly behind the horn. This completes the detailing of the shell prior to painting.

I added stirrup steps for the baggage doors, using DA eyebolts to mount the Superliner steps on the RDC truck sideframes where they won't be in the way.

Paint the shell with your choice of silver or stainless steel. The underframe, pilots, and end grab irons are painted black, and I did the trucks in oily black. The MU receptacles are painted an off-white, and the bell bronze. After everything has dried finish off with a clear gloss coat for the decals.

Lettering for this C&O RDC comes from three different decal sets. The CHESAPEAKE AND OHIO on the letterboard is from Champ's yellow caboose decal set HC-247. A Microscale set provided the blue logos, and the car numbers are scrap pieces left over from a Walthers circus car set.

The end stripes proved challenging, but you can use the accompanying template (full-size for HO) to measure and cut yellow stripes from decal or dry transfer stock.

Having removed the glazing prior to stripping the shell, I tried something new on this car and dipped the clear parts in Future floor polish. Our plastic modeling brethren have used Future on clear windows and aircraft canopies for years. It improves the shine and doesn't yellow. Be careful, though, with the recess on the backside of the RDC glazing that allows the Future to puddleholding the pieces vertically while they dry will prevent this and speed things up.

Make the extension cords for the Mars lights from fine strand of household wire, colored with a black permament-ink market.

Parts list--

Detail Associates 229-1008 Dual Mars Light

Detail Associates 229-1601 Nathan M-3 Air Horn

Detail Associates 229-6606 Superliner Steps

Detail Associates 229-3001 Sand Hatch (late); use For MU receptacles

Detail Associates 229-6240 Cut Bar

A-line 116-29200 Windshield Wipers

Details West 235-128 Bell .015" dia. brass wire

Drop Grab irons

Copyright Chesapeake and Ohio Historical Society, Inc. May 2001
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