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News and Updates

April 19, 2025 - Photos of 1904 30T box models build.

You'll find it on the BX-05 page.

Quick update on the SC-01 horse car, the car body is done... underframe, sides and roof. Working on the small bits at the moment. I'll post photos once I have the last of it done. I'm down to drawing the power winder and brake wheel and the unique stem winder assembly.

March 6, 2025 - GN-02 kit now available

They're going fast. Get them while you can.

February 13, 2025 - GN-02 kit date

The kit will be available early March from Black Cat. I have posted the instructions on the model page.

February 5, 2025 - Head down and working... making good progress

GN-02 composite Otis car is done. You can see a larger photo on the project page. Working on release schedule next.

The 1904 box car is ready to build...

... and test printing various bits of the horse car.

December 24, 2024 - Merry Christmas and best wishes

Black Cat will be taking orders for the Otis and box kits very soon. If the shipment doesn't arrive today it will be just after Christmas.

Photo of BX-05 shell test print on the product page.

December 16, 2024 - Canada Post strike... ends?

The second batch of steel Otis models are waiting for the strike to end. In the meantime I'm designing and firmed up 2025. Check product pages for details.

November 4, 2024 - New information on the steel Otis car

I got a hint over the weekend that these cars lasted longer than my research indicated. I checked ORERs again and it looks like I missed it. The steel baby Otis cars were listed in 1959. Unfortunately I don't have 1960 and 1961 to home on the year but they are not in the 1962 listing. So let's say, all gone by 1962. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

I should also add that the kit is selling quickly. I started printing second batch today.

October 27, 2024 - Any interest in Algoma Central or Algoma Eastern composite Otis cars?

I've been asked if I would do the ACR or AER Otis cars. I would need scans of photos to do decals and determine how close it's to the CPR car.

Let me know if you're interested, and what quantity you're prepared to buy. Contact me using the email address at the bottom of the page.

October 23, 2024 - Composite Otis car (GN-02) updates

I have posted photos of the composite Otis car body on the product page. My next step is to build and write the instructions.

Steel Otis can be pre-ordered from Black Cat. They will ship the first week of November.

The latest kit instructions are now on the GN-01 page. I added some prototype and painting information.

October 14, 2024 - Product and Site updates

Steel Otis and another batch of BX-04 box kits on the way to Black Cat tomorrow, Oct 15th. The Otis cars will make their debut at Vancouer Train Expo November 2nd & 3rd.

I have photos and other material (photos and drawings) that I can share in a new menu item called Prototype Detail. More coming.

October 1, 2024 - Production update

Latest kit - BX-04a cars are out of stock. Another batch is being done and should be available in a couple weeks.

Otis car will be ready for end of month! Finishing up printing and wrapping. Still waiting on etchings and decals.

The Otis car and the new batch of BX-04 cars are done in a new resin. The previous resin was pretty good but this one seems to be even more stable.

September 28, 2024 - GN-01 Otis car update

Photos of the final model are on the product page. Still waiting for decals but I'm now in full production.

September 8, 2024 - New Release

BX-04 kits are now available on Black Cat. These cars are unique in that they have reverse dreadnaught ends and Youngston steel doors. This model, and future, are being done on a 12k printer. Finer details and sharper prints.

In the meantime, the metal work for the GN-01 kit is in, decals are anticipated early October and I'm printing kits. Target release date is by end of October.

September 8, 2024 - Release updates

BX-04 kits should be available around the 20th, or there abouts.

The GN-01 Otis car production build is almost complete and instructions are done. I will post photos and update the website after I have the cars painted and lettered.

Release date for the Otis cars is a bit up in the air but hoping for late November. Black Cat says the metal etching and decals are out being done. Decals could be the one to hold us up... maybe late November? We'll see.

I have also started the composite Otis car. I wish I had more photos but we'll manage.

August 1, 2024 - BX-04 release update

Hope everyone is having a great summer and enjoying the short season.

I've delayed the kit release until September. The kits are printed and waiting.

May 17, 2024 - Otis and 214000 box update

Trial build Otis cars are painted and lettered. The BX-05 box cars are also painted and lettered.

Check product page for GN-01 and BX-05 kits to see photos.

April 21, 2024 - Otis Product update

Final tweaks and print of the Otis car is done. I added a couple photos on the GN-01 so you can see how it will look.

March 27, 2024 - Product update

I'm please to announce the BX-03 kit is now available from Black Cat.

And I have an update on the GN-01 first trial build.

February 24, 2024 - Otis car update

Just found a great photo of the inside of the steel car and I have to change the inside bracing. It doesn't match the DCF drawing. Hmm... however; much to my surprise it's the same as the composite car. I'm in the middle of building the cars I have already printed. The bracing revision will go in the next test print, along with a bunch of small corrections.

February 5, 2024 - Otis car update

It took a bit longer than I thought but body and underframe is close and new photos on the GN-01 page. The body and underframe are mostly done... dimensions are correct and bracing are where I want them and it just needs a rivet counting review to make sure there isn't something where it shouldn't.

Pending the reivew the next step will be trial construction and drawing the door release levers.

January 17, 2024 - Too many box cars... adjustment

I'm revising the production schedule deferring the BX-05 kit for 2025 so that I'll have time to work on product R&D.

March - BX-03 kit

July/August - BX-04 kit

October - GN-01 kit

January 1, 2024 - Happy New Year edition

Work continues on mulitple fronts, including the baby Otis gondolas. I added menu items for the GN-01 and GN-02 kits. I have test prints in the queue for the GN-01 grab iron and ladder version of the steel car and will add photos when I'm ready.

The BX-05 214000 series kit is now finished and you can go to the page to see the completed model less paint. I'll do the paint when the weather turns.

And... this year's production queue is finalized.

February - BX-03 kit

May - BX-04 kit

August - BX-05 kit

November - GN-01 kit

I am thinking of doing detail parts. The first concept would be a K-brake set that includes everything you find in the kit. The brake parts, air hoses and brass etch clevis, tensioner and stirrup steps. Drop me a message if that's something you'd be interested in.

December 23, 2023 - Opening the Gallery :-)

Creating a new menu item called Gallery to share photos from fellow TwentyModel model builders. You're welcome to send photos to share. I've made at least 20 for my railroad so I know they can be built but, it's much different seeing someone's success. The first photos are from CM showing his finished BX-01 model.

December 17, 2023 - Christmas and holiday greetings

No update on current or future models. I'm still working on the Otis and 214000 series box car. The Otis car has me a bit frustrated because side walls need to be thicker than the prototype so I have to make a compromise.

Ah, back to the drawing board.

October 14, 2023 - BX-02 ia now Available from Black Cat

So, after all these box cars, what's next? I think it will be baby Otis gondolas. I started drawing them before I got it in my silly head to do kits.

I now have mechanical and stencil drawings for the car so there is no more guessing.

Here's photos of the test print to check dimensions and a few details. There will be many changes along the way to final production.

NEW PHOTOS ON GN-01 PRODUCT PAGE

My idea is to do the car as built with side grab irons and post-1926 with ladders instead of grabs. I am also planning to do the composite Otis car.

More updates coming.

October 1, 2023 - On the road to BX-02

Before going too far into release details let's look at the last release.

The BX-01 car was done in 2 production batches. The first batch were 20 cars and you can identify by thick inside bracing inside of the body shell. The second batch were 10 cars and their noted by the lack of inside bracing. The shell is around 1mm thin and I doubled the post curing time to compensate. I think both are about the same for structural integrity but I think the second batch will be slightly better at the expense it will be a little more brittle.

In the time between the BX-01 and 02 kit production I experimented with printer settings, tried different resins, and adjusted curing times. I ended up rejecting the resin I first tested and went with a different one. I am now using new settings that give more crisp prints and finer detail. You'll notice the roof stepping is finer than the previous kit. You can see the result. And I increased post curing hardening time by an additional 50%.

BX-02 kit will be available mid-October. BX-03 is scheduled for March 2024 release.

September 7, 2023

I've been asked a couple times about the BX-01 kit and when did the railway change from 2 to 4 side grab irons. CPR drawing B-33-C-333 Rev. B, dated January 31, 1934 documents the change to DSS cars from 2 to 4 grab irons.

This wouldn't have been done overnight. We have to consider that the railway wouldn't/couldn't go out and change 20,000 cars without having a good reason to, for example, US interchange regulatory compliance, or car was being reconditioned/rebuilt. There's lots of photographic examples of DSS cars that never had the second upper grab iron so this presents some opportunity for visual differences.

If you model earlier than 1935 remove the upper grab iron mount pads. If you model a later time period, you have a choice.

I will add the upper grab iron mount points to all future kits and you can make your own decision.

September 3, 2023

It's likely all the parts in the BX-01 kit is obvious but let's talk about one bit that might puzzle. It's these black rubbery bits...

These are flexible air hoses with their printing spur still attached.

Let's separate the spur from the hose.

Nice and clear what they are and, yeah, they're 3D printed flexible rubber parts. You're more likely to destroy the model than destroy them. I stuck a handful in my pocket and went to work for a day and none broke or bent... nice!

I'll have an update on the release date for the BX-02 kit later in the week.

July 23, 2023

Well, this is a problem... the entire batch of models was sold out in less than 2 weeks. Oh, well, another batch are being made and expected to arrive at Black Cat around August 1st.

This batch will incorporate some changes that were planned for the BX-02 kit and should help keep the sides straight and less prone to warping.

Lastly, the BX-02 kit will be released late fall.

July 10, 2023

Photos of finished BX series kits and prototype of the BX-05 car are now up and I'm a lowsy photographer. I know someone's going to think the models are not straight but they're fine. It's my camera's "close up" mode.

June 26, 2023

Site is now running with some content. I have photos of finished cars coming soon.

The first kit, BX-01, is now available from Black Cat Publishing