In the previous post, I completed what I want to say about the prototype SP 119 official car, and showed the beginning of my work to modify the model closer to the prototype. You can visit that post and its material at: https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2024/07/operating-sp-business-car-part-2.html .
I felt one of the aspects of the Rivarossi model car that I could change in the direction of the SP car was to move the rear wall out to the end of the car sides, instead of maintaining a “deep” platform compartment. In the previous post cited above, I showed the removal of the wrongly located wall.
My next effort was to sand the edges of that wall section down to fit, and then re-insert it at the end of the side walls, where it fit snugly and was secured by wetting the joints with styrene cement. Note in this view that the profile of the canopy over the platform is level, thus no need for a small awning at the center, as seen on the prototype SP 119.
The body that I have came with a molded interior. The first thing I wanted to do was to add a couple of steel nuts, 1/2-13 size, and paint them black, then glue them in place with canopy glue. This adds a badly needed ounce of weight to the car.
The second thing to do was to add some additional colors to the interiors, so that what is visible through the windows is a little more realistic and no longer monochrome. I simply touched up a few of the chairs with color.
Next I turned my attention to the addition of truss rods, as was characteristic of SP 119, and clearly shown in the preceding post (see link in top paragraph, above). Since the Rivarossi underbody is not the same as the SP car, I decided that a kind of stand-in truss rod arrangement would suffice.
I chose brass wire of 0.023-inch diameter for the rods, bent them to approximate shape, and glued them at each end, inside the side sill of the underbody, using canopy glue. I then fitted an indication of queen posts, using styrene strip, again attached with canopy glue. Here is the appearance at this point.
I now could add a diaphragm to the non-platform end. I cut down and used one of the after-market diaphragms once marked by AHM (Associated Hobby Manufacturers) for the Rivarossi streamlined passenger cars.
Finally, I painted the areas needing touch-up, with a mixture that I had originally used when starting work on this car, back in the Floquil age: 2/3 Pullman Green, 1/3 Coach Green. A true SP Dark Olive Green (DOG) was not then available, and I felt that my mixture conveyed a somewhat faded DOG, especially when seen in daylight. I had stored my old Floquil carefully, and was able to resuscitate it for this project.
The model still differs from the prototype roof arrangement and of course its windows are substantially different, but these are not so evident in a passing train, which is likely the only use this model will have on my layout. I’m satisfied with it.
Tony Thompson
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