Sometime last year, my folks were out at Pike's Peak and picked me up the aforementioned kit in Manitou and Pike's Peak livery - forgetting the majority of my stuff is N scale. I've never put together an HO kit, but I finally opened the box and it seemed pretty simple - until I got to work and got stymied on the first step (assuming it's the first step - there's only a diagram showing how things go together - no hint of order). I'm trying to get the roof and ends (one piece) onto the body shell, but there's a notch above the doors which does not seem to fit the protrusion molded into the roof. It looks like the walls need to come out as the roof drops down, then the protrusion should slide into the gap. But it doesn't. I don't want to force anything, and didn't want to start filing away at the parts until I got some guidance. Not sure I can add a picture yet, but I'll try. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. Happy Friday.
There is probably some flash inside the notches on the body. Use small files or an xacto knife to clean out those notches. Then spread the sides of the body and the roof should slide in. If you get it just right, the sides should hold the roof in firmly, but without bowing out. That's a classic Athearn blue box kit, too bad they aren't made anymore, they're a great way to hone basic modelling skills.
Thanks Rob, that's just the encouragement I needed. Got it together except for the hatch latches - might need to rest the eyes for the night.
Got it done. Shown with two other reefers my dad put together in the '70s showing a little abuse from when I was a kid (and dust).
There are after market detail parts available, so should you decide to do so one day, it is very possible to repair missing steps, etc, etc.
The Athearn wood reefer was the first boxcar dad and I assembled 25 years ago. And we had trouble with the hatches too! They look really good behind a steam loco.
