BC Hydro Evans All Door Boxcar Build

BC Hydro served a significant number of wood product producers in the Lower Mainland of BC (the area from Vancouver to Hope BC for those who are not familiar with the area's geography) between Vancouver and Chilliwack.  In the late 1970's and early 1980's BCH leased or purchased a large number of Thrall and Evans All Door Boxcars to serve these businesses.  These cars were designed to allow easy access for loading and unloading while protecting the higher value products in the car from the elements.  This was the era prior to center beam flatcars and plastic wrapped lumber and plywood.  

The All Door Boxcars served the lumber and plywood industries into the 1990's (and even a bit longer in some areas) until they were replaced by center beam flatcars and plastic wrap.  The maintenance costs of these cars (door maintenance, etc.) was another reason they were retired.  

I have been interested in these cars for quite some time and thought it would be worthwhile to get a few for lumber service on my early 1980's era layout.  Until recently the only model available was the Life Like (now Walthers) Thrall All Door Boxcar.  The Evans car has not been available in any form until recently.  

3D Central recently released a 3D printed version of the Evans All Door Boxcar in two versions.  Both versions can be used for BCH cars.  The Phase 1 cars are correct for 2nd hand cars (former Milwaukee and other lines) purchased (leased?) by BCH.  The former MILW cars were predominantly boxcar brown with patched out lettering while a sizable number were either repainted blue or relettered from their original owners blue paint scheme.  There are not too many photos of these cars that I have found but there could be both types of blue cars.  

I elected to do a freshly painted blue car as they barely squeak into my era (arrived on BCH property in July 1983) so a factory fresh blue car would be a change from the overwhelming CN brown on my layout.  Fortunately Highball Graphics has come out with a BCH decal set appropriate for all versions of the Evans cars so I had everything needed.  



Building the kit was straight forward as it comes with nice etched ladders and basic underframe details.  I built a full underframe with brake piping and rods, however I won't likely bother with future cars as this is invisible from normal viewing angles.  



I primed the model with Mr. Color Surfacer 1000, and painted the car with a custom mix of Vallejo Air blue and white paint.  I mixed the paint until I got something I thought appropriate for BCH blue.  From photos these cars faded to a light blue fairly quickly so getting an accurate colour is subjective.

The roof is the same colour as the body of the car: the lighting on my workbench did weird things with the blue paint.

Decaling was straightforward as the lettering diagram from Highball is a good guide.  I used a few prototype photos I found online as a guide as well.  I sealed the decals with several coats of Tamiya TS-80 matt finish and put the car into service riding on Athearn 70T roller bearing trucks along with Kadee couplers painted with Vallejo Game Effects dry rust.  I may give the car a light coat of road grime but the car will be carrying some of it's first loads on my layout so a new car finish is probably more appropriate.  

Next up will be an ex MILW brown car and a Phase 2 BCH yellow Evans car.  I am dreading having to do the red stripe these yellow cars had.  Wish me luck!

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