I recently purchased a Roads and Rail Resin water tank, a model of a water tank designed to be fitted onto a KF flat wagon or into a modified K truck. The manufacturer indicates that the model can be fitted to either an Austrains or IDF KF wagon or use the sides included in the kit to adapt a KF wagon into a modified K wagon.(
Road and Resin water tank ). I really wanted to build a modified k truck version and didn't want to sacrifice my only KF wagon (an IDR KF wagon) for that purpose.
When I first saw an add for this kit, I purchased a Casula Hobbies K truck hoping it could be used in lieu. Unfortunately, there is some dimensional variations that meant that the tank was too big to fit inside the Casula version. So I made up the tank to fit onto the KF wagon.
However, with further reflection, I decided that the Casula Hobbies K truck could be adapted. I glued several strips of styrene to increase the size of the base (see photo opposite), fixed the completed tank to the base and then fitted the modified K truck sides around the tank. It was also necessary to adjust the wheel mountings to ensure the correct height above the track.
Painting and weathering will follow but this has been an exercise in dimensional variability as can be seen from the three versions in the photo opposite, an original Casula Hobbies, an original Austrains model and the modified K truck mounted water tank. I suppose as long as I make sure that they don't appear in close proximity to each other, then differences are not too obvious.
I recently purchased a Roads and Rail Resin water tank, a model of a water tank designed to be fitted onto a KF flat wagon or into a modified K truck. The manufacturer indicates that the model can be fitted to either an Austrains or IDF KF wagon or use the sides included in the kit to adapt a KF wagon into a modified K wagon.( Road and Resin water tank ). I really wanted to build a modified k truck version and didn't want to sacrifice my only KF wagon (an IDR KF wagon) for that purpose. 
However, with further reflection, I decided that the Casula Hobbies K truck could be adapted. I glued several strips of styrene to increase the size of the base (see photo opposite), fixed the completed tank to the base and then fitted the modified K truck sides around the tank. It was also necessary to adjust the wheel mountings to ensure the correct height above the track.
Painting and weathering will follow but this has been an exercise in dimensional variability as can be seen from the three versions in the photo opposite, an original Casula Hobbies, an original Austrains model and the modified K truck mounted water tank. I suppose as long as I make sure that they don't appear in close proximity to each other, then differences are not too obvious. 
Ahh, Phil, you have discovered the hard way that the old Trax/Casula K truck bears only a passing resemblance to reality! Very nice job of overcoming its deficiencies!
ReplyDeleteJames,
DeleteThanks for the comment. Usually we can conceal the dimensional variations between the older models and the new by keeping them visually separated but in this instance it wasn't that easy. Then again if I had purchased the Austrains KF wagons that I saw on special at Forestville then I would not have had this challenge.
cheers Phil