Lanes Trains S Scale B&O I12 C2414

B&O I12 2414

Joe Boscoe Jim Thorpe PA 10-16-88

C2414 still exists on the Allentown & Auburn Railroad. It was a big factor in picking that number to model.

This is a Southwind Models B&O I12 imported in 1992. It is my favorite non-PRR caboose. I have 3 other I12. 2 are painted for B&O transition era and 1 is fully modernized for B&O Chessie. All 3 were painted over 25 years ago. The I12 was monumental in setting a direction for my modeling on the 1990s that still exists today when I decided to modify the original brass draft gear casting that had an unusable brass coupler casting. I machined it to accept the Kadee 802 coupler. I have since made many brass draft gear for the 802 coupler.

In January 2023 I was involved with painting a group of GP30, one of which was for the B&O original blue Sunburst scheme. I needed a blue B&O caboose to match the GP30.

I painted another I12 in a late 1960s blue scheme for someone else in about 1995 but the masking was extensive. I tried to get it back but that did not happen. The 1970s pool scheme was similar to that all yellow end scheme but has no masking. I had this I12 someone truly gave me not doing anything so a new paint job project was born. Not all of my projects have to be a 50 hour+ event. This is just a few changes and paint it.

The I12 has a few issues. The truck journal boxes hit the steps making the trucks have a very limited swivel. I am sure others just bent the steps outward or ground off the inside edges for more clearance. There is just enough room to move the steps to the ends of the car to clear the journals but that takes a resistance soldering unit to make that repair.

I have already moved the steps and modified the draft gear casting for the Kadee coupler in these photos but otherwise it is shown as built by Southwind for the B&O transition era.

I did not do as extensive machining on the draft gear. I used S Helper Service couplers now that did not exist the last time I painted I12. The couplers swivel but do not center like the first I12 I made. I call this a light modernization, not the extent of the B&O Chessie I12 with rock guards over some windows. All window rain deflectors and the 4 rectangular bay windows were removed. Using parts supplied with all I12 I soldered on new oval windows for the bays, and new windows for the ends. I am assuming that the channels over and under for the center windows are for sliding screens (that also came with the car), but I did not see any on the I12 in the photos of this scheme. Other changes include making the fake brass light lenses concave for MV lenses. I also added diagonal braces from the steps to the carbody that the real I12 had.

I painted this 2-8-23. This is the last of a large Tru Color custom paint mix I painted 2) SW1, 1) GP9, a troop sleeper, M53 as a C16 and more recently a GP30. I have to get decals made from Circus City.

Completed 4-16-23

The decaling was rather simple except for the large stripe as the bottom. It is continuous from end to end over all the ribs and extended cupola. I did not know how long to make the stripe but getting the decal to contour over the ribs was a bit too much for the decal to stretch and conform. The decal broke at the ribs. I added small patch pieces and got it done. Circus City decals are great to use and look awesome when completed. It looks great with the GP30.

Updated 4-17-23