Index>Modeling >Kits >F&C Butterdish Kit

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Funaro & Camerlengo Borden Milk Tank Cars

WARNING: The following dissertation contains modeling methods which may be appalling.

A while ago I managed to economically acquire 4 of the re-tooled Borden's Butterdish kits from Funaro & Camerlengo. At a friend's prompting, I finally sat down and put one together. This kit took me about a week of evenings to assemble, paint, and decal.

I had previously cleaned up the parts, so it may have taken longer normally. The kit is composed of white resin which looks better, drills better (my opinion,) and is better detailed than the kits predecessor (I've assembled 2 of the immediate ancestor to this kit.) The tank looks sharper, or better scaled(?) than before and has little bumps indicating placement of drill holes. The bumps actually help create the illusion of grab-iron mountings. The frame is also much better than before. It's lighter, more detailed, and drills easily.

F&C actually supplies pre-formed grabs for the frame, but the railing around the tank must still be done by hand. Stanchions are supplied, if you like delicate cleaning, but eyebolts are suggested for cars which might be handled frequently.

I put some of the supplied (cast resin) brake gear on the car, but for the brake wheel itself, I used a Calscale casting. I also added a detail not addressed in the instructions. On the opposite side of the tank from the fins, there is a pipe or something. I created this with a bit of wire (supplied in the kit for handgrabs,) and glued it into a hole drilled into the tank and frame.

Truck frames are supplied with this kit. However, I chose to substitute a pair of Athearn 53308 50' Express Reefer trucks.

The decals in the kit have been called oversized by some, but I used them. They went on well: No tearing or disintegrating was experienced.

The only complaint I can think of is that the fins are difficult to install as they are thinner (truer to scale.) An experienced modeler will likely cut a grove on the ends of the tank to help the glue hold the fins in place. My attempt wasn't so good.

All in all, a good kit. I was surprised at how quickly it actually went together. My finished car actually looks better than the previous version of this kit.

Numbers: The following numbers appear on Butterdish cars on the Sussex Branch: 516, 522 (red), 531 (red), 534 (red), 537 (silver)

Colors: The colors I used are Pollyscale 'Aluminum' and Pollyscale 'Caboose Red.'

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Here's a secret: Do a search on eBay for 'Borden' There were two gentlemen who were recently selling these improved kits at a great 'Buy It Now' price, especially if you purchase more than one.

Otherwise you can order them from the Walthers catalog or through your local hobby shop, but here's their address:

Funaro & Camerlengo

R.D. #3

Box 2800

Honesdale, PA 18431