On my Loewenherz modules as well as on my work desk, I have display tracks, where I put a few freight cars on “permanent” display. To prevent these cars, which are relatively light, from sliding off the tracks due to accidentally hitting the table or ueven floor, I got the idea of making rail wheel stoppers from a visit to Eisenbahnmuseum Hanau.

1:87-scale Rail Wheel Stoppers from Plastic Card

I use 1mm thick plastic card (you can use 1mm square rod as I do not have this at time of making), cut 4 pieces of 2mm x 5mm (make a few extra in case you lose them in the process) and use superglue to bond them to the rail head at each 4 ends. I let them dry for overnight.

Using a spare plastic card as shim and support, I cut off the excess styrene with a sprue-cutter. The height will be about 1mm from the rail head. Trim and file the excesses.

Then I checked the height with a freight car. Looks good so far.

Painting and Weathering the Wheel Stoppers

Before I handbrushed the stoppers with Vallejo Model Deep Yellow, I brushed some Vallejo Surface Primer white. A quick dry will hairdryer speeds up the process.

I used AK Interactive Weathering Pencil sets AK10042 Chipping & Aging Set and AK10041 Rust & Streaking Effects set especially Gun Metal (Graphite), Chipping and Dark Rust to create the chipping and rust effects.

First Impressions