The six Ken Kidder HO scale cars depicted in this gallery, consisting of three head-end and three passenger cars, were a project for a client. The job entailed detailing and painting the brass cars, apply decals, then lightly weather them. The models date from the 1960s and thus aren't the most accurate or detailed available, however, once painted, offer a nice sample of these types of Harriman-era cars. The models came with simple wood floors as shown in photos. Those were replaced with plastic floors fabricated from Evergreen Styrene, per the drawing included below. Underbody detail parts from Precision Scale, Cal Scale and others were added, giving them them an approximate "look", although they aren't exactly 100% accurate nor destined to be "contest quality" models. The cars will operate on the client's layout and so need to be rugged for regular handling. Detail and decal placement based on photos published in the "Southern Pacific Passenger Car" series of books by the SPH&TS, along with other publications. Couplers were not installed because the client indicated he has a special method for assembling reliable operating Kadee couplers. Trucks are from Central Valley.

Paint used: Star Brand #29, Dark Olive Green
Decals used: Thinfilm #160, SP Heavyweight Car Imitation Gold Lettering
Overcoat: Semi gloss coat consisting of 50:50 blended mix of Floquil Hi-Gloss and Flat Finish airbrushed on the cars before weathering applied.
Weathering: A combination of Floquil colors applied with a Paasche airbrush. Also used Bragdon Weathering Powders on the trucks and wheel faces.

References:
Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol. 1: Coaches and Chair Cars (published by SPH&TS)
Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol. 2: Sleepers & Baggage-Dorms (published by SPH&TS)
Southern Pacific Passenger Cars, Vol. 3: Head End Equipment (published by SPH&TS)
Historic Southern Pacific Cars, by Robert Wayner (both editions of this book)
Three Southern Pacific Harriman Cars, by Ken Harrison, Railroad Model Craftsman, August 1988
SP 60-O-1 Steel Harriman Official Car, by Donald Munger, publication unknown