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 End Trailer Instructions

Read these important assembly instructions before starting!

Also make sure you've read the General Instructions first.

Step 1 Cut out the base of the trailer (part number 2) leaving about 5 mm (1/4 inch) margin around the edge of the part.

Step 2 Find a piece of cardboard slightly larger than the part you just cut out. A cereal box will do nicely. The cardboard will stiffen the base of the model and ensure that it is straight. Glue the part from step 1 to the cardboard. When it is dry, cut out around the edge of the part (cutting off the margin you left earlier).

Step 3 Score the main body (part number 1) along its entire length at all the places indicated by arrows, as well as along the base of flaps R.

Step 4 Cut out the main body. Make sure to reach inside the area labelled "cut out". Make a small slit into the roof as marked by the little scissor symbol on the parts sheet.

Step 5 Mark the folds on the main body. All folds are "peak" folds except flap T, which is a "valley" fold.

Step 6 Fold the roof cowling such that flap T tucks under the end of the roof (just to the right of the "Cut Out" label on the parts sheet). The roof cowling should follow the profile of the trailer side. Glue flaps R under the cowling roof, and then glue flap T under the trailer roof.

Step 7 Apply glue to the back side of flap A. Glue flap A onto the base (part 1) so that it wraps around the bottom of the base (see Figure 1). Make sure that the blue marks on flap A align with the blue marks on part 2, and that the green marks on flap A align with the green marks on part 2. This alignment is very important; if you don't get it right the model will be twisted or bent.

Figure 1 Cross-section of the model. This shows how the parts fit together.

Step 8 Once flap A is dry, apply glue to flap B and glue it to the base (part 1) and align it using the same method as for flap A. To press on the flap you can insert a finger inside the ends of the model and press the bottom gently with your thumbs.

Step 9 Glue flap U to close the end of the trailer. (Insert a small piece of cardboard or a thin object inside the body so that you can press on the flap). Fold flap S onto part 2 and glue it down. Make sure the green alignment marks are lined up. Since it's difficult to press down on this area, temporarily insert a piece of cardboard crosswise in the space under part 2 to press against.

Step 10 Score part 3, the underbody. Score along its entire length at the six places indicated by arrows, and score on the RED LINE at one end of the part.

Step 11 Cut out part 3. Cut along the two short diagonal lines that meet the ends of the red line.

Step 12 Mark the folds on the underbody. In the order from flap C to flap D, the first and last fold should be "valley" folds and the four others should be "peak" folds. Refer to the blue part of Figure 1. The folds on the red lines should be "valley"; the ends of part 3 fold upwards to form the ends of the body.

Step 13 Apply glue to the back side of flap C. Glue flap C onto the back side of the underbody so that you form the shape shown on the blue part of Figure 1 (seen from the end). The colored part of the underbody should slope inwards at an angle of about 30 degrees.

Step 14 Repeat the last step for flap D.

Step 15 Apply glue to the top of the underbody (the rectangular area labeled "door at this end") and glue it to the underside of the main body. The underbody should cover flaps A and B and should be glued in the correct orientation, with the end labeled "door at this end" on the end of the body with the doors. Make sure the underbody is centered, both lengthwise and crosswise.

Step 16 Fold the end of the underbody upwards into the body until it is vertical. Flaps E (two of them) should be glued to the inside of the body as shown in Figure 2 below. Make sure the end walls remain vertical while you glue flaps E.

Figure 2 Trailer end detail after assembly

Step 17 Score part 4, the wheels, according to the arrows. The score mark along the top should not cross the small flaps J and H.

Step 18 Cut out part 4 and fold it. All folds are "peak" folds except the ones along the top; the little triangular areas should be bent up with a "valley" fold.

Step 19 Fold the bottom flaps (unlabeled) to the back of the wheels. These flaps are not glued to anything and are used only for stiffness.

Step 20 Glue flap G so that part 4 forms a box. Apply glue to area I and area K as well as the back side of the triangular part (which forms the electrical insulators that carry the power cable along the roof of the trainset). Glue flap H to area K and flap J to area I. Glue the two triangular parts back to back. See Figure 3 for how the result should look.

Figure 3 Part 4 after assembly

Step 21 Glue the completed part 4 onto the end of the body opposite the doors. The end of the wheel box should touch the vertical wall inside the trailer body (see Figure 2) and the top of the wheel box should touch the inside of the trailer roof; apply glue to the areas shaded in gray in Figure 2. One end of the roof insulator should fit in the slit at the end of the roof, as shown in Figure 4. Make sure everything is centered and square before the glue dries.

Figure 4 Part 4 after gluing to body

Step 22 Score part 5, the wheels, according to the arrows. Also score on the red lines beneath flaps Q.

Step 23 Cut out part 5 and fold it. All folds are "peak" folds. Fold the bottom flaps (unlabeled) to the back of the wheels. These flaps are not glued to anything and are used only for stiffness.

Step 24 Glue flap P so that part 6 forms a box. Fold flaps Q inward, and glue the wheelset in its place under the end of the trailer.

This completes the assembly of the TGV PSE end trailer. When you put together several trailers, it is recommended to glue them in a manner similar to that described in Step 19. The connection between trailers, when glued, should be as shown in Figure 5 below.

Figure 5 Connection between two finished trailers

You can now return to the model page.

Last Update: 15 April 1999