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AMS Flatcar Load

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Big65Dude
Conductor

1st Class Member

USA

Posted - 19 Jul 2004 : 10:44:47

I love the detail and workmanship on the AMS series of narrow gauge models, but I really had some misgivings about the flatcar. I saw first-hand what happened to a couple taken "out-of-the-box" on their inaugural run one bright, sunny day at Roger Cutter's RGS East.

Within an hour, they both bowed up like their turnbuckles had been overtightened. The sun had caused the plastic decking to expand and there is no place for it to go but up because there aren't any gaps in the casting anywhere. Since the flatcar dosen't have much of a vertical structure to brace and stiffen it (like the tanker or gon) it falls prey to such warping pretty easily. So when I got my flatcar, I thought I'd try to do something to prevent this problem.

First, before repainting it, I took my trusty razor saw and carefully cut six or eight gaps between the deck boards at random intervals, taking it just down to the tops of the understructure. The casting is so well done that the bottom board seams line up perfectly with the ones on top. This not only creates expansion room but also a nice "superdetail" affect.

I then set the model out in the hot sun for two days with about fifteen pounds worth of my SCUBA diving weights right in the middle. The flatcar deck stayed "straight as a die."

Just to be sure, I also decided to put a permanent load on the flatcar to replace the diving weights (...effective, but not very esthetic.) I needed something heavy.

I found on eBay this model traction engine at about the right scale. It's a metal casting really intended to be a toy and not a scale model, per se. I adhere to the "ten-foot rule" religeously, however - it saves me a lot of eyestraining detail work - so I used it.

I did what I could with detail parts from the junk drawer, styrene strips for boiler bands, painting etc. to make it look as realistic as possible.

Nevertheless, if you look more than twice at it, you see that it's really a pretty crude model. But it is heavy (and I augmented that by fillng the hollow inside with lead buckshot.)

I had fun lashing everything down with chains and, with all the weight, they really are necessary.

The end result is pleasing to me, at least, and I 'm not worried about the sun any more.

Jack Thompson
Reston, Virginia

Amphidiploid heptanoic curine fanlight graphecon doctrinaire shoplift discrimination attenuators? Nondevelopable sweetheart choriocentesis, heritability expireware!

Edited by - Big65Dude on 19 Jul 2004 11:34:59

David Buckingham
Engineer

1st Class Member

United Kingdom

Posted - 19 Jul 2004 : 11:42:29

Jack and all
I wish that Accucraft would do a Flatcar without the deck or supply a wood kit with it.
The underframe is wonderful and can be used on many models especially if you have your own road name etc.
Real wood is so much easier to colour by many means.
To my mind they would find a good market for it.
Dave

Big65Dude
Conductor

1st Class Member

USA

Posted - 19 Jul 2004 : 11:51:16

I agree wholeheartedly. I first tried to see if I could replace the plastic deck with real wood planks, but how to do that proved elusive to me.

Jack

Edited by - Big65Dude on 21 Jul 2004 08:18:57

Dwight Ennis
Administrator

1st Class Member

USA

Posted - 19 Jul 2004 : 11:54:03

quote:
Originally posted by David Buckingham

I wish that Accucraft would do a Flatcar without the deck or supply a wood kit with it.

That's why they make end mills.

David Buckingham
Engineer

1st Class Member

United Kingdom

Posted - 19 Jul 2004 : 12:39:24

Dwight
Brave man
Dave

I had thought of trying to lever them off but it to large an area and to thick I think it would do to much damage.
As a lot of people have done I have removed some of the planks on the outside of the cattle wagons to revamps them but they are thin and baend

K27_463
Conductor

1st Class Member

USA

Posted - 19 Jul 2004 : 13:57:09

I have experimented with laminating a very thin-1/64th inch - piece if model plywood and then scribing it to match the existing joints. Worked and looked very nice, but I need to improve teh glue method used. The ply is so thin it cannot be seen from the edge, lying right on top of the existing deck. It would really be great if I could rip this ply into individual planks for the deck. Not a good enough woodworker for that though. I have also messed with varoius paint and india ink methods to weather and age the deck of these flats. Sold a few custom flats like this at the Queen Mary show, customers seemed to like them.

R/C conversions/Airwire 900/Phoenix/Accucraft/AMS

JONATHAN-Electric Model Works
www.rctrains.com

docwatsonva
Conductor

1st Class Member

USA

Posted - 20 Jul 2004 : 08:52:30

Very nice work Jack. Did you say that, without the new load, the deck stayed flat in the sun after your deck treatment?

Doc Watson

Big65Dude
Conductor

1st Class Member

USA

Posted - 20 Jul 2004 : 09:24:14

quote:
Originally posted by docwatsonva

Very nice work Jack. Did you say that, without the new load, the deck stayed flat in the sun after your deck treatment?

That's a good question, Doc. The idea of putting it out under the hot sun with the weights was to allow whatever would expand to do so without warping the whole deal.

After it was "cooked" that way, I didn't want to take a chance that it still might warp (even a little) so I mounted the tractor to keep a load on the flatcar deck before I exposed it to the sun again.

I'd like to think that it wouldn't have warped even without a load, but I can't verify that would have been the case. Even so, after cutting the expansion gaps and cooking it under weight for two days, I betcha there would have been little or no warping.

I just thought of something else. I painted the deck planking to look like weathered wood with a light tan/gray paint mixture. That probably reflects more heat energy than the original, darker, tuscan red surface. Every little bit helps, I suppose.

You might as well try any or all of these ideas in any event. They are not destructive to the flatcar and do enhance its looks even if they might not be all that effective against warping.

Jack Thompson
Reston, Virginia

Edited by - Big65Dude on 21 Jul 2004 08:24:42

pipelion
Conductor

USA

Posted - 23 Jul 2004 : 21:29:43

Jack,

I thought you had scale "pillows" on the flat car, I was cracking up before I read your post.

Allan

1:32 1:29 What ever it takes.

pipelion
Conductor

USA

Posted - 23 Jul 2004 : 21:31:20

Jack,

I thought you had scale "pillows" on the flat car, I was cracking up before I read your post.

Allan

1:32 1:29 What ever it takes.

Big65Dude
Conductor

1st Class Member

USA

Posted - 25 Jul 2004 : 00:44:02

Allen,

Those are actually what are called "soft" weights. They're nylon mesh bags full of lead buckshot. For SCUBA diving, they're used in something that looks like one of those old money belts, with pouches all around. They're more comfortable to wear than the solid cast weights with slots in them that the belt goes through. They're handy in model work for holding glued items in place where a clamp won't work because they conform to odd shapes and won't slide off.

Jack Thompson
Reston, Virginia

John J
Railway Exec (Moderator)

1st Class Member

USA

Posted - 25 Jul 2004 : 09:44:22

Jack
Where did you get the Chain and Chain Binders?
That is one great looking load. I am really impressed with it.

Greg Stevens
Engineer

1st Class Member

USA

Posted - 25 Jul 2004 : 14:14:45

John,

You can get chain, binders and hooks all from Ozark Miniatures.

Jack,

That is a fantastic looking load. Very nice job on the upgrades. Only thing I would have done differently is to knock off the mold parting lines on the wheels. Other than that I don't even think the 10 foot rule applies to it. Good Job!

Work & Play Safely,

Greg Stevens

pipelion
Conductor

USA

Posted - 25 Jul 2004 : 14:32:23

Jack,

I used to dive. I was certified in 1968. I don't remember the soft wieghts though.

Now that you mention it, those things look great for when you need something heavy, yet won't damage what you're holding down.

If I get time I'm making some.

Great idea, thanks,

Allan

1:32 1:29 What ever it takes.

Big65Dude
Conductor

1st Class Member

USA

Posted - 26 Jul 2004 : 00:03:34

quote:
Originally posted by Greg Stevens

John,

You can get chain, binders and hooks all from Ozark Miniatures.

Jack,

That is a fantastic looking load. Very nice job on the upgrades. Only thing I would have done differently is to knock off the mold parting lines on the wheels. Other than that I don't even think the 10 foot rule applies to it. Good Job!

Greg,

If you 're talking about the front wheels - those ridges down the middle of the tread are supposed to be there. They gave the wheels "purchase" - some bite in the soft ground when steering, otherwise a smooth surfaced iron wheel would have just slipped and not turned the tractor. Later on, most traction engines like this had hard rubber "tires" for running on paved roads.

BTW, you're right about the lashings - they're all from Ozark.

Jack Thompson
Reston, Virginia

Edited by - Big65Dude on 26 Jul 2004 12:48:55

pipelion
Conductor

USA

Posted - 26 Jul 2004 : 20:21:39

Jack,

Great choice of a word, "purchase".

Allan

1:32 1:29 What ever it takes.

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