[fsfazekas]

Just wanted add an update to this project.  The original thread can be found here: http://archive.mylargescale.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=44842

I have a second car well along in the construction process and the sides and ends for a third have been cut.  I have the trucks and couplers for them all but might need some additional detail parts.  I figure that by the time I complete the third car, I'll have the construction process down to a science...I guess then I'll have to decide if there will be another production run.  it's interesting to think that a group of five of these cars is over 10 feet of train..hmmm where would I store that?? /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/hehe.gif

Here's a shot showing the two cars on the rails.  I have added the ladders to the new car since this was shot and am in the process of final detailing before painting.

 

[NTCGRR]

Looks real good, Frank.

storage does become a problem if you like to look at your cars on a daily bases.

 

[Paul Burch]

Frank,
Great looking cars and I know a great place to store them, my layout !

 

[Burl]

I wondered what happened to this thread. Glad to see you are making some progress. Any plans to model a loaded car?

 

[rpc7271]

I have wanted to build 2 or 3 of those myself but have never gotten around to it. I wonder if you would consider building them for me and if so how much?

 

[bnsfconductor]

Do you have an open door on one end? These cars are always interesting to me, both as loads and empties. If you model a load, a window screen might work as the 'cover for the load.' Add some small saw dust and you've got a great model. The BNSF still has a few NP and GN wood chip hoppers floating around, but they are far and few between as the BN has been selling them to another car leaser. Modeling the faded NP or GN scheme would be a challenge!
Craig

 

[fsfazekas]

Thanks everyone for the replies, this certainly generated more responses than I expected!

Marty - thanks for the words of encouragement, always welcome from a master builder

Paul - hmmm...don't think I haven't thought about an exchange program for some of your wonderful SP specific enhancements (like, "I'll trade you two woodchip gons for converting my SP tiger stripe RS-3 to a black widow Cotton Belt unit" or some such...)  /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/laugh.gif

Burl - yeah I have thought about loaded cars...actually removeable loads.  I assume some shaped, extruded styrofoam (the blue or pink stuff) could be coated with glue and covered in sawdust.  I had thought that one of these would make a nice battery car behind an SD45 or GP40 with the load hiding the electronics.

RPC - building some of these for sale might be possible...but it will require some consideration.  You're seeing my first two scratchbuilding attempts in the picture above so I have to first convince myself that I'm doing saleable work.  Secondly I have to do a more accurate costing of the materials used.  My ballpark estimate is that I may have up to $100 invested in a car by the time it hits the rails (i.e., incl. trucks and couplers).  I am currently investigating if a switch from Plastruct to Evergreen as a styrene supplier will reduce costs.

If anyone knows a good online/mail order distributor for Evergreen styrene products, please let me know...the reason I went with Plastruct initially is that they sell direct online (it's convenient)

BNSF - Neither end of the car is shown as being able to open and all the prototype photos support that.  I understand that rotary dump was the most common unloading method, though I imagine there are others.  I'm not even sure I've seen a photo of a loaded car to get an idea what the netting used to retain the load looks like.  Window screen might work...I was also thinking cheese cloth...medical gauze....or perhaps even pantyhose might be appropriate materials to use.  Can just see me procuring that last item at the local Wal-Mart...thank goodness for self check out, eh? /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/whistling.gif

 

[jimtyp]

Frank, great looking rolling stock! You said they need painting, but the one on the right looks nicely weathered. I like the looks of it as is.

 

[rpc7271]

If you aren't interested in building them for me then maybe you could write an article to post or sketch things out. I'm a profesional CADD Manager so I could draw up anything you need drawn up. I just happen to have a photo of what you need:

 

[fsfazekas]

Posted By jimtyp on 03/25/2008 1:23 PM

Frank, great looking rolling stock! You said they need painting, but the one on the right looks nicely weathered. I like the looks of it as is.





Jimtyp - sorry I meant that the second car, the white one, needed a few additional details before it was ready to paint.  You're right, the car on the right, the brown one, is for all intents and purposes, completed.

 

[fsfazekas]

Posted By rpc7271 on 03/25/2008 1:52 PM
If you aren't interested in building them for me then maybe you could write an article to post or sketch things out. I'm a profesional CADD Manager so I could draw up anything you need drawn up. I just happen to have a photo of what you need:



That's a great shot and helps a lot...I might have to revise the method I use to construct the ends based on it!  If you have any other prototype photos you want to share, please feel free.  Your pictures are very different than those I have found on the web in researching these cars.

Also...that wasn't a flat out "no" regarding building the cars - I would need to do some prep work before undertaking such a project, just caught me a little off guard.  I'm in the middle of working up the cost per car using Evergreen as a supplier.

 

[DKRickman]

Very impressive cars!  I hope that my first scratchbuilding project goes as well.

Regarding securing woodchips:

I have never looked into these particular cars, but the woodchip cars we use around here (Southern/NS hoppers) have nothing covering them.  It always amazes me to see loads of woodchips 20' high, with the chips mounded up and literally spilling over the sides, yet they manage to ride hundreds or thousands of miles without losing  any significant part of their loads.  I guess they're heavy enough that they don't blow off too badly.

Kenneth Rickman

 

[fsfazekas]

OK a bit of an update after a busy week, busy with non-railroad things unfortunately, I managed to finish the detailing on the second car. Next I plan to finish the third car using features from both to create a final production version. At that point, for anyone interested I can produce the cars for $75 each with Aristo roller bearing trucks, metal wheels but w/o couplers. I hope to obtain some Aristo brake parts from the 53' Evans cars so that I can equip the cars with some brake equipment...however, I haven't found anything that looks good for brake rigging under the car so none is provided.




*2nd car completed*

*Optional interior cross bracing added to the second car*

*End detailing*

 

[rpc7271]

How about $65 ea without trucks or couplers undecorated? But I need a pad for body mounted Kadee 830 couplers.

 

[bnsfconductor]

I've never seen a uncovered woodchip car, but I'm sure that it does happen every once in a while. The coverings I've seen are very lightweight and open (think giant window screen). Even with a screen over the load, the wood chips still comes quite far over the car sides. It seems to be one of the trademarks of a woodchip hopper.
As for the unloading, I would assume that the smaller industries just open the door and unload the wood chips with a front end loader. I don't think these cars have rotary couplers, so a rotarty dumper would be possible, but time consuming.
Craig

 

[NTCGRR]

he can haul real chips to.

Just thinkin, I can build my bethgons for around $35 per car w/trucks/steel wheels/789s and decals,paint.
labor ,,priceless ...

 

[fsfazekas]

That's great Marty...however you quoted around $45 for a 4' by 8' sheet of 1/8" styrene...the same here costs me $65 + tax..."Welcome to California". I've read the bethgon thread (though I can't find it now found it!) and one of the factors that will account for the price differential is the fact that there is over 23' (FEET...yeah I've added it up a half dozen times) of 3/16" x 1/8" styrene strip in one of these cars..not to mention considerable quantities of 3/16" square and 1/8" square rod. The side panel of this car is 25 5/8" long by 5 7/16" tall. It's a different car...apples and oranges...you're lucky you get to build the cheaper one




Please send me a message if you have an interest in these cars, otherwise I'll be dedicating the remainder of this thread to construction details, etc.

 

[fsfazekas]

....and as promised. Here's a shot of the underside end of the second car showing where the truck and coupler are mounted. I use Kadee 920's myself on these cars but I've tried a set of 830's I have laying around as well. No problems mounting either, obviously the 830's would have a thinner mount.

 

[NTCGRR]

got-s-ya I was just wondering, still not a bad price for a custom car. thats what I like about building cars that very few others have. Gives the RR its own personality.

Thats also why ,IF I ever bought store boughten structures I'd have to repaint them so they don't look like all the others,

Its also funny , I'm very happy with the bethgons but now that spring is here I'm out doors and all inside stuff is on hold.

 

[fsfazekas]

Quick update and bump....
Sorry but I have been beset by all sorts of issues in real life that have kept me from making any progress on my third car...and any subsequent production for resale. Will have to be a bit patient with me through the next 30 days or so...

On a construction note, I finally go the #1 "gauge" coupler height gauge and have discovered that I've been mounting the 920's a bit too low so I am correcting that on cars #1 and #2. The good news is that I'll be able to provide mounting pads for either #1 or G Kadee's at the standard height.