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A great birthday present....

5K views 23 replies 13 participants last post by  dawinter 
#1 ·
We spent the weekend down in Vancouver and my son gave me the birthday gift he'd been working on for three months.

I took this picture of the custom painted cylindrical hopper as we attended a Riders game back in 1990. The people at PTEX were repainting about 400 cars and they did this one on their own initiative and set it out in front of the stadium.

These cars were produced in N scale and HO based on my photos but of course nothing in 1/29th scale.



The frame is an LGB covered hopper but the 'cylinder' is made of styrene. The decals are computer generated.



I installed sprung trucks, steel wheels and Kadee 930's along with a very little weathering.

Let's see, one every birthday for the next ten years....

Dave
 
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Discussion starter · #3 ·
Dave Jr. did a nice job.

It's already in service. Perhaps a little on the light side because the hobby grade styrene is much lighter than the plastic in the USAT or LGB product. It's a easy fix though.

Dave
 
Discussion starter · #6 ·
I did notice that the picture includes 4 outlets and your version has 3. Not that it matters, It's a great model, in my point of view.


Right.

My son took the photo I had (The Roughrider car) and spent some time hanging around the CN yards in Vancouver. He took photos of the CN-Rail Enviro Marketing cars and they had four small hatches. The LGB car had three so that's what stayed. He's not a model railroader anyway so everything was based on limited research. Still good anyway and visitors down here won't even notice.

I'm thinking of doing two now myself using the same proven technique. I have, amongst other things, the Feb 1994 Model Railroader story and I've blown up the 1/64 scale drawings to 1/29. That's a big help. As a mid 70's modeller I'll do the Saskatchewan Grain Car Corporation car (CKNX625078) and the Government of Canada aluminum car (CNWX 108030) Once again, the hoppers won't be right but....
 
Discussion starter · #10 ·
Thanks all. I'll pass on your nice comments.

As I was saying, I've seen it done now and I'm willing to give it a try myself. Having just looked over both USAT and LGB cars in my small 'fleet' I can see that I'd much rather start with the USAT car (four hoppers, better detail and correct length) but the LGB car sides and top come off without cutting. Hmmmmm.

Decisions, decisions.

Dave

Oh! Don't get me started on football, CFL, No Fun League or Rugby. This will get off topic real fast. /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/laugh.gif
 
Discussion starter · #12 ·
NFLD


I’m well into cutting up a nice new car. See photo....



The LGB car was an easy start. The sides and top came off as separate parts and so a ‘cylindrical’ container could be set right on the frame. Trouble was that the car is only 40 feet long and if your going to do this it should be 59 feet coupler to coupler. The USA Trains car is almost exactly correct. With the proper four hoppers. The USAT car does NOT come apart easily.

My decision was to remove the beautiful roof walks, hatches, air system etc and cut the existing tank off the frame. What a job that is turning out to be. Upper parts of the hoppers rise above the frame and are molded into the tank so if I want to maintain the frame (and bolsters etc â€" which I do) I have to cut up around where they join the sides. Course I have to remove all the existing tank ends as well so I can fit in the new ones I made following the scale plans. Still a lot of work to do.

The 1/29th scale plans seen in the photo are scaled up from plans in Feb 94 MR.

Funny story! I looked through a lot of hobby shops for sheet 030 or 020 styrene in sheets that would form the tank - using one piece. Evergreen had some large sheets for $10.00 a package but they were still too small. I finally came across a “Paint and Plastic� sign painting shop in town that sold me a large, heavy enough piece of the same stuff for $15.00. Large enough? It’s 4 feet by 8 feet so I have it rolled up in the garage and it will last me a lifetime of projects.

Anyway, still a lot of work to do.

Dave
 
Discussion starter · #16 ·
I hope there was something there to help you get started.

The GP38 looks ok....



....but it only passes a quick inspection. Seen here BC (Before couplers) nearing the station at Winter Valley.

I had some goals that I found held me back quite a bit and the most serious ones were my wish to have the cab easily attached/removed from the long hood (So I could build it as a stand alone item) and have the cab roof 'pop' off to gain access to lights in the ceiling and nose. I wouldn't do that again.

Once again I used 1/29th scale plans enlarged from HO drawings.

If you do a quick look around on line I'm sure you'll see that someone (I forget who for the moment) did a much finer job than I did. A real fine piece of workmanship that got me started.

Dave
 
Discussion starter · #22 ·
Thanks all.

Great shot of the 'side dump' hopper. Who'd a thought ;-)

Now that projects 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 are behind me I expect to get back to building the correct length cylindrical hopper. Want to be done before Christmas.

Pictures will follow as work progresses.

Dave
 
Discussion starter · #24 ·
Posted By NFLDRailway on 09/03/2008 7:34 PM
With your pics andinput along with pictures from Lee's Trains 1 8th scale site, I think I know how I'll make my own clyndrical hopper. I'll update as I get the process started.
Sean
NFLD Railway
G Scale Edition




Yes. Please keep us up to date on this. It's not a real easy project and ideas have to come from everyone.

Dave
 
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