Aristo covered hopper/ballast car, Masterless Class

5029 Views 24 Replies 9 Participants Last post by aceinspp, Dec 29, 2008

NTCGRR

Discussion Starter · Dec 14, 2008

this is masterless class.

any one can do it.
months back Burl Rice had an artical onmodeling a ballast car.
since then I have wanted to build some and now that winter is here, its time.

First thing is to take the car all apart. with any build the first thing I do is get the coupler heigth established. Based on using AC roller bearing trucks here.

Photos usually tell it all, so I may miss some pointers.

I first used my battery skil saw to cut the top, then the excato.

1/8" styrene shimed the kadee 789 down, I did not want to mess with the bolsters.

Then cut some styrene for the insides and glued everything together.

Max was bord during this time.

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NTCGRR

Discussion Starter · #2 · Dec 14, 2008

After posting this I thought lets go ahead and lower the car. Like the photo.

what I do is cut the bolster on the bandsaw just above the stablizers, then recut about 1/8" off again. Then sand and reglue the part back on.
with Plastruct orange label glue and hold very tight.

For what its worth, I enjoy building cars, but I don't model them to the point I hate it.

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dltrains

· #3 · Dec 15, 2008

Marty,
looks like you're off to a good start. Like the KISS approch for building also. By the way did you do anything with that rotary coupler you were working on?

Dave

yutzk

· #4 · Dec 15, 2008

Car looks good......looks familiar hahaha

NTCGRR

Discussion Starter · #5 · Dec 16, 2008

Dave
You remember?? Its just sitting in the box. Next spring I hope to figure out where to place the coal loading tower. I kinda jump around untill I figure it out.

cprwatcher

· #6 · Dec 16, 2008

Marty, it looks like a great start.

Looking at the photos above, the ladders seem really thick. I wonder how hard it would be to cut them out and replace them with something more realistic like brass wire..?

John.

NTCGRR

Discussion Starter · #7 · Dec 16, 2008

John
Now thats funny you should say that. after painting the first one

I decided to cut away the plastic and install thinner wire. I remember when AC came out with this car and it was before they went to wire like on the 100 tonners.
Yes , this car came from Kevin Y.

heres the car I like
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1377614

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ConrailRay

· #8 · Dec 17, 2008

Marty, Nice car!

Yes, Burl's creation is pretty sweet. I bought 10 of these a few years back to start bashing, but what a pain cutting out all that plastic! The angles are such a pain!
I hacked one up, filled in the middle panels and replaced the grabs with wire, but still needs to be lowered more and need to build the ballast chutes like in your pic.

Take care!
-Ray

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NTCGRR

Discussion Starter · #9 · Dec 17, 2008

Ray
the razer knife has rough teeth so it cuts faster, I finally bought a number of different blades. took me about an hour to cut up two cars.
Bandsaw helps with the underside. I also cut the little tip off just above the coupler.

I done dids all the unfun stuff last night, tonight I installed wire and preped the two newer cars

I have one more coming from a friend and that will be it. for these anyway.

Need to slow down or I will run out of things to do.

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dltrains

· #10 · Dec 19, 2008

Yea Marty I remembered as I'm sure others have. Like I said I like yours' and others KISS approaches so I watch and learn.40 years in smaller scales and now I have to learn all over again.Really like your approach of setting up from the trucks to start your project and building from there.Jerry B's baking plastic over a form to get his shape,when in HO you could hand mold a thinner sheet. Keep up the good work.

Dave

NTCGRR

Discussion Starter · #11 · Dec 19, 2008

Thanks Dave
its got to be fun
did some weathering on them alittle. I forgot to pick up some yellow pin strip tape today for the sides.

Photos not very clear
3 done and one more to go.

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NFLDRailway

· #12 · Dec 20, 2008

I've been following your Ballast Car Kitbash Closely. I've been researching options for kitbashing and scratch building my own version of Canadian National's Ballast Car. I've got some ideas for the ballast shute. The latest picture you have of your ballast car includes the shutes. Do you have detail on what you did to make the shutes..

Sean
NFLD Railway

NTCGRR

Discussion Starter · #13 · Dec 20, 2008

detail??? detail?????? I just made them look like the ones in the photo I used. I have no idea what they really look like. 3 pieces of .40 stryene glued to a flat piece.

aceinspp

· #14 · Dec 20, 2008

It still would be nice to just see up close how you did it even if its not perfect. Maybe get some tips from folks. As I mentioned you could have looked at an HO model to see what they look like. I have one some where packed away. fLater RJD

NTCGRR

Discussion Starter · #15 · Dec 20, 2008

Now we find out, RJ you could have posted a photo for me at the start to help,, but noooo. see if I post a photo for you,,nenanananana.
Besides, I looked at Master Burls model which helped. and the photo he posted of it in action. Hes helpful...

NTCGRR

Discussion Starter · #16 · Dec 28, 2008

Heres the ballast cars ready to go into the storage shop.

Very simple hatches for now.

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aceinspp

· #17 · Dec 28, 2008

Marty his may have been in action but if you look closely the doors are more rounded. Now if you like to come here and help me go through 700 car boxes looking for the HO version come on down. I need help anyway to catalog so some day I can sell all the HO stuff. Later RJD

NTCGRR

Discussion Starter · #18 · Dec 28, 2008

RJ, I just won't,,can't believe you until you prove it. sorry.

PS RJ , I have to be honest with you because your my friend, I built them with you in mind. If they had been "right" you would not have been happy. nothing to complain about.

trainman707

· #19 · Dec 28, 2008

Please disregard this post.

NTCGRR

Discussion Starter · #20 · Dec 28, 2008

MG Go ahead, what did you want to share??????
love your sig photo.

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