Hi, some time ago I got a Walthers 932-4056 HO 61-ft Wood Chip Gondola, CIRR #5105. It is old production, i.e. it came with horn-hook couplings and all-plastic wheels. Recently I saw and bought on ebay a Walthers 3-pack, 932-34056 CIRR #5109, 5127, 5142. This is obviously of newer manufacture, as they came fitted with knuckle couplers and metal wheels. I was surprised by how light the box was, and I found that whilst #5105 has a full-length steel (?) strip weight between the floor and the underframe, the new cars have no metal weight. Rather, there is a gap between the underside of the floor and the top of the underframe. The floors are not glued in, so I could fit a weight if I wanted to.
My first question is, is my set an oddity or did Walthers indeed delete the weights from later issues of these cars? If so, were the weights available separately? It seems an odd decision, as it leaves them rather lightweight on the track.
My second question is, how were these cars unloaded in real life? There are no doors on the underside, but they seem a bit big for rotary unloading. If they were unloaded on a rotary system, does anyone make one in HO? At present my operational plan is to have two loaded and two unloaded and exchange them off-scene, but I would like to know how they operated in real life.
Thanks,
Bill.
I wonder since you bought them on eBay if a pervious owner removed the weights, perhaps to save on shipping costs or because they are unrealistic. I don’t know for sure that they came with weights but I have never seen a car that didn’t. I do have a couple of the old kits but not the newer set. Walthers makes a rotary dumper. I’m not really sure how these cars are emptied but a rotary dumper seems logical. On my layout the cars are only loaded, not unloaded. They are unloaded somewhere beyond the basement…. There are removable loads available for these cars. Hopefully someone else can give you better answers to your questions.
There's lots of conflicting info on Walthers site, with the product numbers you show.
Walthers shows the 932-34056 as a 3 pack, but with horn hooks, and plastic wheels. All have been discontinued. You can search the site as well, just use the advanced search option, and check the box at the bottom for discontinued items.
But besides that, they should have the weights. I buy on Ebay as well, but you are always taking a chance that something might not be exactly as advertised, and has not been altered in some form, either from the seller, or from who ever the seller got it from.
This type of car would be rotary dumped, some had doors on the end that hinged at the top, and they would be lifted on one end to dump the load, some were vacuumed out. It depends on what type of facilities were availiable. However you can imagine this car being unloaded, it could have happened, including skid steer loaders.
Walthers does have a rotary dump. 933-3903, and it looks like it's on sale.
Mike.
My You Tube
Portland Bill Hi, some time ago I got a Walthers 932-4056 HO 61-ft Wood Chip Gondola, CIRR #5105. It is old production, i.e. it came with horn-hook couplings and all-plastic wheels. Recently I saw and bought on ebay a Walthers 3-pack, 932-34056 CIRR #5109, 5127, 5142. This is obviously of newer manufacture, as they came fitted with knuckle couplers and metal wheels. I was surprised by how light the box was, and I found that whilst #5105 has a full-length steel (?) strip weight between the floor and the underframe, the new cars have no metal weight. Rather, there is a gap between the underside of the floor and the top of the underframe. The floors are not glued in, so I could fit a weight if I wanted to. My first question is, is my set an oddity or did Walthers indeed delete the weights from later issues of these cars? If so, were the weights available separately? It seems an odd decision, as it leaves them rather lightweight on the track. My second question is, how were these cars unloaded in real life? There are no doors on the underside, but they seem a bit big for rotary unloading. If they were unloaded on a rotary system, does anyone make one in HO? At present my operational plan is to have two loaded and two unloaded and exchange them off-scene, but I would like to know how they operated in real life. Thanks, Bill.
Hey Bill,
To unload, the sides hinged open and the lightweight chips and sawdust was literally raked out using equipment specifically designed for that purpose.
Google St. Regis Paper in Jacksonville, Florida.
Robert
LINK to SNSR Blog
ROBERT PETRICK Hey Bill, To unload, the sides hinged open and the lightweight chips and sawdust was literally raked out using equipment specifically designed for that purpose. Google St. Regis Paper in Jacksonville, Florida. Robert
No.
The prototype for these particular cars does not have any side hinging. Each end does have end doors (some very similar cars had none, some only one). They are hinged at the top, and can be unloaded by lifting the end of the car, as noted earlier. They also can be rotary dumped, also noted ealier.
They can also be unloaded by 4 guys, two shovels, and a basket on a rope. Should the need arise.
Ed
Thanks to all for your replies. I have found the Walthers rotary dumper, and note that it is non-operational, but can be "posed" at an angle of your choice. I have also looked closely and found the hinges at the tops of the ends of the cars.I think for practical reasons I will "unload" (i.e. swap) them off-scene.
I have also noticed glue-smears on the undersides of the floors, so must assume that a previous owner "upgraded" them with metal wheels and knuckle couplers, but took the weights out at the same time. I guess that means that the only source of a correct sized / shaped replacement weight for the empty car will be a cheap wreck from ebay. I did find a pair of Walthers 933-1035 "Woodchip Truck Loads" which I hope will fit - I will see when they arrive! The loaded cars can accommodale a weight in the gondola.