Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Scratch built 1886-era wood hopper

6580 views
24 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    February 2003
  • 1,138 posts
Posted by MidlandPacific on Saturday, July 30, 2016 11:24 AM

The whole train, almost finished:

http://mprailway.blogspot.com

"The first transition era - wood to steel!"

  • Member since
    April 2013
  • 917 posts
Posted by Southgate on Monday, July 25, 2016 3:23 AM

It's been a while since I caught up with this. The painted car looks great! Nice work all the way. Dan

  • Member since
    April 2011
  • 649 posts
Posted by LensCapOn on Tuesday, July 19, 2016 10:09 AM

hon30critter

Midland Pacific:

Very nice work!

Yes, the camera does expose minor flaws, but don't beat yourself up over them. If something really bugs you then by all means do it over, but remember that people viewing them on your layout won't usually be looking through a camera lens.

All the best,

Dave

I would like to add, at this late date, that the real thing often had "minor flaws" if you look close enough!

 

 

It's not an error! I just followed the prototype too close!

 

(My Story. And I'm sticking to it.)

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • 1,138 posts
Posted by MidlandPacific on Sunday, July 17, 2016 4:37 PM

http://mprailway.blogspot.com

"The first transition era - wood to steel!"

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • 1,138 posts
Posted by MidlandPacific on Sunday, July 17, 2016 4:33 PM

http://mprailway.blogspot.com

"The first transition era - wood to steel!"

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • 1,138 posts
Posted by MidlandPacific on Sunday, July 17, 2016 4:30 PM

 

http://mprailway.blogspot.com

"The first transition era - wood to steel!"

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • 1,138 posts
Posted by MidlandPacific on Sunday, July 17, 2016 4:26 PM

Painted version, with Tichy arch bar trucks and Kadee #714 couplers installed.  The Tichy trucks are fairly heavy duty, and a prototypical 5' 6", so they work well. The 714s are meant for narrow gauge cars, but manufacturers like Rio Grande Models and BTS have recommended them for standard gauge cars for years; they are slightly smaller than 58s, so they don't look overwhelming.  All paint is Scalecoat I red oxide.

http://mprailway.blogspot.com

"The first transition era - wood to steel!"

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: Omaha, NE
  • 10,621 posts
Posted by dehusman on Tuesday, June 21, 2016 8:14 AM

Very nice ore car.

Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com

  • Member since
    August 2011
  • From: A Comfy Cave, New Zealand
  • 6,221 posts
Posted by "JaBear" on Tuesday, June 21, 2016 5:24 AM

Very Nice!!!BowBow

Cheers, the Bear.

"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • 1,138 posts
Posted by MidlandPacific on Monday, June 20, 2016 7:47 PM

From the B end:

http://mprailway.blogspot.com

"The first transition era - wood to steel!"

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • 1,138 posts
Posted by MidlandPacific on Monday, June 20, 2016 7:45 PM

Another angle

http://mprailway.blogspot.com

"The first transition era - wood to steel!"

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • 1,138 posts
Posted by MidlandPacific on Monday, June 20, 2016 7:39 PM

Take 2:

http://mprailway.blogspot.com

"The first transition era - wood to steel!"

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • 1,138 posts
Posted by MidlandPacific on Monday, June 20, 2016 7:12 PM

http://mprailway.blogspot.com

"The first transition era - wood to steel!"

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • 1,138 posts
Posted by MidlandPacific on Monday, June 20, 2016 7:08 PM

So here's the completed, unpainted model, with brake system installed.  I had planned to model the brake rigging under the car, but it just got to be too much - I was concerned it would obstruct the free movement of the trucks, so I left it off.  What you can see is the brake cylinder and air reservoir, with connecting piping:I had to do some fairly fine soldering work to get a hook onto the end of the brake piston and the small brass strip that secures the free end of the brake chain. 

http://mprailway.blogspot.com

"The first transition era - wood to steel!"

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • 1,138 posts
Posted by MidlandPacific on Monday, May 23, 2016 3:56 PM

Yes, Northeastern strip woo, most of it in scale sizes (6x10 for the side and center sills, 4x6 for the trussing and framing). Amazing how easy the antique drawings were to work from- they included virtually every dimensional detail in the draft.  There are about 100 separate pieces of wood in each car, to say nothing of MBWs, wire, castings, etc.

http://mprailway.blogspot.com

"The first transition era - wood to steel!"

  • Member since
    August 2011
  • From: A Comfy Cave, New Zealand
  • 6,221 posts
Posted by "JaBear" on Monday, May 23, 2016 3:01 AM

Midland Pacific, I’m struggling with two things, is it wood you’re using, and where exactly are the errors???
Very nice,Bow
Cheers, the Bear.Smile

"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Bradford, Ontario
  • 15,797 posts
Posted by hon30critter on Sunday, May 22, 2016 11:31 PM

Midland Pacific:

Very nice work!

Yes, the camera does expose minor flaws, but don't beat yourself up over them. If something really bugs you then by all means do it over, but remember that people viewing them on your layout won't usually be looking through a camera lens.

Also, take heart in that your next scratch building projects will benefit from your experience and they will be that much better for it.

All the best,

Dave

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • 1,138 posts
Posted by MidlandPacific on Sunday, May 22, 2016 9:42 PM

Haven't seen the Geissel drawing, but very familiar with the Kennedy piece which I consulted before starting these.  Because I am not in his league as a craftsman, I bulit my cars up at the sill level first, then framing the top of the car.  I attached the top and bottom with the corner posts, then fitting the slope sheets, then filling in the trussing.  If I were going to make a master for resin casting, I would definitely prefer his method of building up the sides and then assembling them- I just didn't think I could get the components to come together as perfectly as his technique required, four times running.

Gib Kennedy was a true master craftsman, I downloaded all his articles as soon as I got a subscription to the archive.  My first scratchbuilding project was a CPR obs from one of his articles (wimped out on the segmented transom windows, but his instructions were letter-perfect on everything).

 

http://mprailway.blogspot.com

"The first transition era - wood to steel!"

  • Member since
    March 2002
  • From: Milwaukee WI (Fox Point)
  • 11,439 posts
Posted by dknelson on Sunday, May 22, 2016 9:15 PM

Very nice and careful workmanship.  I have always been interested in those old wood ore cars.  There is a detailed drawing by J Harold Geissel in the June 1978 MR page 93 of a similar car, and a great article by Gib Kennedy about scratchbuilding a Canadian Pacific 30 ton timber ore car (with drawing) in the February 1966 issue of MR.  That article has two prototype photos that you might find of interest.

Dave Nelson

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • 1,138 posts
Posted by MidlandPacific on Sunday, May 22, 2016 8:45 PM

Thanks- that's very kind of you, particularly since I find myself ruefully noting the truth of John Allen's assertion that the camera is a merciless detector of minor flaws!

http://mprailway.blogspot.com

"The first transition era - wood to steel!"

  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: Nashville, TN area
  • 713 posts
Posted by hardcoalcase on Sunday, May 22, 2016 8:41 PM

Very nice craftsmanship!  Irv Schultz and John White's exhaustive work are among my favorite "go-to" sources of inspiration too.  I'll look forward to updates on your project.  Big Smile

Jim

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • 1,138 posts
Posted by MidlandPacific on Sunday, May 22, 2016 8:34 PM

Not much room on the bottom to clear the hopper doors (which are pretty rudimentary- I don't worry much about things the viewer can't see), so the brake cylinder will be hung from the side sill.  The drawings I have predated air brakes, so I am adapting the design of the brake hardware from some NG&SLG drawings of the famous Quincy & Torch Lake rock cars.

http://mprailway.blogspot.com

"The first transition era - wood to steel!"

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • 1,138 posts
Posted by MidlandPacific on Sunday, May 22, 2016 8:28 PM

The load is silicon wood putty, covering the weight.  A rock load will go on top after painting.

http://mprailway.blogspot.com

"The first transition era - wood to steel!"

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • 1,138 posts
Posted by MidlandPacific on Sunday, May 22, 2016 8:24 PM

These were inspired by similar cars on Irv Schultz's St Clair Northern.  I have never seen a commercial model to this or his design, so I eventually decided to scratch build these.

http://mprailway.blogspot.com

"The first transition era - wood to steel!"

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • 1,138 posts
Scratch built 1886-era wood hopper
Posted by MidlandPacific on Sunday, May 22, 2016 8:18 PM

I am in the process of building four of these cars, based on elaborate prototype drawings from John White's "American Railroad Freight Car."  Here's the first of my batch of four on shop trucks for coupler height measurement.  Brake system installation comes next.

http://mprailway.blogspot.com

"The first transition era - wood to steel!"

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!