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Customized HO Ore Cars

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  • Member since
    April 2017
  • From: Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
  • 1,585 posts
Posted by OldSchoolScratchbuilder on Monday, April 9, 2018 12:28 AM

hon30critter

Sorry, I didn't wish to imply that your loads weren't accurate. The darker loads in your last post look great.

Each to his own.

I agree with you Dave. As for the plastic dummy loads that many hoppers and ore cars come with, I am not a fan. Another thing that I change on all these cars are the wheels and couplers. I use metal high end Rapido wheels and Kadee couplers. The cars sound better on the track, the metal couplers are strong enough for long unit trains (at least 20-30 loaded cars depending on the weight of the ore), and on long trains you can hear the couplers down the line as the locomotive begins to move.

  • Member since
    April 2017
  • From: Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
  • 1,585 posts
Posted by OldSchoolScratchbuilder on Monday, April 9, 2018 12:14 AM

steemtrayn

Are these different commodities actually carried in cars specifically designed for iron ore?

 

 

Don't know the answer to that. Roundhouse simply calls them ore cars. They are small and fun to modify. The previous owner of five of mine had converted them into pulp cars with wooden sides on the top and lots of weathering.

  • Member since
    July 2002
  • From: Jersey City
  • 1,925 posts
Posted by steemtrayn on Sunday, April 8, 2018 10:57 PM

Are these different commodities actually carried in cars specifically designed for iron ore?

 

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Bradford, Ontario
  • 15,797 posts
Posted by hon30critter on Sunday, April 8, 2018 9:36 PM

OldSchoolScratchbuilder
I am using exactly the right size gypsum in my HO cars.

Sorry, I didn't wish to imply that your loads weren't accurate. The darker loads in your last post look great.

Choosing what size granule to use in HO can be a very personal thing. I like finer loads in my hoppers like the loads in your last post as opposed to your previous picture of very coarse materials. However, where I model real sand, as in a pile of sand for a sand house, I prefer to use real sand even though it is way too big for anything even close to scale. I think it is the texture that appeals to me, not the scale accuracy. Scale HO sand can be modelled with a coat of beige paint but even with Dullcote it just doesn't look right to me.

Each to his own.

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
    April 2017
  • From: Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
  • 1,585 posts
Posted by OldSchoolScratchbuilder on Sunday, April 8, 2018 7:27 PM

hon30critter

The loads look pretty good although they are a little on the coarse side for my personal tastes. Definitely better than plastic moldings.

Since I am running all three scales. O, HO, and N, all the loads have to be not only visible (not a powder for N), but reasonable relative to each other. My reference is HO gypsum which is to scale based on my measurements of real gypsum on Nova Scotia gypsum hoppers.

As well, I had a personal tour of National Gypsum's quarry in Milford, NS and their secondary crusher produces about 6 inch pieces. I am using exactly the right size gypsum in my HO cars.

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
  • 21,483 posts
Posted by MisterBeasley on Sunday, April 8, 2018 6:26 PM

OldSchoolScratchbuilder
I can see it. iPads sometimes do this, as mine does.

I can see it now.  Thanks.  They look great.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Bradford, Ontario
  • 15,797 posts
Posted by hon30critter on Sunday, April 8, 2018 6:12 PM

Hi Old School:

The loads look pretty good although they are a little on the coarse side for my personal tastes. Definitely better than plastic moldings!

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
    April 2017
  • From: Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
  • 1,585 posts
Posted by OldSchoolScratchbuilder on Sunday, April 8, 2018 6:08 PM

Ironstef70

I like the idea of using the real material as a load. Painted plastic never look as good as real aluminium, or wood load, pipes or chips, ....

I agree. If there is a spill, I send out a cleanup team just like real life. Been running real loads, including iron ore, for a few years with no problems to tracks or locomotives.

  • Member since
    February 2018
  • 32 posts
Posted by Ironstef70 on Sunday, April 8, 2018 5:53 PM

Nice! I like that livery. A fellow club member had two Alcos (Bowser; were they 630s ? I'm not quite sure) in that livery (and the Pointe St-Charles caboose) and it looked real nice.

I like the idea of using the real material as a load. Painted plastic never look as good as real aluminium, or wood load, pipes or chips, ....

S.

 

 

 

Stephane (Ironstef70)

My Youtube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC051f4F3z0iwDFa8FqRtgXQ/videos

My past projects:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ironstef70/albums/with/72157651845821179

  • Member since
    April 2017
  • From: Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
  • 1,585 posts
Posted by OldSchoolScratchbuilder on Sunday, April 8, 2018 5:49 PM

MisterBeasley

There's no picture.

 

I can see it. iPads sometimes do this, as mine does.

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
  • 21,483 posts
Posted by MisterBeasley on Sunday, April 8, 2018 5:43 PM

There's no picture.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

  • Member since
    April 2017
  • From: Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
  • 1,585 posts
Customized HO Ore Cars
Posted by OldSchoolScratchbuilder on Sunday, April 8, 2018 10:29 AM

Many Roundhouse HO ore cars have been customized with reppainting, weathering, custom dry transfers for reporting marks, road numbers, and red lions. All HO scale real loads from around my province of Nova Scotia. In this picture, manganese ore from Tennecape, coal from Springhill, aggregate from Tennecape, and gypsum from Windsor.

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