any DYI'ers out there with some ideas on lumber loads theyve done and please show some picts . thanks in advanced Jerry.....ps ; wraped an unwraped loads
In my late '30s modelling era, I don't think that there was too much in the way of wrapped loads. However, for open loads, the technique is similar for any era. While the loads shown represent fairly large timbers, they weren't uncommon and are easier to make than loads with smaller lumber.
This one was made to fit the Walthers GSC flatcar, and is easily removeable. Use full-length timbers for all visible surfaces, and fake the rest with short pieces. I checked prototype drawings to learn the proper way to restrain the load and use suitably-sized lumber as dunnage to flesh-out the load's width so that the side stakes hold the stacks tightly in place. The stakes are also tied together across the load with looped cables.
This one is on a modified Athearn car, and is also removeable. I'm not sure why the weights were added, as the car when empty weighs just over 6oz.
All loads, blocking, and stakes are all held together with carpenter's glue. I pre-stained the lumber for the load with a wash of heavily diluted Floquil to tone-down the whiteness of the basswood - a little yellow and a bit of orange. The "cable" is black thread, twisted tight with short lengths of 2"x2".
Smaller dimensional lumber in this era and well into the '50s was also shipped in boxcars, but could be on flatcars or in gondolas, too.
Wayne
When I built my first layout in the late 80s, there was a kit that came with small blocks of wood that came with wrappers from lumber companies, so you could make your own wrapped lumber mills. I suppose that there is something like that out there somewhere.
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
thanks Wayne ,very nice work and great picts .The instructions seem simple but stacken those lil blocks could tough for big fingers. great stuff Jerry ps; are those stick on wieghts inside one of the beam piles ? if so why?
[quote user="Medina1128"]When I built my first layout in the late 80s, there was a kit that came with small blocks of wood that came with wrappers from lumber companies, so you could make your own wrapped lumber mills. I suppose that there is something like that out there somewhere./quote]
Jaeger makes lots of lumber and other loads for various carshttp://www.walthers.com/exec/search?category=&scale=H&manu=jaeger&item=&keywords=&words=restrict&instock=Q&split=300&Submit=Search
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
yes and thanks 'payne &medina".Ive been eyeing those but cant find a good pict of finish product ,thats why I posted the request for some picts , walther add doesnt give much for picts . looks like something that can be done with a printer & pc , Im shure somone has done it ? Jerry..... ps; Ive been down loading lumber co. logos just to see if I can come up with something
Thanks for you kind comments, Jerr. I don't recall why the stick-on weights were added to those particular lumber loads - I often run empty flats or gondolas at the front of longer trains, so all most are weighted to about 6 ounces or more.
EDIT: That car, I just re-discovered, has no added weight other than that of the car itself and without the load weighs a mere 2.25oz. An otherwise identical car, with no load, weighs in at just over 6oz. and with the load shown, tips the scales at just over 9.5 ounces.
To simplify making those stacks of little bits, I work on a sheet of glass (as I do for much of my modelling jobs). Cut a bunch of short pieces - I don't worry about keeping the lengths identical - for a load on a bulkhead-type car, align the ends as you glue them together. For open cars, assemble the ends to be somewhat irregular, as it adds to the visual interest. Grasp one short bit with tweezers, apply a dab of glue to one side, then place it adjacent to another piece on the glass and press the glued surface to the second piece. Continue this process until you have a bunch of short bits glued together that is two boards narrower than your particular flatcar or gondola can accommodate. Add a full-length board to one side of the assemble little pieces. Next, make another assembly of little bits, again two boards narrower than your freight car, then glue it to the opposite end of the long board of the previously-made assembly. Add a full-length board to the open side and you've completed one layer of the stack. Repeat this procedure to create as many additional layers as are needed, with the top one comprised of all full-length boards.
You can discern most of the construction details from the photos. Where the piles are divided vertically, I added a full-length board to the interior of the second level from the top - this helps to disguise the hollow nature of the load. Glue the individual layers together, using a machinist's square or other method to keep the layers aligned vertically at their sides, and add blocking or stickers between levels and to flesh-out the width so that it's as wide as the space between the side stakes. Prepare stakes that will slip easily into your cars stake pockets and glue them to the load while it's sitting in position on the car, allowing the glue to dry completely before attempting to remove the load. Keep the stakes as vertical as possible to simplify removal of the finished load. If you're making a load for a gondola, it should again be as wide as the car's interior, minus, of course, the thickness of the stakes on either side.
Another interesting and easy-to-make load for gondolas or flatcars is poles. I followed an article in the February 1992 issue of Mainline Modeler to create this load for a Proto2000 gondola. It utilises 3/16" dowels for the poles. After cutting them to length, chuck each in your electric drill and use sandpaper to add the taper. Stain them to suit, then assemble the load in place on the chosen car, adding blocking, stakes, and retention ties as required. Careful use of the glue will allow the load to be removable. All of the "poles" are full-length, with the "fat" and "narrow" ends alternating by layer.