doctorwayne........ those are storage tubes for the tie-down chains which are part of the auto-loader equipment.
Thanks Tom and Wayne,
Cheers, the Bear.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
This started as an interesting thread but it has become an extremely informative guide to the freight car enthusiast. Great work, fellows.
Dave Nelson
Tom is correct: those are storage tubes for the tie-down chains which are part of the auto-loader equipment. There would be more on a real car, in the area of the trucks, but I omitted them due to the severe swing of model trucks compared to those on the real cars.Wayne
Bear, I think those "drains" are actually floor wells to hold tie-down chains. When the chains aren't in use, they are stowed in these holes in the floor to keep them out of the way. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.
Tom
Thank you everyone for the nice comments.
doctorwayne Unless we're building contest models, it's often possible to simplify the brake gear: some cars permit more to be seen than others, and modelling just the stuff seen from trackside can often be all that's necessary.
Unless we're building contest models, it's often possible to simplify the brake gear: some cars permit more to be seen than others, and modelling just the stuff seen from trackside can often be all that's necessary.
I completely agree with you. But I have had such a good time doing it that I will do the same thing on the second car, just to see if I can do a better job.
Guy
Modeling CNR in the 50's
Guy PapillonUp to now I am very pleased with the results.
Wayne:
71 cars and four locomotives! That's impressive!!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
hon30critter...Gotta keep up those appearances when cars derail!Smile, Wink & GrinLaughLaughLaughClown
Most of my derailments are minor ones, usually because a certain switchman is often....well, asleep at the switch.
The only major one in over 20 years occurred on this high bridge. The train was 71 cars long, and one car, mid-train, apparently had a drooping coupler. The uncoupling pin caught on something which stopped the rear half of the train while the four locomotives continued to pull the front half, which was still coupled to the rear half. A quick as you could say "stringline", it did!
No one was injured, although this motorist reportedly filed a claim for heavily damaged underwear:
Surprisingly, there was little actual damage, even though the cars had added details, such as brake gear, and metal sill steps and grab irons. Most of the cars in that train were later sold when I backdated the layout's era.
I did manage to run the 71 car train (without the droopy coupler) completely around the layout without derailments, and that included all of the usual 2.5% grades (including the long one over the high bridge - at that time, a 45' long double horseshoe curve with an "S"-bend near the top, where the track dead-ended, requiring a back-down move). The short section of track used only for run-throughs is a 3.5% grade, but since it's only 100" in length, not too onerous for four locos, as only a portion of the train is on that grade at one time.The several test runs all used four locomotives, either all diesels, all steam, or a combination of both, and were run all on the head-end, or two or three on the front and one or two pushing or distributed singly in various positions throughout the train. There didn't seem to be much difference in the pulling effort required (wheelslip was minimal in all cases), but the distributed power seemed to best control slack run-out/run-in, which otherwise looked pretty scary with different parts of the train heading uphill as other portions were travelling downhill.
I do run live loads, but have not yet had one roll over completely, although some loose coal has been spilled. I generally use a brush to sweep the majority of the spill onto a sheet of paper, then dump it back into the righted car. The rest usually stays on the sceniced ground for the LPBs to pick up for their home heating needs.
Wayne
Guy:
You did a great job! I have built several Tichy kits and there are more waiting to be built. I enjoy the work involved in getting the details correct. There is a sense of accomplishment.
Gotta keep up those appearances when cars derail!
Cheers!
Guy PapillonHere is a photo of how it was done following the instructions.
Nice neatly-done work, Guy!
Unless we're building contest models, it's often possible to simplify the brake gear: some cars permit more to be seen than others, and modelling just the stuff seen from trackside can often be all that's necessary. Most of the brake gear on cars with fishbelly underframes disappears into the shadows under the car, and cars with deep sidesills reveal little to nothing of the brake rigging.Sometimes, though, you'll want to add as much detail as possible, just because you can, and that's okay, too.
Guy Papillon CentralGulf How about a bottom shot so we can see how you did the brake system, if it's not too much trouble. CG Here is a photo of how it was done following the instructions. Thank you Wayne for those photos that illustrate many possibilities according to prototypes.
CentralGulf How about a bottom shot so we can see how you did the brake system, if it's not too much trouble. CG
How about a bottom shot so we can see how you did the brake system, if it's not too much trouble.
CG
Here is a photo of how it was done following the instructions.
Thank you Wayne for those photos that illustrate many possibilities according to prototypes.
Thank you for that, and Wayne too for his photos.
Good-looking results, Guy!
CentralGulf....How about a bottom shot so we can see how you did the brake system, if it's not too much trouble....
Here's an Accurail car with AB-type brakes. I usually don't bother with most of the piping, since, in most cases, only the one from the valve to the cylinder is noticeable when the car is on the layout:
This one, on a Bowser kit, got a little more piping due to Pennsy's practice of mounting some reservoirs with their ends facing the sidesills. It was easier to terminate the pipes in the car's underfloor than in the control valve, where they're supposed to be:
Here's a K-type brake mounted on a Tichy car like the one Guy has built:
This is a simplified AB-type, shown on the underside of a Train Miniature car. I simply cut the moulded-on brake parts from the TM underframe and shaved-off any related parts cast onto the TM floor:
This is another TM car with its original brake equipment carved off. In this example, I added a split K-type brake:
...and here's a more fully-modelled AB brake system on a Tichy re-built USRA car (Guy's car re-built, like many such prototype cars, with steel sides):
Here's a somewhat simplified AB brake system on an Athearn automobile car:
...on which the modified sidesills leave little visible:
This one is a shortened Varney tank on a Tichy underframe, with K-type brakes. Except for the lack of release rods on the brake cylinder casting, this is pretty well all the piping needed for this type. Note how the actuating rods from the levers on the underframe to the trucks are bent inwards, to avoid conflicts between them and the wheels on curves:
...from the side, though, those bends aren't noticeable:
I fully agree with you, Tom.
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
I love seeing this!
Building high quality kits is a great pleasure and source of pride. It was the "normal" way of doing things many years ago, but the kits weren't nearly as good then. I believe a lot of people who have entered the hobby in the past few decades don't even give a moment's consideration to kits of this kind because they are so used to having stuff built for them. They are depriving themselves of a great and rewarding experience.
Guy Papillon Assembling the brake system was not easy and I had to compare with a RTR car to understand how to do it. It will definitely be easier for the second car.
Assembling the brake system was not easy and I had to compare with a RTR car to understand how to do it. It will definitely be easier for the second car.
I also have a bunch of them on the shelf.
Thanks,
Nice job, I got a couple dozen you could build for me.
Here is the first CP Clone USRA Boxcar ready for the paint shop. The second is under completion.
Really nice kit. Drilling for the grab irons and fixing them was intimidating at first but it went OK. Assembling the brake system was not easy and I had to compare with a RTR car to understand how to do it. It will definitely be easier for the second car.
Up to now I am very pleased with the results.
Thanks again to everyone for the advices.
maxman trainnut1250 These kilts feature separately applied grabs, fine details, accurate dimensions and detailed underbodies I opened my kilt and didn't find any of those things..........
trainnut1250 These kilts feature separately applied grabs, fine details, accurate dimensions and detailed underbodies
I opened my kilt and didn't find any of those things..........
Those look like a good start, Guy.
Here are a couple of shots of the re-worked MDC covered hoppers which I mentioned earlier.
These two are owned by my road's largest shipper, GERN Industries:
...and these two were recently acquired from nearby line which went bankrupt. Desperate for cars, the company simply painted-over the original reporting marks and numbers rather than doing a full paint job with the company slogan:
The final two are lettered for one of my free-lanced roads, and, like the other four, were only re-painted in the areas where work was done - ends, roof, and hopper areas:
This view better shows the Bowser roof hatches and running board. The latch mechanism for the hatches was built using styrene rod and strip, and the side-mounted brake pipe, visible in some photos, is .020" phosphor bronze wire supported by scratchbuilt "eyes" made from .010" brass wire.
Thank you everyone for the responses. I made the first step, ordering some kits. I received them today. Lot of tiny parts, especially on the tank car. That will be a challenge but I am ready for it.
Thanks again.
By the way the one time I tried the "heated blade" trick I just touched the knife's #11 blade to a nearby electric light bulb for a bit. It got plenty hot (I still have incandescent bulbs in my workshop). Sprue nippers have always worked OK for me, however (the kind that look like tweezers, not the kind that looks like a wire cutter).
hon30critter tstage Question for you, Dave: When you've tried the "fresh" #11 X-acto blade method, are you trying to cut through the sprue by pressing down on it? Hi Tom: I have to admit that I was pressing down on the blade. I was supporting the sprue and part as best I could. I didn't break huge numbers of parts but I do find the sprue cutters easier and more consistent.
tstage Question for you, Dave: When you've tried the "fresh" #11 X-acto blade method, are you trying to cut through the sprue by pressing down on it?
Hi Tom:
I have to admit that I was pressing down on the blade. I was supporting the sprue and part as best I could. I didn't break huge numbers of parts but I do find the sprue cutters easier and more consistent.
Dave,
With real delicate parts like grab irons I will sometimes gently support (hold) the part (nearest the sprue) with a pair of needle-nose tweezers while I cut it with the #11 X-acto blade. That minimizes the part from flexing, which leads to breakage.
I do appreciate Proto suppling a couple extra parts for those delicate pieces though. That helps make the extraction from the sprue a bit less stressful knowing you have at least a backup or two - just in case.
Hi Wayne:
Thanks for the candle suggestion. My wee brain hadn't thought of that.
As for being on a 'slippery slope', I think your shoes have pretty good traction! You manage to stay in the same place pretty consistently. What exactly are you wearing?
Cheers,
doctorwayne I don't think that there's a great deal of interest in that which interests me...after all, the material needs to contribute towards selling the product, and I'm out-of-step with much of today's modelling.
I would guess that the editors at MR would be inclined to disagree with you. The current, August, issue has an article about upgrading a plastic freight car kit. The kit in question is an Accurail double sheathed refrigerated car based on a BREX prototype built by ACF in 1922. The author used Tichy, Grant Line and DA parts.
Sounds like this would be right up your alley.
hon30critter I will agree that the sprue cutters leave a tiny bit of the sprue on the parts. Up until now, the size of the remaining sprue hasn't been large enough to bother me, and most can be cleaned off with a sharp blade.
I will agree that the sprue cutters leave a tiny bit of the sprue on the parts. Up until now, the size of the remaining sprue hasn't been large enough to bother me, and most can be cleaned off with a sharp blade.
On small parts, I use plastic cement to dissolve the remaining sprue. I have the feeling it is safer than using a blade.
Thanks for your kind remarks, Guy.
trainnut1250....BTW: Why aren't you published?? Or have I missed the articles?
There was a short article in Paint Shop in the February, 1980 issue of MR, but I don't document what I do with photos suitable for publication. As most here know, there are lots of photos, but they're simply not of the quality suitable for print. Besides, that, I don't think that there's a great deal of interest in that which interests me...after all, the material needs to contribute towards selling the product, and I'm out-of-step with much of today's modelling. I do enjoy the opportunity to post here and elsewhere, and those who choose to look can do so for free.
hon30critter...Just out of curiousity, I'm going to try the heated #11 blade method, but I haven't quite figured out how to heat the blade. I don't like the ideal of having a propane torch burning for long periods, and it would likely get the blade too hot anyhow. Perhaps a hot soldering iron might do the trick. I'll let you know.
Dave, a candle will work well enough to heat the blade without necessitating an adjustment to the A/C. I wonder if they make a creosote-scented one, for that railroady ambience?
My obsession with grab irons is part of the slide down that "slippery slope" of detailing: it's sometimes difficult to know when to stop. I often add brake rigging to rolling stock, but usually don't bother with the piping unless it's a tank car or a car that experiences frequent roll-overs, where the added detail might encourage onlookers to disregard the operational faux pas.
I'm currently re-detailing a half-dozen MDC covered hoppers. The original plan was to simply replace the round Pullman-Standard hatches with square ones from Bowser's nicely-done ACF cars. The cars are lettered with freelance reporting marks, and my late '30s operating era generally pre-dates widespread use of covered hoppers, so I'm not too concerned here about prototypical accuracy. I picked-up the parts from Bowser on a recent visit, and the sprue for the hatches also includes slope sheet supports, brake cylinder levers and supports, and outlet gate details. Well, back to the slippery slope: the slope sheet supports and brake levers are now in place, and I'm currently working to replace all of the really thick cast-on grab irons. The really thick sill steps have been replaced with A-Line metal parts, and the cars will be getting sill-side brake pipes, new Bowser brake wheels, and, for two of the cars which aren't yet so-equipped, Bowser running boards. Oh, yeah, and new outlet gate details.When they're done, I'll likely be the only one who notices, but that's the reward for daring onto the "slippery slope"....well, I'll probably post a photo, but it's not really something that most would consider all that interesting.I was thinking about re-doing the grab irons and sill steps on all of my open hoppers, too, but, with over 60 of them, the prospect of that has sorta lost its lustre.