Hello
I am trying to find HO Scale end loading/unloading ramps for Pig flat cars.
Any help you could provide would be appreciated.
Thank you
Timothy
Life Member NMRA #00544
You might look for sheep loading ramps. I expect they would be similar, both loading on to double deck stock cars
OOPS - missed the flat car reference
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
Brasada lumber Hello I am trying to find HO Scale end loading/unloading ramps for Pig flat cars.
I presume you mean piggyback flat car, not something for end loading oinkers.
CG
George,
I think the OP means piggyback trucks, but for real pigs your solution works well, pretty much the same as sheep facilities.
Depending on the OP's era, homemade ramps may work. Early on until the mid-60s or so, investment in TOFC was somewhat limited, so many early solutions to meet this need were done on a shoestring. Any old wooden ramp would seem to do.
In that spirit, this is the ramp I made for my narrowgauge pigs, just below the stockcars in the middle of the pic...
Other options are the Walthers kit, 933-4048 (on sale right now); I used this Model Railstuff ramp in another location: https://www.walthers.com/loading-ramps-one-piece-painted-plaster-castings-wooden-end-of-track-style
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Here's the one I made for my TOFC operation.
Really nice. Love the random stuff laying alongside the ramp.
At the old C&NW piggyback loading/unloading area at Marsh Yard here in Milwaukee, they took a retired flat car, removed one truck, removed the knuckle from the end coupler so the couplers would meet but not mate, added the hinged end spanning plates, and voila - a loading ramp.
The August 1959 MR page 47 has a couple of prototype photos with additional ideas - one, a portable ramp, and the other, permanent ramps.
And the October 1957 MR page 46 has an intriguing model of a Santa Fe prototype open air but covered piggy-back trailer depot. I have been thinking of ways in which building this could be a genuine "dollar model" project. Whether I actually do it and write it up remains to be seen.
I know those are old issues but if you have the all access pass you can see them in the MR archive on this website.
Dave Nelson
Timothy,
When You get some time, watch this Youtube video and also others that are to the right of this video.....they show how piggybacks were loaded and many other interesting sites set-up for that purpose, ramps etc. from the 40's, 50's and on:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id6WSO9lT5A
Also...I almost forgot...Walthers makes piggyback unloading ramps and facility in their Cornerstone series, if interested. Click on link:
https://www.walthers.com/piggyback-ramps-kit?ref=1
Take Care!
Frank
Retired Teamster...Member ATHS, Windy city, chapter.
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