To my forum friends: I bought a double door boxcar kit (I won't say the manufacturer as not to offend them). Unfortunately, one of the doors is not correct for the prototype. The prototype is a combo door while the kit makes it out as a dual sliding door. As the kit has the doors as a separate part, I am hoping to replace the incorrect door. I measured the door in question with my caliper and the door comes out to approximately 6'. That leads to me to this question: Does anyone make an HO scale 6' wide plug door (or in the alternative one that can be trimmed to that dimension without loss of detail)? All the doors I find are 8' at minimum.
As usual, any help the forums can provide would be most welcomed.
They're around...or something close. The place to look at are the last of the iced reefers and early mech reefers. They commonly were the modern version of old school swinging reefer double doors. The Athearn express reefer is an example, but it's only 4'. A Brancline 50' REX reefer has a 5' version, so that's getting warm.
And there are some boxcar models with a similar double door arrangement that may work. Anyone able to fill in the blanks here?
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
I don't think hinged plug doors will work for this. I think you need pull-out plugs.
I'd try first with the Athearn 40' grain box, using the left hand doors:
Athearn also makes an FMC 50' combo door box that might be useful:
These doors are not loose, but part of the sides. I suspect you won't find loose doors, but ya never know. Anyway, cutting the doors out is pretty easy.
Ed
7j43k I don't think hinged plug doors will work for this. I think you need pull-out plugs. I'd try first with the Athearn 40' grain box, using the left hand doors: These doors are not loose, but part of the sides. I suspect you won't find loose doors, but ya never know. Anyway, cutting the doors out is pretty easy. Ed
Ironically enough, I actually have one of these cars. (Prototypically inaccurate but if worse comes I can use it for this purpose.)
As mentioned the car I have has the doors as separate parts. Hence why I was wanting a separate detail part.
If it helps any, a picture of the prototype is located at http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1911528
Why do you want a 6' Plug when the prototype came with an 8' Plug. These cars were designed so that they could be used in grain service, which needed a 6' sliding door while the 8' Plug made a complete car side for the grain loading while giving the 14' needed for lumber loading when not in grain service.
Rick Jesionowski
Rule 1: This is my railroad.
Rule 2: I make the rules.
Rule 3: Illuminating discussion of prototype history, equipment and operating practices is always welcome, but in the event of visitor-perceived anacronisms, detail descrepancies or operating errors, consult RULE 1!
dti406 Why do you want a 6' Plug when the prototype came with an 8' Plug. These cars were designed so that they could be used in grain service, which needed a 6' sliding door while the 8' Plug made a complete car side for the grain loading while giving the 14' needed for lumber loading when not in grain service. Rick Jesionowski
When I was measuring things out I only was measuring the doors that came with the kit. I didn't realize that the plug was an 8'. As designed the model came with the two 6' sliders. I did a bit of measuring and found that the car can accomodate the correct doors (the 8' plug and the 6' slider). It will cover some rivet detail, but I never have been a "rivet counter." I was planning to order a different slider anyway as the details aren't right. I will add the proper 8' plug to that list.
On the bright side this does tell me what the car was used for.
Thank you for all the help.