SP piggyback, Part 5: the 3D-printed flat cars

This series of posts relates to the earliest days of Southern Pacific piggyback operations. They began in June 1953, and because 1953 is my modeling year, my interest is in these earliest details. I’ve provided historical background and description of models in the first three posts (for links, see this one: https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2024/10/sp-piggyback-part-3-piggyback-service.html ), and in the immediate preceding post, began description of the excellent 3D-printed models made by Andrew J. Chier (that post is here: https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2024/10/sp-piggyback-part-4-progress-on-3d.html ).

My next task in making AJ Chier’s models ready for the layout involved the excellent flat cars that he 3D printed. Though they are extraordinarily complete, they do need to have grab irons, sill steps, and hand brake added. These parts would require dimensions difficult for home 3D printers, and would in any case be very delicate if printed. Instead, metal parts can be added. Holes are pre-located for the grab irons,  as you can see here on both sides and end sill.

For photos of the prototype grab irons, see the Part 3 link in the top paragraph of this post. I set out to use Westerfield brass wire grab irons, but those are 18 scale inches wide and AJ has modeled the grab iron dimension as about 20 inches. Not a problem; the Westerfield parts are not hard wire, and are easily re-bent to the 20-inch width. I also used A-Line Style A sill steps. All were attached with canopy glue.

Incidentally, this 20-inch grab iron dimension modeled by AJ appears to be correct, as I interpret the SP drawings for the Class F-70-7 flat cars.

Next came the hand brake. I model these vertical-staff brakes with Cal-Scale brass brake wheels, soldered to 0.020-inch brass wire. This is a quick and simple task, and I usually make half a dozen or so at a time, and keep them on hand for future needs (I showed these kinds of completed parts in a previous post: https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2023/05/small-project-replacing-brake-wheels.html ).

This too is inserted into a drilled hole with canopy glue. The installation should look like the photo below (detail of an SP photo in the Part 3 post, linked in the top paragraph above).

The brake wheel staff here, as on flat cars generally, is a bit short, compared to tank cars, because when dropped down to permit trailer movement from car to car, the wheel must be close to flush on the deck. When the car is operated, however, the brake staff is required to be at full height. Here is my version prior to painting:

This wraps up the detailing of the flat car. The car was now given another quick coat of paint over the new detail parts, and was ready to decal. Luckily there is an excellent decal sheet for cars of this class, from Protocraft. I will discuss that aspect in a future post.

Tony Thompson