tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32185241782307129382024-03-18T13:27:06.702-07:00modeling the SPTony Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593061828601275378noreply@blogger.comBlogger1641125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3218524178230712938.post-36110649168088856062024-03-16T11:38:00.000-07:002024-03-16T11:38:38.724-07:00Repainting a GS-4 tender<p>I have an all-black Broadway Limited HO scale model of a Southern Pacific 4-8-4 locomotive, Class GS-4. That is how these engines were painted once the red and orange Daylight paint scheme began to be removed in the early 1950s. But as I received it, the model is lettered in the pre-1946 lettering scheme, with the road name as “Southern Pacific Lines” in relatively small lettering (9 inches tall) and with a small, lower number on the back of the tender. <br /></p><p>Here is a view of one such prototype GS-4 locomotive, taken at Glendale on November 24, 1943. Locomotive 4431 is at the head end of No. 71, the “Coast Mail” and has been repainted black under wartime conditions (Fred A. Stindt photo, courtesy Bob Church). It’s interesting that the tender lettering is located high on the car side, where it had been in the Daylight scheme.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIBqMW_CjOSy7ofClEgAuV4P7HxFwRNnhEjrtSkJeftAPPtouZSFHFDSW3gmBmj0uiG6HtG1u5xvkCKsowcpMnuQ7278E2BvPN-qqyvbGQBcfo_NY3dLqfca5N72It_zEbHTsTvNVyjRqunXx9i9ei0hzcyhDmFdiBa0NmVUf4unoWLWZVmPnVLgNGsHs/s1255/Stindt%204431.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1255" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIBqMW_CjOSy7ofClEgAuV4P7HxFwRNnhEjrtSkJeftAPPtouZSFHFDSW3gmBmj0uiG6HtG1u5xvkCKsowcpMnuQ7278E2BvPN-qqyvbGQBcfo_NY3dLqfca5N72It_zEbHTsTvNVyjRqunXx9i9ei0hzcyhDmFdiBa0NmVUf4unoWLWZVmPnVLgNGsHs/w400-h173/Stindt%204431.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>There are not many good photos of the backs of tenders, but the nearly identical SP tender class applied to the GS-6 locomotives were well photographed by Guy L. Dunscomb at Oakland in March of 1947 (Arnold Menke collection). The small road number beneath the back-up light is evident.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOp300D7t47R2P3onPjj2FL6LB5xA6vuMUuIJcEDDethnNkWyCGIacUJCEZAylbTz1gzdkGYyA6c57hXhqz13gj7LyYYke6W5jeTNNAE7262hQB-8MBshRxWTCVH3T3cwTuln9fggzv7GxteC6ESTlBkMe08SFW6u0J2CxICoaaJQavCd71uoW54isIk0/s720/4463.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="571" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOp300D7t47R2P3onPjj2FL6LB5xA6vuMUuIJcEDDethnNkWyCGIacUJCEZAylbTz1gzdkGYyA6c57hXhqz13gj7LyYYke6W5jeTNNAE7262hQB-8MBshRxWTCVH3T3cwTuln9fggzv7GxteC6ESTlBkMe08SFW6u0J2CxICoaaJQavCd71uoW54isIk0/w318-h400/4463.jpg" width="318" /></a></div><p></p><p>The Broadway Limited model has these characteristics, as you can see below. But for my operating year of 1953, I definitely have to re-letter the tender. Few SP locomotives retained the pre-1946 lettering past the summer of 1947. The problem now is to research what new lettering to apply.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZVZYPzqqrg1v4XpNwQPBjyqaRAkzf5TgbBLFB587KVFyx9qQeW-XYMKgmy4BE33H97o4Xj6hWyDfWqsQqPUMTvm8mTA3Rt8-_-RGD3xNC8GavCzc9J1xh1v0iT7SzhD3Dh05YHPbK_vbsxozecfifkrYZAhy6EkTZwh8V-9FOF2PZ_B0Wy9vG0AUPgmc/s1106/BLI%20tender.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1106" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZVZYPzqqrg1v4XpNwQPBjyqaRAkzf5TgbBLFB587KVFyx9qQeW-XYMKgmy4BE33H97o4Xj6hWyDfWqsQqPUMTvm8mTA3Rt8-_-RGD3xNC8GavCzc9J1xh1v0iT7SzhD3Dh05YHPbK_vbsxozecfifkrYZAhy6EkTZwh8V-9FOF2PZ_B0Wy9vG0AUPgmc/w400-h228/BLI%20tender.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>As I think most SP enthusiasts know, in 1946 SP replaced the scheme just shown with a dramatic increase in size of tender lettering (to 20 inches in height) and discontinued the word “Lines.” Details of the 1946 paint and lettering are contained in the <i>Southern Pacific Painting and Lettering Guide</i>, “Locomotives and Passenger Cars,” revised edition (J.A. Cauthen and J.R. Signor, SPH&TS, Upland, CA, 2019). Views of post-1946 locomotives in black paint are numerous, usually including tenders, as shown below (Bob Church collection). <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvq59nOCntnVZKDreBiBwZXOzvfvydNqCJG8i__HVn4TBejOsRswV72jmw5St4quwKZzmpZ503M1EFDIcW8OcTd_gKqbhLRObj266lMwVUTEp2I-9KTt1eV7h98tdVsFNmSYrY9JwnLjNa7XBeqdT0d4BFIFxrDgF4s3Zjd90GjWbp_g1zwxkfpiXIj24/s1298/4444.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1298" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvq59nOCntnVZKDreBiBwZXOzvfvydNqCJG8i__HVn4TBejOsRswV72jmw5St4quwKZzmpZ503M1EFDIcW8OcTd_gKqbhLRObj266lMwVUTEp2I-9KTt1eV7h98tdVsFNmSYrY9JwnLjNa7XBeqdT0d4BFIFxrDgF4s3Zjd90GjWbp_g1zwxkfpiXIj24/w400-h166/4444.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Tender end numbers were enlarged also, and relocated above the back-up light. But it’s surprisingly hard to find an end photo of a black GS-4 tender in post-1946 lettering. Even Arnold Menke’s outstanding chapter on tenders in Bob Church’s Daylight engine book doesn’t have one (Robert J. Church, <i>Southern Pacific Daylight Locomotives</i>, Signature Press, Berkeley and Wilton, CA, 2004). </p><p>But one of my favorite Don Sims photos does capture exactly that. Here we see GS-4 4448 at Bakersfield, just cut off from the <i>San Joaquin Daylight</i> after its run eastward down the valley. A set of F7 freight diesels will take the train over the Tehachapi. The end lettering is very clear.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnhJ9g1r0zNFGRkYpY8UJMlci-F_PplZecEeCUsGpIgp7V6H_YAOeuUL2M2FXmSBB8hNc75tcID7CyabvIALtlD_Newx-4f-NuHGKkmG0RRVBtn4VFALRwwxCvsV_ojSZ8_p_rzSYqGSZjw49A0UbUIxnBCHhm0LmgiTaVAFMWNimpI94StBpDN0LJIPY/s4159/Sims.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3355" data-original-width="4159" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnhJ9g1r0zNFGRkYpY8UJMlci-F_PplZecEeCUsGpIgp7V6H_YAOeuUL2M2FXmSBB8hNc75tcID7CyabvIALtlD_Newx-4f-NuHGKkmG0RRVBtn4VFALRwwxCvsV_ojSZ8_p_rzSYqGSZjw49A0UbUIxnBCHhm0LmgiTaVAFMWNimpI94StBpDN0LJIPY/w400-h323/Sims.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>This is how I will be re-lettering my GS-4 tender, as I will show in a future post.</p><p>Tony Thompson<br /></p>Tony Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593061828601275378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3218524178230712938.post-82110569155469891292024-03-13T15:19:00.000-07:002024-03-13T15:19:45.465-07:00REA express reefers, Part 2<p>In the first post on this topic, I briefly summarized the history of the Railway Express Agency or REA, and showed examples of some of the cars in their fleet, emphasizing the era that I model, 1953. I also showed a table of the REA pool participants, including Pacific Fruit Express. You can view that post at this link: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2024/03/express-reefers-from-rea.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2024/03/express-reefers-from-rea.html</a> . <br /></p><p>I now want to turn to models of some of these cars, and a description of how I are use these cars in operating my layout. When the layout is operated, the calendar day involved, say May 15, is treated as that day in 1953, and appropriate crops for that day are moved from the six packing houses on the layout whether or not express cars are involved. The most prominent use of those cars is late winter and early spring, when the California strawberry crop first
comes in, but these cars also come into use with the first harvest of any previously unavailable
crop.</p><p>So when a visitor sees a steel car, REX 6220 (an Atlas
model), alongside the Guadalupe Fruit Company loading dock in my layout
town of Ballard, they can be sure some new crop is being shipped. This car is from the 1947–48 order of 500 cars, REX 6100–6599. In the previous post (see link in first paragraph, above), there is a photo of a prototype car, REX 6164, from this group.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYbJjSBsN26u9YuDR_UcKtrRGtUqwjH6tBULeMWt4UEfSimqbsfSbAxn3pruANSJ_BgWcBi1YCoduZ0BBzRWhcrVHzrKnPiB-jrwjZAxs-jombE9VL12T2wTp099sBIBplVvPp9fiiYTc3u1X-4DHEBcZouMg8p1WSEun-MFctnS29ADdyrV61toAM8xM/s831/REX%206220.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="831" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYbJjSBsN26u9YuDR_UcKtrRGtUqwjH6tBULeMWt4UEfSimqbsfSbAxn3pruANSJ_BgWcBi1YCoduZ0BBzRWhcrVHzrKnPiB-jrwjZAxs-jombE9VL12T2wTp099sBIBplVvPp9fiiYTc3u1X-4DHEBcZouMg8p1WSEun-MFctnS29ADdyrV61toAM8xM/w400-h304/REX%206220.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Likewise,
seeing an REX car at the icing dock in my town of Ballard, signifies
the same thing about crops. as with REX 1227 in the photo below (a Walthers
model), though since Guadalupe Fruit has no pre-cooling capability, this
car might be receiving a pre-icing, to fill the ice bunkers prior to
loading, or an initial icing, filling the bunkers to the top on a
departing loaded car.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgxkmfrZkDqLmTHGehPtbJH7FEMnnCYroJ6wj2WQFcavayz1mbx-swk0guvirsjT4q5hRyerYk0tPUl_17RM-kZEtZP1HifjOPDDkE0ThvWd5OuVq95GeIGJWbQ5UjZTiMaH_Mg9OhlNPC7s16K91r_Yh77raW7YueGz3LEpfpUBItCkImKuzVCPyCSL8/s873/REX%201227.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="873" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgxkmfrZkDqLmTHGehPtbJH7FEMnnCYroJ6wj2WQFcavayz1mbx-swk0guvirsjT4q5hRyerYk0tPUl_17RM-kZEtZP1HifjOPDDkE0ThvWd5OuVq95GeIGJWbQ5UjZTiMaH_Mg9OhlNPC7s16K91r_Yh77raW7YueGz3LEpfpUBItCkImKuzVCPyCSL8/w400-h289/REX%201227.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>But
of course, looking at the table of the REA pool in the preceding post (see link in first paragraph, above), express reefers
of other ownership are certainly possible, particularly PFE express
cars. I’ve described those cars in a previous post (see it at: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2024/01/pfe-express-refrigerators.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2024/01/pfe-express-refrigerators.html</a>
). </p><p>Another prominent member of the REA pool was Great Northern, actually contributing more cars to the REA pool in 1953 than PFE. As it happens, I have an ancient Ambroid kit-built version of a GN wood-sheathed car. Here it’s shown being readied for pickup by a passenger extra on my layout at Shumala.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH5wglWWARgBviqOCQqX4u2iEGTgqIoHYUfX9FlRebk7QSs6I48CA0gQpmx5R6dSiz0MpZdgJN205UDpnrcjEuzgcp5Hr2p570M9wTOM4No29ZlIzYrsdIw_svR0TVfCREfuN6Kh6ZthfOeMJRqPmq6DJ-9ftXNXTpRhMCNF-A0StQtlvS7WVE5AI8NC4/s1236/GN%20BR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1236" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH5wglWWARgBviqOCQqX4u2iEGTgqIoHYUfX9FlRebk7QSs6I48CA0gQpmx5R6dSiz0MpZdgJN205UDpnrcjEuzgcp5Hr2p570M9wTOM4No29ZlIzYrsdIw_svR0TVfCREfuN6Kh6ZthfOeMJRqPmq6DJ-9ftXNXTpRhMCNF-A0StQtlvS7WVE5AI8NC4/w400-h175/GN%20BR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>And of course there might also be express cars of any other railroad,
whether or not in the REA pool list, including New York Central. I inherited a
nice NYC express reefer, NYC 5943, from Richard Hendrickson (brass, New
Jersey International), as you see here, with its distinctive deep side
sills. In 1953, NYC had 272 of its original 275 cars like this still in
service, numbered NYC 5800–6074.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1XIJkgWBXQkV2jXOUOun7esJNNp6yZtcn8EphE37SJHJOJQ1RMs_xoJXLMk6L-2tSczJprx-B9SQK1amA3xu8BoaD5MaM4LK-_e-jJAfdAZz-85dCzctEGDHfKNC8s4jVi89rpn1JIR9USFySynQ-vurXHBK_leBGiEgfSgix0MWYD2IguH09pb5bJFo/s1366/N%20YC%20car.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1366" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1XIJkgWBXQkV2jXOUOun7esJNNp6yZtcn8EphE37SJHJOJQ1RMs_xoJXLMk6L-2tSczJprx-B9SQK1amA3xu8BoaD5MaM4LK-_e-jJAfdAZz-85dCzctEGDHfKNC8s4jVi89rpn1JIR9USFySynQ-vurXHBK_leBGiEgfSgix0MWYD2IguH09pb5bJFo/w400-h185/N%20YC%20car.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Although
I don’t often load express reefers at the packing houses on my layout,
except at those short stretches of harvest season(s) for which they are
appropriate, they do show up in mainline passenger trains. Among other
things, they carried dairy products and fresh flowers along SP’s Coast Route
throughout much of the calendar year. So though PFE is the likeliest
reporting mark to show up on an express reefer on my layout, REA and
other express cars certainly show up too.</p>Tony Thompson<p></p>Tony Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593061828601275378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3218524178230712938.post-92165338542704171762024-03-10T11:40:00.000-07:002024-03-10T11:40:25.137-07:00Rescuing an Athearn metal tank car<p>Some years ago at a swap meet, I happened to spot a derelict Athearn metal tank car, with a badly broken underframe. But it looked fairly good in the surviving parts, and it was a Southern Pacific lettering scheme. I knew that this Athearn model had been designed exactly from the SP prototype cars, and I was intrigued with the challenge, so after some hesitation, I bought it (the seller, seeing me hesitate, said “You can have it for four bucks”). <br /></p><p>Here are a couple of views of the car as I received it. First, a top view, showing the overall model, and the two broken-off ends of the underframe. This reveals a weakness in this Athearn kit design: the coupler boxes are only attached to the rest of the car by the running boards, which in this case have broken. Note the nice two-rung sill steps at each corner. These should be salvaged and re-used.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuxU7Ho5nUrRYWNrqqcvkODWw1C4O2eFB-LKqCb1Z8-GPiJTlMZ9qCf5jI6CfmUO-O23jyjt8-epK6R-18LldLTfHZpjJnj1x-3cwSSaacVECkDsBWly1Kb5yduYzEIsZ5qN6QmgTHE0qm1f3R-ffRAvzUxx7jkHDnpRIeVtC1BrKSN1-POpwa3aTCLKA/s1367/58499%20top.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1367" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuxU7Ho5nUrRYWNrqqcvkODWw1C4O2eFB-LKqCb1Z8-GPiJTlMZ9qCf5jI6CfmUO-O23jyjt8-epK6R-18LldLTfHZpjJnj1x-3cwSSaacVECkDsBWly1Kb5yduYzEIsZ5qN6QmgTHE0qm1f3R-ffRAvzUxx7jkHDnpRIeVtC1BrKSN1-POpwa3aTCLKA/w400-h158/58499%20top.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>The modeler who had done the assembly to this point had done a good job, including painting the tank ends and dome the correct Colonial Yellow color (available in model form; see: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2012/10/modeling-sp-structure-colors.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2012/10/modeling-sp-structure-colors.html</a> ), but the dome walks and tank bands should have been this color too, as should the bottom course of the tank (a separate, unpainted part in the Athearn kit). Here is a view from below.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRzJT-7zhzBBvL4a2w1dc0omPW6PiMaA6eK0tocTb2_n61IhFaMXv3KctDsb5WgcB2iiYaN04sR_7xXipZXzQ4xofxEKWC5nJfiCi5YQk2idsm1icuGJ-2C0dOz1z4_3mU_gHAZPLfLalDYQgJJLANEOCrt9moWW4V2vIdyBy4-Gvt0qOJFQR-s0y_13I/s1321/as-recd%20under.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1321" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRzJT-7zhzBBvL4a2w1dc0omPW6PiMaA6eK0tocTb2_n61IhFaMXv3KctDsb5WgcB2iiYaN04sR_7xXipZXzQ4xofxEKWC5nJfiCi5YQk2idsm1icuGJ-2C0dOz1z4_3mU_gHAZPLfLalDYQgJJLANEOCrt9moWW4V2vIdyBy4-Gvt0qOJFQR-s0y_13I/w400-h164/as-recd%20under.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>As it happens, I had earlier acquired a copy of the original Athearn instructions for assembly of this model, so could readily see how to proceed in repairing and/or rebuilding it. These instructions are shown below, dated 1950. You can click on the image to enlarge it, if it’s hard to read.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy2wiYWUYzHBJhBWNtVawMB_yLdLUJSxY-8Zr21NHlHnsjmmuDgerQMpKqNmnkpbT-lvtz7Co-JLMjtJgv_Nir9exXRrDc7JBCS_a6eGDdsg9MPoQIzTcyHJhTFKmljJ0ZqRZ6TtTy7WiT7oRMbVtRlQfvPhop3neQ6Gedd898gjn5g3_0mfT6EMMluzg/s2057/Ath%20tnk%20dir.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2057" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy2wiYWUYzHBJhBWNtVawMB_yLdLUJSxY-8Zr21NHlHnsjmmuDgerQMpKqNmnkpbT-lvtz7Co-JLMjtJgv_Nir9exXRrDc7JBCS_a6eGDdsg9MPoQIzTcyHJhTFKmljJ0ZqRZ6TtTy7WiT7oRMbVtRlQfvPhop3neQ6Gedd898gjn5g3_0mfT6EMMluzg/w311-h400/Ath%20tnk%20dir.jpg" width="311" /></a></div><p>In addition, I inherited from Richard Hendrickson a whole box of Athearn metal tank car underframe parts, most of them for the 10,000-gallon car that Athearn in those days called a “Shorty,” but also a few of the full-size frames for the SP cars. Shown below are a few of these parts. At top are the two cast metal bolster-tank saddle parts, and between them, a sheet-metal channel for the center sill. The bolsters slide onto this sill. Below that is a one-piece running board-end sill-coupler box casting, and below it, a center anchor casting at left, and a pair of cross-ties at right. Below that is an assembled but badly damaged complete underframe, showing the weakness of the cast running-board part.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ThMmnpXvnJSjJVs-SkaWOCP0GSoBNYHjirHlzzSh-3b0f6hAW1HUbg7PYx_CfNrKo5otP3VmWNpBtJf0PTdHZrB9Sl91szCg7l2TZlHMpTXLix8RCkV1563YryVKi1AUq26oM_Li-RAnba_XqDVJRat0iJ-N15PimLE1ibxxOsMM7dkSKwaugGV0SEk/s720/u'frame%20parts.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="693" data-original-width="720" height="385" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ThMmnpXvnJSjJVs-SkaWOCP0GSoBNYHjirHlzzSh-3b0f6hAW1HUbg7PYx_CfNrKo5otP3VmWNpBtJf0PTdHZrB9Sl91szCg7l2TZlHMpTXLix8RCkV1563YryVKi1AUq26oM_Li-RAnba_XqDVJRat0iJ-N15PimLE1ibxxOsMM7dkSKwaugGV0SEk/w400-h385/u'frame%20parts.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The next challenge was to decide how to “rescue” this model, or whether that was even possible. Since I had a full set of underframe parts, I could just replace the broken underframe of the model that came to me. But if you consult the assembly directions above, Step 3, you will see that the tank assembly process includes screwing the tank end shells to the underframe. I didn’t really want to disassemble the entire model, then have to repeat that.</p><p>A second possibility was to re-attach the broken-off underframe parts, and replace any missing segments. Since these would be butt joints, they wouldn’t come close to being strong enough. But I could overlay the entire running board with thin sheet brass (K&S Engineering offers 0.005-inch sheet, item #250), glued down with canopy glue. Certainly it would be strong enough in tension., when pulled by the couplers in a train.</p><p>But other problems with the brittleness of the old, broken underframe led me to choose replacing just the running board-end sill-coupler box part (second from the top in the view above). But since the bolster-saddle parts were riveted to the running board, the replacement running board needs to be divided to fit around the bolsters. The cuts could then by spliced by that sheet brass, glued underneath.</p><p>I decided to pursue the latter procedure, and preparatory to doing so, removed all of the remnants of the original running-board-end sill-coupler box parts. This also had the advantage of fully exposing the tank’s bottom sheet, which should be the body color, Colonial Yellow.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg04wlMMSVEfbK8L715Z33wrt2OKUMOZITJeEWOi1AADVdLFqz5SGVLvHSDiJA4lGR2ou5l8QM7EP9WVLh-kNhyM19YbVDH3QQCFfE7SrjfX__Z1k5qzLzsiwnqlgG4ofucXoYE0njNocm8Rhp858sCgkP4g3tIbybRRsDdGMwoGPvYrU9PUZ9yzQxI5DQ/s1030/stripped.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="1030" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg04wlMMSVEfbK8L715Z33wrt2OKUMOZITJeEWOi1AADVdLFqz5SGVLvHSDiJA4lGR2ou5l8QM7EP9WVLh-kNhyM19YbVDH3QQCFfE7SrjfX__Z1k5qzLzsiwnqlgG4ofucXoYE0njNocm8Rhp858sCgkP4g3tIbybRRsDdGMwoGPvYrU9PUZ9yzQxI5DQ/w400-h175/stripped.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>It has been interesting to examine one of these Athearn metal tank cars, along with its kit directions, and understand how they were made, as well as discovering how I could “rescue” this model. I will pursue re-assembly and painting in a future post.</p><p>Tony Thompson<br /></p>Tony Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593061828601275378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3218524178230712938.post-89029631647040648942024-03-07T10:03:00.000-08:002024-03-07T10:03:25.487-08:00Express reefers from REA<p>The Railway Express Agency, or REA, was an outgrowth of a number of prior express companies, dating back to the 19th century’s days of stagecoaches and intercity steamers on the east coast, with express companies undertaking to deliver packages and parcels (for a fee) to certain destinations. These gradually grew into a number of much larger companies, among them Wells Fargo and American Express, surviving today in related business areas. <br /></p><p>An adequate history of REA is provided by Vic Roseman’s book, <i>Railway Express</i> (Rocky Mountain Publishing, Denver, 1992). Considerably more coverage of rolling stock, though not of corporate history, is available in Pat Wider’s excellent contribution to <i>Railway Prototype Cyclopedia</i> (Volume 7, 2002), which is entitled “BR and BS Express Refrigerator Cars.” I will summarize the background, as I have done previously (see, for example, my post at: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2015/01/express-refrigerator-cars.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2015/01/express-refrigerator-cars.html</a> ).<br /></p><p>During World War I, when the U.S. government took over railroad operation under the U.S. Railroad Administration or USRA, a simplification was accomplished by compelling the merger of railroad-owed express companies and the four major private companies at the time, Adams Express, Wells Fargo, American Express, and Southern Express, into a single company, American Railway Express (ARE). After the end of the USRA, it was expected that the ARE would be disbanded and the business returned to the prior companies; but this proved impractical, and the ICC approved continued operation of ARE.</p><p>But both the ICC and Congress wanted this business to be operated by the railroads, not a private company, and accordingly in 1929 a new corporation was formed, owned by 86 of the largest railroads, and named Railway Express Agency. Offices, employees and rolling stock of ARE were all merged into REA. The right to operate all express services and related services was held by REA, and all revenues were distributed to the owning railroads.</p><p>In addition to ARE-owned rolling stock, REA also obtained the use of 665 express reefers that had been owned and operated by General American Transportation Company as a lease fleet. These were wood-sheathed cars originally built by GATC. An example is below, REX 1227, photographed at Oakland, California on February 16, 1952 by Wilber C. Whittaker. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc36f-1MUjmxrYnIQOx5iedB8-Iqopmbegf9Gj6EhjOE4KF18vfZ6ttZOrBNrkiYhI_eR2HhDTA1tkYlCBto6eKzWm_DshZG1sLllfK6IYuXiZMc8Gyi9SJBY5jSkEM78aHj5IT3BExK6KrcAtr-gRjFz5yFaEqm1pKkOzFXxLFF7-wWjAZQ7PudQwEaQ/s1478/REX%20wd.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="1478" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc36f-1MUjmxrYnIQOx5iedB8-Iqopmbegf9Gj6EhjOE4KF18vfZ6ttZOrBNrkiYhI_eR2HhDTA1tkYlCBto6eKzWm_DshZG1sLllfK6IYuXiZMc8Gyi9SJBY5jSkEM78aHj5IT3BExK6KrcAtr-gRjFz5yFaEqm1pKkOzFXxLFF7-wWjAZQ7PudQwEaQ/w400-h121/REX%20wd.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>After World War II, REA realized it owned a great many cars of wood
construction that were over 25 years old. In 1947–48, they went to
American Car & Foundry for 500 new, all-steel cars, nicknamed the
“100-mph cars.” Their original rather flashy aluminum, green and
red-banded sides soon proved too prone to dirt accumulation, and were
repainted dark green, like the car in this view (New Haven, Connecticut, February
1954, Bob’s Photo collection). The rippling of the welded sides is
evident.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBLwL7ErJqfDr4lAoN5t-SxH48ncszjeQdc4Jha2FttcgmFcq2XPP2pjJM2WaiB5MEAcUB3HM7Syx7-hutn61Ivmtx5HPp8hcx92wPRbxJbSSzi4wg4nFiMIdmvKThI85Jjsg8b3sx5jRX4udA94sfkbzYngNO3OxXJs3-kCVMLbnDE23i3Z_saNHgOgU/s1139/REX%20steel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1139" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBLwL7ErJqfDr4lAoN5t-SxH48ncszjeQdc4Jha2FttcgmFcq2XPP2pjJM2WaiB5MEAcUB3HM7Syx7-hutn61Ivmtx5HPp8hcx92wPRbxJbSSzi4wg4nFiMIdmvKThI85Jjsg8b3sx5jRX4udA94sfkbzYngNO3OxXJs3-kCVMLbnDE23i3Z_saNHgOgU/w400-h190/REX%20steel.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>With regard to express refrigerator cars, nearly all railroads with significant ownership of such cars voluntarily provided them to an REA pool. Distribution and movement of the cars was under REA direction. That meant that if you were a shipper and wanted an express reefer, you called REA, not your local railroad; but nearly all railroad station agents were also REA agents, so in reality you called the person you always called for an empty car, and he or she put on a different hat to take your order.</p><p>When REA cars were loaded, the local agent acted as the car clerk to apply any placards that were needed. I will show two examples, loaned to me by Michael Litant from his collection. Both are 5.5 x 8.5 inches in size. The first, below, was applied to REX 7465 in Santa Maria, California (very near the location I model on my layout) on June 17, 1967. The stamp at lower left is for salt additions, and is marked as 1 percent salt for this cargo, routed on the Santa Maria Valley to the SP at Guadalupe, and then by “best route” to Boston. Unfortunately the cargo is not shown on this placard design.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1U69Ti4G2__r8u1r3h88Z1cKxyam5LMSi0oNkaH6BfFWR9j8POT0I4FsAVo-JTa34P5OcFJnonS3cTnmNOW0PJed00kC-JggL-_ypapXze6VZI-U2qpuocFTFxSZOdqRoasrqt3Xq-TFgBqRIGWWURK9VP7SsqZ5KzKaeakpQMF6DwLPmMynKiWAgpz0/s1299/REX1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="840" data-original-width="1299" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1U69Ti4G2__r8u1r3h88Z1cKxyam5LMSi0oNkaH6BfFWR9j8POT0I4FsAVo-JTa34P5OcFJnonS3cTnmNOW0PJed00kC-JggL-_ypapXze6VZI-U2qpuocFTFxSZOdqRoasrqt3Xq-TFgBqRIGWWURK9VP7SsqZ5KzKaeakpQMF6DwLPmMynKiWAgpz0/w400-h259/REX1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Here is a second example, virtually identical in format, this one applied at Yakima, Washington to REX 7499, on June 17, 1966, and is shown as departing Yakima on Northern Pacific eastward train no. 2, <i>The Mainstreeter</i>, which often carried substantial head-end traffic. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzBQWcMbG3l7NVcHcRPS39B9SLyi7OqAoMlfWixQzhvQzyXI7WZAnC7Yo0xHyk4xONUT-TVIcYAV8513dsc-H8EQM3iUX-AGc99bofcYPaz3WE6D-QV3lCl4Zw3SqXevG2SDtC-6cC7oScVS7VOnygoc5D7bxzJ82I9t7zppFQu9jr0NDZgukpq0uIErs/s1109/REX2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1109" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzBQWcMbG3l7NVcHcRPS39B9SLyi7OqAoMlfWixQzhvQzyXI7WZAnC7Yo0xHyk4xONUT-TVIcYAV8513dsc-H8EQM3iUX-AGc99bofcYPaz3WE6D-QV3lCl4Zw3SqXevG2SDtC-6cC7oScVS7VOnygoc5D7bxzJ82I9t7zppFQu9jr0NDZgukpq0uIErs/w400-h260/REX2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Both these placards were placed on cars in the 1957-built car group REX 7400–7899, 54-foot riveted cars with 6-foot sliding doors and BX trucks. Below is a photo taken at Dallas, Texas by Dick Kuelbs in August 1961, showing REX 7833.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRf79GRVyYd9m-Vtn6B1M-uzJnIGVLrgU3QjOhi9WrpadGooo0PPh-4062YryIkCpVITQ_ysSq7G_A5Mutez19w62T_3a4jNQbt0oBdnwiC1WZzth9Xo9Ajct54972aKcHGZ1s083TqOxyfA2cMc5LhK29hrBUUP0Oyy8zbUIOqCkaj7Cwa2RVv2BoGws/s1146/RE%207400.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1146" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRf79GRVyYd9m-Vtn6B1M-uzJnIGVLrgU3QjOhi9WrpadGooo0PPh-4062YryIkCpVITQ_ysSq7G_A5Mutez19w62T_3a4jNQbt0oBdnwiC1WZzth9Xo9Ajct54972aKcHGZ1s083TqOxyfA2cMc5LhK29hrBUUP0Oyy8zbUIOqCkaj7Cwa2RVv2BoGws/s320/RE%207400.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>To return to the topic of the pool, shown below is a listing of the REA express reefer pool roster in 1953. It is Table 5-4 from the PFE book. Note that of the 2500 cars in the pool, over 1600 of them had REX reporting marks. This is well over half of the pool. Express cars of other ownership sometimes came into REA use also.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4EH_lpyK0OOm8oWKK6QtLQm-eK2T4CO_b4BQgQVYcH7uUUA1B-Vbz7CeVBvgGongS5qzgKB_xKkRvci5OFX5nG4p2KV72cT4XLuByXGXXYuSpqMUaYPiULSry2z6WIEQ27yVHgi7HaTqt3aQDFW_vKc1ifPqbK80E2w0sQIz8gIF7HJw0L64i8CA_Oks/s800/table.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="787" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4EH_lpyK0OOm8oWKK6QtLQm-eK2T4CO_b4BQgQVYcH7uUUA1B-Vbz7CeVBvgGongS5qzgKB_xKkRvci5OFX5nG4p2KV72cT4XLuByXGXXYuSpqMUaYPiULSry2z6WIEQ27yVHgi7HaTqt3aQDFW_vKc1ifPqbK80E2w0sQIz8gIF7HJw0L64i8CA_Oks/w394-h400/table.jpg" width="394" /></a></div><p></p><p>It is known that the pool arrangements were that REA would only be responsible for minor repairs. Anything consequential was the responsibility of the car owner. Thus although the REA pool operated nationwide, and indeed an express reefer of any ownership might travel anywhere, the majority of each owner’s cars were kept in more or less the owner’s geographical area to facilitate maintenance. </p><p>The modeling consequence of this is that whatever area you model, local railroad express cars would predominate, along with REX cars, which could go anywhere (and the table above shows how they numerically dominated the pool). On my layout, express cars are operated in just this way. I will return to the modeling and operating uses of these cars in a future post. <br /></p><p>Tony Thompson</p>Tony Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593061828601275378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3218524178230712938.post-43448885751071632762024-03-04T10:46:00.000-08:002024-03-04T10:52:57.643-08:00Understanding bridges<p><span style="font-size: medium;">Some years ago, I co-authored with my late friend Larry Kline an article about prototype railroad bridges: how they work, how the prototypes evolved, and how one may choose a bridge on model layouts. Here’s a citation: Larry E. Kline and Anthony W. Thompson, “The Evolution of American Railroad Bridges, 1830–1994,” <i>Symposium on Railroad History</i>, Volume 3, A.C. Kalmbach Memorial Library, National Model Railroad Association, Chattanooga, TN, 1994. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">My purpose in the present post is to introduce the topic by suggesting a simple way of understanding what a bridge does, and what affects its performance. I will begin with an analogy the most people will understand from experience. Consider a 1 x 10-inch board, say ten feet long. It can readily be imagined that if it is laid flat, that is, the wide side horizontal, and supported only at the extreme ends, it would be quite springy and flexible if an adult tried to walk its length. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">But now imagine it set up on edge, so that the wide side is vertical, only end-supported, and braced so that it is maintained vertical. Stepping onto it (a delicate balance problem, to be sure) would reveal that in this orientation, it’s very stiff; even a heavy man would scarcely cause any deflection. Yet it’s the same wooden plank.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The reason for this major dependence on thickness, or if you will, depth of the beam, is expressed in the formula for stiffness of a beam. I won’t address the math, except to point out that the stiffness varies as the cube of the thickness, that is, thickness to the third power. That 1 x 10 on edge is a thousand times stiffer than the same plank lying flat. Note that this is not a material property of the plank, but depends on orientation only.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Bridges essentially follow this fact in most bridge designs; the key is the thickness of the “plank,” with everything else much less important. Of course, the stiffness of the material itself matters; wood is hardly one-thousandth as stiff per unit size as is steel. But for any <i>given</i> material, it is all about thickness or depth.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In essence, a bridge is a beam across a gap in the terrain. And in fact, very short bridges over culverts or tiny creeks can be simple wood beams under the track. Longer bridges of that kind require deeper and deeper beams, but of course it is often more practical, rather than increase the beam size, to simply subdivide the gap. Trestle bents at suitable intervals permit using short-span beams under track, from bent to bent.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj97kJgikC8bH-kOnXQ0p6yEWz9XpSVrsiGXJy4XQNMQpQyrWjLVt98TjBXTZs9jCiT1AIqz6I5Dnbtk9Z0vGdDKWHSjreITzYNn6lJGx_R2cTnmxvmcrWnL8nZvFbiJ9kBu4f7vcSknnRzjhTCv01-iNv5gKhOlnrI2727Rw3GS7lVgaXIGAOESxb3IA/s905/Apache.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="905" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj97kJgikC8bH-kOnXQ0p6yEWz9XpSVrsiGXJy4XQNMQpQyrWjLVt98TjBXTZs9jCiT1AIqz6I5Dnbtk9Z0vGdDKWHSjreITzYNn6lJGx_R2cTnmxvmcrWnL8nZvFbiJ9kBu4f7vcSknnRzjhTCv01-iNv5gKhOlnrI2727Rw3GS7lVgaXIGAOESxb3IA/w400-h319/Apache.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">(The photo is by J.R. Knoll on the Apache Railway south of Holbrook, Arizona, my collection.)</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Of course, the trestle bents need not be as short as shown above; the identical principle is illustrated with far taller trestle bridges, still with wood beams under the track, as shown in this famous Richard Steinheimer photo on the San Diego & Arizona Eastern, with a Baldwin road-switcher leading a mixed freight across Goat Canyon trestle in Carriso Gorge in 1952. (used with permission, DeGolyer Library)</span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfxn9NBXrBITaTJQWNh-eq94eT0_B1s-NMQ51eE-qVVHq_bgRa5J7qL9aIMtcBm2Q3dpnLyWZgZW4Ilhj9CnYhmlytHG9kalU3PNcFvcw8283RhDtYzyOC9VktqwAvQI9DSN6RY_mWgHcQ46aDcGJhDX3dVRHMx7FZMeBM_NS0YvV9jmDxPkXNjDUZ3XI/s810/Stein.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="661" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfxn9NBXrBITaTJQWNh-eq94eT0_B1s-NMQ51eE-qVVHq_bgRa5J7qL9aIMtcBm2Q3dpnLyWZgZW4Ilhj9CnYhmlytHG9kalU3PNcFvcw8283RhDtYzyOC9VktqwAvQI9DSN6RY_mWgHcQ46aDcGJhDX3dVRHMx7FZMeBM_NS0YvV9jmDxPkXNjDUZ3XI/w326-h400/Stein.jpg" width="326" /></a></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;">And steel is a far more suitable material for substantial loads than wood. The familiar girder bridge, with girders beneath the rails or alongside them, uses this principal of a beam under or alongside the rails, of course with sturdy crossbeams connecting the side girders.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">These bridges, though simple in appearance, do in fact have very specific design characteristics. Of course, the most basic is the depth of the girder, relative to its length. This again references the third-power dependence of girder stiffness on depth, so naturally the depth will increase together with length. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">There is extensive prototype information on this topic in Paul Mallery’s outstanding book, <i>Bridge and Trestle Handbook,</i> first
published by Simmons-Boardman in 1958. I have the second or revised edition, published in 1976 by Boynton and Associates. For the present subject, Chapter 9 on
plate-girder bridges is applicable. It contains a table of typical length and depth of girders, Figure 2 in this chapter, which appear to range between 7 and 9 times longer than they
are deep, in other words, a length-to-depth ratio between 7:1 and 9:1. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The photo below shows a deck girder bridge in the process of construction, and its </span><span style="font-size: medium;">length to depth </span><span style="font-size: medium;">ratio is indeed about 8:1. This is the proportion identified in Mallery’s book, as just mentioned. This is the Butte Slough bridge of the Sacramento Northern, east of Colusa, California, on November 1, 1912 (Harre DeMoro collection, courtesy Kristin DeMoro). </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6KbsseTnfFkNyZh6TkGQeXmURpZ31zyUuk1KSyJUnWPE785ljM80RAbF0JxnOrGOdzQcXer9Bj2gvRBSWPLEg9w3L0_UTTzh3ivbGZ67D-a2jTSEeOgG-Pp1EQEAOKO0s2tuOJlSDTpClZgl_7i5W38yIXrGrshP78p7zT35vHjNjtFU_s92dfipJX5A/s1225/Butte.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1225" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6KbsseTnfFkNyZh6TkGQeXmURpZ31zyUuk1KSyJUnWPE785ljM80RAbF0JxnOrGOdzQcXer9Bj2gvRBSWPLEg9w3L0_UTTzh3ivbGZ67D-a2jTSEeOgG-Pp1EQEAOKO0s2tuOJlSDTpClZgl_7i5W38yIXrGrshP78p7zT35vHjNjtFU_s92dfipJX5A/w400-h229/Butte.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I realized that this same topic was important when looking at a bridge on my layout, originally built very simply by just cutting down the Atlas commercial girder bridge to the appropriate length to span the gap on my layout. But as soon as I looked at prototype bridge photos, I could see the difference: the proportions of my short bridge were way off. Once I recognized that, I replaced the bridge with one of the correct proportions, following Mallery’s information. I described that project in a trio of posts. Here are links: <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2013/05/a-new-sp-bridge-for-shumala.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2013/05/a-new-sp-bridge-for-shumala.html</a><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2013/08/a-new-sp-bridge-for-shumala-part-2.html">http://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2013/08/a-new-sp-bridge-for-shumala-part-2.html</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2013/09/a-new-sp-bridge-for-shumala-part-3.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2013/09/a-new-sp-bridge-for-shumala-part-3.html</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">This concludes what I want to say about simple bridges. But there are more complex designs, particularly the widely-used truss bridge, and I will turn to bridges of that type in a future post.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Tony Thompson</span><br /></p>Tony Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593061828601275378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3218524178230712938.post-81272385616762898212024-03-01T10:33:00.000-08:002024-03-01T10:33:48.962-08:00A new vinegar tank car<p>Vinegar tank cars, made from wood, were unusual, but not rare, cars in prototype service. Vinegar is in essence mild acetic acid, and corrosive; a steel tank car would require a lining, while wood seemed to stand up to vinegar all right. I have long wanted one, having seen a photo of one being repaired at Southern Pacific’s Sacramento General Shops. <br /></p><p>Below is a photo from the internet of a preserved car of this type, at the John Street Roundhouse in Toronto. You can readily see many details of construction. Note that there are a substantial number of circumferential rods,
connected with cast clamping devices, holding the tank staves together, along
with tank hold-downs that are flat strapping, and that comes down to
the side sill. The heavy end bracing is also evident.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj1E9GYwyoApSj9RUeBXj6eWVXL9GrhE4fKwTeOgmexkI3Ywun0nO49eqmRaeF_3muHnXd4zkh8c59v6VkuTv0ZWVPb6CFc9XmHObxj3eSPB2dWEv4DqbPpnF7-qYxFZZ-J0ogKcWy2NxqREv2Vw77hppgcGaAvpsITqT5wGgP946xQloN6nW3tBxqG2s/s720/Tronna.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj1E9GYwyoApSj9RUeBXj6eWVXL9GrhE4fKwTeOgmexkI3Ywun0nO49eqmRaeF_3muHnXd4zkh8c59v6VkuTv0ZWVPb6CFc9XmHObxj3eSPB2dWEv4DqbPpnF7-qYxFZZ-J0ogKcWy2NxqREv2Vw77hppgcGaAvpsITqT5wGgP946xQloN6nW3tBxqG2s/w400-h300/Tronna.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Sunshine Models, many years ago, produced a kit for such a car. Their Prototype Data Sheet or PDS #60 for these cars showed a good prototype photo, shown below with credit. This is a car owned by Standard Brands Inc., thus the reporting marks, SBIX.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR2i5n0QOGxh48RqZj9EhGdEj26T33l5g1cdklHVnb2UhYPRBB28NfURAdufltgi4650IdvEV9_jkGncqjpvPga9hFIepA7shGsjHZjc8iGOiItlkGbDb4yLaPiKMVKnjZ5S8dD4PWIO-kIIwFhKxl752crHHFEGlIts3CQf11r_3LgJiC7ViSZgxjqs0/s1356/SBIX%20proto.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1356" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR2i5n0QOGxh48RqZj9EhGdEj26T33l5g1cdklHVnb2UhYPRBB28NfURAdufltgi4650IdvEV9_jkGncqjpvPga9hFIepA7shGsjHZjc8iGOiItlkGbDb4yLaPiKMVKnjZ5S8dD4PWIO-kIIwFhKxl752crHHFEGlIts3CQf11r_3LgJiC7ViSZgxjqs0/w400-h213/SBIX%20proto.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The Sunshine kit was infamous for its complexity and tedious assembly, not to mention the challenge of getting all those rods to look right, with somewhat even but not exactly even spacing, lying flat on the tank.</p><p>One of the best Sunshine kit assemblies that I know of, was built by Lester Breuer; he described the process in his blog (you can read it, and appreciate the assembly difficulties, here: <a href="http://mnrailroadcab100.blogspot.com/2020/09/vinegar-tank-car-sbix-1641.html">http://mnrailroadcab100.blogspot.com/2020/09/vinegar-tank-car-sbix-1641.html</a> ). But it is inevitable that some parts are oversize and it is difficult to avoid glue getting onto the tank. I’m not criticizing Lester here; practically every completed versions of this kit that I have seen is rather clunky compared with this.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwlC8zv2r2YJhvrR5lCEVdBVlmO6sFJKYCzFus5EO2hX_JExHNtoA7sNINqn_C64jFX3QddBH88kdohrlz12PF5zXelcBkCh_z6BJoJqAVPkbksx71pedCAarVm8FldX2Tiv_u-LFo8mxOd3RMdgqX2jqTy7a3HVrb5nSoHQdJh2AT1KSEj6_kHLqObPQ/s1462/Breuer.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1462" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwlC8zv2r2YJhvrR5lCEVdBVlmO6sFJKYCzFus5EO2hX_JExHNtoA7sNINqn_C64jFX3QddBH88kdohrlz12PF5zXelcBkCh_z6BJoJqAVPkbksx71pedCAarVm8FldX2Tiv_u-LFo8mxOd3RMdgqX2jqTy7a3HVrb5nSoHQdJh2AT1KSEj6_kHLqObPQ/w400-h148/Breuer.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>For these reasons, I had shied away from buying and building the Sunshine kit. But there have been brass vinegar cars too, notably a Heinz car in brass from Overland Models. Unfortunately this is a quite different-looking car than the Standard Brands car shown in the uppermost photo of the present post. Here’s a representative photo of a Heinz car (Henry Ford Museum collection), dated 1915, and you can compare it to the prototype photo above:<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiprbVtQDn3sJaQF8mmwL46mdWKyCKK1Vu6Ozzv4Uop344EnbPhOb-yB-wzcGxOXqRvjPawIDRjTPOQa8ZJirPDO1R6KM_XtTM6P-Fp3W5o-ztTF3HyS42t4BfZe0V1sPiPKc1wNT5w7QemoOi527chv2dSEkdPNBWrLVYFteVeDYbaIGalLzZN8Am-jKI/s1158/Heinz%20HFM.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1158" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiprbVtQDn3sJaQF8mmwL46mdWKyCKK1Vu6Ozzv4Uop344EnbPhOb-yB-wzcGxOXqRvjPawIDRjTPOQa8ZJirPDO1R6KM_XtTM6P-Fp3W5o-ztTF3HyS42t4BfZe0V1sPiPKc1wNT5w7QemoOi527chv2dSEkdPNBWrLVYFteVeDYbaIGalLzZN8Am-jKI/w400-h217/Heinz%20HFM.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Accordingly, I was really thrilled to hear that North Bank Line was going to import brass models of the Standard Brands car in brass, and I signed up to receive one. These models have just been delivered, and I am delighted with mine (as far as I know, they were all sold out on arrival, though some may be available at dealers; for example, <a href="https://resourcedrails.com/products/copy-of-ho-new-brass-nbl-north-bank-line-various-roads-sbix-1605-standard-brand-vinegar-car">https://resourcedrails.com/products/copy-of-ho-new-brass-nbl-north-bank-line-various-roads-sbix-1605-standard-brand-vinegar-car</a> ). Here’s an overall view of the model, and you can readily see the realistically small rods around the tank:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNuZoRxHBAUqeYrtxl0P5qUqGanq5vsGiqZZ-3eU-2-J7EM79fLw1IYBgIv8jOnWzj5XLpSB8Jd4B45mN9wMSEqgXM_SFo8Bxhlx1Hhxk8QPWrVfvJZEnlBdnycH9W_hfZT6D1-z1KEgqqmwN9r7Y7CfqHxAC_THpT0ZUnYVcEVb6KDECsojbidgjXhkQ/s1073/SBIX%20model.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1073" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNuZoRxHBAUqeYrtxl0P5qUqGanq5vsGiqZZ-3eU-2-J7EM79fLw1IYBgIv8jOnWzj5XLpSB8Jd4B45mN9wMSEqgXM_SFo8Bxhlx1Hhxk8QPWrVfvJZEnlBdnycH9W_hfZT6D1-z1KEgqqmwN9r7Y7CfqHxAC_THpT0ZUnYVcEVb6KDECsojbidgjXhkQ/w400-h201/SBIX%20model.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The lettering, often red in the 1950s for these cars, is very nicely rendered on this model, as are all the details, and here again, you can admire the tank construction; Kadee couplers and Tahoe Model Works trucks provided (thankfully, no “roll like sleds” brass trucks).<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh24JwjKWN5Alp26IRZpHByvGhiMb9TdR2uuQWGh1SZvIiMVUxXgfJDPrXmt5CaAyf0CT5_-nNJeXE47FOJm7m4pyi1jNx2u0qhTkhUHoKwD7fMAiB-teuzehDd4tTOagaN79Qu-13dAUqlvUVLLEYNZ5rjhk_82WP6Rc6gCsrB-q5AwGTM69qS_L1aKUs/s1224/SBIX%20detail.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1224" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh24JwjKWN5Alp26IRZpHByvGhiMb9TdR2uuQWGh1SZvIiMVUxXgfJDPrXmt5CaAyf0CT5_-nNJeXE47FOJm7m4pyi1jNx2u0qhTkhUHoKwD7fMAiB-teuzehDd4tTOagaN79Qu-13dAUqlvUVLLEYNZ5rjhk_82WP6Rc6gCsrB-q5AwGTM69qS_L1aKUs/w400-h176/SBIX%20detail.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>And I have to mention the nice end detailing, including crisp lettering. It may seem unusual that the gallons capacity of the car is not lettered on the end, but that is true also in the prototype photo I have. We can of course look it up in the 1955 <i>Freight Tariff 300-H</i>, “Showing Capacities of Tank Cars,” and we find that car SBIX 1641 had a capacity of 7965 gallons, very similar to all the 97 cars shown in this tariff entry without expansion domes, as is this car.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVIooEHPZRaHSunKkOuSyG4Fltmm6iOYBQF4GScoFphPykiosiJv5PhX-1XpkqAXcaBxV19ukSe_Zcrorvm-2orBtVcRuHy3OAqrM_1YTmWH5N2SG1CQIjOfgQAqWpXFxiguQ8oE9AVyRIINg7HfZdxhBVMLu6RVHm3ji34irvYGh8AmzUKDPw8it4mqA/s1011/SBIX%20end.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1011" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVIooEHPZRaHSunKkOuSyG4Fltmm6iOYBQF4GScoFphPykiosiJv5PhX-1XpkqAXcaBxV19ukSe_Zcrorvm-2orBtVcRuHy3OAqrM_1YTmWH5N2SG1CQIjOfgQAqWpXFxiguQ8oE9AVyRIINg7HfZdxhBVMLu6RVHm3ji34irvYGh8AmzUKDPw8it4mqA/w400-h285/SBIX%20end.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I look forward to lightly weathering this model and putting it into service on my layout. And congratulations to North Bank Line for an excellent product! <br /></p><p>Tony Thompson<br /></p>Tony Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593061828601275378noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3218524178230712938.post-56899313956257743332024-02-27T10:00:00.000-08:002024-02-27T10:36:37.699-08:00Shake ’n’ Take Seaboard box car, Conclusion<p>The Seaboard box car which was the 2020 “Shake ’n’ Take” project at the Cocoa Beach Prototype Rails meeting that year, a model project designed and presented by Steve Hile, is being built in this series of posts. For prototype photos of the car class being modeled, see the first post in the series (it can be found at: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2024/02/the-2022-shake-n-take-seaboard-box-car.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2024/02/the-2022-shake-n-take-seaboard-box-car.html</a> ). <br /></p><p>The only major deviation from the project instructions was that I did not correct the side panel spacing to the right of the doors, using the Archer rivets provided with the project. I have done this on other models and will have to confess it is pretty hard to see on a completed model. I did remove the second rivet row at each panel seam, as mentioned before. <br /></p><p>At the end of the previous post, describing construction (at least the steps where I differed from the very clear Steve Hile written directions), I was ready to paint the model and the yet-to-be installed running board (that post can be viewed at: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2024/02/shake-n-take-seaboard-box-car-part-2.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2024/02/shake-n-take-seaboard-box-car-part-2.html</a> ). As mentioned there, I chose Tamiya “Red Brown,” color #TS-1, for this model. This fits Steve’s comment that the Seaboard cars were a color “on the brown side of boxcar red.” <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBWa-w7deZ8z_bnDgD67YEiP0g6aKc_xSaOfLvyFh1IciouI8AZ9BQxrIziR12K59anAh8CWncRiIrFd4nFicGTH6dc5MkuqNofu0I8hGmlwmxccOMNMR8aPhQdkmQIzmn7hMnmBoDAIeQ7SfC3qeD3Pvu-_lA6QEveV0SQVSWMq3-hdbfJSS-kDeU6-Q/s961/body%20pnt.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="961" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBWa-w7deZ8z_bnDgD67YEiP0g6aKc_xSaOfLvyFh1IciouI8AZ9BQxrIziR12K59anAh8CWncRiIrFd4nFicGTH6dc5MkuqNofu0I8hGmlwmxccOMNMR8aPhQdkmQIzmn7hMnmBoDAIeQ7SfC3qeD3Pvu-_lA6QEveV0SQVSWMq3-hdbfJSS-kDeU6-Q/w400-h225/body%20pnt.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I should mention that there are two things not yet installed on the body as you see it, Both were held back so that paint would cover areas underneath where these parts would go. One is, of course, the running board, very evidently absent in the photo above. </p><p>The other thing missing is the replacement levers for the Camel roller-lift mechanisms on the car doors. These were made from short lengths of scale 1 x 2-inch styrene strip, pre-painted, and installed with canopy glue, as shown below at right. The original Bowser door is at left. You can compare the model, below, with the prototype photos (see link in first paragraph, above).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPubXVjJKVWqqhyphenhyphenokQiSKFcMiuFKoPeqcu7y8WI4VDOHosoGyftMVhoSZeJUZedXULBdvvAo5VlcpHGcrbMV9TbRWqshht12e6nBtRocbGAJv8jw1ruRdZO6KTn07ioJ1E54fpVE0dUjhzvPvM0quekcv2ZjWqSRXZXWdC7G9e3suY9yaRwHb76V0Sdkw/s1175/door%20final.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1175" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPubXVjJKVWqqhyphenhyphenokQiSKFcMiuFKoPeqcu7y8WI4VDOHosoGyftMVhoSZeJUZedXULBdvvAo5VlcpHGcrbMV9TbRWqshht12e6nBtRocbGAJv8jw1ruRdZO6KTn07ioJ1E54fpVE0dUjhzvPvM0quekcv2ZjWqSRXZXWdC7G9e3suY9yaRwHb76V0Sdkw/w400-h184/door%20final.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><p>The running board was cut apart, as mentioned above, and the center part installed first. The photo below shows the roof “indent,” nearest the camera, which accepts the lateral running board. (You can click on the image to enlarge it if you wish.) <br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr6HXZ-8KzH36kTMf-rD9TeWb3YjbqCYqAHsUiz9mlJwfMlfeSTv_GmlBb0AEli3sLdlacd6PYlMza5UF6nnK7rZGWh7QezjFQaHQn9nEHN4RumMysFOa_FBYKTdA-C4BnGMmg8UctyHLF-AdHo-HquUsVo_3n59MA9sRY51u7yXI2OKC0dVOw2YJy0RA/s986/run%20bd2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="986" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr6HXZ-8KzH36kTMf-rD9TeWb3YjbqCYqAHsUiz9mlJwfMlfeSTv_GmlBb0AEli3sLdlacd6PYlMza5UF6nnK7rZGWh7QezjFQaHQn9nEHN4RumMysFOa_FBYKTdA-C4BnGMmg8UctyHLF-AdHo-HquUsVo_3n59MA9sRY51u7yXI2OKC0dVOw2YJy0RA/w400-h255/run%20bd2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>I then installed the lateral boards to fit, using canopy glue again. With all modeling and paint completed, I could turn to lettering, using the very nice decals provided for the project by National Scale Car. I chose to use the original all-white Seaboard emblem, since I have a bunch of Seaboard cars with the red “Heart of the South” emblems. </p><p>Here is the model, fully lettered and awaiting weathering. You may note that I added a route card from the very nice decal set of such cards from Owl Mountain Models, their set 1220 (see: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2023/12/route-cards-part-30-modeling.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2023/12/route-cards-part-30-modeling.html</a> ).<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4HHh0RK2hqBN5s8qz9YcEYf2mHBzoKmuf4db8bXs0C0IkPyXa7Y8owgmKerGRs5Mzja9KVz-zryuKV3YAQtLDFKG6nsXkQUFoW0G4uTb0XYNg5N8w97PArDNm3wY_QUYwsoLnXDUyKGQaO1aXSV3lp2LQ_WghStvewtZI4cQJYLneDFAnxIv7I6gcWI4/s1281/SAL%20ltr.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1281" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4HHh0RK2hqBN5s8qz9YcEYf2mHBzoKmuf4db8bXs0C0IkPyXa7Y8owgmKerGRs5Mzja9KVz-zryuKV3YAQtLDFKG6nsXkQUFoW0G4uTb0XYNg5N8w97PArDNm3wY_QUYwsoLnXDUyKGQaO1aXSV3lp2LQ_WghStvewtZI4cQJYLneDFAnxIv7I6gcWI4/w400-h196/SAL%20ltr.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>My usual weathering method, with acrylic washes, was applied to this model (for full description and examples, see the “Reference pages” link at the upper right of this post). I attempted to make the roof dirtier than the sides, as is often observed in the prototype, and then added a protective coat of clear flat (I prefer Tamiya’s flat, TS-80, nowadays). Then of course I added some chalk marks with Prismacolor pencils to complete the project.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjJtuEeKgOqzXKG8_FHviJtQETg_8c3IPZ0QNAmy4VavRAaZlgqqLaaujkLPE6VqlZBhTFNGwqoNhCSoSaRrTbYZtjJJpHruovqIbDzHa-2qXWLbAt-wsDDBMy_onhBVjiCweRrTsU1bZftIbb9B5flpdHS5k7kHGrXLPFcNF7x9GjFb86WTwTZ36QjtE/s1145/doneSAL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1145" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjJtuEeKgOqzXKG8_FHviJtQETg_8c3IPZ0QNAmy4VavRAaZlgqqLaaujkLPE6VqlZBhTFNGwqoNhCSoSaRrTbYZtjJJpHruovqIbDzHa-2qXWLbAt-wsDDBMy_onhBVjiCweRrTsU1bZftIbb9B5flpdHS5k7kHGrXLPFcNF7x9GjFb86WTwTZ36QjtE/w400-h220/doneSAL.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>This was an interesting Shake ’n’ Take project and I enjoyed doing it. I am also pleased to have one of these distinctive Seaboard cars in my fleet. Thanks to Steve Hile for his work on getting this together. Greg Martin would have been pleased.</p><p>Tony Thompson<br /></p>Tony Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593061828601275378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3218524178230712938.post-25576284709026681282024-02-25T10:41:00.000-08:002024-02-25T10:41:41.407-08:00Investigating a model paint scheme<p>Awhile back I bought a model at a swap meet, an Athearn metal reefer nicely built up. This was obviously an event that took place a long time ago, because the car has Mantua couplers, not often seen in the hobby since the 1950s. It has an attractive paint scheme, so I decided to try and find out more about it, in particular, whether I could use it as you see it. This quest turned out to be an interesting example of how information can be pursued, which is why I’m reporting it.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoSrB6C2nEgGLiEIBI_KrQlNfsdTWI66TW51HqZSuhqiQdzTc0ZNYejgtwa5C9EUx8UhJVMfQLJEIXPsm6eqvi2YEUuRCSkdL9OuM74cwW1vKhvMYPqo_HjhbH5ytsDU7aekICxQZyxK8Y-py71Oa6ktoqx9Mo-5gYn4jGf4ZgztawenQvxddDzC5NOLw/s1078/IC%20reefer.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1078" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoSrB6C2nEgGLiEIBI_KrQlNfsdTWI66TW51HqZSuhqiQdzTc0ZNYejgtwa5C9EUx8UhJVMfQLJEIXPsm6eqvi2YEUuRCSkdL9OuM74cwW1vKhvMYPqo_HjhbH5ytsDU7aekICxQZyxK8Y-py71Oa6ktoqx9Mo-5gYn4jGf4ZgztawenQvxddDzC5NOLw/w400-h200/IC%20reefer.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I quickly learned that the paint scheme shown is the way the cars were delivered, with the green stripe at top and bottom of the yellow car sides, green side lettering, and aluminum roof. Side sill tabs and ends are black. The model has black ice hatch covers and running board, and at least the ice hatches should definitely be aluminum also. The new cars had placard boards and route card boards, and since these were also yellow originally, their outlines are printed on the Athearn sides.</p><p>I had a recollection that the roofs were later repainted, and I knew that there had been discussion among freight car people as to whether the ends originally were the same green as the side lettering. The consensus, back in the last century, was that the ends were indeed green. I can illustrate that point:<br /></p><p>My late friend Richard Hendrickson maintained a file box of 3 x 5-inch cards, on which he wrote down information he could find about groups of cars on many railroads. I inherited this file, and here is his entry for these IC reefers. He does state that ends were green. Note that at the bottom he states that by 1948, roofs were black or dark green.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhybBvyfzvdxVej-c8JmFFopd-ObscslbE994DOeul3dPYljBM2RjN8hMi_I_VxHYx5nqtSmsEtwaalaGhjxKIZn9HaHF1nX4rvTpjNPtNSpc6chj-SURUMItC3amYAzQtk5Yz8k60YBHrF-Y1fNPN4efqwZveFzrn1XNrXV-rKBr6iOJNoLu52KqWAwAg/s1158/RHH%20card.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1158" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhybBvyfzvdxVej-c8JmFFopd-ObscslbE994DOeul3dPYljBM2RjN8hMi_I_VxHYx5nqtSmsEtwaalaGhjxKIZn9HaHF1nX4rvTpjNPtNSpc6chj-SURUMItC3amYAzQtk5Yz8k60YBHrF-Y1fNPN4efqwZveFzrn1XNrXV-rKBr6iOJNoLu52KqWAwAg/w400-h241/RHH%20card.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Consulting with the many freight car experts on the Steam Era Freight Cars list online, there were a variety of opinions. Soon, however, actual information began to appear. First, George Corral provided a General American builder photo of one of the cars, IC 50200, confirming the overall look of the car, and visibly riding on Type B trucks. General American built 300 of these cars in 1937, numbered IC 50000–50299.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFEExqrGrr6eZTvmWAtB0clMH1tBcT_AdLp2VppaEERLlj6dpPDQDFX7KPZAoCnRvmLa_EbNkCrSWPeCZht7BxPlcJjF3Y1uBQgOI6eCvW2kvJOAg6ZIT4D_M1FQfisFFxSwb1ZhkuVV6x4t1KXYCwxaWQn6JddmJ2_oOHHxO4MDzINZng9k9_l9K2XpE/s1420/IC%2050200%20bldr.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1420" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFEExqrGrr6eZTvmWAtB0clMH1tBcT_AdLp2VppaEERLlj6dpPDQDFX7KPZAoCnRvmLa_EbNkCrSWPeCZht7BxPlcJjF3Y1uBQgOI6eCvW2kvJOAg6ZIT4D_M1FQfisFFxSwb1ZhkuVV6x4t1KXYCwxaWQn6JddmJ2_oOHHxO4MDzINZng9k9_l9K2XpE/w400-h153/IC%2050200%20bldr.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Since my model doesn’t have trucks like this, I immediately thought of replacing them. But before I got underway with that idea, luckily I was directed by George to the Illinois Central’s diagram for these cars, as you see below. (You can click on the image to enlarge it if you wish.)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoupDH7m4Kv3HUawSaK4Wj2aDhtpRiPC-boprCCA6qFmhmYoE7x-yR1T3vzF665Kt3hmp4vProSQeuUZWqGhbe03AlaeNOxED9ZvlRQJk-6GGGFIDxFqMG15wEZh0qf-slO3cV3gHx2Cmpv_Y37gRh76IYckwlWyi03VbjHmAb3O13AmJYPq4fWdnvw84/s1339/IC%20diagram.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1339" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoupDH7m4Kv3HUawSaK4Wj2aDhtpRiPC-boprCCA6qFmhmYoE7x-yR1T3vzF665Kt3hmp4vProSQeuUZWqGhbe03AlaeNOxED9ZvlRQJk-6GGGFIDxFqMG15wEZh0qf-slO3cV3gHx2Cmpv_Y37gRh76IYckwlWyi03VbjHmAb3O13AmJYPq4fWdnvw84/w400-h209/IC%20diagram.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>In the lower right corner, you will note the listing for trucks. Cars 50200–50299 did indeed have Type B trucks, as the builder photo shows, but the preceding 200 cars did not. My model, lettered as IC 50037, should have ASF double-truss trucks. The existing trucks are not an unacceptable version of that. By the way, this diagram reflects early 1950s revisions, by which time the cars had been retrofitted with Preco fans.<br /><p>But what about the debate on end color? Opinions continued to differ, until Bill Kelly sent me copies he had made of the Illinois Central stenciling diagram on the internet. I really appreciate his generosity. Though not high resolution images, they do illustrate all the main points. I show an overall view below.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaQIEm4Q24QageASJNYgoLNNW1gCotq0_ifzQR_wNA2_Pr-tEyzc6HPJfcZECKWmiRfMa6yh7s3GJaC5-eceGqp41Ysklt7rMz36crjfj6uqhabnY4EMRDxLTVZURWnN7ldoETuTIeo93zEyfnamv-qUprzd2nwz__RmZiZSnix0CKgDYjD0ziuvUhojM/s1535/IC%20dwg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="829" data-original-width="1535" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaQIEm4Q24QageASJNYgoLNNW1gCotq0_ifzQR_wNA2_Pr-tEyzc6HPJfcZECKWmiRfMa6yh7s3GJaC5-eceGqp41Ysklt7rMz36crjfj6uqhabnY4EMRDxLTVZURWnN7ldoETuTIeo93zEyfnamv-qUprzd2nwz__RmZiZSnix0CKgDYjD0ziuvUhojM/w400-h216/IC%20dwg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Here is Bill Kelly’s list of the paint colors from this drawing:</p><blockquote style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;" type="cite"><blockquote type="cite">Roof - Aluminum<br />Moulding & Trimming - Black<br />Underframe - Black<br />Ends - Black<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br />Sides - Yellow P.P.G. Co. 29-16<br />Door - Yellow P.P.G. Co. 29-16<br />Side Sill - Green P.P.G. Co. 29-23<br />Side Sill Reinfororcement - Black<br /><br />Stencilling:<br />Green on Yellow<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br />White on Green & Black</blockquote></blockquote><p> This seems to settle the question of correct colors for these cars, as originally built. My model does have black ends, and I could paint all the roof parts aluminum. But then I would have a 1937 car, not really appropriate for my 1953 modeling year. For the appearance in later years, I would have to add fans and paint the roof and placard boards black. Not only that, but the IC emblem and reporting marks were moved to the right to clear the fans. Below is an in-service view, also from George Corral, showing this appearance, with the obviously retrofitted fan control.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_TcMTn0DXE8V1FcoLTUY3NdiWlGOFC2oKBP9A6zwfH6-QgVlnuekwttihoAd1Q7ZHtfakbgs6mctTyvapIHQmAGdjSccgmBmi41GZcS_q9vMLWjuAln5JNLxHkDMfq-Yt-nQuk8uQBlswb8ItT9MJPNMQoXll9JIhj7mcyIe4st6cmltmzFsbuyn9VJY/s2304/IC%2050165.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="910" data-original-width="2304" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_TcMTn0DXE8V1FcoLTUY3NdiWlGOFC2oKBP9A6zwfH6-QgVlnuekwttihoAd1Q7ZHtfakbgs6mctTyvapIHQmAGdjSccgmBmi41GZcS_q9vMLWjuAln5JNLxHkDMfq-Yt-nQuk8uQBlswb8ItT9MJPNMQoXll9JIhj7mcyIe4st6cmltmzFsbuyn9VJY/w400-h158/IC%2050165.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I am not yet sure what I want to do. Perhaps correcting the car for 1937 and putting it in my display case would be a good move. I already have an IC reefer in my operating fleet and don’t really need more. (I might add fans to that car.) But I enjoyed learning about the history of these cars, which is why you’re reading this report.</p><p>Tony Thompson<br /></p><p></p>Tony Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593061828601275378noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3218524178230712938.post-17957478249832301662024-02-22T10:52:00.000-08:002024-02-22T10:52:27.466-08:00The steel express cars of PFE<p>A previous post on this blog showed both prototype photos, and model examples, of the wood-sheathed 50-foot express refrigerator cars in the Pacific Fruit Express fleet. Those cars, originally 300 in number and built in 1923, were supplemented in 1953 with 40-foot steel refrigerator cars, which are the subject of the present post. You can view the previous post at: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2024/01/pfe-express-refrigerators.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2024/01/pfe-express-refrigerators.html</a> .</p><p>Those 40-foot cars came about when PFE, responding in the summer of 1952 to a shortage of express cars on the part of the Railway Express Agency (operator of pooled express reefers from a number of owners, including PFE), drew 50 cars from the 4700-car class of steel cars, R-40-10, and equipped them for express passenger service. </p><p>The cars chosen were among the R-40-10s that had already been upgraded with Preco electric fans and steel-grid running boards. The additional modifications included marker light brackets, upgraded brakes, steam and signal lines, and most visibly, high-speed trucks. They retained their Type E freight couplers rather than receiving tight-lock couplers. </p><p>There is more about these cars in Chapter 8 of the PFE book (Thompson, Church and Jones, <i>Pacific Fruit Express</i>, 2nd edition, Signature Press, 2000), for which I wrote all the parts about PFE cars. I also posted previously, going into the history is some detail (that post is accessible at: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2016/02/pfes-40-foot-express-reefers.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2016/02/pfes-40-foot-express-reefers.html</a> ).<br /></p><p>The new batch of express reefers was numbered PFE 901–950. Below is a photo of the first car, PFE 901, at Los Angeles Shop, freshly painted but not yet weighed (PFE photo, CSRM).</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4sNLiL0oNBTn9Y8nTBSXvjEbMtSjKFkhgzgjDod1WjvBWNAuCjfnWNte3KcrB1o9ULVnlWI-qswubvcHe29bvTLuVHbGPmMAcPRSFqhf4HWX3Ut-kV05sz0WkUqLM97Ds3AUnIjNDA79-IBLkGmHMUTUUzFRu7NMcXICzdCgrlHD_mEN7xP7m1bM0HnU/s1107/car%20901.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1107" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4sNLiL0oNBTn9Y8nTBSXvjEbMtSjKFkhgzgjDod1WjvBWNAuCjfnWNte3KcrB1o9ULVnlWI-qswubvcHe29bvTLuVHbGPmMAcPRSFqhf4HWX3Ut-kV05sz0WkUqLM97Ds3AUnIjNDA79-IBLkGmHMUTUUzFRu7NMcXICzdCgrlHD_mEN7xP7m1bM0HnU/w400-h195/car%20901.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Since the car bodies overall were unchanged, it is tempting merely to paint a Class R-40-10 model in Dark Olive Green paint on sides and ends (black roof), letter it in Dulux Gold, and have yourself a PFE steel express reefer. And that is basically what InterMountain Models did a few years ago. (And you could also add a fan control box and a steel-grid running board.) But the issue of trucks, at least, calls for more effort. I have briefly addressed that before; see my post at: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2016/02/pfes-40-foot-express-reefers.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2016/02/pfes-40-foot-express-reefers.html</a> .</p><p>The prototype 50 cars, in process of being prepared for express service, received two sets of trucks that Union Pacific (co-owner of PFE) had been experimenting with, 25 sets of each type. These had been tested in UP’s high-speed stock trains from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles, but were superseded by roller-bearing trucks.</p><p>The first 25 cars, PFE 901–925, received a Chrysler FR-5 truck with hydraulic snubbers. The second 25, PFE 926–950, used the Symington-Gould Type XL trucks. Each is shown below, in photos taken from the PFE book. The Chrysler truck, with its prominent angled snubber outside, is at left; the Symington-Gould truck is at right.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUYP009ukGyC2rO_BZPSJKM8kfOU71Nnl1q5YOWqxF17XRwC8uParcwGymyTh_Dpghn51_8RxeDrN4ZnJ8yPkK0cIw17n9QxprvrOGQnwpqd9sY2fSFB_Slvceu-DFCe7FcwgJkR9V-nb_l87f6HmL2IAQFaLpYs85gV6gG8wH2uQ5ZFsEReK49xzJ0qc/s1260/trux.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="324" data-original-width="1260" height="103" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUYP009ukGyC2rO_BZPSJKM8kfOU71Nnl1q5YOWqxF17XRwC8uParcwGymyTh_Dpghn51_8RxeDrN4ZnJ8yPkK0cIw17n9QxprvrOGQnwpqd9sY2fSFB_Slvceu-DFCe7FcwgJkR9V-nb_l87f6HmL2IAQFaLpYs85gV6gG8wH2uQ5ZFsEReK49xzJ0qc/w400-h103/trux.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>As it happens, the appearance of the Symington-Gould truck is much like, though not identical to,
the Cape Line T-13 truck, and I have used them to model a car from PFE 926–950. Shown below is the model of PFE 928, with the Cape Line trucks, being spotted for icing on my layout.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgUDtaXKKDGnEONoaH4vDPmzhIrzH6d9I_AX-zkuOOt5cXkAUMSQeiTtGipGgBGKuE71-Tsr1kGa-oHhvkkQ_32e5pWLuwCzA1y38blCqmrt8_XGlX17YeSlj9DjSNoWSDDYaf5b9KlECKCArVJ8kObuF38JUP4Lpbn3yNA0cB6ADrSV1PMPLu0vx_bdo/s901/PFE%20928.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="901" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgUDtaXKKDGnEONoaH4vDPmzhIrzH6d9I_AX-zkuOOt5cXkAUMSQeiTtGipGgBGKuE71-Tsr1kGa-oHhvkkQ_32e5pWLuwCzA1y38blCqmrt8_XGlX17YeSlj9DjSNoWSDDYaf5b9KlECKCArVJ8kObuF38JUP4Lpbn3yNA0cB6ADrSV1PMPLu0vx_bdo/w400-h280/PFE%20928.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>For the Chrysler truck, there is no commercial equivalent, but I’ve shown how I modeled this truck (see
it at: <a href="http://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2016/02/pfe-40-foot-express-cars-part-2-trucks.html">http://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2016/02/pfe-40-foot-express-cars-part-2-trucks.html</a> ). The core idea was to add a resin casting for the snubber parts. </p><p>My set of these parts came from Ross Dando’s Twin Star Cars (you can visit them at: <a href="https://twinstarcars.com/WP/product-category/twin-star-cars-products//">https://twinstarcars.com/WP/product-category/twin-star-cars-products//</a> ), though these parts are not currently on the
website. If you wished to do the same truck modification, you would need to contact Twin Star directly to see if they can be ordered. Here is the truck with the Ross Dando casting attached.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5L3mdD4xgOKEW0qxDWzuRiJpaLlFQMTQAmNOSqLA5SMKTjP8UC8BXHdICaLArZ9jJLWxbc2BJyBZct59KwjzKJphSPPzrEAxisK-lz034RJoRG2c0MOBYSlgIosVDI4nRqMBtLSsuGeb4A0jp2cJeEt4rQ85iaJDaSCHgG68QBIQdw-RnuAF9B_5M9ZQ/s1305/Dando%20part.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="495" data-original-width="1305" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5L3mdD4xgOKEW0qxDWzuRiJpaLlFQMTQAmNOSqLA5SMKTjP8UC8BXHdICaLArZ9jJLWxbc2BJyBZct59KwjzKJphSPPzrEAxisK-lz034RJoRG2c0MOBYSlgIosVDI4nRqMBtLSsuGeb4A0jp2cJeEt4rQ85iaJDaSCHgG68QBIQdw-RnuAF9B_5M9ZQ/w400-h151/Dando%20part.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The result was that I could model one of the first 25 cars in this PFE group. Here’s my model, starting with an InterMountain kit, correcting the trucks to resemble the Chrysler FR-5 and adding the etched metal running board (the fan control box is on the other side: there was only one per car).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9uUwXRJOzZkNc2bKyasvCme6Q8tcAI-yavHtN9MKGZaa9PYUTQNVzH5QzN3emT_-KMsBQw1RtmM_xFfhiSx4Rr6QRwR4hn2jxCbtlgthsrVxU0h5RzLyjUmaB1-AMeOUgP6OULG5k1R1rB2091jxd5OA2zqCgMnLEhan6OMQQ6OuZhlH-ZFFakAwz9lg/s840/PFE%20909.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="840" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9uUwXRJOzZkNc2bKyasvCme6Q8tcAI-yavHtN9MKGZaa9PYUTQNVzH5QzN3emT_-KMsBQw1RtmM_xFfhiSx4Rr6QRwR4hn2jxCbtlgthsrVxU0h5RzLyjUmaB1-AMeOUgP6OULG5k1R1rB2091jxd5OA2zqCgMnLEhan6OMQQ6OuZhlH-ZFFakAwz9lg/w400-h258/PFE%20909.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I enjoy being able to operate these 40-foot steel express cars together with the conventional 50-foot wood-sheathed PFE express cars, reflecting the prototype fleet, whenever my seasonal produce shipping from layout packing houses calls for the use of express reefers.<br /></p><p>Tony Thompson<br /></p>Tony Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593061828601275378noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3218524178230712938.post-85912650496957392322024-02-19T13:33:00.000-08:002024-02-19T13:33:44.297-08:00Shake ’n’ Take Seaboard box car, Part 2<p>In the preceding post, I gave some background on the Shake ’n’ Take projects, invented by the late Greg Martin as features of the annual Cocoa Beach, Florida “Prototype Rails” meetings, which were long directed by the late Mike Brock. <br /></p><p>I am describing the construction of a project to build a Seaboard Class AF-1 40-foot automobile car, modified from a Bowser body for a PRR X31 box car. This project was the work of Steve Hile. That previous post, showing replacement of ends, is here: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2024/02/the-2022-shake-n-take-seaboard-box-car.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2024/02/the-2022-shake-n-take-seaboard-box-car.html</a> . <br /></p><p>In that previous post, I had removed the Bowser ends and substituted new resin ends. Meanwhile, I was working on the underframe. An Accurail underframe was provided to the project. I added the Accurail brake parts and rigging, then used canopy glue to attach my usual car weights, 5/8-11 steel nuts, on the top side. (Those are just interim trucks.) I followed Steve Hile’s lead and didn’t detail the underframe beyond what you see.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi222k6kdmaAlurefXIKe7dhacklRKGacFyRnbrl3rwzcXqJJS9hRzUGfwfay8H1KNuT0w5TLEtn-4021AroRZ4ZSTkWsPfzpSK-xgK-8vEaGAw1RzQTh9iJK6Twa-8RAg5xO24UdzBX0V5dYwBo2VnOaSxkpRIo3J5boNChfu4MXazasakzwzymGAE-2k/s1296/nuts.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="1296" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi222k6kdmaAlurefXIKe7dhacklRKGacFyRnbrl3rwzcXqJJS9hRzUGfwfay8H1KNuT0w5TLEtn-4021AroRZ4ZSTkWsPfzpSK-xgK-8vEaGAw1RzQTh9iJK6Twa-8RAg5xO24UdzBX0V5dYwBo2VnOaSxkpRIo3J5boNChfu4MXazasakzwzymGAE-2k/w400-h139/nuts.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Also needing work were the styrene doors supplied by Bowser. The doors have the type of Camel rolling-lift mechanisms correct for the Pennsylvania X31 box cars that Bowser models, but the Seaboard cars had a later style of this equipment (see the first post in this series, linked in the top paragraph above, for a prototype view). I used curved riffler files to clean up the Camel mechanism levers preparatory to adding new levers. In the photo below, the two center doors have been cleaned up, the two outer ones show the moldings as supplied. (You can click on the image to enlarge it.)<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW8JtgaaaeGqGcGkfIbCgybN64vU9-fQSt47pcGsoRLA97K7FDNRYvWPmuMJ-Jgd0NRXIMhE4WnAnkH-YuM87VNBuvXC2yZ1ayjgY9dblskUs3ZwVTwWaSTnfJRvy3dP7gApWT3BoFy2AWIYF7ZisEQlPEoPIJzekoZtGCzzFoqv4dOmHM2smp12UqsJE/s1260/doors.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1260" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW8JtgaaaeGqGcGkfIbCgybN64vU9-fQSt47pcGsoRLA97K7FDNRYvWPmuMJ-Jgd0NRXIMhE4WnAnkH-YuM87VNBuvXC2yZ1ayjgY9dblskUs3ZwVTwWaSTnfJRvy3dP7gApWT3BoFy2AWIYF7ZisEQlPEoPIJzekoZtGCzzFoqv4dOmHM2smp12UqsJE/w400-h171/doors.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>With the doors ready to install, I decided to add them at this point, as they are not fragile relative to later work. Then I could begin work on the body details. I began with the side and end ladders, partly because they need to be in place to position B-end brake details. As I have begun to do in recent years, I used canopy glue to attach these. I have been impressed with the tenacity of this glue when set.</p><p>Below is one of Steve Hile’s photos at the stage I am at in the project. The side ladders are seven-rung and the end ladders are eight-rung; both are cut from the Des Plaines Hobbies ladders, and placed so that the rungs line up on side and end. The reason for this, if you think of a trainman on one or the other ladder, is obvious.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXKXAczLIuUtxMgmPhgbT6t5dbSvQr2zrNFL-3s2qfsAZahN0-WBp4X5OUQqjk_hJiPZecd_iHUfsLI9L0NwK-RB-PzkTGGVaj_KBdQgZzHwUwq2wZ3NRtXDNf9uLudjQkvuEFF8NWlBTgOn-qD2hFNS94Tays9iChzawmlD1gwhdcWm20VyNTzKKyR_U/s430/Hile%20ladd.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="430" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXKXAczLIuUtxMgmPhgbT6t5dbSvQr2zrNFL-3s2qfsAZahN0-WBp4X5OUQqjk_hJiPZecd_iHUfsLI9L0NwK-RB-PzkTGGVaj_KBdQgZzHwUwq2wZ3NRtXDNf9uLudjQkvuEFF8NWlBTgOn-qD2hFNS94Tays9iChzawmlD1gwhdcWm20VyNTzKKyR_U/w400-h393/Hile%20ladd.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I continued with other details. I like to get the B end all put together before doing the A end or the sides, just getting all those parts done and out of the way. For attaching the grab irons, rather than drill holes to receive their locating pins, I simply cut off the pins and attached the parts with canopy glue, on both sides and ends. It worked fine. <br /></p><p>I also decided to fill the holes in the roof, using Tamiya putty. When dry, this was sanded flat. A perfect fill wasn’t needed, I just didn’t want there to be voids underneath the running board. Here is the body at this point, almost ready for paint. Missing parts here are, of course, the running board, and the grab irons above the side ladder (those were bent from wire to fit the space). Trucks and couplers are temporarily installed.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir33MGG8NjKqBvmTMl_70Fk0GnT28qLJtDDZlIPa_0b49DjoaVpkTV9DKAxlimeFFX20KLzpe_bHjZXnUEv7rUcEWM-4_y2k08a5cdy1m75nStZhHScV5XilZFCD4O2d-aJWujnpBbX2G1RFS4GyThsVQ2_F_A_9z1ygs4hiWAFQjYYSlKCT0cA8xsbU8/s972/paint%20rdy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="972" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir33MGG8NjKqBvmTMl_70Fk0GnT28qLJtDDZlIPa_0b49DjoaVpkTV9DKAxlimeFFX20KLzpe_bHjZXnUEv7rUcEWM-4_y2k08a5cdy1m75nStZhHScV5XilZFCD4O2d-aJWujnpBbX2G1RFS4GyThsVQ2_F_A_9z1ygs4hiWAFQjYYSlKCT0cA8xsbU8/w400-h259/paint%20rdy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><p>The Kadee running board supplied for this project is an exquisite part, but it has no running board supports, nor does the Bowser body. The project box included Tichy running board supports, but they are intended for a peaked roof. Rather than fuss with sanding them down, I added the supports as styrene scale 2 x 4-inch strip, attached to the bottom of the running board. </p><p>It seemed logical to me to attach them to the running board before putting the running board on the body, rather than try to align them perfectly on the roof prior to running board installation. The underside of the running board can then be painted along with the body. With Steve Hile’s comment that the Seaboard color was “on the brown side of boxcar red,” I painted the running board with Tamiya “Red Brown,” color TS-1. Its underside is shown below.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkuy-PVW5VRqz2g18AvcHW8TRoTG4I8twBL0JqZEmM4XpYecJSSkDKNpSbBm0cMvUcJkAItNefFV1mCbqj7U-is5fn80KkvJ27QSiYcUHrZENJ81WxwSE1T7_6zBqRyhlaDF7vIOnAjo7hLMJVgTKAekzrLPuSwMLjPMPk1SFbkt6zhRdmE_YalLT31cQ/s1000/RB.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1000" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkuy-PVW5VRqz2g18AvcHW8TRoTG4I8twBL0JqZEmM4XpYecJSSkDKNpSbBm0cMvUcJkAItNefFV1mCbqj7U-is5fn80KkvJ27QSiYcUHrZENJ81WxwSE1T7_6zBqRyhlaDF7vIOnAjo7hLMJVgTKAekzrLPuSwMLjPMPk1SFbkt6zhRdmE_YalLT31cQ/w400-h288/RB.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>One further note: though the running board is a good length for the Bowser body, the lateral boards are not located at the right point to fit the body’s roof. I will slice the two lateral boards off, install the main board, and then come back and glue on the lateral boards later, all with canopy glue.<br /><p>With the running board about ready to install, and the body ready for paint and lettering, I’ll close this post, and continue in a future post.</p><p>Tony Thompson<br /></p>Tony Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593061828601275378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3218524178230712938.post-54718739970033327472024-02-16T10:08:00.000-08:002024-02-16T10:08:02.622-08:00Waybills, Part 113: freight train procedures<p>Recently on several internet groups. attention has been called to an excellent Santa Fe color film called “Assembling a Freight Train.” It’s just 11 minutes long, and if you like, you can view it at this link: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRXMvR7DBkc">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRXMvR7DBkc</a> . It has enjoyable close-ups of numerous freight cars (evidently dating from about 1955), but what I liked the most is the depiction of the work of the clerks and carmen, particularly the parts having to do with route cards and waybills. <br /></p><p>I will show a few screen grabs from the film, intended to clarify what each one shows and what they can tell us about prototype operating procedures. The freight car paperwork depiction begins with what Santa Fe called an “industry clerk,” who visited shippers to collect the Bills of Lading that they had filled out, and likewise (to me, this is the interesting part) to attach appropriate route cards to the cars (shown below on a refrigerator car).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeq4d1iQ6aIpmmQsD69xAcQitCGkOe1UxTX3wNVM8k7GnBd9EOjlnAefOLc1TwS93iPHaOr1UpM_kL49ikb36QRg0n_nb4uw-A_cz4UK4dsljHCzbfFDgTdE7gcPCj_FPdq_xzGoVF9Jad_C-xCUPLO4gcsrP9yq80ZLj_ynR6VOXTtlT09BqYidBbVZA/s1211/tack1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1211" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeq4d1iQ6aIpmmQsD69xAcQitCGkOe1UxTX3wNVM8k7GnBd9EOjlnAefOLc1TwS93iPHaOr1UpM_kL49ikb36QRg0n_nb4uw-A_cz4UK4dsljHCzbfFDgTdE7gcPCj_FPdq_xzGoVF9Jad_C-xCUPLO4gcsrP9yq80ZLj_ynR6VOXTtlT09BqYidBbVZA/w400-h238/tack1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Though this at first glance seems like an urban procedure, where shippers are not distant from the yard, it could certainly be the practice in any small town too. I am not aware that other railroads did it this way, nor that Santa Fe did it this way everywhere, but notice it means that cars arriving in the yard as outbound loads would already by marked for destination.</p><p>A further interesting detail is that the same industry clerk shown above, is also shown in a very brief clip attaching a route card to a tank car, attaching it to the edge of the wood running board. I know this was common, so it’s interesting to see it shown here.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhONkHPIS6ZPvMSxtbOKlNyKzlrADuu0DKLZqU8odYsQj5tpAsCMZNPnwK9i2VWDFeFY0OZEk60tQ3RMllNKX8-vkPFnl6zmPcsxNE6U1CqPuIMvsExVjUpQxsdNym-jQZqPDiP3i1GtvSsJiBs_dcUyjamiijGKvQg8lmHS-IJ-Gv1HwUOxdjoUpH7vQ/s950/tank%20car.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="950" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhONkHPIS6ZPvMSxtbOKlNyKzlrADuu0DKLZqU8odYsQj5tpAsCMZNPnwK9i2VWDFeFY0OZEk60tQ3RMllNKX8-vkPFnl6zmPcsxNE6U1CqPuIMvsExVjUpQxsdNym-jQZqPDiP3i1GtvSsJiBs_dcUyjamiijGKvQg8lmHS-IJ-Gv1HwUOxdjoUpH7vQ/w400-h304/tank%20car.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>But evidently not all cars were carded by an industry clerk before leaving the shipper, because the film also shows a clerk putting route cards onto cars in the yard.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvDA9vWxJm6TQ2d16O5AVbh7sLs9ZpP93C7Pt05J4AQ-PSJRCQ7-YhTdVr0LN0czoTYK3pm3mODD-3Ojr5P6yc3-RSqrmSQBo2faskG6eEEXfE3xkJLCwQ4UYUab3KymxKSeps3UBSHwmLFK9w_2eMx0FW5PgWSEb6T9rvA04ZSblNsOYNZRqZbIKbnhI/s983/tack2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="983" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvDA9vWxJm6TQ2d16O5AVbh7sLs9ZpP93C7Pt05J4AQ-PSJRCQ7-YhTdVr0LN0czoTYK3pm3mODD-3Ojr5P6yc3-RSqrmSQBo2faskG6eEEXfE3xkJLCwQ4UYUab3KymxKSeps3UBSHwmLFK9w_2eMx0FW5PgWSEb6T9rvA04ZSblNsOYNZRqZbIKbnhI/w400-h293/tack2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>There are a couple of close-ups of Santa Fe route cards in the film, such as the one below; this format is familiar from other examples (see this post: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2016/07/route-cards-part-11-examples.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2016/07/route-cards-part-11-examples.html</a> ). Here an actual tack is being used to attach the card.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu9ruk1TGe-F0PkmI513M-DIxJvJKqzy2viSe59061j94fNaf1u0mF7NPE782vkVJg8eYuUQCfBKGEs9WYA5ugEq6n5L5hgqgwmoA8l0uVvwZZq1Ey7hpeoqXx8XywD-qFI5cU2PN8uPI-ePJ4gpS0hlVjTkpYoRegs8W014GEZCb4X14jN9OQY_YAFnw/s1089/tack3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1089" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu9ruk1TGe-F0PkmI513M-DIxJvJKqzy2viSe59061j94fNaf1u0mF7NPE782vkVJg8eYuUQCfBKGEs9WYA5ugEq6n5L5hgqgwmoA8l0uVvwZZq1Ey7hpeoqXx8XywD-qFI5cU2PN8uPI-ePJ4gpS0hlVjTkpYoRegs8W014GEZCb4X14jN9OQY_YAFnw/w400-h265/tack3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Then the film shows a yard clerk using the Bills of Lading as the information so he can type the waybills. An interesting part of this view is that this is a typical “billing typewriter,” with a very wide platen. These typewriters were usually only capable of upper-case or capital letters, which is why most waybills before the 1960s had no lower-case letters typed on them.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVJfoG757D2aNR5lCxVZB5QVlPy4MTaUdoYvGYXdFTiX80WKnwCu2wvJowSIc6NLfnT4MolbilJCTVU-mrpw-kebKM_qVauMWDb6P2x5At4KSukA0vveBhBVVhwPBOe4Rztg7sX6YZZfnvdTOuRlUObENccdlFnSrBbaa81URCDmdAlBYtU-yyZz7pdLQ/s1221/bill%20type.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1221" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVJfoG757D2aNR5lCxVZB5QVlPy4MTaUdoYvGYXdFTiX80WKnwCu2wvJowSIc6NLfnT4MolbilJCTVU-mrpw-kebKM_qVauMWDb6P2x5At4KSukA0vveBhBVVhwPBOe4Rztg7sX6YZZfnvdTOuRlUObENccdlFnSrBbaa81URCDmdAlBYtU-yyZz7pdLQ/w400-h236/bill%20type.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>As the train is being made up for departure, now the yard clerk takes the fresh waybills and a wheel report form out to the train crew. He is shown below walking across the yard. The larger form on the bottom of his stack is the wheel report; on top are the waybills.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhCT9TdP5Yo4MsZ2r7w8yJ-vSUTZWcGyalaj4xDdEu6_dASgi-D8mFGSpmDmCVgKnEumAetxkZc8tbqQ2wr5u1iY2eOjrmcdZp5xYjwHq-NG3Kvpxr2LS0q9BKx8LWJqjJAHg9qPSOIwac_piEsoF_Zmnt2op5WFNgaqXuvzCKDdSgBjViIIru-RQEM9I/s1040/yard%20clerk.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1040" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhCT9TdP5Yo4MsZ2r7w8yJ-vSUTZWcGyalaj4xDdEu6_dASgi-D8mFGSpmDmCVgKnEumAetxkZc8tbqQ2wr5u1iY2eOjrmcdZp5xYjwHq-NG3Kvpxr2LS0q9BKx8LWJqjJAHg9qPSOIwac_piEsoF_Zmnt2op5WFNgaqXuvzCKDdSgBjViIIru-RQEM9I/w400-h278/yard%20clerk.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>For the camera’s benefit, the clerk riffles the stack of waybills, which is quite interesting for two reasons. First, you can see that all the waybills are already folded in half the long way, typical practice throughout the country. And among those bills are some Empty Car forms, manila in color and the same width as the folded waybills.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT_Bwfc51P9KUR_mD13-gymImnrWYFFjJ-zcU-vGFE-PYF86Lha2Bk-9FnCeCkVnmLfVmohlb5A-l1moJm1_TXkWFyIr8Gx5T72hyphenhyphenRYVqPzY8rgR2wbjP3gKl1XDBzZw5cxCxOPdfXiMwPpo77cW0-Z_9v2CF1ol3rf9pLWn9CT0vHJk8MyTnWx_86IT0/s1181/bill%20stack.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1181" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT_Bwfc51P9KUR_mD13-gymImnrWYFFjJ-zcU-vGFE-PYF86Lha2Bk-9FnCeCkVnmLfVmohlb5A-l1moJm1_TXkWFyIr8Gx5T72hyphenhyphenRYVqPzY8rgR2wbjP3gKl1XDBzZw5cxCxOPdfXiMwPpo77cW0-Z_9v2CF1ol3rf9pLWn9CT0vHJk8MyTnWx_86IT0/w400-h244/bill%20stack.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>All this conforms well to what I had already understood about the process of waybilling and use of route cards. But I quite enjoyed seeing this process illustrated in a film made by the railroad about its own work. And as I mentioned, a nice additional benefit is that there are lots of good views of mid-1950s freight cars. I’ve watched it all the way through several times (only 11 minutes, after all), and still enjoy it.</p><p>Tony Thompson<br /></p>Tony Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593061828601275378noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3218524178230712938.post-42818452607066270392024-02-13T12:06:00.000-08:002024-02-13T12:06:55.092-08:00Another Maintenance of Way model<p>I find most Maintenance of Way (MOW) cars interesting, and they offer some distinctive modeling opportunities and challenges. The Southern Pacific was certainly no exception to this. One way I incorporate them into my layout is that I have provided what SP called an “outfit track,” a spur set aside for MOW use in certain locations. This is a natural place both to place static displays of MOW models, and also to switch, in that equipment may come and go from such a track. <br /></p><p>Recently I was reviewing some of the MOW photos I received from Arnold Menke. and below is an image taken by L..L. Bonney at West Oakland on November 22, 1938, of a boarding bunk car, SPMW 4622. It’s evidently based on an old box car, with light-duty trucks. Note that window screens are outside of the sliding windows, and that there is no end door (though such doors were common on boarding box cars).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4GE7LhVG6fgqw5FfB24GqINHn1ojOtnTc1cBlvofbm6_TVz6zg2C4FKLgedN4jDr9MMEGuGThxaXxpRnXePpdjM0j-46cMvao7hrdNrVKLRXjIUw9Mz0lLXD5gaoqCjG3qdf0JVJtY-h_R9vJsAmhfNt-O3AfrOizbJ8BT5gt9VVgDQEIzTqrOeP99MI/s1173/SPMW%204622'.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1173" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4GE7LhVG6fgqw5FfB24GqINHn1ojOtnTc1cBlvofbm6_TVz6zg2C4FKLgedN4jDr9MMEGuGThxaXxpRnXePpdjM0j-46cMvao7hrdNrVKLRXjIUw9Mz0lLXD5gaoqCjG3qdf0JVJtY-h_R9vJsAmhfNt-O3AfrOizbJ8BT5gt9VVgDQEIzTqrOeP99MI/w400-h215/SPMW%204622'.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Why did I focus on this image? Because it suddenly registered with me that I have a model of this exact car, built I believe by Al Massi (or from his collection), a scratch-built car which is <i>hand-lettered</i> in white ink. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi95Aqvl6aYfdpoV8ybam7rZ_J4sX1ui3eUymjpbevw3GuWREyIWuLNqot1GDsLWAMFzp3A6pbxI0Ldlo7C7ZAmMBPLQPPNjGNUBRK1Nf726TaMCcJRodne2xl2PsW_I0sUXWikLakFuh1wPbgZzq5sQZsm1olW2PTFA6UgDeGqZZA654efb6SHXsXMgLE/s1118/mod%204622.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1118" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi95Aqvl6aYfdpoV8ybam7rZ_J4sX1ui3eUymjpbevw3GuWREyIWuLNqot1GDsLWAMFzp3A6pbxI0Ldlo7C7ZAmMBPLQPPNjGNUBRK1Nf726TaMCcJRodne2xl2PsW_I0sUXWikLakFuh1wPbgZzq5sQZsm1olW2PTFA6UgDeGqZZA654efb6SHXsXMgLE/w400-h225/mod%204622.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>What’s the background to this car? One naturally turns (if so equipped) to Ken Harrison’s magnificent book, <i>Southern Pacific Maintenance of Way Equipment</i> (SPH&TS, 2022), which I reviewed when it came out (see: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2023/02/ken-harrisons-marvelous-addition-to-sp.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2023/02/ken-harrisons-marvelous-addition-to-sp.html</a> ). The book pages are amazing enough, but still more amazing is the enormous collection of roster data, supplied on a disk inside the back cover of the book. </p><p>This information reveals that SPMW 4622 was converted from a 30-ton box car owned by El Paso & Southwestern, one of a group of American Car & Foundry-built EP&SW box cars from 1902. The EP&SW had already converted the car to MOW use, numbered 1163, by the time of the SP takeover in late 1924 (it is listed in EP&SW entries in <i>Official Railway Equipment Registers</i> prior to that date), though the official date of SP’s MOW conversion at El Paso was in October of 1925. Of course. the El Paso shops may well have modified the car to suit SP needs at that time.<br /></p><p>The car design seen in SPMW 4622, with “over-and-under” windows, was widely used by SP for boarding bunk cars. Here is another example, from the John Signor collection (date and location unknown), a Class B-50-6 box car converted to MOW in 1942. It was the third SPMW car to carry the number 80. Again, there is no end door; but note the shadow of a tank car on the end, probably a domestic water car for the outfit. Stoves in this era on the SP burned coal.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPWg7wCSiiqrzKQNv3AEZaTg711N1h5TNLEBb596Il_4fc9ysBDMMOZXV9dtYwBH_lETjtczQMsKtalvwqITJaiK6YZ9yWvfnPC3ywvqJC2eBJKEW4euyXy16IIb5VrlnYwLVyhFQdNrOgKuT8ceHsAc6vSMe7z3EIVe0bqJPhmN1bKbekNIw7hns7WPs/s1268/SPMW%2080.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1268" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPWg7wCSiiqrzKQNv3AEZaTg711N1h5TNLEBb596Il_4fc9ysBDMMOZXV9dtYwBH_lETjtczQMsKtalvwqITJaiK6YZ9yWvfnPC3ywvqJC2eBJKEW4euyXy16IIb5VrlnYwLVyhFQdNrOgKuT8ceHsAc6vSMe7z3EIVe0bqJPhmN1bKbekNIw7hns7WPs/w400-h170/SPMW%2080.jpg" width="400" />, <br /></a></div><p>Another interesting example, with slightly different window pattern, is SPMW 1728. It’s another L.L. Bonney photo, taken at Truckee in 1960 (Arnold Menke collection). It was originally Class B-50-2 box car 86529, and was converted to MW in 1939. The tall chimney is noteworthy.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgal74uPSc21MAkRx54gyppaSKC0nvGx_oyIywalftrA_1eWYwRHhmxIHoHEzKGfyoLrryOeuE3YGSVvuWYQd8hKokYRKQAD9l9j7ZzDMNNZItpAUJzlGk0bP_CutRMT-42DYXfnG6-ZhgV3qAq19gqsq55FDt1unEO6L_COcYpFmxBNwo0CZFwhvV78ms/s1263/SPMW%201728.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1263" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgal74uPSc21MAkRx54gyppaSKC0nvGx_oyIywalftrA_1eWYwRHhmxIHoHEzKGfyoLrryOeuE3YGSVvuWYQd8hKokYRKQAD9l9j7ZzDMNNZItpAUJzlGk0bP_CutRMT-42DYXfnG6-ZhgV3qAq19gqsq55FDt1unEO6L_COcYpFmxBNwo0CZFwhvV78ms/w400-h200/SPMW%201728.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I have long thought about making up styrene sides for such cars, not too difficult a job but fiddly work with all the window framing to place. But the cars I already have may well meet my MOW needs. The scratchbuilding possibility is going to stay on my “long-range” project list.<br /></p><p>Tony Thompson<br /></p>Tony Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593061828601275378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3218524178230712938.post-1611643353417876732024-02-10T10:17:00.000-08:002024-02-10T10:17:28.363-08:00The 2022 Shake ’n’ Take Seaboard box car<p>The late Greg Martin originated the idea of what he named “Shake ’n’ Take” model projects, meaning relatively straightforward kitbashing or kit modifying projects, which were presented at the Cocoa Beach, Florida “Prototype Rails” meetings. Richard Hendrickson and a number of others have pitched in over the years to help choose prototypes and build the models for these projects. <br /></p><p>You had to sign up for the project and attend a clinic about it at Cocoa Beach. With the cooperation of a number of manufacturers and other producers of model railroad parts, participants at the clinic were given a car body and associated parts, ranging from underframes and major parts, to very minor parts like side-sill tabs or brake steps, and often custom decals. <br /></p><p>The first of these projects was presented at the 2006 Prototype Rails meeting, and it was a rebuilt Kansas City Southern box car. I built that project and reported on it in blog posts (see the conclusion of the series at: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2012/07/shake-n-take-kcs-rebuilt-box-car.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2012/07/shake-n-take-kcs-rebuilt-box-car.html</a> ). For those interested, I show below a list of all the projects, taken from a PDF by Ben Hom on the groups.io site for these projects: <a href="https://groups.io/g/shake-n-take/files/Prototype%20Rails%20Cocoa%20Beach%20-%20Shake%20%27n%20Take%20Projects.pdf">https://groups.io/g/shake-n-take/files</a> ).</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXGu5R8bnUpHc-gOkCMxowy_eU_1bYPae_Zcp4PdlgHPDMNYIB7_bXm50Ge7JAYkVXGlQrT4WjhrGKACKeQZtFDdc56m3AWOqyjJLMC_PmINxqYCFfVSYR5363-M63A0lbhRVgW0281qNxtrDe7eezSEpfMr632tayOnbz5iD7D3U1wEVDNV0Yeju5pkI/s1173/SnT%20list.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1173" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXGu5R8bnUpHc-gOkCMxowy_eU_1bYPae_Zcp4PdlgHPDMNYIB7_bXm50Ge7JAYkVXGlQrT4WjhrGKACKeQZtFDdc56m3AWOqyjJLMC_PmINxqYCFfVSYR5363-M63A0lbhRVgW0281qNxtrDe7eezSEpfMr632tayOnbz5iD7D3U1wEVDNV0Yeju5pkI/w400-h308/SnT%20list.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>I have signed up for most of these projects, though I skipped a few. They involved cars that were too late for me (the PRR Class X45 in 2008), too early for me (the 2024 project), or cars I didn’t need because I already had them (the 2009, 2012, 2014, and 2020 projects. But I have built most of the rest. </p><p>Among those that I have reported on were the Kahn’s reefer (see: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2011/12/shake-n-take-modeling-project-kahns.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2011/12/shake-n-take-modeling-project-kahns.html</a> ), the DT&I gondola, one that I really enjoyed doing (described at: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2012/01/shake-n-take-modeling-project-dt.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2012/01/shake-n-take-modeling-project-dt.html</a> ), and more recently, the Hormel reefer (conclusion at: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2020/07/my-greg-martin-car-part-2.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2020/07/my-greg-martin-car-part-2.html</a> ).<br /></p><p>Greg’s original idea was that these would be a “weekend project,” and for most of us, the projects have grown well beyond that! But they have been interesting cars for the most part, and some of the kit modification ideas quite ingenious. We have been having quite a bit of rain where I live, so it seemed like a good time to look at one of these projects in my stash: the 2022 Seaboard box car. Here’s a builder view (Pullman-Standard photo, Illinois Digital Library):</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsOGK2x-QpGQJC6ARInTFZ5z5zF4Wm4lI-uVN8noUnw79MxwBmM5zDpHhtPWYdJ_gh9P9UOawkFExfKTh_hjCnfcdlRV6QFmQbTuTlutrVnd6F7zMjY9DfK5NaHbGyfXSBr0vkcqHAipmHSgTS_mo_SyaclmjPIL-XC2u8POxFMqkVBjX2Q1odCI_Qzic/s1276/SBD%20car.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1276" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsOGK2x-QpGQJC6ARInTFZ5z5zF4Wm4lI-uVN8noUnw79MxwBmM5zDpHhtPWYdJ_gh9P9UOawkFExfKTh_hjCnfcdlRV6QFmQbTuTlutrVnd6F7zMjY9DfK5NaHbGyfXSBr0vkcqHAipmHSgTS_mo_SyaclmjPIL-XC2u8POxFMqkVBjX2Q1odCI_Qzic/w400-h169/SBD%20car.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>These cars were built by Pullman-Standard at their Bessemer, Alabama plant in 1940, 700 cars numbered 11000–11699. Their round roof is reminiscent of the Pennsylvania “wagon-top” cars of the X31 subclasses, built in 1936. But the Seaboard cars were distinctive in having a proprietary end stamping that was different from the PRR cars (builder photo below, same credit). Accordingly, this Shake ’n’ Take project is to use the Bowser round-roof body, and to replace ends and some other details. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih04gZXz3onqfLEzzjAWo3S2Cybhk1LATgdX-P_xcijb_gRd2jCbDAlRITrsrH2RwGMra-m0UXOSAGAp0B41IXbMRwZ0T0KrADgmL5uoKZNqU-jwcvv9gFNoxOulmdw_x_RDj6rJPWY_uSEKI1WC40yiwJ3N0tyan16YftLdyi9nN6dKBDKsFLX4YKaiI/s630/SBD%20end.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="449" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih04gZXz3onqfLEzzjAWo3S2Cybhk1LATgdX-P_xcijb_gRd2jCbDAlRITrsrH2RwGMra-m0UXOSAGAp0B41IXbMRwZ0T0KrADgmL5uoKZNqU-jwcvv9gFNoxOulmdw_x_RDj6rJPWY_uSEKI1WC40yiwJ3N0tyan16YftLdyi9nN6dKBDKsFLX4YKaiI/w285-h400/SBD%20end.jpg" width="285" /></a></div><p></p><p>Before describing the modeling, I should credit the various donors of parts for this project. Bowser contributed the car bodies and doors; Accurail, the underframe, brake parts, and trucks; Southbound Model Works, the resin replacement ends; Kadee, running boards, brake wheel and step, grab irons; Des Plaines Hobbies, ladders; National Scale Car, resin side sill tabs, tack boards, and decals. The generosity of them all is appreciated. Steve Hile designed the project, gave the Cocoa Beach clinic on it, and wrote the directions.<br /></p><p>To begin the model work, I removed the molded-on side ladders and grab irons. They are of very low relief, and are removed so that better parts can be substituted. For removing details like these, I take a brand-new #17 X-Acto blade to carefully slice away whatever isn’t wanted. Finally, the Bowser body has double rivet rows at some side panel boundaries, so the extra rows were removed.<br /></p><p>The more substantial modification began with removing the Bowser ends, conventional Dreadnaught configuration, which are to be replaced. I used a razor saw to slice inside the side walls, along both sides of the end, then a knife groove was made across the top of the end, so it could be snapped off. Here’s a view before sanding the end completely flat.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYmhuc9vUzT40syK6g9DkFQyo9AlAiYsJ9cqkcxYdz-d_gnxSjJVLBkFn4GbBFAiX0GTjujsUCqz3BM-1fGIhO_jvpdupSwi430vLpBudLQRDfnoPExBEuQ0-5KSlumthRJ1lOFxnRXjzxLhNCdygLEPwv-foqt0g3B_rx-gEZDIoHwscBL0DudDH-0_U/s950/end%20cut.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="950" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYmhuc9vUzT40syK6g9DkFQyo9AlAiYsJ9cqkcxYdz-d_gnxSjJVLBkFn4GbBFAiX0GTjujsUCqz3BM-1fGIhO_jvpdupSwi430vLpBudLQRDfnoPExBEuQ0-5KSlumthRJ1lOFxnRXjzxLhNCdygLEPwv-foqt0g3B_rx-gEZDIoHwscBL0DudDH-0_U/w400-h228/end%20cut.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>I then followed the project directions and added an end bulkhead of 0.040-inch thickness styrene. I reinforced the inside corners with 1/8 x 1/4-inch styrene strip. This stabilizes the body as well as providing a gluing surface for the replacement ends. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX4xdUaWURYNPa_bTnQq9-JgVB7qPzwnQjnFYlgRwnN2ON19y1tROpem7pqNmjc8xaokOWONqlaOKtc1qVAi8fXTseu_6KN5GFtwKkU-gAuoAeLKCGpvLBoo1uKYSktcmUD_uRRnye_E8fDWPrzAZATOto3KHAI_FlbKSE7yEXEVH6eT7HifrVKXNCXpE/s934/bulkhd.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="934" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX4xdUaWURYNPa_bTnQq9-JgVB7qPzwnQjnFYlgRwnN2ON19y1tROpem7pqNmjc8xaokOWONqlaOKtc1qVAi8fXTseu_6KN5GFtwKkU-gAuoAeLKCGpvLBoo1uKYSktcmUD_uRRnye_E8fDWPrzAZATOto3KHAI_FlbKSE7yEXEVH6eT7HifrVKXNCXpE/w400-h270/bulkhd.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>With these bulkheads in place, and with the new resin ends carefully cleaned up to fit, I glued the new ends in place with canopy glue. Here is the car at this point, just needing addition of all the smaller details before painting.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFL1C7xmguXCnqdgQppATsQldVJwZ5kffIPIlCE845fLwP_PpnFuyTAXPCmj8BbtcoSerecQyng4ie8GWOmMKKaTyIG4UUrJhxxiHZBx1QzJXm-_tgDwIxuQs59EzOeioyb4QCnLBibvgiONtPuEuhZoRCckXKZ86Ic4FZiNYBhtv4J0u2DvQQVcvdQ8U/s1247/end%20on.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1247" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFL1C7xmguXCnqdgQppATsQldVJwZ5kffIPIlCE845fLwP_PpnFuyTAXPCmj8BbtcoSerecQyng4ie8GWOmMKKaTyIG4UUrJhxxiHZBx1QzJXm-_tgDwIxuQs59EzOeioyb4QCnLBibvgiONtPuEuhZoRCckXKZ86Ic4FZiNYBhtv4J0u2DvQQVcvdQ8U/w400-h203/end%20on.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I will continue with descriptions of the work on this interesting project in a future post.</p><p>Tony Thompson<br /></p>Tony Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593061828601275378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3218524178230712938.post-41879065583230504842024-02-07T11:10:00.000-08:002024-02-07T11:10:19.528-08:00A model railroading weekend<p>I’m reporting today on something that I haven’t often reported before, but it occurs to me that it may be informative for some readers to revisit the topic (there is an earlier report at: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2018/01/the-bay-area-layout-design-and.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2018/01/the-bay-area-layout-design-and.html</a> ). It’s a meeting that’s been held in the San Francisco Bay Area for about 25 years, chaired during practically the whole time by our own Seth Neumann. The weekend chosen has always been the ”football-free” weekend before the Super Bowl, for what I assume are obvious reasons. To see the current announcement, you can visit: <a href="http://bayldops.com/">http://bayldops.com/</a> .<br /></p><p>This meeting began, all those years ago, with 8 or so people meeting in a living room, and had grown past 100 attendees before the pandemic. We had about 80 this last weekend (a mix of in-person and virtual attendees). It encompasses both layout design and operation through the respective NMRA Special Interest Groups or SIGs, the Layout Design SIG and the Operations SIG. In recent years, the site has been rotated among the South Bay, East Bay, and North Bay in the immediate Bay Area, and Sacramento.</p><p>This is something that could be done almost anywhere, as a means of getting people together with common interests (such as, but not limited to, the two SIGs mentioned above). I can recommend discussions of layout design issues, and even a “design challenge” — ours was to design a small layout to model the Northwestern Pacific terminal and ferry dock at Tiburon — something the Bay Area meeting has long included. This is invariably an intriguing component of the day, as various respondents show their layout ideas, and I’d recommend it. </p><p>Anyone planning such a meeting might also consider including discussions of operation procedures, whether in the form of talks, panel discussions, or audience participation. Also, attendees always enjoy evening or next-day layout open houses and open operating sessions. We have long had these, and they seem like obvious possibilities for other meets. </p><p>This year, our meeting schedule began with Friday layout open houses and a dinner, then quite a nice Saturday meeting of our usual kind, a bunch of talks (I gave one of them), the Tiburon design challenge, which brought forth some quite interesting responses, and a switching puzzle. </p><p>We also had our usual “layout design consulting,” where experienced layout designers privately evaluate your layout ideas or design, one on one, and give feedback. This was followed on Sunday by operating sessions for the Saturday attendees. </p><p>I was at Paul Weiss’s outstanding Central Vermont layout on Sunday, to act as yardmaster at the principal yard, East New London. It was a really rainy day, somewhat unevenly with heavy showers alternating with light ones, but still a very gray and wet day. Here’s a view from the layout door with rain pelting down (and yes, that’s a crossing gate in the distance: the former NWP line, now SMART commute trains):<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZZm5YVTPzfj5iB6pJw2_g-7vV2rlQh2LxG-M2QChFPkQ0MgQ3DCWcHd_SXMg_ZUaGDf9YFkT765dQj_QlZ7Q-B84MG28LMdgSqUFW2Ou_pYHDD6z6UX6EO3z7NdkMZ_0e64iLPFxZTb9jE8Ui1A0EV6QhE4cCS_Gm9A07jv6OokmqUHqF3hK1HGHsfEo/s720/rain.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZZm5YVTPzfj5iB6pJw2_g-7vV2rlQh2LxG-M2QChFPkQ0MgQ3DCWcHd_SXMg_ZUaGDf9YFkT765dQj_QlZ7Q-B84MG28LMdgSqUFW2Ou_pYHDD6z6UX6EO3z7NdkMZ_0e64iLPFxZTb9jE8Ui1A0EV6QhE4cCS_Gm9A07jv6OokmqUHqF3hK1HGHsfEo/s320/rain.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>But inside, of course, we were dry and happy (doubtless aided by the availability of copious coffee and donuts). My crew at East New London was Jim Radkey and David Gibbons, both experienced people who got all the yard switching done in a quite timely manner. Adjoining our yard was one of the windows to an operator’s desk at the lower level, sometimes resulting in amusing scenes like this: Robert Bowdidge, conductor on the Montville job, kneeling down to communicate with the operator; at left is Phil Edholm, Superintendent of our local NMRA division, and behind him, Jim Radkey.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVAdMyf_kcvXGblMNckCzZ4PfLqTsbdZ0zNi8X1f5ACfPW6WtuLKCOC1zdOrMUxxb_3ccxXk44vP7jADvcO1dnw8_wGta04icoJ9dnQVbzdsOtB7OZn2zTVHQ_dRKUwrm94Uf_rAX2iyGOD1Xv1L0uEitG7mPF8Slc5fLT2NK6GCFtkMMmEFkNCgU3Xjo/s910/window.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="910" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVAdMyf_kcvXGblMNckCzZ4PfLqTsbdZ0zNi8X1f5ACfPW6WtuLKCOC1zdOrMUxxb_3ccxXk44vP7jADvcO1dnw8_wGta04icoJ9dnQVbzdsOtB7OZn2zTVHQ_dRKUwrm94Uf_rAX2iyGOD1Xv1L0uEitG7mPF8Slc5fLT2NK6GCFtkMMmEFkNCgU3Xjo/w400-h238/window.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The layout is being built and developed by an impressive and talented crew. I always enjoy each visit because progress is always evident. The crown jewel of the new work is the superb model, built by Doug Nelson, of the Union Station at Palmer, Massachusetts (the prototype still stands), an H.H. Richardson stone structure. In the view below, the double track in front of the depot is the Boston & Albany main line, with the CV crossing at right.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9IS89p-dd0WWKTnjMwBRyRHAst3RfsAAsdE2Zj3c7-rvF0Oia4aiz9SVqKsgDgc9EhwzGm0ODcIfieDkJovyTyJ_yiWMAxozew0eu7ZgvuvMlal4nR8ai9hHyIAtxKPR-45gGKjqtbl15klxwPhD8TIgaN3W_2rh8ZD0PkYcEyxDTZ8rd1IEgsMT9_bE/s1347/Palmer.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1347" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9IS89p-dd0WWKTnjMwBRyRHAst3RfsAAsdE2Zj3c7-rvF0Oia4aiz9SVqKsgDgc9EhwzGm0ODcIfieDkJovyTyJ_yiWMAxozew0eu7ZgvuvMlal4nR8ai9hHyIAtxKPR-45gGKjqtbl15klxwPhD8TIgaN3W_2rh8ZD0PkYcEyxDTZ8rd1IEgsMT9_bE/w400-h160/Palmer.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Another very impressive new structure on the layout is the Yantic Grain & Produce mill and elevator, shown below. This faithfully reproduces the remarkably complex prototype structure’s roofline, and the addition at left, with a quite good representation of New England’s ubiquitous “insulbrick” sheathing, the work of Jim Providenza. A great model, and now an interesting industry to switch!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjig66S1-MD0fM2pXohcXxvafbUT0es1aSsDFYuodNTg1hsfjyCMygeL0OQ3L20xpH9RS8e8qZv6sz0mkJg2r8xJ_K7OoSYlQZraP6LofMlZmV5D7UTSm5ibWkRLgsY3toX7L4h2RTTDp1EhffzyyZ8HfEBOJZCGz4OoFrlLxB04VmmT8H4nL7vb0q3GAU/s1283/Yantic.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1283" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjig66S1-MD0fM2pXohcXxvafbUT0es1aSsDFYuodNTg1hsfjyCMygeL0OQ3L20xpH9RS8e8qZv6sz0mkJg2r8xJ_K7OoSYlQZraP6LofMlZmV5D7UTSm5ibWkRLgsY3toX7L4h2RTTDp1EhffzyyZ8HfEBOJZCGz4OoFrlLxB04VmmT8H4nL7vb0q3GAU/w400-h225/Yantic.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>It was, as always, a fun weekend, with lots of friends and acquaintances to meet and reconnect with, nice information in the Saturday session, and (for me anyway) a terrific operating session on Sunday; I’m sure others enjoyed their Sunday layout sessions too. </p><p>But as I stated at the outset of this post, my point in describing all this is that I think this kind of get-together could be reproduced in many places, and local modelers would have the chance to enjoy them as much as I do ours. If you see an announcement for such a meeting in your area, I’d recommend you give it a try. And if there is no such meeting locally, why not organize one? I always enjoy them, and I’ll bet you would too.<br /></p><p>Tony Thompson<br /></p>Tony Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593061828601275378noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3218524178230712938.post-20631046799023955182024-02-04T07:21:00.000-08:002024-02-04T07:21:15.145-08:00Modeling an SP Class O-50-9 tank car, Conclusion<p>This series of posts is about modeling the last class of tank cars that Southern Pacific purchased that had circumferential rivets joining its tank sections. Designated Class O-50-9 (for Oil car, 50 tons capacity, ninth class), the cars were built by General American in 1924 and were numbered 47880–48079. (All
subsequent SP tank cars were numbered in the 58,000 series prior to the 1956 renumbering.) Below is a builder photo (General American photo for SP, author’s collection). <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Vzm1eEA0h7EJG6a5CylbzZOtQzBoiHvBNTMIbzEfgvlzU9UjBjKBv8CHoSvbvgSltIgp1ph3kofSADYCXYhLztHSlMeiqlW9mGjMtsyrdcmUm4KBvzmbz118CHhFthU0iNhmktQ3JsJmCe5b35mDLx5SQCX6NQObvbrILPvdfhqbOmboyQnO2PEU4xA/s1239/47880.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1239" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Vzm1eEA0h7EJG6a5CylbzZOtQzBoiHvBNTMIbzEfgvlzU9UjBjKBv8CHoSvbvgSltIgp1ph3kofSADYCXYhLztHSlMeiqlW9mGjMtsyrdcmUm4KBvzmbz118CHhFthU0iNhmktQ3JsJmCe5b35mDLx5SQCX6NQObvbrILPvdfhqbOmboyQnO2PEU4xA/w400-h174/47880.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Prominent in this photo are the original T-section trucks and K brakes. Both were replaced after World War II, as documented in the SP Car Ledger records (described previously, at: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2024/01/modeling-sp-class-o-50-9-tank-car-part-4.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2024/01/modeling-sp-class-o-50-9-tank-car-part-4.html</a> ) on nearly all cars. Accordingly, my model has those changes also.</p><p>The model, degree of completion of which was shown in the post just cited, now needed to be painted. I used Tamiya “Rubber Black,” TS-82, a not-quite-dead black color, and painted both tank and underframe this color. Here is the model at this point, with Kadee #158 whisker couplers installed, and Athearn trucks with Reboxx “scale-width” wheelsets. The safety valves are toward the B end of the car, as they should be.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZEvNG7dPHAupT4B-o-Pi-smAeWZcUdUqPtQWeZwSxnlyBe20slPswOpzlr6x97TbKvz7_lA0OrXXd7gwqS0_4fNjPY_drXONDOZZ-NcP6_IZWdgdI_oNRed6JCyLG6sQQ0WSD1R15k0xaoC6DMw0rdZJntIT_4AKOSRgRzV10-MftJEdPsOQDUYJS98E/s1368/painted.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1368" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZEvNG7dPHAupT4B-o-Pi-smAeWZcUdUqPtQWeZwSxnlyBe20slPswOpzlr6x97TbKvz7_lA0OrXXd7gwqS0_4fNjPY_drXONDOZZ-NcP6_IZWdgdI_oNRed6JCyLG6sQQ0WSD1R15k0xaoC6DMw0rdZJntIT_4AKOSRgRzV10-MftJEdPsOQDUYJS98E/w400-h158/painted.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The paint scheme shown in the prototype photo above was replaced in 1946 by a scheme in which the road name was spelled out. Below is part of an SP lettering diagram (you can click on the image to enlarge it if you wish). The drawing you see here had been revised in 1952 to remove stripes above and below the name and car number, but since SP tank cars were rarely repainted, I decided to retain the stripes as indicating a pre-1952 paint scheme. (You can click on this image to enlarge it, if you wish.)<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr1kA1f-Ouko_cKCS_KDzOtJuydiDI8airPb2aLiGItL54XS-Em5XWFgR1woqwykvibHuEzJlXuYz0LrMErftJ5T2Mi3Pllyww2aTedn5yTlAgbNXUutdg6px4Pl76FUv1witkH_000lU1Fta9u9QKR_0k0ldYXxnb4iEL9aIVIuxukk8g6y6uxEA_NBQ/s1920/ltr%20dgm.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="603" data-original-width="1920" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr1kA1f-Ouko_cKCS_KDzOtJuydiDI8airPb2aLiGItL54XS-Em5XWFgR1woqwykvibHuEzJlXuYz0LrMErftJ5T2Mi3Pllyww2aTedn5yTlAgbNXUutdg6px4Pl76FUv1witkH_000lU1Fta9u9QKR_0k0ldYXxnb4iEL9aIVIuxukk8g6y6uxEA_NBQ/w400-h126/ltr%20dgm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>I used Tichy decal set 10053 for lettering. I did the original art work for this set, as Tichy has been kind enough to note on the decal sheet itself. The sheet does contain everything needed to letter one of these cars, following the prototype diagram, including suitable built dates, gallonage capacities, and class numbers.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKbKyLkAzvCh1lZdME9FljeWmb_HWLtlMaUcXNsnYXihquitfQe1vkhakvld8cglXPmJWMND0HZj04fCOi1qqnlmLZ92bf4X5o3Cw9pHTUrAszccIq_D561deEZlAgjFZV18m0dHjm7luPpDAdg174CmqckDm8_NGikdXLdrrJ3_VXAkZjQ7k5gqW-imw/s1133/letter%20TM.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1133" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKbKyLkAzvCh1lZdME9FljeWmb_HWLtlMaUcXNsnYXihquitfQe1vkhakvld8cglXPmJWMND0HZj04fCOi1qqnlmLZ92bf4X5o3Cw9pHTUrAszccIq_D561deEZlAgjFZV18m0dHjm7luPpDAdg174CmqckDm8_NGikdXLdrrJ3_VXAkZjQ7k5gqW-imw/w400-h223/letter%20TM.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Next came weathering. As I nearly always do, I used my acrylic-wash method (see links to “Reference pages” in the upper right corner of this post) to weather this car. This car also has route cards and a few chalk marks. Only remaining task is to add placards; but that’s really a separate topic, about which I’ve provided background before (see, for example: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2012/03/tank-car-placards-modeling.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2012/03/tank-car-placards-modeling.html</a> ).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggI-3QULo7V4v5JbGVKNKY8yZQ6rQmTkxZqSDKe3XncOuSfnUI5u5T8VBR3tWy17rsYjNdPte0o-9GDkJYoEA77a6f1MYgwLWZ6_m5_iz8qjtHfKItp2CNZ9UkYU21OqyH0z0Poy5dXFLf0-NUs-Ha9O7Nt4rERwfiqJ2uFH3F4QXTHtcBF5zSW2vOguI/s1081/TM%20done.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1081" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggI-3QULo7V4v5JbGVKNKY8yZQ6rQmTkxZqSDKe3XncOuSfnUI5u5T8VBR3tWy17rsYjNdPte0o-9GDkJYoEA77a6f1MYgwLWZ6_m5_iz8qjtHfKItp2CNZ9UkYU21OqyH0z0Poy5dXFLf0-NUs-Ha9O7Nt4rERwfiqJ2uFH3F4QXTHtcBF5zSW2vOguI/w400-h233/TM%20done.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>This has been a fun project, despite having been set aside for awhile. It adds to the completeness of my fleet of SP tank cars of the 1950s. And this one is certainly going right into service on the layout!</p><p>Tony Thompson<br /></p>Tony Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593061828601275378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3218524178230712938.post-2743686542189398052024-02-01T10:24:00.000-08:002024-02-01T10:24:43.906-08:00Trackwork wars, Part 9<p>From time to time, I document some of the maintenance and upgrade work done on my layout. The most elusive solutions and most persistent problems seem to be trackwork and electrical ones, thus the names of a series of posts about each, under the “wars” title. The “electrical” series is the longer, but as the present post demonstrates, I have my share of trackwork problems too. <br /></p><p>The previous post in this series,though not a logical predecessor as it was in an entirely different part of the layout, did focus on track leveling issues (see that post at: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2023/12/trackwork-wars-part-8.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2023/12/trackwork-wars-part-8.html</a> ). That was very much an issue in the area to be discussed in the present post, which is shown below.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS4lPatFwr6kL8JsonmswQJioxXaI_ciMhnCb15seT-rbiOVBSV2MoRzNwSeOwmnqSm56U1PnPFii24hB9IpoeMTh-7Phsu1lOqFclY3Nn5c0yuTQx0q_GNm6mbWFM4PgP5MkXHWotdqq4jYP6AntEV2_zO-tlUj3nCpXzYQ4YJecJn6cLWYMYo8Eeo34/s1033/gen%20area.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1033" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS4lPatFwr6kL8JsonmswQJioxXaI_ciMhnCb15seT-rbiOVBSV2MoRzNwSeOwmnqSm56U1PnPFii24hB9IpoeMTh-7Phsu1lOqFclY3Nn5c0yuTQx0q_GNm6mbWFM4PgP5MkXHWotdqq4jYP6AntEV2_zO-tlUj3nCpXzYQ4YJecJn6cLWYMYo8Eeo34/w400-h244/gen%20area.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>This is the area where the layout transitions from the town of Ballard, to the left of the creek, to Santa Rosalia, at the right of the creek. It has been troublesome for some locomotives in several previous operating sessions, but recently has become worse. </p><p>The building with the gray roof, against the backdrop, is the site for the MP1 switch machines powering the adjacent switches. (For a discussion of the MP1 machine, see: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2019/02/powering-turnouts.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2019/02/powering-turnouts.html</a> ). With that building removed, the MP1’s are visible (below). I’ve been pleased with these linear-motion switch machines, following their installation (see: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2023/03/powering-few-more-switches-part-2.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2023/03/powering-few-more-switches-part-2.html</a> ). It was essential to use surface-mounted switch machines in this area because there is trackage right under it.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgro3WPiXLdS2Go05foTomYEq8WFK0nL7evos8Wo0XTmvXROoXH7pbHB3uk2P86MIdrtDf1PbR7upBwzr8girV7ALNeoj65ZQllRB4ZcTzolT3ZcRB6XWa7zS7fa1Ym7ExC2b7ueokUkDf2yfwUZvrrJR9LShDsJ6ytF9dFITehiJjFe6huRZ8vTWGMApI/s1010/area2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1010" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgro3WPiXLdS2Go05foTomYEq8WFK0nL7evos8Wo0XTmvXROoXH7pbHB3uk2P86MIdrtDf1PbR7upBwzr8girV7ALNeoj65ZQllRB4ZcTzolT3ZcRB6XWa7zS7fa1Ym7ExC2b7ueokUkDf2yfwUZvrrJR9LShDsJ6ytF9dFITehiJjFe6huRZ8vTWGMApI/w400-h214/area2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Note in the above photo the small level on the track at left. I quickly discovered considerable variations in track level over short distances, an excellent arrangement to cause derailments. Even this simple tool can easily reveal the level differences that are causing trouble, as you see below. The area depicted in both photos is a close-up of the area shown above, one photo for each switch.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimR57zLKaZoOYJR9E0oMMMML8bUN1yUG8r6E2H9EpePOCYx5ohV2YDLpx1d2Uc94Z2UI1XcKdRWSDTGQQywJevgBCL65fcaMIo3ZCVyiIOHp7q4PHY8_yjLDid0POlPl9GFXvI_MjTTjMmRRgTzasHwT4gQkeaHhsZ9mmp4l0hG_SGjoriMH8kT5USEcM/s1248/level%3F.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="1248" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimR57zLKaZoOYJR9E0oMMMML8bUN1yUG8r6E2H9EpePOCYx5ohV2YDLpx1d2Uc94Z2UI1XcKdRWSDTGQQywJevgBCL65fcaMIo3ZCVyiIOHp7q4PHY8_yjLDid0POlPl9GFXvI_MjTTjMmRRgTzasHwT4gQkeaHhsZ9mmp4l0hG_SGjoriMH8kT5USEcM/w400-h144/level%3F.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>This sharp difference in level over a short distance has to be corrected. I used white styrene (HO scale 1 x 10-inch strip) to cut shims, and try them out under the track to get closer to cross-level throughout. Below is a first cut at these corrections. They are not final, but closer to what is needed.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQaFTNFe-oAGXa_WVlNJmT7y05yZ15GQgrs5WETW0eumBn8JA9zb6Xi4lwMrXpemOaRggexZ6dNuIOICj8_bgVsQW6P8ayE5dWJPaIrOFYPNZGtG81a55f_iAXSwUJte6_Ml7-awvize5W3NSiYKe_RfC4oKrPtmP9sgwo19jbzPrsK5ehw7kpYaIJPHU/s1299/shims.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="1299" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQaFTNFe-oAGXa_WVlNJmT7y05yZ15GQgrs5WETW0eumBn8JA9zb6Xi4lwMrXpemOaRggexZ6dNuIOICj8_bgVsQW6P8ayE5dWJPaIrOFYPNZGtG81a55f_iAXSwUJte6_Ml7-awvize5W3NSiYKe_RfC4oKrPtmP9sgwo19jbzPrsK5ehw7kpYaIJPHU/w400-h139/shims.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The next step was to try and use the transparent “test car” to check consistency in the track leveling. One attempt is shown below. But this is not a very effective test, because the truck mounting is not very stable against tilting. One can carefully level the car, and try to gently move it over the track to be tested; but even the slightest of bumps will change the tilt of the car. Something better was needed.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6COmJY3GPulYHH_uC2tb9K3QJ7T0ZzFRNoFqfGRAf10eDQ-ZI3KJkA1Q6OJSIwjSPlFtStCkpLA9GeNs0PF8QRGDiRczDy8wrsFxemFfoPW_5nDGQtyLpmjhI5Q0cRxqktaiBCiLTdMd9gKmuH_VztPruo_v10l3TkoSxFHgEoyvDDzzvAE69vfVjvFk/s1141/car%20level.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1141" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6COmJY3GPulYHH_uC2tb9K3QJ7T0ZzFRNoFqfGRAf10eDQ-ZI3KJkA1Q6OJSIwjSPlFtStCkpLA9GeNs0PF8QRGDiRczDy8wrsFxemFfoPW_5nDGQtyLpmjhI5Q0cRxqktaiBCiLTdMd9gKmuH_VztPruo_v10l3TkoSxFHgEoyvDDzzvAE69vfVjvFk/w400-h221/car%20level.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>My next test was to bring one of my steam locomotives to the area, and slowly and rapidly back through and then go forward through, the affected area. After all, this is the real goal of the track project, to avoid derailments. This is shown below. Note that the trackage being tested is all unballasted, which won’t change until the track problems are at least close to “fixed.”<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUEvOlO8dnKJL_lqdzUNOktY1fix8IclCdmS_h2hlltun_GKPrhUWvphiodh-gSidYYAPdYTsIjo1rnyBqXCeNzpNdWu90lpdphihFUPJsvCpkRXYJ29n3hq0QgmDxrRu135D5vSN6ZGS8OYRH7_62qaxxtk8nCYyRLxulW7Na3qN7pcuwpLWVliHi_8k/s960/loco.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUEvOlO8dnKJL_lqdzUNOktY1fix8IclCdmS_h2hlltun_GKPrhUWvphiodh-gSidYYAPdYTsIjo1rnyBqXCeNzpNdWu90lpdphihFUPJsvCpkRXYJ29n3hq0QgmDxrRu135D5vSN6ZGS8OYRH7_62qaxxtk8nCYyRLxulW7Na3qN7pcuwpLWVliHi_8k/w400-h300/loco.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Much of the previous problem, and at the usual derailment location, was remedied. But one position of the switch to the right in the above photo still gave <i>some</i> derailments. So further work is needed beyond the leveling that was described above. I will return to this problem. <br /></p><p>The work so far seemed successful, though more is needed, and more thorough testing. Of course, the <i>real</i> test, as any layout owner knows, is an operating session with visitors, ideally ones you want to impress; but that will have to wait. Right now, things are certainly improved, though I need to continue to experiment, modify, and of course, test and test . . .</p><p>Tony Thompson<br /></p>Tony Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593061828601275378noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3218524178230712938.post-353743483199147152024-01-29T12:35:00.000-08:002024-01-29T12:35:23.938-08:00PFE express refrigerators<p>I recently received an interesting comment from a long-time reader of this blog. The comment was, that I had mentioned PFE express refrigerator cars many times, but rarely had provided anything comprehensive about them. This is probably true about the blog, because of the PFE book (Thompson, Church and Jones, <i>Pacific Fruit Express</i>, 2nd edition, Signature Press, 2000), for which I wrote all the parts about PFE cars. Let me see what I can add; also compare Chapter 5 in the PFE book. <br /></p><p>The first point to recognize about PFE express reefers is that PFE owned a fleet of 300 very conventional wood-sheathed 50-foot cars, built by AC&F and General American during 1923–24, which were very similar to many other owners’ express cars in that period. One benefit for modelers in that fact is that a manufacturer can offer the “standard” General American express car in a variety of lettering schemes, and in fact Athearn (in the blue-box days) and Walthers have done just that.</p><p>As built, these cars had round roofs and flush ice hatches, that is, no hatch platforms, and side and end grab irons were arranged according to passenger-car practice. They were numbered 501–800. Below is a copy of a builder photo of these cars (AC&F photo, courtesy Gordon Mills). </p><p>Note that the car is lettered for American Railway Express, the predecessor of the Railway Express Agency (REA), to whom the cars were leased for operation. Upon replacement of ARE with REA, the leases were terminated and cars returned to PFE. Subsequently, PFE, like most major owners of express reefers, voluntarily made them available for an REA pool.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBBnmE448RDbjLAK5T0E-k3d_mOnaQb7JcYw3Th9Zo9S-cSgvnmHVD23_USS8PRKvPGeuU33KVr6J_3JepltZH3nZ3S5TzjcZ_zVr8HV1NvxDziBcrg7ZKyBD_w2cCk5JXZbmBsItsGygO4pjA52Vd4TgbdLNoIf0fHTomHvCUTb21p0ZCfp9ilTD14XQ/s1343/PFE%20534.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="1343" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBBnmE448RDbjLAK5T0E-k3d_mOnaQb7JcYw3Th9Zo9S-cSgvnmHVD23_USS8PRKvPGeuU33KVr6J_3JepltZH3nZ3S5TzjcZ_zVr8HV1NvxDziBcrg7ZKyBD_w2cCk5JXZbmBsItsGygO4pjA52Vd4TgbdLNoIf0fHTomHvCUTb21p0ZCfp9ilTD14XQ/w400-h134/PFE%20534.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>As built, these cars were typified by a wide fascia board the full length of the car. Earl Hopkins, retired PFE General Mechanical and Engineering Officer, told me in an interview that these boards were 50-foot lengths of 10-inch wide clear redwood, as specified by PFE to the builder. </p><p>Beginning in 1930, PFE partially rebuilt these cars, adding ice
hatch platforms, ladders on car sides and ends in place of grab-iron
rows, and generally rearranging safety appliances in accord with freight
car practice. (Both the old Athearn and the Walthers models are a mixture of these features,
having flush ice hatches, but side and end ladders.)</p><p>Below is an in-service photo of one of the cars, showing that wide fascia board, taken at Roseville, California on May 7, 1956 (Chet McCoid photo, Bob’s Photo collection). Note that the car has a conventional power hand brake. These were
installed when many of the express cars were overhauled during 1942–46,
replacing Miner lever hand brakes. Note also that reporting mark and car number are to the right of the car door.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSJp7Gn-o0cWu6J4R4GJo2xjw2E-9O1mkrjRXmWD4TZFYCq2R5mVBK84qQ4DjKXmTOnyw9uJbvnPq0r4iXBGPGOIDxG55o1UWtKwagsdPUh2cwEG8Efv6ufFPhl_fqyQbRVsIZb5bwFc-9br3ss3pm5O8p_Fz4YLMHmH0aUU6pwUJqNyK2bs4CBfPc4YE/s1105/PFE%20557.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1105" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSJp7Gn-o0cWu6J4R4GJo2xjw2E-9O1mkrjRXmWD4TZFYCq2R5mVBK84qQ4DjKXmTOnyw9uJbvnPq0r4iXBGPGOIDxG55o1UWtKwagsdPUh2cwEG8Efv6ufFPhl_fqyQbRVsIZb5bwFc-9br3ss3pm5O8p_Fz4YLMHmH0aUU6pwUJqNyK2bs4CBfPc4YE/w400-h228/PFE%20557.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>By 1953, the year I model, many cars were in poor condition, and PFE undertook to rebuild again 83 of the 155 cars then in service, about half of the fleet. Inside, the old wood superstructures were replaced with steel frames. The rebuilds are easy to recognize because the original wide fascia boards were replaced with a much narrower fir fascia board. Lettering was also revised, as seen in this photo at the Harborside Terminal, Jersey City, NJ, in 1958 (Jeff Winslow photo). Finally, fans were added (note fan symbol above nearer truck.) <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfAnrRaikVuLZDrBAuntCotfeftGVL0UicY3dnhyphenhyphenc-v3gKfyhMNI3zaDYmpRP5s1t4G9wqklrAdi5DWUMx57Dea59CsELt2RA931V8GEMr_12lnJVqZZX3k8xXzpQhyphenhyphendbmh8__Ca17JdBJxR7aJI7xBbmutvB42fOdkdMC2mhwJR9c-B4D-Toj2WsrEP0/s862/PFE%20592.tif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="862" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfAnrRaikVuLZDrBAuntCotfeftGVL0UicY3dnhyphenhyphenc-v3gKfyhMNI3zaDYmpRP5s1t4G9wqklrAdi5DWUMx57Dea59CsELt2RA931V8GEMr_12lnJVqZZX3k8xXzpQhyphenhyphendbmh8__Ca17JdBJxR7aJI7xBbmutvB42fOdkdMC2mhwJR9c-B4D-Toj2WsrEP0/w400-h250/PFE%20592.tif" width="400" /></a></div><p>Thus there are four different appearances shown by these express refrigerators, according to era. First, the as-built appearance, without ice hatch platforms or ladders. Second, the post-early thirties look with ice hatch platforms and ladders added. Third, the post-World War II look, with power hand brakes instead of lever hand brakes. Fourth, the final rebuilt look (only part of the fleet), with narrow fascia boards, from 1954 onwards.</p><p>For my own modeling, the post-World War II look, appearance 3, is appropriate for most if not all of my PFE express reefers. Probably the best commercial model of the post-WW II cars was the brass version by WP Car Company. I have a couple of these. Here is what they look like (weathered and in service on my layout):</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOOsEAGsoeja0RO2b5lJMQos1pmISL9Aj_3YDNEhI6b5M_R3lE99fGg7LudiEWIBlSyE8TKNouRypKY5OYoMS8yz4uZOZ6R__HmVdwozzpFFaDbjLBbKsRGf3qfOfO-PqnQB_sRWLAY9IiwINUdWDTuXZPDGQQBLtcmAGueFfFl7JB9yXJHr10kVcDpms/s1017/WP%20car.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1017" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOOsEAGsoeja0RO2b5lJMQos1pmISL9Aj_3YDNEhI6b5M_R3lE99fGg7LudiEWIBlSyE8TKNouRypKY5OYoMS8yz4uZOZ6R__HmVdwozzpFFaDbjLBbKsRGf3qfOfO-PqnQB_sRWLAY9IiwINUdWDTuXZPDGQQBLtcmAGueFfFl7JB9yXJHr10kVcDpms/w400-h284/WP%20car.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Here is another model I have, weathered by Al Massi and traded to me by Otis McGee for a Richard Hendrickson PRR express reefer. I don’t specifically know the origin of the model, but it might be a Challenger brass import. In the early 1950s, the prototype cars had become rather dingy, and this model reflects that. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimX3KWJ2NoQeRmRjRxcJRtuUmGxigo6Sd4_Kyq1YyKeyEYesGpGk2_QTo5y2Gk2BXKR52WprRyjGX53tdr7UOWdmY_B6MVTYguL1dnQHh7k_xIaoUicWGkm2wq6iv-84eN_d3NcPpG1IaCzbpcZtCwL_m7RllsKe4CvxN0xnhUuLyRtPqdWvcR9X8qHeM/s1211/PFE%20661.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1211" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimX3KWJ2NoQeRmRjRxcJRtuUmGxigo6Sd4_Kyq1YyKeyEYesGpGk2_QTo5y2Gk2BXKR52WprRyjGX53tdr7UOWdmY_B6MVTYguL1dnQHh7k_xIaoUicWGkm2wq6iv-84eN_d3NcPpG1IaCzbpcZtCwL_m7RllsKe4CvxN0xnhUuLyRtPqdWvcR9X8qHeM/w400-h179/PFE%20661.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>In the 1950s, there were also some quite interesting PFE express cars in the form of
40-foot steel reefers. I will summarize their history and modeling in a
future post.</p><p>Tony Thompson <br /></p><p><br /></p>Tony Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593061828601275378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3218524178230712938.post-87554344600215843012024-01-26T11:45:00.000-08:002024-01-26T11:45:53.147-08:00Modeling an SP Class O-50-9 tank car, Part 4<p>This is a continuation of my project to model one of Southern Pacific’s tank cars with circumferential rivet rows joining the tank segments. The last class of such SP cars to be built was Class O-50-9, which I am modeling. I began with an Athearn tank car, dimensionally correct for the SP car, following the steps shown some time ago in a post about the corrections needed to the Athearn car (see that description at: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2011/05/modeling-sp-tank-cars.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2011/05/modeling-sp-tank-cars.html</a> ). </p><p>With the new rivet rows placed using Archer Rivets, the body was approaching completion (more about that process was in my Part 3: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2020/09/modeling-sp-o-50-9-car-part-3.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2020/09/modeling-sp-o-50-9-car-part-3.html</a> ). In the repeated photo below, you can see the double safety valve (Owl Mountain Models) in an “elbow” mount on the right side of the raised dome and the new rivet rows (the dark ones; the light ones are remnants of the superfluous ones molded on the Athearn body, which were removed).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiViaQTygIsrs2be7GhPoNYTU2VyCVRWAtvLfQMVkUNvkvqtJo92ASU-Lr7RInWAC3C2n3QjuNpqUAq5eykwpESxZWmVXxTEwp0tgMaYzjarMlWVXqQgcL7eEomTTuF0D-AUT3gUXXba2vO7tZqOoucOY8mcqZjzABgxMkzK9ZAdxYauvSJMirxi7YcFm0/s1434/handrail1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="1434" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiViaQTygIsrs2be7GhPoNYTU2VyCVRWAtvLfQMVkUNvkvqtJo92ASU-Lr7RInWAC3C2n3QjuNpqUAq5eykwpESxZWmVXxTEwp0tgMaYzjarMlWVXqQgcL7eEomTTuF0D-AUT3gUXXba2vO7tZqOoucOY8mcqZjzABgxMkzK9ZAdxYauvSJMirxi7YcFm0/w400-h125/handrail1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>In that previous post, I had fabricated the first segment of the new handrail (visible above), but had not yet completed it. I have shown the process of making such a
handrail in several places, most recently with a diesel-fuel tank car
(here’s a repeat of that link: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2023/06/sp-diesel-fuel-tank-car-conclusion.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2023/06/sp-diesel-fuel-tank-car-conclusion.html</a> ). As the car will be painted black, thus
making the clunky Athearn handrail supports considerably less obvious, I
decided to leave them in place. </p><p>Joining two pieces of handrail, of course, requires some sort of connector. One way to do this, originally described by Ted Culotta in one of his modeling articles, is to use a short length of hypodermic tubing. For the 0.020-inch K&S brass wire being used on this model, you can use 0.020-inch inside diameter hypodermic tubing (available from Small Parts at <a href="http://www.smallparts.com/">www.smallparts.com</a> – the smallest quantity is 12-inch lengths, definitely a lifetime supply). It’s shown below, to the right of the two tank bands. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN5Y261KPR8uC2K5oZAVBPyEHekruMT3Ols_2DusE8TSm-4PJ0ChPW7pcnbK_naTJvp3I5OaPDobp-DnrVkN-azIcU05Gw1dFHs4bqF1Wdr5ckGJW9z2A8p0ezIKxosu76d-_VEjz7_WHC15QpJMF7hnBkTgee51EvFCF2bdb2C47Q8o-p-RGkIKkLr2c/s1033/union.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1033" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN5Y261KPR8uC2K5oZAVBPyEHekruMT3Ols_2DusE8TSm-4PJ0ChPW7pcnbK_naTJvp3I5OaPDobp-DnrVkN-azIcU05Gw1dFHs4bqF1Wdr5ckGJW9z2A8p0ezIKxosu76d-_VEjz7_WHC15QpJMF7hnBkTgee51EvFCF2bdb2C47Q8o-p-RGkIKkLr2c/w400-h279/union.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The handrail was secured to the support posts with canopy glue, as was the joint (above) between wire segments that was covered by hypodermic tubing.</p><p>Meanwhile, the Athearn underframe needs certain modifications. I have not usually shown these in past posts, so will show specifics here. I begin with the “cover plate” part, that attaches to the main underframe. I attach this part as Athearn intended, then drill out the coupler box posts from what will be the top, and tap 2-56. I then cut off the box lids behind the rivet row on them. This provides a removable and dependable coupler box arrangement.</p><p> Note below I have also shaved off the extraneous extra bottom outlets on the cover plate, molded here to suit Athearn’s three-compartment tank car. The same is done on the top of the other underframe part.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg46w1a8Cz4CkkNgj8ptELpQjQKT2-MrFvT8XDUdYo_AhQOtKOcHzhtohyphenhyphenHJgpxsyE5nTPQCRocZ5nHjshZc7g9cs4yDN4mk_ERkoGEQDLRk0urMjzV5UI66yca-d8AYeC1-QRqN_ZUW-MpNnYnUlnI0Y3qDbMuo1Yx1uQi06pDpKRfza5_Xxco9v3uhxE/s1312/uframe.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="1312" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg46w1a8Cz4CkkNgj8ptELpQjQKT2-MrFvT8XDUdYo_AhQOtKOcHzhtohyphenhyphenHJgpxsyE5nTPQCRocZ5nHjshZc7g9cs4yDN4mk_ERkoGEQDLRk0urMjzV5UI66yca-d8AYeC1-QRqN_ZUW-MpNnYnUlnI0Y3qDbMuo1Yx1uQi06pDpKRfza5_Xxco9v3uhxE/w400-h138/uframe.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The next step is to add some brake rodding to the levers that Athearn has provided. This helps with the visibility of the brake rigging from above, when the car is complete. Coupler box covers are attached. Piping to the AB valve remains to be added. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqP1EYSaStKIMfT7GK_ETJLANNIJNcQF4tKYIqHo3Fkh03b95JLnUd5FEIU8xeSwYxTvxK_XaQ1EZbgR6jtT8T296ek2tb1qlVWW4wRxXwcyMsW_1t1u5TMs8kARzZ3RuWI0nE-75z8Y8ptBC2_GwxSNmUYwrNHVwnnxhT2JpAjqHIDtPwwCg8wEsrv_Q/s1509/UF%20done.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1509" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqP1EYSaStKIMfT7GK_ETJLANNIJNcQF4tKYIqHo3Fkh03b95JLnUd5FEIU8xeSwYxTvxK_XaQ1EZbgR6jtT8T296ek2tb1qlVWW4wRxXwcyMsW_1t1u5TMs8kARzZ3RuWI0nE-75z8Y8ptBC2_GwxSNmUYwrNHVwnnxhT2JpAjqHIDtPwwCg8wEsrv_Q/w400-h144/UF%20done.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Turning the underframe over, I insert the Athearn-supplied brake stand and when glue has set, cut it off flush with the walkway (an easy way to plug Athearn’s rectangular hole). I then drill a hole for a wire brake staff, with brass brake wheel soldered to it (I make batches of these so I always have a few on hand). I also insert Athearn’s metal placard holders. They are oversize, but quite sturdy, and in any event, the placards I apply are correct size, so will look all right on a black holder.</p><p>The completed but as yet unpainted underframe is shown below. The wires simulating piping to the valve are visible, as is the new vertical-staff hand brake. The scars where the pipes for outlets of the outer compartments of the three-compartment tank car were removed are evident too.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_F7pjVPL3k5CTnkJigPbgcSc8ZII-NT1kvuv_v3SLi9YvThzgLVA10DA0XBQgGLV3tTycT0wuFc2vI1bM0GEZKXbOFqb6vbBvu5kEidr38RNxIxTIHI99C3XjIsbZhta3MmFgd1aQBjJHX5wPD1pMWQlq-HGNProGoVz768o5c7gdASDmb0jnLsypl-c/s1405/rly%20done.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="1405" height="127" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_F7pjVPL3k5CTnkJigPbgcSc8ZII-NT1kvuv_v3SLi9YvThzgLVA10DA0XBQgGLV3tTycT0wuFc2vI1bM0GEZKXbOFqb6vbBvu5kEidr38RNxIxTIHI99C3XjIsbZhta3MmFgd1aQBjJHX5wPD1pMWQlq-HGNProGoVz768o5c7gdASDmb0jnLsypl-c/w400-h127/rly%20done.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>This car class, numbering 200 cars, was built by General American at Warren Ohio, during
September–December 1924. A word about the equipment assigned to these cars: they were built with T-section trucks, popular with SP during the 1920s, and with K brakes, standard for the era. </p><p>However, I know from the SP Car Ledgers (for more about them, see: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2021/10/sp-car-ledger-donation-part-2.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2021/10/sp-car-ledger-donation-part-2.html</a> ) that nearly all the O-50-9 cars had their T-section trucks replaced with U-section trucks during 1946–1953. In the same period, most cars had their K brakes replaced with AB brakes. I model 1953, so my model has AB brakes and U-section trucks (as the Athearn model provides). <br /></p><p>Now the car body and underframe will be painted black, preparatory to lettering. I will use the Tichy #10053 decal set for these cars. But all that will be presented in a future post.</p><p>Tony Thompson<br /></p>Tony Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593061828601275378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3218524178230712938.post-49202434879249511262024-01-23T10:18:00.000-08:002024-01-23T10:18:47.326-08:00Another excellent Shipper’s Guide<p>Just now becoming available from Rails Unlimited is yet another Shipper’s Guide, this one for the B&O and the Alton. It’s dated 1939, and is 237 pages long. I find these Guides useful for identifying authentic shipper (and consignee) names all over the country. You can see a write-up about it (and the other 22 Guides available) at: <a href="https://railsunlimited.ribbonrail.com/Books/shippers.html">https://railsunlimited.ribbonrail.com/Books/shippers.html</a> . <br /></p><p>I doubt I can exaggerate the usefulness of these Guides, and regular readers will recall that I have posted about them several times. I gave a general introduction back in 2015 (see it at: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2015/11/waybills-part-44-shipper-guides.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2015/11/waybills-part-44-shipper-guides.html</a> ). </p><p>Subsequently, as more and more of these Guides have become available, I have continued to review them. Here’s a link to one later post on the topic: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2015/11/waybills-part-44-shipper-guides.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2015/11/waybills-part-44-shipper-guides.html</a> . You can readily find them all by using “Shipper Guide” in the search box at upper right.</p><p>Below is the cover of the newest Guide from Rails Unlimited. It’s 8.5 x 11 inches and comb-bound for ease of use. Price is $39.95 plus $6 shipping. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjxSzu0RrTDLsqf-3H-MwJ0wjGp3UzGXKqkWwcJ1mAjpMQdrq-TLXLeauxTbtPCVycNXJ4QLl3m1yuGW7A3JpZE4Xd8nHziQJ9F2LUmt40q_NwF6N_yt-vQ0d-dFn_TB25hEYhkE5xeKmi6vZ0hh0G0HK0Neh0Ku6kPW47UGpOXexYZ83SABjRuAH-5Z0/s720/B&O%20guide.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="622" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjxSzu0RrTDLsqf-3H-MwJ0wjGp3UzGXKqkWwcJ1mAjpMQdrq-TLXLeauxTbtPCVycNXJ4QLl3m1yuGW7A3JpZE4Xd8nHziQJ9F2LUmt40q_NwF6N_yt-vQ0d-dFn_TB25hEYhkE5xeKmi6vZ0hh0G0HK0Neh0Ku6kPW47UGpOXexYZ83SABjRuAH-5Z0/w345-h400/B&O%20guide.jpg" width="345" /></a></div><p></p><p>Like most of these Guides, the book lists shippers by commodity, most alphabetically. In case you can’t guess the name that B&O used for a particular commodity, there is a two-page Index to Contents; I show one of these pages below. (You can click on the image to enlarge it if you wish.)<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh07G3W_yECTXLyO4G3neS4iE6WmyKSccLOuFiAbGQgG7Nc4pnb4CvQXYPu_mIO8n3e8wK1iWvH_eWxAJxxV-T8F4Dvhw8E2nRetQ94dVG9uSLIudHACGaU9HR0BjMYsMXFJoppC41sbkVPB6KtiEsMqqxL236JZewHIexWBWGc0vJ5DdBBP4d02c5AVSg/s960/contents.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="701" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh07G3W_yECTXLyO4G3neS4iE6WmyKSccLOuFiAbGQgG7Nc4pnb4CvQXYPu_mIO8n3e8wK1iWvH_eWxAJxxV-T8F4Dvhw8E2nRetQ94dVG9uSLIudHACGaU9HR0BjMYsMXFJoppC41sbkVPB6KtiEsMqqxL236JZewHIexWBWGc0vJ5DdBBP4d02c5AVSg/w293-h400/contents.jpg" width="293" /></a></div><p>The sheer amount of information here is just remarkable, a conclusion I reach with almost every one of these Guides that I have examined. Just to choose a single example, I have several packing houses on my layout, and these naturally ship carloads of fruit or vegetables to wholesale produce dealers, warehouses, or brokers. In this Shipper Guide, as in most of them, these businesses exist even in fairly small towns. Shown below is just half of the listings in this B&O Guide. Many of these are entirely suitable destinations for carloads of produce shipped from my layout.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUxC1aTUeOSWhuDRgHK8q2RTK9_qmbqWd2xvQEq0irUzRbGJYQQidsDUAwuZNrg7_vYWJ5eiLtI-sUYJL5hp8Mj1iCVAwpu8qLhx_XBUt8cszsUC5h9x66ddZehklytaJP6LBLWyG4JqJW5NcH8tj0wh1wbAAO4FsrMSDqSCWRTGa96XLyaUXUNJu834Q/s1440/produce.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1002" data-original-width="1440" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUxC1aTUeOSWhuDRgHK8q2RTK9_qmbqWd2xvQEq0irUzRbGJYQQidsDUAwuZNrg7_vYWJ5eiLtI-sUYJL5hp8Mj1iCVAwpu8qLhx_XBUt8cszsUC5h9x66ddZehklytaJP6LBLWyG4JqJW5NcH8tj0wh1wbAAO4FsrMSDqSCWRTGa96XLyaUXUNJu834Q/w400-h279/produce.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Let me illustrate how I have used this guide for one particular layout waybill. I have on my layout a brass foundry, which mostly makes plumber’s supplies such as valves. Turning to pages 465 and 466 in the guide, I find plumber’s supply businesses in 12 states. I decide arbitrarily to choose one from Dayton, Ohio (see below). By the way, the letter prefixes to entries identify whether the business had a B&O siding or someone else’s.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjl0IUtToaJkfAIAJ1J-eFtOu3moLmRhurQPzmRjaqZDvJr-gRAkrA280yfgeuqRd7fRggsTH6RXd_5Lr0Mw3qBqhRv4UDk_0r-qj_Om3DnOCI-2F5euXwVMjDR3mjdEA4QKs2NPvMFK3cJEb1y5LWmd1s33QkTYgcFaLE-qUlhLqckzZZrUH-YbZWRFI/s1080/plumb.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="420" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjl0IUtToaJkfAIAJ1J-eFtOu3moLmRhurQPzmRjaqZDvJr-gRAkrA280yfgeuqRd7fRggsTH6RXd_5Lr0Mw3qBqhRv4UDk_0r-qj_Om3DnOCI-2F5euXwVMjDR3mjdEA4QKs2NPvMFK3cJEb1y5LWmd1s33QkTYgcFaLE-qUlhLqckzZZrUH-YbZWRFI/w155-h400/plumb.jpg" width="155" /></a></div><p>With this destination identified, I then make the waybill below, including a Weight Agreement stamp. The freight car that will carry this load happens to be my newly finished EJ&E box car built from a Sunshine Models mini-kit (for a description of that project, see: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2024/01/sunshine-ej-box-car-mini-kit-part-3.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2024/01/sunshine-ej-box-car-mini-kit-part-3.html</a> ). <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfcvdxbkbLnitdfE5yc7UsQUmb8ZN_ZqZ0oYqyfOgVbTz-Bsex7LkQ7BJGlZf6z_daDqJSn1BlT-_fT2ae0-G-khe8i872y-ILuYKb16EN9A-6PS83WEd3KbWzJ3jDAxCiErgqDib90AxqqAG_mPDBlfJyJ7kj4z2lFyrcVBMhJde0ZYDUjXjh5_zbajo/s700/EJ&E%20WB.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="504" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfcvdxbkbLnitdfE5yc7UsQUmb8ZN_ZqZ0oYqyfOgVbTz-Bsex7LkQ7BJGlZf6z_daDqJSn1BlT-_fT2ae0-G-khe8i872y-ILuYKb16EN9A-6PS83WEd3KbWzJ3jDAxCiErgqDib90AxqqAG_mPDBlfJyJ7kj4z2lFyrcVBMhJde0ZYDUjXjh5_zbajo/w288-h400/EJ&E%20WB.jpg" width="288" /></a></div><p></p><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: center;"></div><p>For background on this waybill design, you can search this blog, using
“waybills” as the search term in the search box at the upper right
corner of this post; or see one of my published articles, such as <i>Model Railroad Hobbyist</i>
(one of my “Getting Real” columns, entitled “Operating with
Prototypical Waybills,” January 2018; still available to read on-line or
download, for free, at: <a href="http://www.mrhmag.com">www.mrhmag.com</a> ). <br /></p><p>I hope this single example suffices to illustrate what can be gained from these Shipper Guides. They are particularly valuable when they describe the territory of a truly large railroad like the B&O. I am certainly happy to have this one.</p><p>Tony Thompson<br /></p>Tony Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593061828601275378noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3218524178230712938.post-83904706248727743412024-01-20T10:32:00.000-08:002024-01-20T10:32:51.173-08:00Modeling an SP Class F-125-1 flat car<p>In an earlier post, I commented on the recent Class One Model Works model of a General Steel Castings Corp. (GSC) one-piece cast body for a depressed-center flat car, and showed photographs of the prototype casting and of a completed SP car (see it at: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2023/10/the-new-class-one-flat-car.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2023/10/the-new-class-one-flat-car.html</a> ). <br /></p><p>I mentioned there that Class One is offering essentially two body styles, differing in the end decks, whether they are wood or are screen over the open body casting. But Southern Pacific, as I showed in the previous post just cited, had neither style. Instead, they placed steel plate over the end areas, and also covered the transition areas between end and center decks with steel plate. I decided to see what I could do with the Class One model, and bought one. All I needed to specify was the “square” jacking pads.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5DBbmnNus8nq9oHjSsi9lVcNMvTaKc66fdvcrHoiqvjFIIQ5ulmcqEkKC6rPXV3jrqwsRW7c4MtqpMX5qyy_hEyeqVg1uTA4g0Q9D-d1L34gdkKfl-JjRdicLoFyR5QGRaMMBTpWVwzBbfdT7C-fV6YDoXrqRSabjU5k_2auYrIX3jx6OxY9-eB_xenA/s1398/CL1%20car.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1398" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5DBbmnNus8nq9oHjSsi9lVcNMvTaKc66fdvcrHoiqvjFIIQ5ulmcqEkKC6rPXV3jrqwsRW7c4MtqpMX5qyy_hEyeqVg1uTA4g0Q9D-d1L34gdkKfl-JjRdicLoFyR5QGRaMMBTpWVwzBbfdT7C-fV6YDoXrqRSabjU5k_2auYrIX3jx6OxY9-eB_xenA/w400-h155/CL1%20car.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The choice of railroad and car number here (SL-SF 3900), of course, is irrelevant, as I was going to modify the model and repaint. As I had surmised, it was quite easy to pop off the wood decks by inserting a razor blade under one edge and working it gently up until the attachment pegs let go.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLscEgdslPiYv75s2Z7JncD66Dogzltv-rTeksv6SleVGGsgkXsmTvfBZcGQQgUai21DkNR7eAqXMPH9XlLqNqoDoqQJNCluKJJYfgSiJcx_RaStDGYsdGWrobHgFGRuZrftfRExgldY5kSbMm5isqcYJYI6nzB7hEVyBPIlg2IPyydwuX_S_hjaurKyE/s1470/dex%20off.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="495" data-original-width="1470" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLscEgdslPiYv75s2Z7JncD66Dogzltv-rTeksv6SleVGGsgkXsmTvfBZcGQQgUai21DkNR7eAqXMPH9XlLqNqoDoqQJNCluKJJYfgSiJcx_RaStDGYsdGWrobHgFGRuZrftfRExgldY5kSbMm5isqcYJYI6nzB7hEVyBPIlg2IPyydwuX_S_hjaurKyE/w400-h135/dex%20off.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Now I needed to add representations of the SP-applied steel plate. Below is a detail of the overhead photo from the previous post (see first paragraph, above, for link) showing half the car. It shows that the SP frame casting did not have as many holes in the center deck as the Class One model has. It also shows the minor number of tie-down holes in the end deck.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7CdhBwUuzpvFSp3dIaOCm6rNL0xthI9e95unRRt6EgsrzIYcpg2DfN7Cs6Jzw4AfC2fD_-XxsywbTkcHsmufianOIBAtZeE4VvW2GLvRDcixxlyAQl4mumq-rtP5LVAKDJG8fYRVTK9UPEA1TOn4Jpg6XqnSkxz1gBHDowXJvn3CFoa3HC8Yphzk7ICY/s1466/deck.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1466" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7CdhBwUuzpvFSp3dIaOCm6rNL0xthI9e95unRRt6EgsrzIYcpg2DfN7Cs6Jzw4AfC2fD_-XxsywbTkcHsmufianOIBAtZeE4VvW2GLvRDcixxlyAQl4mumq-rtP5LVAKDJG8fYRVTK9UPEA1TOn4Jpg6XqnSkxz1gBHDowXJvn3CFoa3HC8Yphzk7ICY/w400-h148/deck.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>To model the sheet over the car ends, I chose Evergreen styrene sheet in the 0.005-inch thickness. I wanted the sheet to be flexible enough to readily cover the dropping transition from ends to center. I cut two pieces to the right width and length, then glued one to the end deck only, using canopy glue. (This adhesive does a great job and will not distort or attack styrene.) The idea was to let the glue cure to secure the sheet to the car end first, as at left below, so that it could later be pulled down and glued onto the transition area, as at right.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij2DD5yW-hRPEM9UUsNs1lZlGOwnM25ShqcnCFexRu-RYlcIT1lYlTf9o4E1f7gHFyRYvPchF5BJK-Lg7m4lEZLR7mpKREqvW9_SAYmtwoWKUUXvWaoRFgW1p06nePntLMGw6mpdeKcIcfdDL-8htq_Q-rGj9bxOJ4JshE0RnGrxLze0dD7X28uUwhMBM/s1599/nudeck.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="1599" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij2DD5yW-hRPEM9UUsNs1lZlGOwnM25ShqcnCFexRu-RYlcIT1lYlTf9o4E1f7gHFyRYvPchF5BJK-Lg7m4lEZLR7mpKREqvW9_SAYmtwoWKUUXvWaoRFgW1p06nePntLMGw6mpdeKcIcfdDL-8htq_Q-rGj9bxOJ4JshE0RnGrxLze0dD7X28uUwhMBM/w400-h113/nudeck.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>With both sheets secured, I laid out an approximate set of center lines for two groups of five holes on each end deck (see prototype photo above). I drilled them #75, intermediate between the smallest and largest holes in the prototype photo above.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif-9vnKwLCsdB7blZyb6XzLhtQqN4M3Kc1O5SRwcsResWbpQSNBBKUYET_AY0sOYt_LqhNmzTNPsMhGlPjMtQTq0fL_tBLLhP-HSOOTWK34m5HjoDoMyo23FXvXVa-D7qpMyROCVTUjrHyxiLQam242M556e85S5DQp5kHsbHzIV3fuUkZct75wrtacrY/s1277/nu%20hole.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1277" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif-9vnKwLCsdB7blZyb6XzLhtQqN4M3Kc1O5SRwcsResWbpQSNBBKUYET_AY0sOYt_LqhNmzTNPsMhGlPjMtQTq0fL_tBLLhP-HSOOTWK34m5HjoDoMyo23FXvXVa-D7qpMyROCVTUjrHyxiLQam242M556e85S5DQp5kHsbHzIV3fuUkZct75wrtacrY/w400-h169/nu%20hole.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>At this point, I’m ready to paint and letter the car, and deal with the trucks (they are roller-bearing trucks, while SP had solid-bearing trucks). More in a future post.</p><p>Tony Thompson<br /></p>Tony Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593061828601275378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3218524178230712938.post-70965804238690690932024-01-17T10:34:00.000-08:002024-01-17T10:34:10.153-08:00 Bill Neale: an appreciation<p>Just last December 28, one of the model railroaders I have admired most passed away. It was Bill Neale, of Farmington, Michigan (in the Detroit area), aged just 74. I know Bill grew up in Indiana, and over his career worked for GM, HP and EDS. He was active in the NMRA and in the Pennsylvania Railroad Technical & Historical Society. For a fuller biography, you can visit this site: <a href="https://www.heeney-sundquist.com/obituary/william-neale-ii">https://www.heeney-sundquist.com/obituary/william-neale-ii</a> . I enjoyed chatting with him every time we had the chance. Here’s a good photo from that obituary. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSBikKByUcX3zHugD3722a5i0UqUCd7oygkcxla_CZkTCLRgQCFujb7ZGRN0XuNzXnlp-MOYXOi9X3JG8_QIeNWkzbZ39pjGRN7Bbzk1z3BfRr3nM8e4CLw3JY5JFo5vCJ1goVKGZ-EsJUUgm5kgSNJyU0lbYfb7LPKN4yAkTXZ0PyH0m_O8U3HJBpiT0/s432/Neale2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="304" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSBikKByUcX3zHugD3722a5i0UqUCd7oygkcxla_CZkTCLRgQCFujb7ZGRN0XuNzXnlp-MOYXOi9X3JG8_QIeNWkzbZ39pjGRN7Bbzk1z3BfRr3nM8e4CLw3JY5JFo5vCJ1goVKGZ-EsJUUgm5kgSNJyU0lbYfb7LPKN4yAkTXZ0PyH0m_O8U3HJBpiT0/s320/Neale2.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><p>I first knew Bill’s name because of his article in <i>Model Railroader</i>
(“Plastic pocket car cards,” February 2009, pages 62–65), with his idea
to use clear sleeves, intended for baseball-card collectors, to hold what are usually called car cards. Bill very appropriately called them waybills.<br /></p><p>These waybills were simply inserted into the clear sleeves, which
bore labels for individual cars. This meant that the waybills would be
about the size of baseball cards, 2.5 x 3.5 inches, plenty of space for
generous information (something I like) but small enough to fit in a
shirt pocket and easy to handle. I thought Bill’s waybills were a little
primitive, but the card sleeve idea really caught my imagination.</p><p>Since then, I’ve published several articles about my own waybill design, along with numerous posts to this blog on the topic (easily found by using “waybills”as the search term in the search box at upper right) and often mention that the entire idea and inspiration came from Bill. And as it happened, Bill later revised his own waybills to reflect some of my ideas! Inspiration flowing in both directions.<br /></p><p>One of the great pleasures for me whenever there was an operating weekend in the Detroit area was another visit to
Bill’s superb PRR layout, modeling the Panhandle Division
west of Pittsburgh (I described it extensively in a post about ProRail
in 2021, at: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2021/11/attending-prorail-2021.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2021/11/attending-prorail-2021.html</a> ). Of course part of the pleasure was to see Bill himself again.<br /></p><p>I had earlier shown a few scenes from the layout taken at the GLG (Great Lakes Getaway) in 2017 (see this post: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2017/12/layouts-at-great-lakes-getaway-part-2.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2017/12/layouts-at-great-lakes-getaway-part-2.html</a> ). Luckily, I attended another GLG just this fall, and saw the layout one more time, along with a bunch of others (see descriptions at: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2023/11/the-2023-great-lakes-getaway.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2023/11/the-2023-great-lakes-getaway.html</a> ).<br /></p><p>This was really one of my favorite layouts, among those I like best in the whole
country. His depiction of the Pennsylvania Railroad in
1939, in the tri-state area of western Pennsylvania, the West Virginia
panhandle at Weirton, and into Ohio at Steubenville and Mingo Junction was beautifully done.
Though it’s not a large basement, Bill masterfully designed the
layout to include a significant amount of mainline running and some
excellent switching areas. </p><p>A centerpiece of the layout was his (necessarily considerably compressed) model of the Penny’s Panhandle Bridge across the Ohio
River, connecting Weirton, West Virginia with Steubenville, Ohio. The state line is even marked on the fascia.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu55v5Hzzsz0s7YqF_d3PsErEHVSVJIIrCq6IRZFEFMUk79fhEB3KDeoyCvr6QXwSP5uPukT7QG81sQhE-QO_Q0tJWHPj_aWcB3-nIm7uctyE4L9_LXJVjWzX0LMktZoyVdP7agqO92cVYdCNZmMqB_15sFkvHIdJEYS8eEY_HZlHwvQ1odCTB4vNfSNk/s1250/bridge.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="434" data-original-width="1250" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu55v5Hzzsz0s7YqF_d3PsErEHVSVJIIrCq6IRZFEFMUk79fhEB3KDeoyCvr6QXwSP5uPukT7QG81sQhE-QO_Q0tJWHPj_aWcB3-nIm7uctyE4L9_LXJVjWzX0LMktZoyVdP7agqO92cVYdCNZmMqB_15sFkvHIdJEYS8eEY_HZlHwvQ1odCTB4vNfSNk/w400-h139/bridge.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The principal yard on the layout was at Weirton, and I have operated there several times, both as assistant yardmaster and (last fall) as yardmaster. Really a nice, spacious yard to work in, and busy enough with substantial train lengths to service. In the foreground, you see a few of his impressive and thoroughly-weathered fleet of gondolas. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYYTUuUvDbfDl1p986I2UIOOYIf0t7bVay_RevDw7zACprIVk_7E1wAfY5eXgaoQYEoQbZYZHR7owfpUMxIrV_C5l7UHK-pGGyz8C3ck4cqLkhepWbGRQoozGLBwfOt-w_Dd7R8cEanWtHjTxMExYBYAASJ-iS98reeNikOKczWLUGNneViiD0V8TQ_f0/s925/Weirton.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="925" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYYTUuUvDbfDl1p986I2UIOOYIf0t7bVay_RevDw7zACprIVk_7E1wAfY5eXgaoQYEoQbZYZHR7owfpUMxIrV_C5l7UHK-pGGyz8C3ck4cqLkhepWbGRQoozGLBwfOt-w_Dd7R8cEanWtHjTxMExYBYAASJ-iS98reeNikOKczWLUGNneViiD0V8TQ_f0/w400-h272/Weirton.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>These gondolas were mostly well-rusted and dirty inside and nearly every one contained rubble from previous loads. As I know from watching passing trains from overhead, this is quite prototypical, and I think Bill modeled it as well as anyone. Here’s an interior view.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWwoBqOq8P45gFskk82PV6wxtcROgY754bXe27hKXZtxLR5ttwzUD2S0i8aOvMeTEK1WBd4vNbplVi1jE2qqCHCKZUfO9VbN7mHI0Z48DDmlPSDPDR13vEM2Cin51sMbEHidp3jqyA76HNE8en1D2s6rph4oXC73KcKqbIQesl_eJELaDbNK4uRA5jETY/s1251/gons.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="526" data-original-width="1251" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWwoBqOq8P45gFskk82PV6wxtcROgY754bXe27hKXZtxLR5ttwzUD2S0i8aOvMeTEK1WBd4vNbplVi1jE2qqCHCKZUfO9VbN7mHI0Z48DDmlPSDPDR13vEM2Cin51sMbEHidp3jqyA76HNE8en1D2s6rph4oXC73KcKqbIQesl_eJELaDbNK4uRA5jETY/w400-h169/gons.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>The other extensive switching area was at Steubenville, and on one visit, I drew the Steubenville switch job. This really was challenging and fun, with lots of planning needed for many of the moves. The power was a PRR 0-6-0, seen here passing the depot.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMJAhfJO20aKbPxdXjmMs6dmfXSFeGEdwoVuPD3t8hp_EprUW2Md6fhzjxI3h1SzfIUDwObof_gG-RbDF9M-oZM4UDvapvh_84bYZ49nVDeXbJJC2n97r67gb1-lzEb356JYHDXfzyKjN4bVMiFjUMJ-WeWAoNQKsiXLBLDrYAqs_KgfwbOoMGSDunBr4/s1033/Steub.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="1033" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMJAhfJO20aKbPxdXjmMs6dmfXSFeGEdwoVuPD3t8hp_EprUW2Md6fhzjxI3h1SzfIUDwObof_gG-RbDF9M-oZM4UDvapvh_84bYZ49nVDeXbJJC2n97r67gb1-lzEb356JYHDXfzyKjN4bVMiFjUMJ-WeWAoNQKsiXLBLDrYAqs_KgfwbOoMGSDunBr4/w400-h206/Steub.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Before closing, I want to add one more comment. When I first met Bill in person, we really hit it off and had a great conversation. Since then, I have
chatted with Bill at many meets and have operated on his layout five
times, every one a delight. So it was with considerable sadness I heard
about his passing. A great guy with a great layout, a
mentor and a friend. I’ll miss you, Bill.</p>Tony Thompson<p></p>Tony Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593061828601275378noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3218524178230712938.post-18269589299054277262024-01-14T10:55:00.000-08:002024-01-14T10:57:13.994-08:00Sunshine EJ&E box car mini-kit, Part 3<p>In the first post in this series, I showed the beginning steps in assembling a Sunshine Models “mini-kit” for an EJ&E box car, a distinctive car built in 1941 with 10 ft., 6 in. inside height and 8-foot panel doors. The kit supplied resin ends, doors and side sills to match the distinctive original. You can read that post at this link: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2023/12/building-sunshine-mini-kit.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2023/12/building-sunshine-mini-kit.html</a> . <br /></p><p>In the second post, I completed assembly of the basic model (except for a few details left for final work, such as sill steps and running board, which I almost always install last), and gave it a coat of primer. I described all that work as far applying the coat of the primer in that second post (see it at: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2024/01/a-sunshine-mini-kit-part-2.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2024/01/a-sunshine-mini-kit-part-2.html</a> ). That brought me to the choice(s) of paint scheme. </p><p>One choice would be the original boxcar-red scheme, which is how the cars were built. The photo below is an in-service view from the 1940s (George Sisk photo, Joe Collias collection). Note that EJ&E placed its repacking stencil to the left of the car door, above the side sill.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilmb9USGw0rAL_2kYRW_Ar77-WBncTsVcwTJJ0MPuvhosh6aNsPkBhiF8fNGY6cQojEMrD0yOj_8fsXYjrA003tX24gzR2GoujdRnaTXPvUQ3-Kml_Bx0H9GBWPbZU9ZTEtJisC8vlYwV5M2YdmxR5_phO7J-YvUt6VokNFXsjyeHQXsZCOtqTh32s-qY/s1334/EJ&E%20Wntrs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1334" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilmb9USGw0rAL_2kYRW_Ar77-WBncTsVcwTJJ0MPuvhosh6aNsPkBhiF8fNGY6cQojEMrD0yOj_8fsXYjrA003tX24gzR2GoujdRnaTXPvUQ3-Kml_Bx0H9GBWPbZU9ZTEtJisC8vlYwV5M2YdmxR5_phO7J-YvUt6VokNFXsjyeHQXsZCOtqTh32s-qY/w400-h210/EJ&E%20Wntrs.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>But there is a second choice. Starting in 1953, EJ&E sent 409 of the original 500 cars back to American Car & Foundry for refurbishing. What that work comprised is evidently not known, though the external features remained the same. But the appearance was quite different, because a new all-green paint scheme was applied, with orange lettering. That scheme was shown in an AC&F photo in an article by Ed Hawkins in <i>Railmodel Journal</i>,
“Modeling Modified 1937 AAR 40-Foot Cars, Part II,” Vol. 8, pp. 8–13,
October 1996. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5egE2DLebZFYs7_-jOBql5oLIqXqCw1AhVSiFwQgoYAoom5hWe_d35hIkOAq7IM2hzZOORJ_JmPOKp5nPy79ExaWS25INBxZfexF1wwpw3G-aWiwvPkuTSE2V6el5AqUtgB0N7nWZyuyeI-qQqMfWP6vJV0YL9scZNwmHKsEZ3XVRT7-wY1jjcj5ZLx8/s940/EJE%2060416.tif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="940" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5egE2DLebZFYs7_-jOBql5oLIqXqCw1AhVSiFwQgoYAoom5hWe_d35hIkOAq7IM2hzZOORJ_JmPOKp5nPy79ExaWS25INBxZfexF1wwpw3G-aWiwvPkuTSE2V6el5AqUtgB0N7nWZyuyeI-qQqMfWP6vJV0YL9scZNwmHKsEZ3XVRT7-wY1jjcj5ZLx8/w400-h255/EJE%2060416.tif" width="400" /></a></div><p>The green scheme is very attractive, and was one of the early examples of railroads moving away from very plain paint schemes,which many did during the 1950s; but since I model 1953, it’s a toss-up whether I really want to operate this brand-new paint scheme, or rely on the original EJ&E lettering. I have decals for both, so really was torn in making this decision.</p><p>Finally I decided to go with the original scheme. I used the nice Rail Graphics decals provided in the mini-kit. Below you see the model at this point, with kit trucks and Kadee #58 couplers, but with the running board yet to be installed. The Hawkins article lists
the running board as Apex Tri-lok, helpful to know since that isn’t
visible in any of the prototype photos I’ve seen. Kadee makes a superb
version of this running board, which I will use.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1MB2226ldR0tLQToc3rD4-9j9SmuMXsG7MsKOrR6aZrL2KdPk5O7Nv1LJgWZ_TniAFXznncy3UcNuteG1WxMUD6b24MQAbvu81WTby5NM0siYvbXSCSRQ_egodyknXMh6dl46ccsK2ZbrhxKNPuN2_T8lKEjX7wRHku3XQCSOcEYStJ3GBTCJRhtRSp0/s961/EJE%20ltr.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="961" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1MB2226ldR0tLQToc3rD4-9j9SmuMXsG7MsKOrR6aZrL2KdPk5O7Nv1LJgWZ_TniAFXznncy3UcNuteG1WxMUD6b24MQAbvu81WTby5NM0siYvbXSCSRQ_egodyknXMh6dl46ccsK2ZbrhxKNPuN2_T8lKEjX7wRHku3XQCSOcEYStJ3GBTCJRhtRSp0/w400-h225/EJE%20ltr.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Next the Kadee running board was installed with canopy glue, and an overall coat of clear flat (I prefer Tamiya TS-80 for this) was applied in preparation for weathering. My usual acrylic wash technique was used to weather the model (for description of the process and examples, see the “Reference pages” in the upper right corner of this and every post). Finally, I added some chalk marks with Prismacolor white and gray pencils, and route cards.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHKK_mFjzFMgcACvXO6jut5bka4TQAX7cIUSKEBLRi5U6MMsPQtgCFyhnyedFUT-zcJ0OKlk01dFEtGWycyGt7HsSdLL7R0Flc8tQccOfQyjaugqPMc5-PcJZ7oUngQ17U7NVoIhOULtrACOHNQeMdoRhx7lFhzGL2Sv0KNnodCB7Nh60nFviTPhDKNfE/s1197/EJE%20done.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1197" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHKK_mFjzFMgcACvXO6jut5bka4TQAX7cIUSKEBLRi5U6MMsPQtgCFyhnyedFUT-zcJ0OKlk01dFEtGWycyGt7HsSdLL7R0Flc8tQccOfQyjaugqPMc5-PcJZ7oUngQ17U7NVoIhOULtrACOHNQeMdoRhx7lFhzGL2Sv0KNnodCB7Nh60nFviTPhDKNfE/w400-h210/EJE%20done.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I have enjoyed this particular project, really an advanced kitbash of a Branchline kit with resin parts from Sunshine Models. This car will be going right into layout service. But its first public viewing was at Cocoa Beach earlier this month, in the Prototype Rails display area (for more on that, see: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2024/01/cocoa-beach-2024.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2024/01/cocoa-beach-2024.html</a> ), along with two other freight cars of mine.<br /></p><p>Tony Thompson<br /></p><p></p>Tony Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593061828601275378noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3218524178230712938.post-47211621681125074412024-01-11T10:46:00.000-08:002024-01-11T10:46:20.324-08:00Cocoa Beach 2024<p>Yes, it’s that time of the year again, early January, and one of my favorite events, the Prototype Rails meet, was held once again at the Hilton in Cocoa Beach, Florida. This was the 23rd renewal of this event, and I have attended all but one. The late Mike Brock ran this event for nearly all those years. Now his one-time deputy Marty Magregian has taken over, and it ran as smoothly as it did under Mike.</p><p>Once again, it was a delightful meeting, primarily a gathering of the freight car community, and I know many of the modelers who attend. This year there were 210 attendees, along with 25 last-minute cancellations due to illness, an unusual proportion.<br /></p><p>As is true for me at most meets like this, the clinic program is my core priority. I did give a talk myself, but will have to say that the program this year, assembled as always by Jeff Aley, was really outstanding, with many excellent talks. There were a few late scratches, but most of the program went off as advertised. One person we were all delighted to see giving a talk was Tony Koester, giving an update on his layout. Here he is with his opening slide.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2dPdFWUP5a68vc0Q212CY4-j3u_YluHBx3Qu-GC1V9mQXfiDPV96rbwrfx9cW4SDyuIlFDGfjFocDkkcGj9O7mnLkL3o1U7spcvcGWc69AkjLQHUc0R-PmnJ0PDVijzj6u1vKJQyUMEaABy5GoIJ8Q5UFs3ojRNmnXEDG2MvR_kU_Z_PzEuB7IhvrGQY/s886/TK.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="886" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2dPdFWUP5a68vc0Q212CY4-j3u_YluHBx3Qu-GC1V9mQXfiDPV96rbwrfx9cW4SDyuIlFDGfjFocDkkcGj9O7mnLkL3o1U7spcvcGWc69AkjLQHUc0R-PmnJ0PDVijzj6u1vKJQyUMEaABy5GoIJ8Q5UFs3ojRNmnXEDG2MvR_kU_Z_PzEuB7IhvrGQY/w400-h325/TK.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>A close second in my regard is the huge model display. As always, there were really a lot of terrific models exhibited. One of the ones I really liked (and was impressed with what it took) was Fenton Wells’ Birmingham Southern box car. This was a 1937 AAR box car body, 10 feet inside height, but with a PRR-style flat roof and flat plate ends. Fenton built it from an IMWX box car kit, with a Red Caboose X29 roof, and an end made by filing the kit end flat and adding Archer rivets. Decals are K4.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLLw0UuG_a5swU0Q40PDuv72RoJKC5CQHFOBuy6ZnpTrKY4Tcpu_xZj3DDXJRbtRRYqzmfI-DEMfIahTkfBn5nIskpYavqU2jio_LXnhsxVzLIy4DrYQbFfN0kL3GQ5iY8hpaWQ_8plyYcZv-pQxqzWgUZOavH4nUfi3dXfTkbmM2xm-5vif5fiAi8rYs/s810/Fenton.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="810" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLLw0UuG_a5swU0Q40PDuv72RoJKC5CQHFOBuy6ZnpTrKY4Tcpu_xZj3DDXJRbtRRYqzmfI-DEMfIahTkfBn5nIskpYavqU2jio_LXnhsxVzLIy4DrYQbFfN0kL3GQ5iY8hpaWQ_8plyYcZv-pQxqzWgUZOavH4nUfi3dXfTkbmM2xm-5vif5fiAi8rYs/w400-h310/Fenton.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Another model I liked was one of Bill Cialini’s modern cars with well-executed weathering and graffiti. This covered hopper, well paint-patched from a previous owner, is a good example.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivGWOIgf2SL7JJfACcpQ5tlTreCF6JOSzQQIJL-LqUhvuG5HqF0VjZOZQ1ftMrD-35doxEXIp4yoyRfFEpZVGhxBAKwBKyww71XEwkRSVQuKqozuKtBPT5CJPQXA_GiKfhZozW71GKL7wCRNUQ6-QUhabctY8XTydi7yvOkBbJfk17OLfrnPi65bQoKTE/s900/Cialini.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="482" data-original-width="900" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivGWOIgf2SL7JJfACcpQ5tlTreCF6JOSzQQIJL-LqUhvuG5HqF0VjZOZQ1ftMrD-35doxEXIp4yoyRfFEpZVGhxBAKwBKyww71XEwkRSVQuKqozuKtBPT5CJPQXA_GiKfhZozW71GKL7wCRNUQ6-QUhabctY8XTydi7yvOkBbJfk17OLfrnPi65bQoKTE/w400-h214/Cialini.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>As is true every year, most of the ballroom is filled with vendor tables. This is a wonderful chance to see new products or smaller vendors who you might otherwise not know about. And between all clinic sessions, a good crowd was taking advantage of the opportunity.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhci8SXPuksKpdtA5W5vvaYnbO9n5pqJ2qnAznoT_jBZeWfXjxC148bBi_iB5C_fnVToEsyo7g6pqJJfLKyj5EUIt6fc0N4oU-PavoRXM9GhQiVbIDaBegDOq8s3jgSx73CJHut_ntb9azSWXz0Px97OYwRqgFyUoZm0lHWWHzUIllxhmo1c1XjvOXRjwk/s1018/Room.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1018" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhci8SXPuksKpdtA5W5vvaYnbO9n5pqJ2qnAznoT_jBZeWfXjxC148bBi_iB5C_fnVToEsyo7g6pqJJfLKyj5EUIt6fc0N4oU-PavoRXM9GhQiVbIDaBegDOq8s3jgSx73CJHut_ntb9azSWXz0Px97OYwRqgFyUoZm0lHWWHzUIllxhmo1c1XjvOXRjwk/w400-h213/Room.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>One striking vendor display was by 3D Central Trains, showing a huge range of 3D-printed parts, as you can see below (for more on what they do and what you can buy, go to: <a href="https://3dcentraltrains.com/">https://3dcentraltrains.com/</a> ).<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5UuMJUFlF5cdY4IY25Jg1ue8bcfeWf5vZFFLbFz62UweM8QDo7L8XtVjGlpcu7uhg1BkI31dIxabX2LkaBw6H7J9eU0BQiRQZcRs5yllWcL-EiIehizOvIsZj2CTI43SKtzSlmvRly2daBrWDAgjiy1HKVCTkDk6WGHIaIg8b4nvmzhUOwXj3dQLrlQI/s955/3D.1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="955" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5UuMJUFlF5cdY4IY25Jg1ue8bcfeWf5vZFFLbFz62UweM8QDo7L8XtVjGlpcu7uhg1BkI31dIxabX2LkaBw6H7J9eU0BQiRQZcRs5yllWcL-EiIehizOvIsZj2CTI43SKtzSlmvRly2daBrWDAgjiy1HKVCTkDk6WGHIaIg8b4nvmzhUOwXj3dQLrlQI/w400-h226/3D.1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>For just a single example, below is the underbody for a 60-foot woodchip car, showing the way that underbody brake parts can be printed in one piece. (You can click on the image to enlarge it if you wish.) <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqaccphTcTGAq-5DDePFjpFcSndR5jb5b8KwGf0yHZG_WGqhKfSZ0KCR9UWRiOa8Bn8tuJho5wgUyEkQOBI90rI0MdzcUBKU86ixiq87kSYgM7iZehNnNEyhAppXWnVvQT4XNATldqVZcBMAHC4dC66KQ8gbrfNlBogri0utaJV4TF1wbvdPSe4cLGnaw/s1085/3D.2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="1085" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqaccphTcTGAq-5DDePFjpFcSndR5jb5b8KwGf0yHZG_WGqhKfSZ0KCR9UWRiOa8Bn8tuJho5wgUyEkQOBI90rI0MdzcUBKU86ixiq87kSYgM7iZehNnNEyhAppXWnVvQT4XNATldqVZcBMAHC4dC66KQ8gbrfNlBogri0utaJV4TF1wbvdPSe4cLGnaw/w400-h166/3D.2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Their representative did say that they prefer not to print grab irons
and ladders, as they are difficult to make scale size and even if
achieved, would be quite brittle. But everything else looks great. And as I’ve been
saying for some time (see for example this post: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2023/11/more-amazing-3-d-printing.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2023/11/more-amazing-3-d-printing.html</a> ), I believe this is just the thin end of the wedge in the future of our hobby.</p><p>A great meet, one I always look forward to, and always enjoy. If you, dear reader, have never been to Cocoa Beach for this meeting, I strongly suggest you consider it next January.<br /></p><p>Tony Thompson<br /></p>Tony Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593061828601275378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3218524178230712938.post-81716386190750962072024-01-08T09:57:00.000-08:002024-01-08T09:57:06.145-08:00Other railroad documents<p>I have written blog posts about quite a few items of prototype paperwork, both about waybills and associated documents used in the movement of freight, and operating documents such as train orders. In the present post, I want to show a few more, which could readily be adapted for model use if desired. Three of the documents I show today are from the collection of Michael Litant, whose generosity in sharing these is appreciated. <br /></p><p>First is an interesting form, used in the movement of oversize loads which might require idler cars. It’s a Boston & Maine document and is 4.25 x 9.5 inches in size, barely fitting on a route card board and perhaps more likely on a placard board. It documents a New York Central gondola, NYC 726484, a 65-foot car with a steel floor, with a load of plate steel, 104 feet, 10 inches long. This meant that an idler car was used at each end, B&M 34015 on the east end, and EJ&E 6545 on the west end. Both were 53 ft., 6 inch flat cars. As the form shows, the overhang at each end of the gondola was approximately equal, about 24 feet in each case.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8l86Wn_lyMlTnrwmHQwPEP-gyl8fs7E8DMvtnbAns1ATu573isEcV0MhBzU8NXiEjmgvNEezDpFCkKwP3eVKWdKZ5b69OsQkmLz0gcJ6tNyrBGZl9jFK_ziYuaoI4t4-TIYZDdk1YE5EE8h_nyT419zXBTnGGYIuFgfyhyf3vG9HYv2ujsiWoxdZP270/s1326/BM%20o'size.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1326" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8l86Wn_lyMlTnrwmHQwPEP-gyl8fs7E8DMvtnbAns1ATu573isEcV0MhBzU8NXiEjmgvNEezDpFCkKwP3eVKWdKZ5b69OsQkmLz0gcJ6tNyrBGZl9jFK_ziYuaoI4t4-TIYZDdk1YE5EE8h_nyT419zXBTnGGYIuFgfyhyf3vG9HYv2ujsiWoxdZP270/w400-h181/BM%20o'size.jpg" width="400" /></a> </div><p>Note in the above form (you can click on the image to enlarge it) that the corporation is shown as “debtor,” and the trustee, Robert W. Meserve, is named. The B&M declared bankruptcy in 1970; the form is dated May 25, 1975. <br /></p><p>I have shown several times examples of prototype Empty Car Bills, and here is yet another example, this one from the New Haven. Though not filled out, it evidently originated at the Roxbury, Mass. yard, as it is so stamped. It is 4 x 9.25 inches in size. Like many such Bills, it can be used to move an empty car to where it is to be loaded, or can move an unneeded empty car homeward. Interestingly, space is including in this bill for grading of the interior condition of the car. <br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUE7Pv3rzlogvETz5E0tQKccYyzidTHTLBZf2doFtyZyi0RWiu90bqBGy1refxbztx1gkae3vouTAfQ6bXjvp4FY2qUHwPgJyBbhnTziJyxL-wpqEC_K_xvoZfQoVrOlMcnA2GNCp82dTTxpnrO_EiSIDY6WJNoqRloyx8Tnkym8GP8KymDPEA1Kt3MN0/s900/NH%20MT%20car%20bill.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="396" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUE7Pv3rzlogvETz5E0tQKccYyzidTHTLBZf2doFtyZyi0RWiu90bqBGy1refxbztx1gkae3vouTAfQ6bXjvp4FY2qUHwPgJyBbhnTziJyxL-wpqEC_K_xvoZfQoVrOlMcnA2GNCp82dTTxpnrO_EiSIDY6WJNoqRloyx8Tnkym8GP8KymDPEA1Kt3MN0/w176-h400/NH%20MT%20car%20bill.jpg" width="176" /></a></div><p></p><p>I recently was given this familiar placard, seen on many railroads though often on manila rather than yellow card stock. Since it reads “Southern Pacific Lines,” it is likely from before 1946, when SP changed both its car lettering, and most company documents, to remove the word “Lines.” Soon after 1946, most such documents began to labeled “Southern Pacific Company.” It is 7 x 11 inches.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ffE7HjstXdQRy18AuxK0U0bLi0yHGFH92qpsplkbL1XGhCHHKedfA-Teo4sBY1DBZUqe127yIAqOdQPa5qNpm813LrmLKQOrx7hgiiF8zf6UQ2vJ3w4pQ7r8k6lOrrtYR-SWRf68bWRNoyDaeVZNU_Qi4qk7jY5nlTx3VVSOsTmliDKz4GjFUFPdpdM/s981/SP%20unload.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="981" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ffE7HjstXdQRy18AuxK0U0bLi0yHGFH92qpsplkbL1XGhCHHKedfA-Teo4sBY1DBZUqe127yIAqOdQPa5qNpm813LrmLKQOrx7hgiiF8zf6UQ2vJ3w4pQ7r8k6lOrrtYR-SWRf68bWRNoyDaeVZNU_Qi4qk7jY5nlTx3VVSOsTmliDKz4GjFUFPdpdM/w400-h260/SP%20unload.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Another Litant item, that is more of an operating detail document, is a classic “train delay” form, used on many railroads to report, as it says at the top, “Extra Time Claimed by Conductors and Trainmen for Switching, Terminal Delays and other Arbitraries.” It’s a New Haven document and is dated March 14, 1963, and was deposited at the Readville, Mass. freight agent by J.E. Bergeron, conductor, along with two brakemen, J.J. Morrisseey and J. Beale. It’s 5.5 x 11 inches.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-r_dKl8ILZPUOgv4_3wrG1TTTH7UfNsIUOxUaYkAEYaUJDlxajgCJEThs4bgF09_olV9T1-1QC1bdtUSkAKabYpSCmztabwp0zq3QNaa6vqMHZGGyVd1yzRHPRj4PloW_T_kJPwh6kAhfmyD4F7h-NiRzzCElO35DKpVD18rudeqD4k7XG1k-hRrXV8k/s1185/delay%20sheet.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1185" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-r_dKl8ILZPUOgv4_3wrG1TTTH7UfNsIUOxUaYkAEYaUJDlxajgCJEThs4bgF09_olV9T1-1QC1bdtUSkAKabYpSCmztabwp0zq3QNaa6vqMHZGGyVd1yzRHPRj4PloW_T_kJPwh6kAhfmyD4F7h-NiRzzCElO35DKpVD18rudeqD4k7XG1k-hRrXV8k/w400-h203/delay%20sheet.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>What’s interesting here is the reason for delay (one hour claimed). It reads, “Assisted wrecking crew to re-rail car # TNO 60790 [a 40-ft. steel box car] which was derailed by consignee at Norwood St. house while barring cars down.” Likely “barring” refers to using a pry bar or crowbar to move a car, by prying under the wheel and lifting. One of the classic aspects of this document is that I’ve heard more than one conductor talk about documenting delays, and saying “we filed a green sheet,” or “we grabbed a greenie right away.”</p><p>Asking a crew on a model railroad to fill out a “green sheet” would be a little idle, as we are rarely paid for our operations. But the oversize-load document could well be included along with other normal waybills as part of a train. Regarding this particular oversize-load document, presumably the load in the NYC gondola had its own waybill, but this kind of document could be supplied also.</p><p>I continue to enjoy coming across prototype documents like these. Not only are they interesting as railroad artifacts, they are glimpses into operating procedures, and in many cases could certainly be adapted for model use.</p><p>Tony Thompson<br /></p>Tony Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593061828601275378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3218524178230712938.post-17357857547454600832024-01-05T05:55:00.000-08:002024-01-05T05:55:27.949-08:00A Sunshine mini-kit, Part 2<p>This thread is about a mini-kit provided by Sunshine Models at a Naperville meet at least ten years ago, that I discovered among other kit boxes. It provides replacement resin parts for a Branchline Postwar box car, to model one of the EJ&E 1941 box cars with 8-foot doors. My introductory work, and some prototype photos, are in the first post of the series (see it here: <a href="https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2023/12/building-sunshine-mini-kit.html">https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2023/12/building-sunshine-mini-kit.html</a> ). <br /></p><p>In the preceding post, I showed attachment of resin ends and doors to the Branchline body, along with addition of car weights and the roof. I also removed the original “tabbed” side sill. Thus the next step on this project should be attachment of the new resin side sills. But to make sure it would be compatible with the kit underframe, I decided to work on that first.</p><p>Now the mini-kit provides resin parts to completely re-do the underframe, including cross-bearers to match the door width. But a little experimentation showed me that these underframe components, though permitting a correct prototype underframe, nevertheless would be all but invisible with the car on the track. Since, like most of freight cars, the primary destination of this model is on-layout operation, not contest entry, I decided I would go with the Branchline underframe. </p><p>Once the kit underframe is attached, the new resin side sills can be securely installed, using canopy glue along the seam, and to attach to the bolster ends. The view below shows whys the underframe is minimally visible from the side: the depth of the side sill under the door area completely obscures it. By the way, bolster screw holes have been tapped 2-56.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3U6LVszxldPdOPFnrEIR2lTPnIr3FoF5FyZ6hUwI6XSWGaRfMUuXUPd_H4Pt7y6gEcPiP4Egzi6GU6n4arv2ihlzOlwa4EbOPbYcHyyUkukhMHRUDvrbL9AiFSJ6pij9puHXDhU1apXEInWh70hoH1HHcAN_tOykrb7M8fAh7nd0q5w1XxJnjak5GIt8/s1292/sills.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="1292" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3U6LVszxldPdOPFnrEIR2lTPnIr3FoF5FyZ6hUwI6XSWGaRfMUuXUPd_H4Pt7y6gEcPiP4Egzi6GU6n4arv2ihlzOlwa4EbOPbYcHyyUkukhMHRUDvrbL9AiFSJ6pij9puHXDhU1apXEInWh70hoH1HHcAN_tOykrb7M8fAh7nd0q5w1XxJnjak5GIt8/w400-h139/sills.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>One point I should make is that these side sills are quite thin. That’s good for appearance and for fitting to their location. But I soon discovered that they flex alarmingly when handled. I decided to add some supports behind them, and chose Evergreen #8608, scale 6 x 8-inch styrene strip, installing short pieces with canopy glue. This made them substantially stiffer. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDO3sDbih_BqqHubaaFQ8OVZFmQCmPUGjmzJyeh23jkma3mkdd9lyl7LFYQ2Jl78UrzCJMKEXOfy4bDEyO3HCCFZy37cOemvMMeTgRkOVDivPYcmqTwLeTIKGCdlJUROYx3fFjGnMNKYGKzAsqJXh_QgWGneBfMzNjOq-xD9LnCUvBFG5h4xfHhw72a2A/s1378/reinf.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="1378" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDO3sDbih_BqqHubaaFQ8OVZFmQCmPUGjmzJyeh23jkma3mkdd9lyl7LFYQ2Jl78UrzCJMKEXOfy4bDEyO3HCCFZy37cOemvMMeTgRkOVDivPYcmqTwLeTIKGCdlJUROYx3fFjGnMNKYGKzAsqJXh_QgWGneBfMzNjOq-xD9LnCUvBFG5h4xfHhw72a2A/w400-h130/reinf.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Next I could begin to add kit details. On the car sides, these are straightforward to do, but the ends have none of the holes ready for acceptance of detail parts, and in addition the usual styrene cement for adding styrene details to a styrene body won’t work. I decided to use canopy glue on the ends. But I began by adding the side ladders, because the end ladders must have rungs in line with the side ladders. The A end is shown below.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZrcywlOGLDjiKXrpT0CKSqMpP2Z7Wce8rn4qjecWnRKsV_A4gZZVWNsNdMM257uCxMf0bPmRj-cCEjU1ZyUZLlNv9i1l6FXI7z_YZtAC6Q6X4a0sknKPXE2HiEiNRaB5Vm0aiNmCcjQfbHfFOxf44I3kfrNGrjbIFSxn_VtsJK0I9ugwXTVFFZNZadKo/s630/ladds.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="586" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZrcywlOGLDjiKXrpT0CKSqMpP2Z7Wce8rn4qjecWnRKsV_A4gZZVWNsNdMM257uCxMf0bPmRj-cCEjU1ZyUZLlNv9i1l6FXI7z_YZtAC6Q6X4a0sknKPXE2HiEiNRaB5Vm0aiNmCcjQfbHfFOxf44I3kfrNGrjbIFSxn_VtsJK0I9ugwXTVFFZNZadKo/w373-h400/ladds.jpg" width="373" /></a></div><p>The same process was followed with the side and end grab irons, with the grab iron on the end aligned with the lower one on the car side. The handbrake shown in the prototype end photo (see previous post, link in top paragraph, above) resembles a 5-spoke Ureco, and I was able to find such a brake wheel and gearbox in my parts box. <br /></p><p>On the B end, I made sub-assemblies of the styrene parts, such as the brake step and the handbrake mount, using styrene cement, so that the assemblies could then be attached with canopy glue. The grab irons on the end sills were made from 0.015 styrene rod, attached with canopy glue. Only the sill steps (which I usually apply last), and a running board, remain to be applied on the basic body. <br /></p><p>With the body assembled, including Kadee coupler boxes, I gave the model a coat of primer. I used Tamiya Fine Surface Primer (Oxide Red).<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkZ4xGbPhrAc578QPkVLkwfM6ZNPNPLrPvBb3QJPH91bIzE32KCYB5gPKQwfmJEjZdy3gxZ0WtmCIiznem019-dkVNcH2VWv0q-OmVoQr12RUhfblJnkV6XNIGPdrmHtCzFwyNs8RSFModOYzW4NOiDxL-FSK_MOF3N45Rb-Y9lQIC9zK2gP_LAsaNs0E/s1150/primer.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1150" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkZ4xGbPhrAc578QPkVLkwfM6ZNPNPLrPvBb3QJPH91bIzE32KCYB5gPKQwfmJEjZdy3gxZ0WtmCIiznem019-dkVNcH2VWv0q-OmVoQr12RUhfblJnkV6XNIGPdrmHtCzFwyNs8RSFModOYzW4NOiDxL-FSK_MOF3N45Rb-Y9lQIC9zK2gP_LAsaNs0E/w400-h219/primer.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I will suspend description at this point, in favor of other projects, and will return to this model in a future post.</p><p>Tony Thompson</p>Tony Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593061828601275378noreply@blogger.com0