I am planning a HO copper ore concentrate layout in Arizona in the 80’s (Magma, AZ Eastern, SMARRCO…ect.). I want the 40’ belly dump ore cars (like in the pic) used by these railroads and SP. Anyone know if they are commercially available or am I just going to have to scratch build them? (which is kinda intimidating)
Thank you for any info.
!(http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/pictures/63609/1e 2011-03-21 1 AZ Trip 171.jpg)
J.
J - Welcome to trains.com! [C):-)]
The car doesn’t look like anything I’ve ever seen before. If it’s been done at all, I would guess brass. A VERY wild guess, if you found one or more, would be $250 each–no small sum if you want 10 or 20.
At first glance, they don’t look too difficult to scratchbuild–no rivets, and the ends appear to be built up. And there’s only one color of paint (leaving out the rusty doors). And decals even look likely–probably something Microscale based.
If you’re going to make a bunch, you’ll be spending a bit of time designing assembly jigs, I think.
Looks like fun, actually,
Ed
Gidday, [#welcome]
According to this site the car in your photo is a G-100-14, a 21’ 0" gondola in a series numbered 341071 to 341175 by Gunderson Bros, built 1968-69 with a 1578 cubic foot capacity.
More batches of what appear to be of the same basic design were built; G-100-16, SP road nos: 341176 to 341251, built 1971-72; G-10019, SP road nos: 341252 to 341310, built 1972; G-100- 24, SP road nos: 341311-341335, built 1975, a total, if my sums are right of 264 cars.
http://www.railgoat.railfan.net/spcars/bynumber/gon/gon_300xxx.htm
Don’t know if any such thing is commercially available but instead of “… scratch building them? (Which is kinda intimidating)” what about "kinda challenging!! [:)]
Building jigs as suggested above is a good idea.
Have Fun.
Cheers, the Bear
I suspect the 21 feet is the inside length. As the linked photograph shows, there is quite a bit of unused space at the ends.
http://www.railgoat.railfan.net/photos/sp/sp341211_john_rodgers.jpg
If you want these cars in quantity, the trick would be to fabricate a mold for the sides, a mold for each end and a mold for the frame and bottom, possibly excluding the doors (which would then require a separate mold.) Dimensions could be estimated by starting with the wheel diameter.
There have been many articles (mostly in craft publications, not Model Railroader about casting parts in molds. Since different materials ahve different shrinkage and other characteristics, I won’t even suggest methods.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Gidday, your comments regarding length intrigued me as the information I was quoting was from the same site as your photo came from but from the following, at about the minute mark, I’d have to say you are right.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rR2hxEfGHy4
I had thought that perhaps an SP affecionado might have had the relevant information at their finger tips but then again, I guess that, a class of 264 ore gondolas would be but a mere drop in the SP freight car roster ocean. [:)]
Cheers, the Bear.
What fascinating cars.
From an ORER: Inside length is 21 feet. Outside length is 44’ to 44’ 2".
While casting the sides is an option, I think I’d choose a build-up method out of styrene. Hence the assembly jigs. The sides can be thinner–you don’t have to learn how to cast–no pesky bubbles to ruin your day.
Now car weight, there’s a problem. If they run full, it’s solved. If run empty, well, it’s not.
Ed
I would start with a rotary dump gondola. I would sand all the detail off the sides and cut out the bottom and a piece of the ends. I would then add styrene sheet and strips to the hulk to come up with the car.
It looks like a fairly simple kitbash.
The basic carbody looks like a fairly simple scratchbuild in styrene. The reinforcing on the exterior of the car appears to be either square tube or channel, and could be easily represented by square .040" or .060" strip styrene. Unless you’re going to make more than a couple of dozen cars, I think that major jigs or fixtures would be a waste of effort, although one to accurately locate the cut-outs for the handholds might be useful, and perhaps one for the open-frame outer ends. There’s room for some weight directly over the trucks, but I’d make the dump doors from sheet lead.
The difficult part would be modelling the door-operating equipment within the car’s ends, and you’d need some better photos before you’d be able to figure out what’s needed.
Wayne
I like all the ideas presented so far but the scratchbuilding seems best. I have over a dozen photos from all angles. Wayne, your ideas is exactly what I was thinking. I am going to get started on the first one and see how it comes out. I will post pics if it works. Thanks everyone for all the replies and ideas.
J.