So what’s the purpose of this thread? Well it’s partially to elaborate on some questions raised by some forum members, and to perhaps inspire others to give scratchbuilding/ kitbashing a go. I started scratchbuilding to prove a point because I got sick and tired of fellow club members endlessly complaining either about the unavailability, or expense, of XYZ model railroading item; sound familiar??
Now to be fair, scratchbuilding is not for everyone, their valuable modelling time can be better spent on what they consider as more interesting, more fun projects, that are better suited to their talents, so I’d be disappointed if anyone takes this as “A Scratchbuilder is a Real Model Railroader” thread.
Bear:
I think this is a great idea for a thread. I hope you will encourage many of those modelers who have been contemplating scratch building to take the plunge.
I look forward to following your progress.
Regards
Dave
For the 1940s, that is one humgous car! Good luck with the project!! [Y][Y][Y]
I love modeling flat cars of all descriptions. I’m presently working on a few PRR F22 “Gun Flats” by Funaro & Carmalengo to carry a 16" Naval gun load.
American Model Builder Photo
Here’s a few examples of some interesting loads as shown in the Mesta Machine Co. 1919 catalog:
And another…
At the GE plant where I earned a living for some years, there was an interesting flat car load dispatched from there back in 1968.
That’s what I find so interesting in modeling open loads like this, the visual interest when you can see exactly what’s being hauled.
I’m amazed when I see the prices commanded for brass flat cars, especially some of the specialty PRR cars, on Ebay. That’s where the satisfaction of scratchbuilding pays off! To know that you have invested your “sweat equity” in a car that someone else just shelled out several hundred dollars for and the end results are much more satisfying for the scratch builder…
Thank you for sharing your knowledge and keep up the great work, Bear!
Regards, Ed
Gidday Dave, while it would be nice to hope that someone would give a scratchbuild or a kitbash a try, I’d be just as content if ffolkes got a laugh from my antics, after all it’s meant to be FUN.[:D]
Thanks George, I’ll always happily accept good luck.
Thanks for joining in with those photos Ed, while there are photos of CISX 500 with an ingot mold, and “Jumbo” as loads, I haven’t thought far enoug
Bear,
Wow![yeah][wow] This is exciting! The neat thing is that you’ll also be showing how to make essentially any depressed center flat, so others can watch and learn to build to their needs. I may have to give this a try, too.
Another interseting car is B&M 5000; a well car designed to transport loads like large reduction gears for ships. The car is short, about 30 feet and carries a large wood crate in the well. I found a reference to a drawing and photo with load in January 1944 Model Railroader for those who have MR CD.
Google could not find me a prototype photo, but Funaro & Camerlengo lists a resin kit of it. We have the kit at Boothbay, but have not got around to building it yet.
I have seen many depressed center flat cars and find them intriguing. I do not think I have ever seen a “well” car and am not sure any still exist. Years back I started to kitbash a well car using parts from the well-known Athearn double truck heavy duty flat car body. But I somehow lost interest in the project at some point and packed it away so carefully I can’t find it.
Dave Nelson
Bear - I think that’s the whole point. Scratchbuilding is fun, but I doubt that you will find many people laughing at your work!
Dave
The B&M well cars lasted from 1941 into the 1970s before they were scrapped; the link on my previous post has a picture of the model
George, I hadn’t seen the 1944 article on B&M 5000 but had referenced the February 1983 MR article on the same car for a future project. I’ll let you tell me how the F&C kit goes.[;)]
The tomd81 site contains some well car photos and some were still in service in 2003.
Now I come to the photo that started this ramble off.
I have a tendency to over engineer things, this will become obvious later on, so while I want the well platform to be light, so that there will be less friction on the turn tables, it needs to be strong enough not to deform especially under tension.
Bear:
Thanks for the update. The car is coming along nicely!
I think you and I are two peas in the same pod. I’m not particularly patient either. In fact that’s an understatement. I’m trying to correct that weakness but the “…it’s good enough…” tendancy is still sometimes dominant unfortunately.
Dave
Gee Dave, I hope you aren’t Grumpy and Bad Tempered as well!!! [;)][(-D][(-D]
Cheers, the Bear.[:)]
No Bear, I’m not grumpy and bad tempered at all, that is unless I forget to take my meds! Or then there’s those moments when I am driving behind an idiot[:(!] who needs an alarm clock to remind them that they have a gas pedal!!! Then there are those ladies in the grocery store who can’t seem to prevent themselves from blocking the whole aisle!!! Or the screaming kids in a restaurant (Hey buddy, wanna pay my bill?!)!!!
[swg][(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D]
OK, I feel much better now! Thanks Bear!!
Just kidding I hope you know.
All the best!
Dave
Yeah, a heat gun is either a big help or a big mess. Looks like it did the trick here, though
The heat gun I use for model railroading projects is one intended for the rubber stamp hobbyist crowd. I am reasonably pleased with the way it directs heat to the work. As with any skill it takes practice.
Dave Nelson
And lots of patience!!! And while I’m on the subject of patience, a lot more was used bonding the deck to the frame. Even though I’d preformed the deck, it wasn’t a 100% correct but it was still flexible enough to “push” it into the final shape. The only trouble was that the frame is also quite flexible and I worried if I tried too hard as well as hurried, I’d end up with the whole shebang shaped like a pretzel. So with the help of the clamps and some extra help from some clothes pegs stolen borrowed from her-in-doors, starting at one end and doing a little each time I applied the MEK sparingly and checked for level and square after each application with a straight edge.
At last, we have indisputable proof:
Baked beans contribute to improved scale modeling.
Tom
I scratchbuilt a Canadian National 250 ton car many years ago:
