Pulpwood Boxcar Modifications?

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Hi,

Has anyone modified a boxcar for pulpwood service? I have seen a photo of a boxcar without a roof and where the whole side hinges up from the top of the ends.

Thanks, Hansel

2

I have not seen any boxcar like that. I am doing a paper mill on my layout so i did alot of reading. I could of missed it but i only saw pictures of boxcars converted to hold woodchips.

i would be interested in seeing a pic of that boxcar if you can upload it.

3

I have plans to eventually model a string of early 1950s Southern RR pulpwood cars, which were modified 36 foot SU boxcars (which they had thousands of). The railroad’s “modification” involved removing the roof and sides, leaving the underframe and steel ends intact. Diagonal braces were added to support the ends, and the cars were loaded by hand.

I’ll likely use an F&C resin kit for the first car as a test run, and then either scratchbuild the rest or make masters and resin cast the cars that I need.

4

Justin,

Here is the link for a paper mill in Covington Virginia, close to Clifton Forge which happens to be a large C&O yard. This link has a whole host of photos to chose from. I am modeling a 2’x8’ shelf, paper mill set in the 1950s. I will have to post my work so far soon. I have ordered some DPM wall sections for the pulp mill and the power house. I have laid the track and constructed manual turnout controls for 10 turnouts. I have a blue box GP9 but would like to either buy a SW7/9 or a GE 44 tonner. More to come.

What are you doing?

http://freepages.history.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~alleghanyhighlands/wvmatics/photos.html

Thanks, Hansel

5

From the photo http://freepages.history.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~alleghanyhighlands/wvmatics/logflume1.jpg it looks like its a custom modified car for local use only. I see no problems in making it. Just split the wall seams with the bulkhead and add a hinging system with a latching system. You may want to add a wall brace along the top of each wall to keep the walls from bowing out when loaded. Also if you where to raise the center of the floor to make it tilt out on both sides, once the sides are released the loaded logs could just roll out with little or no help. Or maybe a small crane to pull on the bottom of each wall section lifting the wall letting the logs roll out freely.

6

Wisconsin Central (WC) took some old Soo Line boxcars and used them as Wood Chip Boxcars. All they did was take off the doors, use paper to hold the chips and, and wood to keep the paper from ripping and/or slipping out. To unload them it’s most likely they used a skid steer. Not sure how they loaded them. Here are some proto-type photos.

http://wc2scale.fotopic.net/c598867.html

http://wc2scale.fotopic.net/c598861.html

Here is one I made. Thw wood isn’t to scale, but one day would like to replace it with scale wood.

This could be another option other than using it for pulp wood.