Wondering if anybody has a copy of the December 87 issue of MR. It is supposed to have in it an article on how to build the Southern Big John Hopper from two Walthers PS2 hoppers.
I had it, and seem to have lost it, in the space of a week.
Yes, there was such an article by Franz Martin called Build Southern’s Big John in that issue. However the author used an Athearn #1900 undecorated centerflow covered hopper. Actually the model was a source of some of the parts. If you could get the parts separately (which was easy to do at that time), you needed a #19050 underframe; #19056 latch bars; #19057 weight; and #90399 roller bearing trucks. It was necessary to slice and dice the underframe along with other modifications. The rest of the model, including sides and ends, was scratch-built using Plastruct ABS and styrene sheet and shapes, plus other assorted materials.
I can’t vouch for the accuracy of the completed model since I don’t have any first hand knowledge of that prototype, but the one picture of the completed model looks nice.
Hello Kam,
You can order a photocopy of that article (Dec. 87 p. 129) from our customer service department at 800-533-6644. You might also want a copy of the May 1984 (p. 82) prototype drawing article on that car.
Good luck with your model,
Andy
Andy, thanks.
I had a friend send me a copy of the article this afternoon, just opened it and found IT WAS NOT the article I was thinking of.
The article I found recently while thinning out the old magazines I have dealt with cutting two WALTHERS PS2 3-bay Lo-Side hoppers and splicing them into one.
Now, the question is? What Magazine was that in, RMC, MR, Model Railroading, Rail Model Journal or Mainline Modeler? (as I used to subscribe to all)
Thanks, though.
Kam
Okay, just been told by RMC that it was not in RMC.
When the on-line magazine search gets going again, it will probably be easier to identify the exact magazine you’re looking for.
However, I do seem to remember the article you’re thinking of. It might have been an article by Jim Six, but I’m probably wrong on that. If I remember correctly there was some reader feedback criticising the model after the article was published.
The criticism had to do with the fact that the model used the hopper discharge bays from the Walthers models. The bays on the Walthers cars each have two discharge gates, but I think the prototype only had one discharge gate per bay and was more of the center discharge type.
It would sort of be my opinion that if I were to want a model of this car and was willing to put in all that effort to get one, the model shown in the MR article you originally referenced would result in a product closer to the prototype.
Model Railroading,i have that issue some where.
FOUND IT!
MODEL RAILROADING MAGAZINE, September, 1997. Jim Six article.
Also found two books I had been missing for a while, and some spider webs.
Thanks all for the help!
Kam
Finally had some time last night to start working on the Big John model from the Jim Six article. I am not too worried about the underside of the model since it will not be as viewable on my layout. Gingerly, I made the cuts and now have the two ends. Next step will be the underframe.
Photos, I will have to learn how to post here.
Just don’t invite the nitpickers over.
I’ve only been worried about the nit-pickers during a model contest, and this one is for me and not for that!
LOL