i purchased a atlas trainman flat in n scale, the side stakes that come with it look like they could be metal or wood ,i just cant tell. the car is modeled from the fifty’s, i need to know what color to paint them if wood or metal. thanks
‘Rusty’, I’m just guessing, since I never researched your question, but I would expect that the stakes would be made of wood (which gives enough to be pounded down into the pockets, whereas metal wouldn’t likely ‘give’ as easily. That’s my (semi-)reasoned answer, anyway.
Side question - I would like to know if there’s a standard size (scale or otherwise) wood that I could get to use for stakes, as I have a number of flat cars in need of some stakes, and have lost the one set I used to have (which came with one Athearn BB kit many moons ago…).
If anyone knows, please PM me, as I don’t get into all the forums very often. Thanks!
Jim in Cape Girardeau
Hi!
The flats I recall from the '50s were a mixed bag (stakewise), as were flatbed trucks with stakes. You could use either metal or wood colors and be safe - and frankly they would probably end up being the same color after a bit of use and weather. The ol dirty brown/black wash will always do the trick for something like that.
Typically - as I recall - pipe loads and related heavy and “shiftable” loads would have metal stakes, whereas most everything else would be wood. Wood was obviously the choice when lumber or wood products were hauled.
I really don’t think you can go wrong either way, and considering its N scale, who would ever complain?
Mobilman44
Many used 2x4s. 2x6s shaved just a hair at the base might fit the pockets better on models.
I’ve used flat toothpicks as a source of flatcar stakes in 1:80 scale. Now I’m thinking of using code 40 rail to fabricate some metal stakes. (My prototype used old, underweight rail for all sorts of things - including the trusses of pedestrian bridges.)
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)