The Modelers Thread

[sarge]

Ruf:

With the blind ends, yours reminds me of some of the “emergency” cabs built during WWII from old 36’ wood boxcars. Some were really elegant cars.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Ruf:

With the blind ends, yours reminds me of some of the “emergency” cabs built during WWII from old 36’ wood boxcars. Some were really elegant cars.

Would make sense; thanks.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Last week's build....

[healey36]

Very nice, good graphics. Scratch built pickle vats as well?

While I don't necessarily consider this a model, here's an update. The Parlor Flats depot moves ahead glacially. I spent yesterday printing, cutting, and applying paper "corners" to cover the exposed underlying matt board construction. The combination of fat fingers and lousy quality "extra strength" glue sticks, compounded by my HP printer deciding to go all weird in matching colors, led to some less-than-satisfying results. Tough tacos, we're moving on to fitting doorsills and a roof.



I've decided to try to craft a semaphore signal and mount it on the elevated part of the platform. I'm thinking I might try to drill a 3/8-inch hole down through the platform and the base, but worry I'll tear the paper deck covering all to hell if I use a drill. Fitting a "collar" of some sort might cover that, should it happen. I'll definitely try to make the signal before attempting to drill/cut any holes.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Very nice, good graphics. Scratch built pickle vats as well?

Thanks! Quick & fun build. Literally last week on the side from all the other projects. Just moving to clear projects off the bench.....so I can get into other projects!

The tops and bottoms and connectors of those parts were from some laser cut kit maker; their wrapper was rubbish, so I went to my usual board by board route.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

I've decided to try to craft a semaphore signal and mount it on the elevated part of the platform. I'm thinking I might try to drill a 3/8-inch hole down through the platform and the base, but worry I'll tear the paper deck covering all to hell if I use a drill.

Maybe a bit of masking tape down before drilling?

Fitting a "collar" of some sort might cover that, should it happen. I'll definitely try to make the signal before attempting to drill/cut any holes.

Collar - maybe a small flange washer?

[healey36]

Good suggestions. I was thinking of poking around in the special hardware drawers at Lowes. They sell, or used to sell, some nylon washers that might be a good solution. I guess I'll try making a semaphore first; I have seen a few European examples of operating prewar tinplate-style semaphores that don't look too tough to try to replicate. As Norm Abram might say, make the semaphore, then cut the hole.

Was a pickle car something one might see out on the mainline, or was this a vehicle for moving product from the pickling shed to the packing shed, never leaving the plant? I've often wondered about this. They seem to be quite popular with model railroaders.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Was a pickle car something someone one might see out on the mainline, or was this a vehicle for moving product from the pickling shed to the packing shed, never leaving the plant? I've often wondered about this. They seem to be quite popular with model railroaders.

These were in use as far as into the early 60's and were out on the main lines - lots of good info available on history and modeling

https://www.amazon.com/Pickle-Vinegar-M ... oks&sr=1-1

Also in the newsletter from the defunct NMRA SIG.

[G3750]

Florida East Coast caboose as pictured in Railway Age, January 2, 1926:

This is a drover's caboose, right?

George

[G3750]

Was a pickle car something one might see out on the mainline, or was this a vehicle for moving product from the pickling shed to the packing shed, never leaving the plant? I've often wondered about this. They seem to be quite popular with model railroaders.

HJ Heinz built them out here on the north side of Pittsburgh, right in the factory. Some publication (can't dredge up the name but it might come to me) ran a series of articles on them about 10 years ago. For the longest time, I thought these were figments of the manufacturers' (Lionel, K-Line, etc.) imagination. They're not.

That one is very cool! Nice work!

George

[Rufus T. Firefly]

This is a drover's caboose, right?

George

Not really - more of a mail/baggage door caboose

Here's a drover caboose I did about 7 years ago:

[Rufus T. Firefly]

For the longest time, I thought these were figments of the manufacturers' (Lionel, K-Line, etc.) imagination. They're not.

There were kits for the vat cars from Hawk and Walthers long, long ago. I have 2 other full size prototype 4 vat cars that I scratchbuilt 10+ years ago. I also have at least 1 of the coffin style cars - resin casting from Rails Unlimited, but Lobaugh made a kit for that car as well. Someday, I'll go back and look into scratchbuilding some of the variations on the coffin style cars. I also have a finished scratchbuilt vinegar car and I now have a 2nd one to restore. There's a huge variety of prototype cars in the pickle and vinegar area.

That one is very cool! Nice work!

Thanks! This one was just one of my "just for fun" creations.

[gregj410]

Last week's build....

I like that!

[healey36]

The drovers' caboose, as a concept, I was unfamiliar with. I often wondered how the transport of livestock was achieved back in the day when much of it moved by rail, especially given the time involved. I've been around enough beef cattle, for one, to understand that their shelf life without fresh water is not infinite. Quite interesting...

[Rufus T. Firefly]

The drovers' caboose, as a concept, I was unfamiliar with. I often wondered how the transport of livestock was achieved back in the day when much of it moved by rail, especially given the time involved. I've been around enough beef cattle, for one, to understand that their shelf life without fresh water is not infinite. Quite interesting...

Those trains moved pretty quickly and they were watered and fed on the fly.