OK so thanks to some plans from the Maters Class over at the other site for a 1:20.3 flat car I got motivated to build some freight cars. I also owe Dave Taylor a thank you for his explanation of the construction of wooden box cars circa 1880’s. Between the two I have started building three flat cars, three box cars, and a caboose converted from a box. These are based roughly on some prototype pictures of the Coeur d’Alene Railway & Navigation Co. So they are not exactly as Dave described them but more closely reflect my pictures.

The basic flat car is the base for the box car as well. So here is where I got over the last week.

Here is my set up.

Table Saw set for cutting little wood. Zero clearance plate, Feather board, and thin tall push stick for getting the little wood through and fingers out.

Router table set up. I am pretty proud of this router table I made this all by my lonesome. Box fence acts as dust collector. pretty nifty if I do say so myself.

Here are the bits and pieces for the flat.

Here is the bottom of the flat car

here is the top of the heavy weight flat

Here is the first side wall of a box car

Looking through the door at the second wall

End wall

End Wall out side

Roof going on

I Painted the inside before puting the roof on

The Flats are made of Oak. I switched to redwood and cedar for the box cars. It is labor intensive cutting all the strip wood but I like the look of the real deal over scribed wood. Also the open frame work looks nice even though nonone will likely see it unless they are picking up the car and examining it.

I will make the majority of the detail parts myself. More to come later

Nice work Devon. With the frame work, you could useone for scenery at your car shops.

That has turned out very nice. Good work. Like the natural wood look also. You are getting some nice rolling stock for your future rail road.

Doc Tom

Devon, yes individual boards look better then scribed wood. And wow you are really moving fast on them things.

Looking good.

Nice job. Always enjoy seeing board by board construction. Like you say hardly anyone will notice once the work is done but the satisfaction level remains high.

Like your router fence, great idea.

These are looking really good. I especially like the short walls on the inside of the box car. You hardly ever see this in a model since it requires all the frame detail be correct. Great job!

Very nice work so far keep up the good progress!

Yur cars look great! They are lots of fun to do this way and the results superior!

Rick Marty said:

Nice job. Always enjoy seeing board by board construction. Like you say hardly anyone will notice once the work is done but the satisfaction level remains high.

Like your router fence, great idea.

Rick, those who are into modeling, and scratch-building, will notice. My scratch-built boxcar isn’t built to that level of detail and construction, but even it stands out in a consist of plastic cars.

One thing I have decided about myself and my modeling is the extreme satisfaction I get when I scratch build to a high level. The average person will notice that they are scratch built and as such has that air about it, a modeler will appreciate it even with all its flaws.

And for me the best part is I learned how a box car was built at least at the basic level. I enjoy that more than any other aspect. My loco proved to teach me a lot about steam locomotion.

When the locos done and the cars are done and its running down the track I know I will be in an elite crowd that can say I scratch built the whole thing. I know its not for everyone and I will never knock anyone who does it different but for me the untold hours in the shop or house building are therapy

Dave Marconi said:

Nice work Devon. With the frame work, you could useone for scenery at your car shops.

I hadn’t thought about this. But it would be a nice way to show the details. In one of the prototype pictures there is one of the converted cabooses on a siding that has the roof off. I could put one on blocks with the roof off to show of my interior work. Great idea.

Well. Would you give up your pin nailer now? Good looking cars.

Dave Taylor said:

Well. Would you give up your pin nailer now? Good looking cars.

I love it. I never thought I would get excited over getting 12000 3 /8 pins in the mail. My nailer shoots them fine even though it is rated for 1/2

Devon, yes, there is a certain satisfaction in being able to say “I built that, and it works!”

I like how the inside framework looks and the real wood construction . It has a whole different texture to it that will stand out . Great job !

mike dorsch said:

I like how the inside framework looks and the real wood construction . It has a whole different texture to it that will stand out . Great job !

In this scale you can’t beat the real thing. I am discovering that. I am seriously considering using real wood on my next loco builds for the cabs. One thing about wood is paint absorbs into it instead of laying on top of it. Maybe I am crazy but I think it just looks right.

Devon Sinsley said:

mike dorsch said:

I like how the inside framework looks and the real wood construction . It has a whole different texture to it that will stand out . Great job !

In this scale you can’t beat the real thing. I am discovering that. I am seriously considering using real wood on my next loco builds for the cabs. One thing about wood is paint absorbs into it instead of laying on top of it. Maybe I am crazy but I think it just looks right.

Devon, I though we wuz all crazy here.

And yes, nothing looks quite like wood, like wood does.