It’s been raining the last couple of days, so I’ve been forced back into the house.

I have a couple more rotary gons nearing completion, but I decided I better work on my ballast car as I will soon need it in the backyard. I’m only building one of these, so it will be well used on my layout.

Shane

I take it these will operate so you can ballast the track? (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)

That brings back memories of working a work train for over a month…

Spend 12 hours dumping ballast at 1-2 mph… Hot, dusty, and a little fun.

“A little faster, no slower, no we got too much coming out… Tad faster… No too fast.”

The automatic GPS train was a little easier, we could get up to 3 mph.

David, I wish. My models aren’t that advanced. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)3 or 4 loads of ballast would probably wear holes through the styrene. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif)This car is just going to pose for the photos taking all of the undeserved credit for my labour.

Craig, I can’t imagine a month. I think I only dumped ballast twice. I was much happier doing 60MPH. Now that you mention GPS, I guess maybe these aren’t so modern, especially compared to the new automated Herzog’s.

Yah, it was a long month. I got forced to the job while the regular engineer was on vacation. Everyday was closer to 14 and 15 hours by the time we tied up and got to the hotel. I hated it. We would spend an entire week on the road, traveling up and down the division (the ballast pit was 200 miles south of where we were working). One of the few times I was glad to get bumped off a “regular” job and go back to the extra board.

WOW Shane!!!

Do you mostly the same styrene sizes for your models? If so, what are the sizes you use? Looking to start stocking up on styrene. Thinking a shopping list will help (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)

Hi Eric,

For basic sheeting I use 1/16 and 1/8" for the base model, and use .01, .02, and .03" for panel detail, and larger detail work such as hatches. I picked up a 4’ x 8’ sheet of the 1/16 and 1/8 from a local plastic producer for $100 CDN. After 10 years, I think I still have about half of it.

For the tops of the open cars, I use 24" lengths of .188 x .188. ( Evergreen 398 ) I just imported 10 packs from Australia as the Canadian Evergreen supplier no longer stocks them.

Car ribs are normally 1/8 (.125) from .02 to .5.

End framing is made up with .125 x .04 and .100 x .03 glued into an angular piece. It seems to give me pretty good strength.

.05" round for ladder rungs.

.04" hex for bolt detail.

If you watch my photo compilation videos, I try to photograph each step with the package of styrene I am using for whatever part I am working on.

Brass stirrups on the rotary gons are 1/32 x 3/32 flat bar.

Hope this helps.

Shane

Eric,

I will make your life easier. Order one size of everything. No seriously when you start scratch building, I find myself using assorted sizes, and never the ones I have in stock. So I told myself to buy 1 of each. Slowly working on that.

I too have bought 1/8" and 1/16" 4x8 sheets from a plastic supplier. I’m about ready to go get another sheet.

That’s a beautiful car you built Shane , congrat’s . That will make a nice addition to your fleet. I too buy 4x8 plastic sheet in .060 and .080 thickness and every time I visit my local hobby shop I pick up various Evergreen shapes.

Thanks Mike. I must be doing something right if you and Craig are doing similar. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-smile.gif)

Today actually turned into a nice day, so I started working on the paint.

Thanks Shane and Craig for the info.

Paint is looking good Shane!

Car and workmanship just keeps getting better and better… (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)

Andy Clarke said:

Car and workmanship just keeps getting better and better… (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)

Suck up

Thanks Guys,

I think it’s ready to get to work in the backyard. I still want to work on the rusty interior, and weather the hatches a little. The orange is a little darker then the photo. It may show up better in an outdoor shot.

WOW!

You can’t have just 1 ballast hopper.

Car looks great.

Shane-

Did you use the craft printer to cut out the decals?

Thanks Guys.

Chris, that’s true, but I only had one set of trucks left. Maybe in the future I’ll build a sister. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-smile.gif)

Eric, you bet I did. Did the smart method with full panels again.

Shane