I started this batch of cars before the holidays, but have waited till now to make sure some of my experiments worked out before getting into a thread. First was figuring how to form the roofs on the boxcars, this was solved by using a 3/4" x 51/2" wood block cut and milled to shape.
First cut to width and then the roof angles were cut at 6 degrees. I then routed the edges 1/4" deep and 1/4" in to place a piece of 1/4" quarter round
This recesses the quarter round about 1/64" both ways I then routed the edge 3/8" up from the bottom edge deep enough to accept the plastic I planned on using for the sides to give me a gluing surface, and to provide a built in spacer to keep the car width. I forgot to take a pic of this cut, but it is repeated on the hopper roof and I’ll show it then. Next plastic was cut for the sides, ends, floor and glue stops for assembly
Sides and ends paired and glue stops in place
Glue stops on the sides
bodies glued up.
I then skinned the body with .010 plastic to give a single glue surface for the addition of detail.
Hoppers were then started.I cut the sides, floor, ends, and glue stops
These were assembled prior to cutting the roof pieces so I could get accurate measurements for the roofs
This roof also started as a 3/4" x 5 1/2" wood block, but I only rounded the edges with a 1/4" round over bit in the router after cutting to width. Then cut my recess in the sides 3/8" up from the bottom, but only for the area that would mate to the car sides. I also had to under cut the two ends of the roof where it over hangs the car body.
the bodies were then skinned with .020 plastic, again to provide a single glue surface for further details
Because I only have a few clamps I started fitting the center beams and bolsters to the cars that were ready
Now I needed to make the hoppers proper. I figured the angles and cut strips with a 50 degree angle on one side and a 60 degree angle on the other.
These were then cut with a 50 degree angle leaving enough wood to make the final cuts for the forth side of the hopper.
4 of the hoppers in place.
the hoppers were then skinned with .010 plastic for further detail
Still a ways to go but this is the start. Oh. And for the record, most of this build has been done with car sizes and angles known. But, the rolled edge of the roofs was eyeballed off both drawing and pictures of the prototype. I made the roll a scale 9" radius. I have since found a source that shows the rolled edge at 12" radius so these will be built to my eyeball.
