It’s been like a week and a 1/2…we want pictures!
we want pineapple upside down cupcakes… 
this is the best I can do on short notice Andy.
but I did get a bit of time earlier this week to work on the cars.
Since the primer was applied it has rained or I have worked everyday. I have had time to start work on the strap steps for the cars ,and I remembered to make the end roof walk supports. The end supports will be installed before anymore paint, but that should be this weekend
Looking Sweet!
Hollywood,
All I can say is WOW 
Some of your earlier work really impressed me, but you just keep getting even better
Ralph
Looking good, hollywood… Wife make the cupcakes for a club meeting the other weekend… turned out good…
Looking really good in primer. Amazing how a little dull color can bring out the details. So how much longer are you going to milk this thread?
Jon these are the last of the strap steps. They are for the hoppers.
The strap steps for the boxcars were single step units. I’ll have to clean these up a bit because of excess solder. The roofwalk end supports were installed this morning and those and the boxcar steps were drilled for pinning. I’ll paint the steps separately then install on the cars. My next bit is making the jigs for the 4 different ladders for these cars. They will also be painted separately. I am painting the cars as weather permits. Hopefully I’ll have painted cars by next weekend, and the only thing they may need is the ladders installed.
Bout’ time!
Oh, that Rooster, he’s a teaser…
Can you give us a little detail on how you fabricated those strap steps, please, Dave? How you bent 'em, and esp how you held them for soldering.
Tks!
John, I didn’t take pics as I made them but the process is simple. The main part of the step was formed on a jig I copied from Bruce Chandler which kept the step size at 18" high and 15" wide. The middle step was hand bent. First with a bend at 3" then measured to fit across inside each main piece ( even with a jig there are minor variences ).The second bend of the Z shape was then marked 1/2" short and bent holding the tread area at the bend point and folding up the waste. Next I cut the waste at 3" to balance the step. I used a jig for soldering the steps.
As you can see the jig almost swallows the step material, but there is still enough metal to get heat to the joint.Flux the pieces before placing in jig and solder. And the material used.
Beautiful, Dave, Thanks!!!
Roof walk end supports in place.
Strap steps pinned and glued.
I also installed the coupler pockets. When the weather cooperates the cars will go in the paint shop before final assembly.
WE WANT PAINT!
Weather here has been very uncooperative for the past week but I did manage to get more done on both the hoppers and the boxcars. Oh, for those who don’t know, these are modeled on the B&O wagon Top series cars. I still plan on doing the Caboose of this series this coming winter along with a few other cars. But for now the updated pics.
There are six hoppers, four of which now have paint on them. And five boxcars,two of which are painted. I still need to make the ladders, procrastinating on making the jigs still and I have to cut and add the wood roofwalks. Lettering will be done around the end of summer, unless I get to it sooner. I’m hoping to do my own this time. Thank you all for viewing and for the comments.
Hollywood, mighty fine looking cars. You just set the bar ‘higher’. 
Mighty fine fleet…
Really nice!!! I like the antique white on the hoppers.
looking good, Hollywooddddddddddd…
Thanks for the ongoing comments all.The last two hoppers now have been painted. Still have two boxcars to paint. The ladder jigs got started this morning, and at the moment I’m making the end walk rails.