Large Scale Central

Ballast Train

Modeling
#1

I got a bunch of Aristo hopper on a Trainword blowout just after I pulled up the last layout. Thought it was time to do something with them. I was going to do a coal rake, but since I don’t have any coal on hand a ballast train was a good substitute.

First step was to lose the Aristo couplers, and close up the gap between the cars. I used a K&S brass strip mounted with the coupler mounting screws to make a fixed train of 8 cars.

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The uselessness of which became apparent as soon as I went to move them to the layout. :roll_eyes:
I guess it’ll be fine once I have track storage on the layout but not so good at the moment.

So I split each drawbar in two and jury rigged a pin using a rivet and some C channel to lock the joint.

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I sieved some crusher dust to get the stone. A 1mm kitchen sieve, 2mm colander and some 3mm ( 6 mesh) gave a good range. The stone between 2 & 3 mm equates to 40/60 mm which is right on target for ballast. I think that’s about 1 ½ - 2 ½ inch range. Ish.

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I made the loads up using dilute white glue, same as indoor ballast. Used a template, polyurethaned, added baking paper then sprayed the lot with cooking oil to be sure nothing stuck. Still didn’t work that well. :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes: But I guess it was better than doing nothing… :grin:

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Pretty happy with how the first test load looked.

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More to come.

Cheers
N

4 Likes
Removable ballast, gravel, coal loads, etc
#2

That is quite impressive!

#3

Nice!
I always like it when I see someone modeling unit trains.

#4

How were those cars unloaded? Did fellas remove a side from the stake pockets?

#5

I think they removed a shovel from the tool shed to unload those open wagons?

#6

Good q Dan, there’s nothing on these models that contradict Roosters suggestion… :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

Cheers
N

#7

Thanks Bill, John,

I’m building up 3 rakes of 8 cars each. Gonna be great to see them all together - one day.

Cheers
N

#8

I’ve been reading “Up Clear Creek” (NG&SLG) and some other books about the C&S, etc. They used gondolas to carry ‘ore’, which came from the mines. Places where they had to interchange (e.g. with the Gilpin Tramway) had a large platform between the 2 railroads, and the ore was shoveled out of the gondolas onto the platform, and then shoveled into the other railroad’s cars.

1 Like
#9

Production continued while we had good weather last week.

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The trailing car needed to work around the battery and electronics, I made a cardboard mockup to create some space that was about the right size.

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It worked, but sat too high – guess I didn’t leave enough space.

I pulled one ballast load out too soon and the middle collapsed, so I’m using that one to remake the trailing car cover. Plan is to cover the innards with cling wrap, baking paper, oil; etc and make a custom fit.

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I’m waiting for that to dry at the moment, before the test fit.

In the meantime, some finished shots of the train from the club meet Sunday just gone.

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Cheers
N

3 Likes
#10

Boy those pictures really show off that impressive rock work you have been doing. and what a gorgeous trestle.

#11

Thank Devon, unfortunately thats not my railway, it’s another club members but it’s the one that inspired me to do mine.

Especially the trestle - it’s even better in real life. :smiley:

Cheers
N

#12

Well your rock work is turning out well. So you must be well inspired by that other layout.

2 Likes
#13

May I make a suggestion?

On your trail car…

I am concerned about heat build up. I would add some air space above the electronics when you cast the load, then after it has set, see if you can drill a few holes up high in the load for heat to escape, and maybe a few in the deck of the car for cold air to enter.

On my R/C conversions I don’t have this and suffer no heat problems, but there is a lot of air space in the tender were my electronics are located.

#14

That’s a good point Jon, was too focussed on just trying to make it work (second attempt still didn’t fit… :unamused: ).

I’ll plan for some ventilation in round 3.

Cheers
N

#15

The loaded cars look good, but where do you hide the controls whe you simulate an empty train, returning to be loaded ? That is the trouble with “Control Cars”, you are stuck with them, no-mater what train you have the locomotive pulling.
FJPM

#16

Thanks Fred, I completely agree. I didn’t have time to figure out an onboard solution in time for a club running day so the trailing car was a convenient fix - for the moment!

Cheers
N

Edit: They also need a serous amount of work to stop looking like shiny plastic cars when they’re empty - that’s a later thing too.