Large Scale Central

Beating the Boredom - Brunt Coal on the C.V.S.Ry.

Modeling
#121

I think the proper term is Hopper. In between spring outdoor chores I made a couple of shirt cardboard mock ups. This is Version 2 and with some tweaks to get the size closer, will be the final design…

The dotted bend line in the foreground is approximately where the side of a car falls. The flat portion will be covered with the walkway boards after installation. While this track is a bit short to unload a 3-bay here without fouling the main, I had one handy to test the spot…

My original thought was to cut this from .040 aluminum scraps and make the bends on the brake at work. To get started sooner, I’m considering heat bends in polystyrene so I can keep moving forward. I’ve done a few experiments that came out OK. The bends were not as sharp as I would like, but I have some more ideas to help with that.

The weather forecast looks promising for hiding in the train room with the fireplace going full blast, so there may be some progress to report soon.

#122

This is really looking great.

#123

Looks like a plan to me, Jon… As Chris said ““Looks great””… (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)

#124

Jon,

My only thought would be to make the hopper sides a little steeper so they in theory have a chance to self clean. other wise looking good!

Al P.

#125

Al Pomeroy said:

Jon,

My only thought would be to make the hopper sides a little steeper so they in theory have a chance to self clean. other wise looking good!

Al P.

Thanks for that suggestion Al. Definitely do-able, but I’ll probably need to make the opening larger (not a problem) as I want to keep clearance under the hopper at 7’ 6" minimum. The top beam of the trestle / bottom of the stringer is at 9 foot. That gives me about 18" to accommodate the slope sheet.

#126

I took Al’s suggestion and made the sides a little steeper. A 48 degree slope is about the best I can get without compromising clearance underneath. As is I will be hard pressed to fit even a 50’s vintage dump truck under the hopper. From the top…

And from “street” level…

So far I have not been successful in getting 90 degree bends in styrene that I am happy with. I’ve got an old warming tray that is big enough to warm the entire sheet. Might give that a try next.

#127

Jon, do the bends really need to be neat and clean??

Seams to me they would get beaten up from the coal dropping on it anyway…

Just my 2 cents worth… (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)

#128

Andy Clarke said:

Jon, do the bends really need to be neat and clean??

Seams to me they would get beaten up from the coal dropping on it anyway…

Just my 2 cents worth… (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)

Andy look how long it took him to get this far …don’t give him any more idea’s …

#129

I don’t have a problem with a fairly soft bend. It does have to be fairly accurate in order for the corners to line up enabling them to be glued. My problem so far with heat bending the styrene is overheating and deforming the areas on either side of the bend. A little of that might be OK too once painted it may look like deformation from use.

Sean is right; I don’t need any more ideas - but working on this is helping me keep my sanity while stuck at home. Perhaps I should give it a shot in styrene and see how it turns out. I have plenty of material and plenty of time. Failure is not a problem :grin:

#130

And, speaking of dump trucks I’ve really had no luck finding anything around 1:18. My latest thought is to buy a 50’s pick up truck, cut it up and scratch build a small dump body for the back. So far everything I’ve found that I like is $80 or more, so the search continues. Late 40’s or early 50’s GMC or Chevy less than $50 preferred if anybody sees anything along the way!

#131

Jon,

Have you considered a 1/24 plastic model kit? I’ve seen a few 40’s era pickup trucks at the hobby stores in the plastic model section. They are around $25, but you get to assemble them. I’m always looking for 70’s era vehicles, but I always seem to find 40’s and 50’s era…

#132

1:24 is too small for Fn3. 1:18 is technically to big, but it’s closer. I have a lot of 1:24 die cast that I collected when I was running 1:29 and it was OK. Perhaps I’ll drag one out and show a comparison with on of my 1:18 cars in the scene.

#133

Jon,

One item to look @ for a truck is a Hess oil tank truck. I think it is a bank, with lights. I have one I purchased many years ago. initially planed on using as tank truck, but now looking at making a flat bed. I will try to post a picture later.

Al p.

#134

Jon,

Hubley on left for size comparison. I got this some time ago on EBay. so I am thinking of making a flatbed now, which will involve cutting off the oil tank part. and 3d printing from my files a stake bed . not a high priority right now.

anyway I think it is reasonable close to 1:20. maybe a little smaller.

(https://www.largescalecentral.com/FileSharing/user_2560/RGSNH/20200507_093247.jpg)

(https://www.largescalecentral.com/FileSharing/user_2560/RGSNH/20200507_093300.jpg)

Al P.

#135

3000toys has a couple of 1/18 50’s pickups but like you said they are $65 or more. Hard to pay that much then cut it up!

#136

@Al - Yes, that looks like a good candidate. If that was a Hess Christmas toy it might be old. They were white with green as far back as the 90’s when I was buying them for the kids. If it’s die cast it probably is a bank. Could be hard to find as well :smiley:

@Pete - I’m really in no hurry. When life gets back to normal, we have a huge weekly flea market near us. There is usually a guy there with lots of die cast and he sells cheap.

#137

Al - You have a collectors item there :grin:1985 Hess truck Coin Bank . 1 Million were made and retailed for $3.99 at Hess stations. Current retail in pristine condition with box is as high as $155. They are out there priced from $65 and up :open_mouth: Something to look for at tag sales and flea markets.

#138

This would look pretty cool sitting under the coal chute, but probably a lot earlier then what you model. (If you could even find one.)

They are a bit fragile for outside but ok for inside. Seems every time I touch mine another part breaks off.

This time it was a headlight.

#139

Now that Spring is really happening around here, I have spent very little time in the basement. As the hot weather looks to be returning soon it may become an escape from the heat for a month or so until the concrete warms up.

On the vehicle front; I did find a website that offers quite a few late 40’s early 50’s pick up trucks at a reasonable price. I think by the time I get the dump hoppers fabricated there won’t be very much clearance below, so a small truck is probably all that will fit.

And speaking of the dump hoppers. A fellow FEBT member Douglas Landon posted a never before seen picture of the Pukey Coal & Wood delivery trestle in Rockhill Furnace in the EBT yards. Douglas was around the railroad in the 60’s when it first opened for tourist service and documented a lot of structures that have since disappeared. Here are two shots of the trestle he took…

In the above shot, one of the two dump hoppers is clearly visible. It’s shape and position is different from what I imagined, but close! Knowing that all the timbers are 12" x 12", it won’t be too hard to scale this picture. That will be my next rainy day project. What is really cool, is this shot shows the lever mechanism used to open the chute. As would be expected for this era, it is not complicated at all and will add a nice touch to the foreground on my trestle.

Another shot he sent me by text shows the trestle in the distance with a few hoppers spotted on it…

Now, if I can just convince Douglas to find the prints and scan them again in higher resolution so they can be zoomed in on, I might really have a good source of data. Not sure he can do that but it’s worth a shot.

EDIT to add: I spoke with Douglas this morning. These ARE NOT his photos, he found them on the web years ago. Photographer unknown and no opportunity to re-scan in high resolution.

#140

Just saw this interesting tidbit from the Mt. Union Times posted on the EBT Facebook page…

Dec 22 1905 Mount Union Times pg 4 “ Contemplated improvements will undoubtedly keep the present outside force busy all winter. The track to the engine house will have to be moved to rear of the shop buildings on account of the addition to the machine shops. A new two story station and office building, 28 feet by 75 feet, to be heated by steam, will be erected and work will begun on foundation at an early date. The present office building will be removed, the water tank is to be replaced at the same time, and the space now occupied by those buildings will be filled with side tracks. A trestle is to be placed I Puckey & Co’s. Coal yard to admit of the dumping of coal and thereby save labor in unloading and delay to the cars.