I am needing car plans for a 2 or 3 bay hopper, box, reefer and other cars. Something that would show all major body and frame components.
I don’t have CAD and haven’t a clue how to use it so need a completed work or something from a craftsman style kit.
Thanks
Andre`
Hey Andre’,
Do you own a computer and a printer? If you do, there are CD’s that you can purchase from RailDriver at www.raildriver.com. They are copies of historic cyclopedias of locomotives, freight cars, and passenger cars with fully detailed drawings. The CD’s also come with a simple program that you can load on your computer that allows you to copy the drawings from the CD and blow them up to any scale that you want to model in.
I have used this software for years and I model in 1/29th scale. This software allows me to copy any type of drawing, either from the CD or from different sites. Then I blow up the print until I can get it to a size that I can scale out a wheel or driver (something drawn on the print). You then set the scale that you want, place a “X” on both sides of the driver, write in the size of the high lighted driver, and then press the print button. From there the software will blow up the entire print to the scale you picked and will arrange it to print the drawing on 8-1/2" by 11" paper. Most drawings take anywhere from 6 to 8 pages, you tape them together, and you end up with is a full scale drawing to work off of for modeling.
I have built several pieces of equipment using this software. I like to model Northern Pacific which is hardly made by any manufacturer. Currently I’m modeling a wooden baywindow caboose that the NP shops made from old 36’ wooden boxcars. I started with an old Delton boxcar, but had to scratch build the windows and other items. I copied the drawing from the Northern Pacific Historical Site, made a 1/29th scale drawing, and measured the scaled drawing for several parts.
I’m going to start building a scale model of one of the NP two story depots using the same program and cutting the pieces out on my CNC Router that my cabinet shop ownes.
Let me know if I can help.
Chuck
Andre’
Download the PDF I posted under Seaboard Coastline Modeler. It is an 80 page PDF. The last 30 pages or so are drawings(plans) of rolling stock.
Not as handy as the Raildriver CD’s, but free.
Ralph