Large Scale Central

Centerbeam Flatcar Build

Modeling Rolling stock
#21

Gee, my passenger cars took almost 2 years. Well, there was the year long break when I discovered I didn’t know how to make the roof ends. When it came to me how to make them, one night in a flash of inspiration, then it was back to work on them pesky thangs.

#22

Oops the cat is out of the bag . (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)Well anyway the next step was to build the 2 end bulkheads . I went by pictures I found on the internet. I used 0.80 plastic as the main bulkhead sheet . Then I cut 2 pieces 1 scale foot wide , drilled a slot in each as per photos and cut out the bulkhead top of 0.80 sheet. Then I glued them together with MEK to form the bulkhead “box”. Afterward using various “L” channel and strips framed the box. The ends are decorated with laminates of rectangular tube , round tube, sheet , and various Evergreen Product shapes. They took me about a week to complete and attach to the car. About now it was starting to look a little like the car I was trying to build. Here are a few more pictures. (http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/todus2/IMGA0451[1].JPG)(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/todus2/gondola%20load/IMGA0453[1].JPG)(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/todus2/gondola%20load/IMGA0454[1].JPG)(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/todus2/gondola%20load/IMGA0585.JPG)(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/todus2/gondola%20load/IMGA0586.JPG)

#23

These are just dang pretty.

#24

Gees this guy makes it look easy!

#25

Here are some more progress pictures of this build . I would have liked to post the entire build at one time but i’m not that good at this computer stuff and what I would have is a small novel followed by 30 + pictures and I think that would be harder to follow . I’m kinda just “winging it” as I move along , so i’m not to worried about counting rivets. Besides this car looks mostly of a welded construction anyway. So anyway heres what I did next. I started building the center of the car now. There is a solid panel of 0.80 plastic that is the main panel that makes up this part. On these there are 4 vertical beams . 3 of them are tapered and one is strait . I used 3/16 square tube [Evergreen Plastic #253 ] to make the tapered verticals . I took them to my Delta sander to create the taper . After gluing them in the appropriate spot I drilled a hole every 2 scale feet from the top for the chain slots. I used a smaller drill and cut a slot below the hole to link up with the big hole I drilled before . The horizontal parts are made from Evergreen #252 square tube. I filled the inside end with Green Magic body filler and sanded smooth then mounted it to the centerline on the deck with MEK. (http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/todus2/gondola%20load/IMGA0589.JPG)(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/todus2/gondola%20load/IMGA0593.JPG)(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/todus2/gondola%20load/IMGA0594.JPG)(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/todus2/gondola%20load/IMGA0596.JPG)(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/todus2/gondola%20load/IMGA0605.JPG)(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/todus2/gondola%20load/IMGA0609.JPG)(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/todus2/gondola%20load/IMGA0611.JPG)

#26

What wonderful work. The more photos the better to understand.

#27

Real nice work… (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)

#28

thank you for adding the sizes, brand, and parts numbers used. it is very helpful

#29

Dave Marconi said:

“I’m already 2 months into this project so it will seem i’m making quick work of it”

now why did you have to go and reveal that tidbit to those unknowing souls here. We’ve tried for years to get them to believe scratch building only takes 3 days tops(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)

Your just upset because he makes you look like a slacker!

#30

The next thing to do on the car is to build the posts that go down the center of the car . I first drew on paper and a napkin a full model size pattern where the posts are and the deck etc. This gave me the point where the diagonal rods will pass through. I transferred these dimensions to a sheet of 0.30 plastic . Each post is made of 3 pieces , the center made from 0.30 sheet tapered from 1’ at the base to 6" at the top 11’ tall and drilled for the diagonal rods , and 2 pieces of Evergreen #266 “C” channel drilled every 2 feet from the top for the chain slots as described before . As I made them I fixed them to the centerline of the car . I used MEK for the glue on everything plastic. Each took a little tweaking to have them line up reasonably well using a small file. All I can say is I’m glad these are done. .(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/todus2/gondola%20load/IMGA0456[1].JPG) (http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/todus2/gondola%20load/IMGA0460[1].JPG)(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/todus2/gondola%20load/IMGA0461[1].JPG)(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/todus2/gondola%20load/IMGA0462[1].JPG)(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/todus2/gondola%20load/IMGA0463[1].JPG)(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/todus2/gondola%20load/IMGA0631.JPG)One more to go in the last photo for a total of 12.

#31

Wow!

#32

Tom Ruby said:

Wow!

Yea, I agree!

#33

Moving right along here the next thing I did was build the top . Its a piece of 0.80 plastic 4 scale feet wide and fits between the bulkhead ends . Then I glued the length of the piece a strip of “L” angle [Evergreen # 294] butting it up flush with the sides. When that was done I glued horizontal ribs from [Evergreen #257] rectangular tubes where I marked it ,flush with the “L” angle sides . These should line up with the vertical posts I did earlier. After that using the same #257 I glued in the center ribs the length of the top . On the sides of the truss between the horizontal top ribs I used HO scale 2x4’s 6" long to simulate a small hold down there. Now was the time to mount it to the car on its centerline with liberal use of MEK . Some shimming of the vertical posts was necessary . At the end of the car where the bulkhead meets the top I bent a one foot wide piece of 0.15 plastic as per photos . Here are a few more photos. .(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/todus2/gondola%20load/IMGA0642.JPG)(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/todus2/gondola%20load/IMGA0643.JPG)(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/todus2/gondola%20load/IMGA0644.JPG)(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/todus2/gondola%20load/IMGA0646.JPG)(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/todus2/gondola%20load/IMGA0647.JPG)(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/todus2/gondola%20load/IMGA0687.JPG) I forgot to mention I also drill the chain slots on the horizontal ribs 6" from the edge too.

#34

Loving it

#35

Heres my next installment of this build for your viewing pleasure. The next thing to do is make the diagonal braces and supporting gussets . There are 8 gussets made from a 18"x18" square piece of 0.30 plastic laminated on each side by a piece of 0.15 plastic 15"x15" , rounded at the corner. On the edge that will mate up with the 0.60 square rod I flattened it for a better glue surface. I drilled a large hole in the gusset after the MEK set up. I then applied four rivets on each side using a dab of JB WELD. These were glued in the appropriate spots on the car . After these set up I cut a piece of 0.60 plastic rod slightly longer to account for the MEK dissolving some of the plastic and fixed them into place stringing them through the vertical uprights. Next I cut some K&S brass sheet into aprox. 0.80 wide strips. After I bent them around some 0.60 sheet and trimming them to the correct length I threaded them through the large hole in the gusset and glued one side at a time with epoxy. Once it was all cured I crimped them with plyers for a strong connection. The truss work is now complete ! Next will be the 36 winches for the sides of the car. Heres some more pictures .(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/todus2/gondola%20load/IMGA0636.JPG)(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/todus2/gondola%20load/IMGA0638.JPG)(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/todus2/gondola%20load/IMGA0640.JPG)(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/todus2/gondola%20load/IMGA0656.JPG)(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/todus2/gondola%20load/IMGA0661.JPG)(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/todus2/gondola%20load/IMGA0663.JPG)Two down two to go in the last photo .

#36

“0.80 plastic.” Do you really mean .8 inches? Perhaps 80 thousandths (0.080)?

#37

Tom I had to go to the workshop and look . Your right i’m bad , I didn’t add the “0”. It should be .080 not .80 .

#38

Holy crap that’s amazing. You build some insane freight cars!

#39

Thanks Matt , looking forward to more photo’s of your stuff.

#40

What wonderful work