Large Scale Central

D&RGW 6000 Series Flat Car

Modeling
#1

My new project will be four D&RGW 6000 Series (almost) flat cars with various loads. I have taken the drawings from the September / October 1987 issue of Narrow Gauge and Short Line Gazette and generated a set of AutoCAD drawings at 12"=1’’-0". The drawings in the Gazette are at 1:48 (1/4"=1’’-0") so line widths sometimes exceed an inch, so some extrapolation has been done.These have then been scaled down by 1:20.3. To generate a set of drawings to make my cars from, I dimension this last set of drawings in 5 place decimals. I then rounded the dimensions to the nearest 1/32" for making a cut list, included below. I am posting a series of pictures and PDF drawings of my fuxture build so anyone who wishes to use this material can follow suit, or even “scissors draft” their own custom car. The drawings presented in the photos are not necessarily the finished files. As I was working on laying out the blocking for the frame fixture, I came across dimensions I had left out, and cleaned up the arrangement some. Fixture drawings can be found “link here”. If anyone has a set or real 6000 series flat car drawings, possibly from the Maxwell collection, I would not mind adding the information from them.

The base for the fixture is a piece of 1/2" medium density fiber board (MDF) cut to 5 3/4" x 21". Photo 1 shows the basic base, and Photo 2 with End Beam and Stringer blocking locations layed out. I chose the MDF material for the base because it is very dimensionally stable, and will take a finish well. I am using a gloss polyurethane finish to minimize the frame sticking to the fixture in the evnet that any excess glue should ooze out and get between the frame and the fixture during fitup and assembly. A coat of wax will also aid in releasing any excess glue.

Figure-01

Figure-02

The positioning blocks are scrap pine from household projects, glued in place, held with clamps while the glue sets up. Pigure-03shows the general layout of the blocking on the base board. Figure-04 shows the dowel which will act like a ‘‘3 legged chair’’ when the wedges are applied against the End Sills. Figures -05 thru -07 show some of the progression of adding the blocking to the base. Figure-08 is the completed fixture, ready for finish. Also in this picture are the wedges that will be used later in the assembly portion of the build. More on the wedges and making them later. See the materials list provided in the PDFs for the dimensions and quantities of the individual blocking pieces required. Once all the blocking is in place, and the glue has dried, clean up any excess glue with a sharp chissel to keep all the joints square and crisp. Coat the entire fixture with several coats of gloss polyurethane, keeping any bubbles to a minimum and scuffing between coats with steel wool or fine sandpaper. Once the polyurethane has cured for a couple of days (the humidity in Florida is brutal), give the fixture a coat of hard wax. I use a carnuba car wax. (No pictures of the finished and waxed fixtue yet. Still working on that part.)

Figure-03

Figure-04

Figure-05, Figure-06

Figure-07

Figure-08

… and the link to the PDF drawing of the fixture for those interested.
https://www.gscalejunkie.com/GeneralPics/6000Flat/6000_Frame_Fixture-.pdf

More to follow in the days and weeks to come.

Bob C.

#2

Very nice. I’m impressed with all the thought that went into that jig. Are you sure you only want 4 cars?

#3

I’m a great believer in making freightcars by the batch. I have to agree with what I think Bruce is thinking, that four seems like a rather SMALL batch. So far the smallest batch I ever made was six, and most of my batches have been eight, the occasional batch as many as a dozen. Mind you, I have to confess all this was in a smaller scale than this - I used to model in 1:64 on 9mm (Sn3 to the great unwashed)… Today if I were doing a batch of LS cars, I’d do a dozen I think. At least to have the bodies, could always add trucks and couplers later… Flats are ESPECIALLY useful!

#4

@Bruce

The small batch is more or less a proof of concept thing. I am pretty sure it will work as designed, but I didn’t want to cut up a large batch of material to discover that it is out of whack some where. I am also thinking I may use it for some shorter boxes and gons.

This is just the first installment, I plan on following through the whole building process, along with any jigs or fixtures I create. I have a couple of other simple ones already, but will cover them at the appropriate place in the build.

@John

I have material cut for 6-8 cars. Some of the cuts (truck bolsters in particular) were interesting on a 10" table saw. Fingers get mighty close to the blade. I have been REAL CAREFUL since I caught my right index and middle finger in a plywood blade on my dad’s saw many years ago. Took 17 stitches to put the ends back together (flesh damage, not bone). Small batches for me are dictated by meager disposable income for the detail parts. I am building 4, but only have parts for two. Hartford’s detail parts are wonderful, but not cheap. I have decided since I have a bunch of assorted other vendors rolling stock, my scratched will be the best as I can do.

I have followed the builds of many of the fine modelers on this site for the last 3 or 4 years, Bruce being one of them. As I progress I will welcome any advice, constructive criticism, etc. from all on board here.

Thanks for reading.

Bob C.

#5

It’ll be a pleasure to follow you on this adventure, Bob.

#6

I suspect that you could use this as the base for a boxcar. What detail parts are you planning on getting from Hartford? To me, the most expensive part seems to be the trucks. I don’t really see a way around that.

#7

Bruce,

If the plastic on your bench top is heavy (weight wise) for it’s thickness and slick as the devil, I believe it would be UHMW. That stuff is tough, and most stuff will not stick to it. It also makes great bearing material. I am considering trying to purchase a piece of rod and make bearings for a couple of freight trucks and see if it reduces the rolling friction any.

The trucks are the most expensive part. However, when you add up all the other parts and bits required, stake pockets, brake wheels with pawl, air reservoir … etc. it starts to add up as well. I have sufficient detail parts to do one car now, and by the time I get ready for them, I will have the second set of trucks.

I am going to try the copper wire method for making the grab irons and coupler lift bars. Will use my survey flags for truss rods. Will prolly go to PNG for the nut/bolts for the grabs, I like his stuff for that.

BTW, on that note, I believe you have used his trucks before, how do you mount them? Do you also use his body center plates? Wood screws or machine screws with blind nut? As you can see, there are some details I am still working out.

Bob C.

#8

Bob I am also looking forward to your build on these. I would like to build some more rolling stock but trying to fin a ‘cheap’ source for trucks these days is hard. i did get in on the last of the BM flatcar kits for a few sets of inexpensive trucks but that source is now gone.

#9

Bob, For mounting my trucks, I typically use a shouldered 10-32 screw from McMaster-Carr. The shoulder is 1/4" in diameter. I tap a 10-32 hole in my “bolster” - which is usually a piece of acrylic, but I have also done it in wood. I use CA cement to “harden” the wood.

Then, I have a small spring (1/4" ID) that goes on the shoulder and helps hold the truck in place. The spring cannot be too long, or the trucks won’t rotate freely.

#10

Randy,

For these cars, because I am doing a higher level of detail, I am using Hartford’s truck. Normally I use either the plastic Bachmann or USA trucks. The USA ones are almost dimensionally equal to the Bachmann, but a little difference in the side frame appearance. The USA truck frames accept the Bachmann wheel sets with out issue. The last time I bought a bunch of trucks minus wheel sets from RLD Hobbies, they were about $3.50 a pair. I would call and check as that was about 2 years ago.

Bruce,

I like your idea with the spring, it is very similar to the Accucraft method (what is that they say something about flattery). I am thinking similar, maybe using a piece of Delrin rod from McMaster-Carr, boring and tapping it, then ACC that into the bolster. As I said, some things are still to be determined.

Bob C.

#11

Bob, yeah, Accucraft was my inspiration. They use a smaller screw; I used a larger one as the small one would not work with the Aristo-Delton trucks I used.

I’ll be interested in your method; it just seems like there’s not many options in large scale. In HO, I could buy bolsters ready to go and I think it was Central Valley that had a snap arrangement.

#12

Bruce, I got that impression due to one of my Accucraft cars lost one of the screws during an ops session at the club and I had to get a new one from Cliff.

I have a couple of ideas in mind, the Delrin rod being one. Another was a small round electronics stand off which will come tapped, and ACC or Epoxy that in place. I am thinking either method will work, although the Delrin rod could also double for the birch dowel I used in the flat car bash a short while ago. Keystone Electronics sells the brass threaded spacers, 8-32 inside, .250 outside, by lengths from .250 to 2.00 long. They also list a selection in phenolic as well.

On another note, I didn’t have any gloss polyurethane so I am using the satin stuff I have. I still think it will work OK so long as I was it well first. I will be posting a couple of pics of the finished fixture and the wedges probably tomorrow evening. It is so humid it is taking extra time to dry the poly.

Bob C.

#13

Time for a small update. First shot is of the finished fixture on the bench, along with first the intermediate sills, then the outside sills, and furthest away is the stock for the floor planking. This is not quite finished yet, I need to do the rabbits on the edges of the boards.

Next shot is the other end of the fixture, the cross stacked wedges ready for use, and the bags containing the truck bolsters, needle beams, end beams and the filler block to mount the coupler to.

I will be using Bob Hartford’s stake pockets, so I made a drilling fixture to simplify locating the pockets and drilling the holes. It is not as clear as I would have liked, but there is a small hole directly in the center of the drilling fixture to align with the center of the car.

Last is a bit of a detail shot of the location holes.

That will prolly do it til next week. Club meeting and visiting daughter and family will chew up this weekend. Bob C.

#14

Well…club meeting, rain, more rain, Wiregrass Model Railroad Show and Sale (runnin’ trains), and more life in the way and finally a bit more progress. Finished the fixture for drilling the end beams. Simple 1/2 x 3/4 x 1/16 aluminum angle with pilot holes for the grab irons and truss rod penetrations (or detail castings). I may add some holes for the lower brake bracket, but I need to decide whether I am going to buy or make them. I am going to deviate from the original drawing and mount simple strap brackets for the lift bar.

More progress soon. Bob C.

#15

Bob looks good. Come winter I plan on making a bunch of flat cars etc… This is a great thread. Getting some good ideas.

#16

Thanks Shawn, that is a compliment coming from a modeler with your talent. I think the next fixture to make is for locating the side steps. I should have included that with the stake pockets, but didn’t think of it at the time. I also need to make a fixture for making the steps ala Bruce Chandler, and one to bend up the grab irons, although I think I will do mine in aluminum. I can’t remember who posted it, but I am going to try the ‘stretch and twist’ the copper wire for stock material for the grabs. I’ll stick with the survey flags for the truss rods, I like the look.

#17

I use flanged 8-32 threaded inserts on all my builds for truck mounting. Got the idea from Phil Dippel of PNG. I use an 8-32 round head with a spring just like Accucraft.

http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/jebouck/threadedinsert.jpg

#18

John. Ive thought about using rivnuts for threaded inserts, but epoxying them in place. The widget in your picture looks like a better solution. Off to the hardware store!

#19

I’m decidedly low-tech when it comes to mounting trucks. I just use a 1" deck screw or similar-shaped wood screw. The conical shape of the head of the screw centers the truck no matter what the diameter of the hole in the bolster, and I can tighten the screw on one truck down snug enough to where it can rotate but not rock, and the other just a hair looser so it can rock side to side. This gives me a good “three point” suspension on the car which keeps things rolling smoothly.

Looking forward to seeing the cars progress.

Later,

K

#20

Last fixture for a bit. Time to start the building process. On the left is the drilling fixture for the strap steps and on the right is the fixture for the side sill grab irons. After I get the frames built up will come fabrication of the grab irons and strap steps. These will require a couple of fixtures, but that is for later.

Bob C.