New passenger cars

Unfortunately because the lights are amber they make the red interior appear to be brown. A couple more days of finishing off the details and then these cars will be done for now. Enjoy, Ron

tac · February 9, 2010, 6:52pm

Beautiful work, Ron and a great inspiration to us all. I’d just love to cosy on down in one of those seats!

tac
www.ovgrs.org

cabby · February 9, 2010, 7:47pm

Wow,
That is really cool.
Ralph

paintjockey · February 9, 2010, 8:31pm

Bob Cope said:
Noah to God........What's a cubit???
Bob C.

God to Noah… How long can you tred water???

paintjockey · February 9, 2010, 8:49pm

Beautiful work. You may have inspired me to build instead of buy.

Dr_Vulcan · February 10, 2010, 5:29pm

Welcome back to the final installment. As of now the cars are complete. Although I may add some more details as time and the urge strikes me, for all intents and purposes they are ready to go except for the observation car. It still needs a rear railing. I have a plan but unfortunately I don’t have the materials and it will be a couple of weeks before I can get them. I will post pics when done. First is a close-up of the railing. I am only showing one, as all the cars are the same

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab29/trainman57/Passenger%20car%20build/DSCN2017.jpg)

Then a shot of each of the finished cars, first the combine

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab29/trainman57/Passenger%20car%20build/DSCN2026.jpg)

The coach

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab29/trainman57/Passenger%20car%20build/DSCN2027.jpg)

And the observation car

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab29/trainman57/Passenger%20car%20build/DSCN2028.jpg)

Here are some pics of the new cars together

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab29/trainman57/Passenger%20car%20build/DSCN2020.jpg)

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab29/trainman57/Passenger%20car%20build/DSCN2019.jpg)

And a couple of shots of all the cars that will make up the train

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab29/trainman57/Passenger%20car%20build/DSCN2022.jpg)

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab29/trainman57/Passenger%20car%20build/DSCN2023.jpg)

Statistics: Each of the cars weighs about 2.25 lbs. Everything has been fabricated from raw materials except for the wheels and couplers. Both of those are from Bachmann. I estimate the total cost for three cars to be less than $100 not counting time. They have been fun to build and I hope you all have enjoyed watching them come together. Now I have to go clean up the shop and then on to Challenge 2. Have fun and enjoy, Ron

Kettle_Valley · February 10, 2010, 5:39pm

Great looking passenger set Ron!!! In a few years I might try that. LOL.
Randy

tac · February 10, 2010, 5:40pm

Ron, I’m pretty sure that I speak for all of us when I say ‘well-done, and thank you’ for this excellent ‘how-to’. now that I know that it will be longer than my projected lifetime before the AMS cars ever get over here to UK, this set will be my next big project.

Thanks again.

tac
www.ovgrs.org
RLGSS Member

Richard_Smith · February 10, 2010, 5:49pm

Ron,
You have created a beautiful train! Wow! What color will the lettering be and will you show us what they look like fully lettered ?

dottney · February 11, 2010, 2:06pm

Wow they look great. Your techniques are going to inspire me to get off my duff and do some passenger cars.
Dave

Dr_Vulcan · February 12, 2010, 1:54am

Randy, just dive in and have a go at it. From what I have seen of your buildings you are no stranger to a workshop or wood. These are not all that difficult.
Terry, would love to see pictures of your cars when you get them done.
Richard, The lettering will probably be gold or yellow, not sure. I don’t have a name for my railroad so I really am in no hurry to letter them up. When I do, yes I will post pics.
Dave, if I have inspired you, then I have accomplished my mission, for now.
Thanks to everyone for all the encouraging comments, it has been very enjoyable for me and for anyone contemplating building these cars I am more than happy to share my experiences.
Ron

chuckger · February 14, 2010, 1:57pm

Hi Ron,

Your cars turned out super, thanks again for posting your building log. What kind of loco are you planning to pull them with?? Are you planning to trim the loco with the same paint colors as the cars??
I too am considering building a passinger train, the part that bother me is the clearstory roof and the ends of the roof. After watching your build I’ve decided to give it a go. With the experience you have gained building the cars have you thought about building a Private Car or Buisness Car for the president of your railroad??

Chuck

Dr_Vulcan · February 15, 2010, 4:40am

Hi Chuck
I only have two locos, a Bachmann K-27 and a Connie. I will probably pull them mostly with the K-27. No it will not be painted in the same trim. As far as the clerestory goes, it is not really very hard. I would recommend following the way that I did the combine and coach rather than the observation car. Although it does look better with a fully finished interior unless you are making the roof removable no one will see it anyway, and cutting all those matching roof ribs is a bit of a chore. Unless you have some sort of automatic cutter. I cut them by stacking pieces of plywood together with double sided tape and then cutting the entire stack together on a band saw.
Yes, I have thought about a business or private car and will probably do one sometime in the future but not for now.
Thanks, Ron

Rooster · February 15, 2010, 10:31pm

Very nice work Ron:)

Dr_Vulcan · March 24, 2010, 3:33am

Well I finally got around to finishing the railing on the observation car. I also added coupler trip levers and air lines and glad hands to all the cars. The railing is built from 1/8 square brass tube verticals, 3/32 square tube horizontals and 1/32 wire for the pickets.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab29/trainman57/Passenger%20car%20build/DSCN2147-1.jpg)

The gates are made of 3/32 square tube and 1/8 C channel. The hinge is 1/32 wire inside a copper tube.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab29/trainman57/Passenger%20car%20build/DSCN2148-1.jpg)

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab29/trainman57/Passenger%20car%20build/DSCN2149-1.jpg)

Some shots of it mounted on the car

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab29/trainman57/Passenger%20car%20build/DSCN2167-1.jpg)

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab29/trainman57/Passenger%20car%20build/DSCN2168-1.jpg)

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab29/trainman57/Passenger%20car%20build/DSCN2169-1.jpg)

In order to keep the gate closed I added a small piece of a straight pin and inset a 1/8 diameter magnet into the wall.

(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab29/trainman57/Passenger%20car%20build/DSCN2171-1.jpg)

Thats it. They are officially finished. No lettering at this time. Hope to be able to run them on the layout in the near future. Hope you have all enjoyed the build and maybe have been inspired to try scratchbuilding. Maybe just a little bit. Ron Sorry about the big pics. Something screwed up.

cabby · March 24, 2010, 9:42am

Ron,
Thanks. Sure did enjoy the build.
The cars look great. When you can, some nice decals will really make them “pop”.
Ralph

tac · March 24, 2010, 9:48am

Ron - they just get better and better! What we need to see now is a pic of the rake behind a loco, preferably a video.

Please.

tac
www.ovgrs.org

JRad · March 24, 2010, 1:23pm

Excellent brass work. I need to get some brass stock and start playing around with it. I know how to solder, but have never been comfortable working with metal. You and Bruce make it look easy

Bruce_Chandler · March 24, 2010, 2:28pm

Very nice.

I’m having trouble seeing that brass hinge arrangement, but I think I get the idea. Very clever.