Here are a few photos of preserved narrow gauge rolling stock at the Colorado Railroad Museum that I took about twenty years ago. I have found that prototype photos like these are a great help when building and/or weathering equipment for the garden railroad.
Bob,
Those photos are about 20 years old? I was just there last month and that rolling stock looks about the same! (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)
And this brings to mind a question I have had for a while now. How thick are the doors on those boxcars?
David Maynard said:
And this brings to mind a question I have had for a while now. How thick are the doors on those boxcars?
They looked like 2x4 wood, so 1.5 inches.
Joe Zullo said:
Bob,
Those photos are about 20 years old? I was just there last month and that rolling stock looks about the same! (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)
Joe,
Actually, not quite 20 years. All of these photos were taken on Saturday, February 19, 2000.
Bob
Joe Zullo said:
David Maynard said:
And this brings to mind a question I have had for a while now. How thick are the doors on those boxcars?
They looked like 2x4 wood, so 1.5 inches.
Joe, that is kind of what I am thinking. And if we are close, then the doors on many RTR “models” are overly thick.
David Maynard said:
Joe Zullo said:
David Maynard said:
And this brings to mind a question I have had for a while now. How thick are the doors on those boxcars?
They looked like 2x4 wood, so 1.5 inches.
Joe, that is kind of what I am thinking. And if we are close, then the doors on many RTR “models” are overly thick.
1.5" in that era would be a 1.5" not a 2x4
David,
You are correct. I did not measure them as I had no ruler with me. They looked like 1.5 inches but could have been 2 inches! (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-embarassed.gif)
David Maynard said:
…then the doors on many RTR “models” are overly thick.
I’m shocked! 
On the D&RG wood cars, all wood is dimensional size. A 1 x 4, is a true 1 inch thick and 4 inches wide. You would be surprised on how much stronger a true 1x4 is compared to the common 3/4 x 3 1/2 1x4.
On the box car doors that I have re-built ( D&RG 3000 series, as re-built in 1926), They are a layered up door made from a 1x4 and 1x6 frame, with a outer layer of Tongue and Groove Fir 3/4" thick. There are several metal pieces attached to better the wear factors. Best guess overall about 2 3/4 inches thick.
The Cattle car doors are 3 layers of 1 inch wood.
Dave
Dave yes I know that old wood was the dimensions it says it is. I had to compensate for that when I repaired the roof on my house. And that old wood was old growth and aged for over 50 years, so it was harder then the new growth pine I used in the repair.
Thanks for the information.
