V&T Ore Car Project

[Cliff_Jennings]

I’ve asked those most likely to know how the brakemen on the V&T cars did their thing, and the consensus seems to be that they walked over the ore loads and operated the brake wheels while standing on said loads.

This detail of a larger photo (Chollar mine, Virginia City) was pointed out to me. It shows 4 men, leaning against the brake wheels of 4 V&T ore cars. They may be mugging for the shot (which I’d assumed whenever I’ve seen this pic); but they may well be the brakemen running these cars into the Nevada Mill (behind the camera).

Notice that there’s no way to reach those wheels from the footboards. And since there’s no great way to climb up (there are no grab irons on the bins), if it were me hoisting my fat self topside, I’d want to stay up there until the job was done (and walk from car to car if need be).

[smcgill (Sean McGillicuddy)]

Are any cars going to have a load to show how they looked loaded ?

[Cliff_Jennings]

You bet, probably at least half of them.

[smcgill (Sean McGillicuddy)]

Real product or 3d printed to save on weight …

[Cliff_Jennings]

Sort of a mix. Real product topside, sculpy below that (for shaping), and structure (probably acrylic) below that. Depending on behavior on the track, perhaps fishing weights potted onto the structure. I’d like the load to be removable, probably by turning the car upside down.

[Cliff_Jennings]

Sean, here’s a better answer.

I’d like the load structure to be acrylic, because it’s fairly heavy, and I have gobs of scrap.

Some Magic-Sculpt or whatever epoxy putty will give it some shape. Holes in the top panel allow the putty to bite.

Scenic gravel would go over that. I have lots of the gravel leftover from the Sutro Tunnel model project of a couple years ago.

The boxes can accept additional pieces of acrylic if more weight is needed.

I may embed some magnets to lift the load out, but need to test to see if that will work with the weight.

Thanks for asking.

[Cliff_Jennings]

More on the load… I lasered one up, put epoxy putty on it, and pushed those magnets in.

The putty is held onto by holes in the plex. The strcuture has room for weight, but this is seeming heavy enough.

Pickup testing. I’ll probably add a couple more magnets.

In the bin.

[smcgill (Sean McGillicuddy)]

It looks more like salt

[Cliff_Jennings]

This is just the putty; the gravel will be much coarser.

[Rooster]

WTF …Cliff you got issues man!

[Cliff_Jennings]

Thanks Roosta.

[Rooster]

[Cliff_Jennings]

[Dave_Meashey (David Meashey)]

Rooster & Cliff;

Well of course model railroaders are insane. 'Cause we can’t help getting possessed by our own loco - motives!!

Ducking & weaving, David Meashey

[Cliff_Jennings]

I was ableto get back to brakes this morning, and completed the subassemblies. Mainly brake beams and linkage groups.

[Rooster]

@Cliff_Jennings

I was ableto get back to

Never heard of the guy myself.

However the linkage and chain does excite me!

[Cliff_Jennings]

A little fastener story. I’ve been using some tiny screws on this project, like 00-90. It took almost a month to get them from Micro-Fasteners, not sure why. So when I saw that I needed more of a certain size, that spelled schedule trouble.

Amazingly, in the collection of tiny screws given me by Bruce Chandler a year or two ago, the exact screw was there, in enough quantity. This happened again with yet another size, and also the 00-90 nuts.

So, thanks again Bruce!!

[Cliff_Jennings]

Working on the brake shoes this morning, each of which involve four parts.

[Cliff_Jennings]

The brake shoes are done, and I’m stunned that it went so smoothly! I was expecting further undiscovered complications, but none so far.

So next up is installing the brake beams & linkage, along with rigging the chain to the brake staff.

[smcgill (Sean McGillicuddy)]