Last winter I had the great pleasure of building the forthcoming V&T Engine Trasfer Car kit from Iron Creek Shops.
David Frey is the researcher, model builder and instruction-writer behind these V&T kits, with Al Pomeroy being the 3D / 2D designer, laser pattern maker, casting master maker, drawing producer, etc. Don Niday runs ICS and creates the innumerable castings.
This winter I hope to build the V&T ventilated box car kit, which is another F scale / standard gauge (70.64mm gauge) masterpiece kit in the series. I understand that it will be the first of these kits for sale, and that it will be available very soon. I’m not an ICS spokesman, so for the real facts please contact Don (see ICS home page).
The V&T came up with these unusual cars to transport hay, animals and other freight requiring ventilation. The barred doors could be shuttered as needed. NSRM has a fully restored car.
Mike Collins & Stephen Drew wrote a book covering this car, which can be purchased here. Mike created the plans for the car, and remained the expert on it until he sadly passed away a couple years back. I knew Mike, and conversed with him each year at the V&T conference. He continues to be deeply missed by many.
Before that time, David Frey worked with Mike, and performed extensive on-site measurements, photography and research related to the actual car. Al Pomeroy translated all the data into precise and highly detailed 3D models, from which assembly drawings, part drawings, laser patterns, templates, jigs and casting masters would be generated. The result is quite the stunner.
The as-supplied kit is amazing, with numerous castings, lasered wood parts, pre-cut brass and other materials, lasered drill patterns, finely-turned wheelsets, and a very thorough instruction manual.
Here’s the parts for just the trucks:
For the car body and Sams couplers (the “SC” parts), these are the castings and stock materials.
Here are the wood parts and templates.
After laying these out, I have one word to say: Gulp!
But after building the Transfer Car, using David’s instructions, I feel confident that I (speaking not as a master model maker like David or Al) should be able to reasonably pull it off. I’ll give it my best shot over the coming months.
Cliff