This one is Bruce’s fault. We saw this boxcar at Strassburg.
It has a steel frame (so no pesky trussrods), wood sides, and stamped steel ends. Its standard gauge, so it took a bit of fiddling to get the proportions right for 1:20.3 NG. After a bit of tweaking, I had a good end drawing, so it was time to make the master for the end of the car.
Here’s the beginnings of the master for the end. Its a bunch of 1/8 styrene triangles glued up in approximate proportions.
Next step involves lots of filler, and some judicious filing.
And here’s how it stands today. Still lots more filling and filing and sanding to do, but its getting there.
Looking good, Bob! Can’t wait to see how you do the corners. 
Bob ,
I shall be interested to see how that turns out , I must admit that I would have taken a rounder approach–but that is not intended as a criticism , far from it , your lateral thinking to humping has made me think again . Looks good , keep it going .
Mike
Well, I had considered using half-rounds and filling in between them, but the prototype ribs are more angular, so Bruce and I figured that triangles would be about right. Who knows?
Now, I just ordered rivets from Galtran ( http://galtran.com/ScaleNutsandBolts/rivets.htm ), so I have some time to file and sand until they show up.
Pressed steel box car ends–reason #259 why I’m glad I model late 1800s narrow gauge technology.
Seriously, it looks like a cool project. Keep the photos coming.
Later,
K
I believe that a lot of the difference one sees on pressed steel car ends are the result of different carmakers, just as AC&F had different brake wheels than other builders, Ralston prolly has a different car end than the others…Some more rounded…some more angular…I forsee some of these in the WV&K future…
Thanks Kevin. I thought I had enough box cars, but having talked this one over with Bruce, I knew I had to make a half dozen or so, for that ‘different’ look. That and a few EBT-esque steel cars.