Large Scale Central

WV&K Shops build a Composute Reefer

Modeling
#1

So what to do with the remains of a 7/8 scale flatcar and some cast resin stell ends? Welp I discovered during my New Years Eve inventory that I have more tank cars than I do reefers…and I don’t have an industry that requires tankcars! The Bruce has done an exquisite job building a composite boxcar, so why not do a Composit Reefer?

Normally I work in batches, but this time its a one off. Luan is beautiful stuff…and I get it for free as part of packing matierial at work. I backed the resin castings with a luan bulkhead, and glued the ends to the frame clamping for support…

Luan is being used for subwalls as well as for bulkheads midships the keep the sides plumb and provide carlines for supporting the roof…

#2

Looks good so far! Look forward to the progress!

#3

OK, today installed the sub sides and interior bulkheads, got it squared up and plumb, and clamped everything six ways from Sunday…

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/bart_salmons/_forumfiles/compositereefer04.jpg)

Next up will be manufacturing some scribed siding and making a roof!

#4

Is it warm in here? Feeling the heat to get off my but and build one of these (Has been on my ‘to-do’ list for ever).

The 1st picture looks like a 40 footer, the rest make it look like a 50. whitch one are you doing?

That’s going to be neat!

#5

very nice build! I was thinking of getting a phil’s narrow gauge kit of a reefer. I’ll b keeping an ete on this build.

Terry

#6

Looking good Bart.

#7

Great idea Bart. Will it be lettered for your own road?

#8

OK i’m at a loss. Is this thing going to be about 24" long? Scaled to 40-42 feet? As I try to count the squares on the cutting board, and run over the ends.

#9

Welp it was a 24ft flatcar in 7/8 scale, and the tape measure says its 22.5 inches long whatever that works out to in 1:20.3 (yes its a narrow gauge car). honestly Richard I hadn’t thought that far ahead. The other reefer on the roster is lettered for the Port Lavender Artificial Ice Co, I guess I might wanna start thinking about that…

#10

Not much done so far this week after eye surgery on Wed. After work today I did take it out of the clamps and added a roof. there is a 1/16 acrylic sublayer with a .040 styrene overlay, and I have marked the locations for the roof ribs. Getting a dull ache behind the starboard peeper that I think means ‘Quit it stupid’…

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/bart_salmons/_forumfiles/compositereefer05.jpg)

#11
Bart Salmons said:
Welp it was a 24ft flatcar in 7/8 scale, and the tape measure says its 22.5 inches long whatever that works out to in 1:20.3 (yes its a narrow gauge car). honestly Richard I hadn't thought that far ahead. The other reefer on the roster is lettered for the Port Lavender Artificial Ice Co, I guess I might wanna start thinking about that.......
Bart,

22.5 inches in 1:20.3 scale comes out to a 38 foot long car.

#12

Looking good Bart. I need to get a set of your decals sometime. And some purple paint, I guess. Sigh. :wink:

#13

MAde a lot of progress on a day I was supposed to be ‘taking it easy’…,homemade scribed siding applied…

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/bart_salmons/_forumfiles/compositereefer06.jpg)

and frame members made from 5/8 I beam…used the same method that was used in the EBT boxcar build to get the taper…

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/bart_salmons/_forumfiles/compositereefer07.jpg)

Also added fascia boards, bolsters, and assembled the trucks…loks a lot like a reefer now…

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/bart_salmons/_forumfiles/compositereefer08.jpg)

#14

Looks great Bart! Also feeling the pressure to build a similar car. Did you make and cast your trucks? They look great!

#15

Yep…cast resin trucks with Bachmann wheels…sideframes are 4 cast resin bits screwed to a wooden bolster…

#16

More fiddly bits slowed progress down today…defined the doors and added some side detail, roofwalk supports ice hatch platforms and ice hatches, and made up the ladders for sides and ends…

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/bart_salmons/_forumfiles/compositereefer09.jpg)

#17

Very nice Bart! I really need to start casting some of the parts I make, would sure make things easier than making multiples that need to match. I look forward to the finished result.

#18

Casting can be a whole hobby in itself! there are all sorts of fun and interesting things you can do with it.

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/bart_salmons/_forumfiles/compositereefer10.jpg)

Added the ladders and the stirrup steps this evening…

#19

Sweet

#20

coming along nicely Bart