Barrett Tank Hopper Car from a Tichy Train Group kit.

It has been two years since I started building these tank cars that were converted into hopper cars.  The purpose of the prototype cars was to carry slate granules for use on roofing shingles.  This project came about from an article in the Sept 2013 MRC titled "The Barrett Division covered hopper" Modeling a tank car that was turned into a covered hopper by Mike Evens. 

I was thrilled when this issue hit the shelves because these were cars that I knew I wanted to model.  Mike figured it out and I followed his instructions to create my own.  The first time I saw photos of these tank cars was in the D&H Steam in Color book by Morning Sun.  I was fascinated by the color and the advertisement on these private cars plus the unique look.  

Time to finish this project and get these rolling.  

A print out as an extra guide for decal placement

One down three more to finish the decals on.  

Greg

Unique

Very cool looking cars.

Those are great Tank ..Er...

...Hopper Cars! Nice work!

Great looking cars. What was

Great looking cars. What was the starting point for them and what railroads did they operate on?

D&H flanger

Noticed the part finished flanger in the final picture, could you post more details? As I would like to add one to my own shortline.I'm also sure the Battenkill flanger is D&H heritage.

Hi Rob In Texas

Hi Rob,

  I imagine your asking what the cars started out as!  The base for the project is the Tichy Train Group 10,000 gallon tank car.  As far as the operation of the prototype, they were mentioned to have run on the D&H Washington Branch most likely between Whitehall NY and Rutland Vermont.  That is all I know from reading about the cars.  I did a quick search and here is a little history of the company.

  http://barrettindustriescorp.com/about-barrett/history/

It would be interesting to find out the exact destinations for loading and unloading.  Your question will now have me doing a little bit of research.

Greg

Yes that is a D&H Flanger alco251

Hi alco251,

  I will post some photos of the flanger model you see in the background of the photo when I get a little further along on it.   I can send you in the direction of having one created at the following site.   http://www.accuratecustomfinishing.com/now-producing-3d-printed-models-.html  It is a D&H flanger and yes would work great for a model of the BattenKill RR flanger that is an ex D&H car.  A couple of these flangers were also sold to the Rutland RR so I will be looking at purchasing a second one.  I know the owner of the site above from the local hobby shop.  I have been providing him with information on creating a D&H item that, I hope in the next year will be available on the site. 

Greg

From the link you posted this

From the link you posted this might help with your research.

‘Good roads at low cost’

In 1903, the Barrett Manufacturing Company initiated experiments in Jackson, Tennessee, which eventually led to the development of Tarvia™. Tarviated roads were a cost-effective solution for creating and repairing the roads that Americans and their Model Ts so desperately needed. Barrett’s advertising campaign – “good roads at low cost” – targeted American consumers and told them how Tarvia™ could improve not only their roads but their lives, too. Improvements to the nation’s rural highways contributed to the success of the automobile, and generated unprecedented commerce between rural communities and distant cities.

The beginnings of collaboration

During World War I, Germany controlled much of the world’s chemical industry, causing a worldwide shortage of such commodities as dyes and drugs. To combat this problem, Barrett and four other American chemical companies merged to form the Allied Chemical & Dye Corporation in 1920. Allied instantly become one of the largest companies in the world and was poised to lend its industrial might to America’s national defense, if necessary. Paving materials were handled by the Barrett Division of Allied Chemical & Dye Corp.

Interesting to me is the fact that there was an Allied Chemical plant just south of Moundsville WV. That is with in 15 miles of my planned model railroad and along the unmodeled portion of the free lanced main line. 

I had a photo of the plant when it was still working but have been unable to locate it right now. It seems that I might just need to bash a few of those cars as you did. I would not be surprised to find out those cars traveled from the plant just south of Moundsville WV.

Prototype Photos of the Barrett hopper cars

The Barrett slate granule hoppers with a D&H Challenger pushing from behind.  

Look at that right next to a Rutland box car.  This photo shows a real good view of the hopper chutes. 

Greg 

A close up of the chutes and a view of the car on the layout.

close up of the hopper chutes created from a master, rubber mold and resin.  Some Styrene rod and nut bolt washer detail.  

Out back of the Rutland Roundhouse and  Boiler shop. Just need to paint the shiny wheels and add the Hi Tech Details air hoses.  

Greg

Bravo

I love your work on this prototype based model. I am greatly inspired. Thanks for sharing!

I still haven't found that

I still haven't found that photo of the allied chemical plant I was looking for  but when I do I will post it. You might see if Joe would like to run an article on your build of that car. I for one would be very interested in reading it and building a few of them for myself. They are very interesting looking cars.

Rob In Texas

Hi Rob,

  I would very much like to see this  photo that you have uncovered when you find it.  

I am not sure an article would be appropriate since I used an article done by Mike Evens to create these cars.  I deviated slightly and compromised on some details while using my own techniques in some cases to complete the models.  I would never have known how to start this project if It hadn't been for Mike's article.  

 This project came about from an article in the Sept 2013 Railroad Model Craftsman titled "The Barrett Division covered hopper" Modeling a tank car that was turned into a covered hopper by Mike Evens. 

If anybody is interested in help creating these cars using that article, they could contact me since I did create my own parts out of resin that would aid in creating one or some if desired speeding up the process. 

Some of the items that will be seen on this new blog will be creations that I have conjured up completely on my own and, sometimes following articles  by others to create a piece.  

Greg

I'll post it when I find it.

I'll post it when I find it. I discovered it by accident while going through some historical photos and it was not called Allied Chemical but that was what it was later known as. Right now it is all gone. and has been replaced by a power plant.

Just a photo of

 Rutland ALCO RS3 #205 leaving the yard passing under the River Street Bridge.  Behind the locomotive are two of many Funaro & Camerlengo cars that have been built for the railroad.  

Greg 

Delaware & Hudson 2-8-0 Consolidations

The Wooten boiler locomotives that roam around my version of Rutland Vermont.  

D&H #805 class E-48

D&H #1201 class E-6A

D&H #894 class E-42

D&H #1077 class E-5

D&H #1114 class E-5A

D&H #956 class E-51

D&H #930 class E-51 with clear vision tender

Greg

Your Roster

Greg,

Nice set of locomotives. Looking very family like.

Bernd

@SKIWIGGY

I have found the photo and saved it. I also have the link to the archives or address so you could look into it if you like. The plant was listed as making caustic soda. But I suspect that since it was so close to coal mines there might have been something to do with paving involved as well. There were lots of things that could be derived from coal and I am not sure if they actually took in any by-products from the mills that were upstream a few miles.

http://www.wvculture.org/history/wvmemory/photoresults.aspx?Per=&Topic=&Geo=&Col=&Words=Wheeling&Op=AND&NumRec=50

Hopefully the photo will stay there this time.

Now in looking at the photograph if one zooms in on it not all the tank cars seem to have the tall domes on them but I have not been able to identify with any certainty these nice cars you built. They would make a neat model though. I seem to remember one of the resin kit companies making a covered hopper with that name on it as well.

Hi Rob you started something

Hi Rob,

  Thanks for the photo and link.  Looks like Atlas made a Barrett tank car in HO.  Guess I will have to wait for another run if they do them.  Or keep searching around for anyone that might have some in boxes for sale.  

Oh and as I was looking into this  I found a Decal set.  Look what Microscale sells.  http://www.microscale.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=MC-4213&Store_Code=MD&search=Barrett&offset=&filter_cat=&PowerSearch_Begin_Only=&sort=&range_low=&range_high=

Looks like I need to go pick up a Funaro kit of one of these tank cars and some decals now.  See what you started Rob  The next project. 

Greg 

I have some older varney tank

I have some older varney tank cars that I bought at an estate sale and some other tank cars that might be lettered too modern for my line. I was planning on repaints as far as they were concerned and these decals might be worth while. I will be operating them post 1950 but hey it could happen.

 I saw the F&C kit and that looks like an interesting car as well. See now you have me looking at them too.

Three Projects involving paint and decals.

Bellow is D&H #999 modeled using the BLI 2-8-0. Creating this was not as intense as the other D&H consolidations that were scratch bashed.  The #999 operated on the Adirondack branch and was the oddball not having a Wooten firebox for burning Anthracite.  The only items added or changes were the marker lights, and the creation of th front rectangle number plate instead of a round one.  I also added the ALCO builders plates on the front smoke box.  The model was lettered using Champ decals set LG-50 and the box stripes on the cab from Highball Graphics D&H RS diesel set.  This is a close but, not perfect representation.  I was looking for a close enough is good enough on this one.   

Here is a 3D printed model of a D&H flanger my modeling friend Jeff created.  This model is still in the detail painting stage and needs some lettering applied.  I plan on ordering a second one from Jeff to paint up as a Rutland one that in real life was purchased from the D&H. 

This is a brass Rutland van by Railworks.  Jeff was kind enough to etch this for me so that I could paint it.  Since the caboose didn't come with decals, I used a set from a Funaro & Camerlengo Rutland caboose kit.  I have one more Rutland van to be etched and painted in a similar color scheme with different lettering.  I think a crew inside would look good and it still needs window glazing added.  The paint is a 50/50 mix of Caboose red and boxcar red.  

Greg

History Rides the rails

History Should ride the rails once this project is completed.  Bellow is the start of Rutland flat car #2753 which carried the Monument to Unknown Soldier to Arlington Cemetery.  Prototype photos by Jim Shaughnessy

The Athearn 40' flat car has been modified by filing off unwanted detail on the stake pockets and grab irons.  The odd number of 11 stake pockets match the prototype.  Tichy grab irons and A-Line stirrups have replaced the removed detail.  Archer rivet decals were used to create the missing detail to match that of the prototype.  This was done after following an article on how to create the Rutland flat cars in the November 2015 RMC issue titled "Marble Service Flatcars" by Bill Gill

The decals just added being set before the final clear coat goes on to blend everything together.

There are no decals available for this build so I am using ones from Funaro & Camerlengo 2300/2600 series flat cars for the Rutland wording and numbers and piecing together the rest by hunting through what remains of my Champ decal stash. 

Next up is to create the historic load to ride on top. 

02/02/2016

The start of the crate that concealed the load. I am running a razor saw over all the styrene strips before cutting it on my chopper to give it a nice wood grain effect for when the paint goes on.  

02/03/2016

The crate and bracing with a few more nuts/bolts to add.  Now the rest of the painting can begin.

Greg 

Rutland Flat car #2753 with Tomb of the Unknown monument crate.

All that is left of this project is to create a decal for the banner on the side of the crate.  

The crate and bracing was painted with Star Brand Paints STR-12 Natural Wood and the end pieces with a light coating of Weathered Gray Wood STR-10  http://www.p-b-l.com/catalog/cfm/catalog.cfm 

Tichy Nut Bolt Washers were used to match those in the prototype photo.   http://www.tichytraingroup.com/Default.aspx

Greg

Creating a D&H 500 series 4-6-0 camelback loco

A Bachman Spectrum running gear and a Mantua camelback boiler shell are being used to create a

Delaware & Hudson 500 series 4-6-0.  The Mantua boiler shell has been cut down and a bunch of cast on details are being removed.  A new coal tender or the one pictured either way will receive new sides with decal rivet detail to match that of the prototype.  This build represents the D&H locomotive before its rebuilding into a rear cab configuration.

Greg