loads are nice good

loads are nice good variety.

Rob in Texas

Got loads

Loads

I'm in need of removable loads for realistic operations: I want to be able to load respectively unload open cars at their spots. So open cars come in loaded and go out unloaded or vice versa.

"Gondolas with covers" sounds very interesting - do you have any pictures?

mill gondolas ...

Tutoral

How about a visual tutoral on how you made them and what you do to lift them out without touching the car? Thanks.

Step by Step

Step 1:

I cut the bottom of the load out of balsa wood (or sometimes styrene). It has to drop easily into the gondola.

Step 2:

The reverse side gets its "hidden secret" - two pieces of wood glued to it. One effect is to simulate more load in the car, the second effect is shown later.

Step 3:

The upper side is colored black, gray, grimy, dirty - sort of the color of the load. BTW: Now you know why my favorite to model old, weathered wood is balsa wood.

Step 4:

The load itself - this time coarse gravel - is glued to the balsa wood bottom with lots of white glue:

Step 5:

Now you can see the effect of the "hidden secret": Pushing down one side of the cargo lifts the other end:

Step 6:

This works also directly on the layout: A load of gravel just arrived:

Step 7:

The gondola needs to be unloaded, because the next day the next train will pick up the unloaded gondola:

I only have to push down the load with one finger on one end and take out the load at the other end with two fingers. The car itself is not touched or moved. This way it is very convenient to simulate the flow of cargos in and out.

Very clever! I will pinch

Very clever!

I will pinch this idea for later.

Cool tip

Gondola loads

Outstanding!

thanks

Wayne

hi, just an idea, how about

hi, just an idea, how about gluing small metal washer under the load, then use a magnetic to lift load out of car?

dont know if the the load creates to much friction on side wall for this to work, but means no big fingers in car....

cheers andrew

Simple covers in HO

The covers I made started as the tube insert for a roll of paper. Some of our rolls of paper at work are on plastic tubes. For any size of gondola I first cut the tube to length. I then cut strips out of the tube that are the right size for the width of the gondola. I make a frame of styrene U- channel strips around the perimeter of the gondola and glue the tube onto them. Closed off the end with another piece of styrene, added a few ribs across the strips for looks and there are some simple covers.

There are commercially available resin covers out there if you want a high end cover.

Simple Loads of ore

I really like the methods of making loads for N scale cars. They certainly can be translated for any scale. I needed loads for my ore from a pit to the crushing plant. As they are handled often, putting real rock on a form would not be suitable. My solution is to use a white floral foam which I purchase at a craft store. I cut blocks to fit the cars, sculpt them with my fingers to look like loads, and paint them with craft paints.

The loads are easy to make and are a good representation of my ore.

I also stuck magnets into the back of them and glued a magnet to a knob to take them out of the car with ease. Just remember to align the magnets north to south  north to south etc so you can pull the loads out. I used magnets rather than washers as I found when I tested a washer the load did not come out as easily as I wanted for quickly "dumping" the load at the crusher house.

Scrap load

I just finished a new scrap load:

A lot of different scrap from kits and kit bashing was glued down to a cardboard base. Then all was covered with gray acrylic primer and afterwards colored and weathered. The last step was a coat of matt acrylic varnish.

The complete load is removable as a whole as shown above in this thread.

Steel

I just finished another load of steel:

Scrap

And another scrap load - compressed leavings:

Scrap, too ...

Sorry, no scrap. Rust, pure rust!

Real scrap

Years ago I was taking this gon to O scale west to display and as I was walking out the door I thought it might look better with a load so I dumped the contents of my bench top scrap box into it and took off.  I can see the trip pin of an old baker coupler sticking up :> ) ......DaveB 

Gon loads

I have been using metal on bottom of loads for years. Saves lots of time unloading a car and no touch or false derail.

Terry

Gon scrap load

After the sinking of a car float, one of the tank cars floated down the bay and washed up on a beach.
 
They were able to get it later and loaded it up on a gondola along with another wrecked car.
 

Model Railroading is Fun,
Rob

OPEN TOP LOADS

Excellent ideas and illustration of how to,,, I also like your weathering skills on the gons  Maybe an explaination on your method of weathering ??