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Scratchbuilt Flatcar Project Locos and rolling stock
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Active Member 54 posts Rick M Active Member 54 posts
Rick M

I have been working on scratch building a flatcar in On30 for my Monashee Pass Railway. The car is based on a SP (Southern Pacific) narrow guage prototype. I created the drawing templates below with a CAD program and developed some of my own construction techniques. I also used the article by Russ Watson in the 2008 On30 Annual to guide me along.

Flatcar.jpg 

I created a jig using the plan view to assemble the frame components. All of the details were added to the parts before the frame was assembled. Other jigs were created to locate all the mounting holes for the details. I will be using these jigs a lot as I plan to build low and high side gondolas, boxcars, stock cars and reefers using the flatcar as a base.

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Once the frame was complete, I added the brake parts and main truss rods. I installed Kadee #5 couplers and draft gear but I really don't like the look of the undersize couplers. So, I mounted a Kadee On3 coupler to compare the difference. I'm not sure I'm happy with it either. I am also considering trying a Sergent Engineering S scale coupler. It is about halfway in between size wise and I like the way they operate. Brake beams have been mounted on the trucks.

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I need to add some weight to the car as it is way under the recommended weight.The car needs to be painted black and lettered for my road. Then I will install the deck boards and brake staff/wheel. I have learned a lot during this project and some minor modifications will be done for future cars. Generally, I am pleased with how the car has turned out so far.

Logo.jpg 

Rick McPhee

Monashee Laser Engineering
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Bernd MRH Author 5,552 posts
Bernd

Scratch Built Flat

Rick,

Nice to see some scratch building going on. Nice job. Very detailed. Keep up the good work.

Bernd

New York, Vermont & Northern Rwy. - Route of the Black Diamonds - NCSWIC
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modelsof1900 Frequent poster 541 posts
modelsof1900

Rick, very good and well

Rick, very good and well detailed model. Great work! Let see us your progress!

I love such projects using wood!

________________________________________________________________________

Cheers, Bernd

My website http://www.us-modelsof1900.de - my MRH blog http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/blog/20899

and on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/bernd.schroter.566 where I write about all my new projects.
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bobby pitts Regular poster 339 posts
bobby pitts

It's nice to run into another

It's nice to run into another scratch builder. Your work is outstanding, super neat!

Regards, Bobby

Bobby Pitts
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AnEntropyBubble Frequent poster 614 posts
AnEntropyBubble

@Rick

Very Cool!

Andrew

Blog: The Nelson and Fort Sheppard Railway

 
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Neil Erickson NeilEr Moderator 5,776 posts
Neil Erickson NeilEr

Weight

Rick:

Consider making your center beams slightly smaller than the side sills and start by placing a peice if brass down the length of the car as wide as the two beams. This will not only add weight but give you some place to drill and screw into for trucks and couplers. I've tried using hollow center sills filled with lead but way to hard! If you need more weight then some bird shot between the center sills where not too noticeable will do a lot for empties. The low center of gravity makes for a better tracking car as well. 

Great job so far. I am anxious to see hou you will approach box cars - a jig for the side as well? 

Neil

Gandy Dancer & Chief Bottle Washer, Umauma Plantation Railroad, Hawaii

Neil Erickson, Hawai’i 

My Blogs
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splitrock323 Prolific poster 1,364 posts
splitrock323

Well done

Great build. Any chance of showing us the jigs you created? 

Thomas Gasior

Thomas W. Gasior MMR

Modeling northern Minnesota iron ore line in HO.

YouTube: Splitrock323      Facebook: The Splitrock Mining Company layout

Read my Blog

 
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IrishRover Prolific poster 1,660 posts
IrishRover

Impressive!

As a beginning scratch builder, I am glad to see more scratch-building going on.  I'll look at anything you choose to post, as I want to learn a lot!  Thanks for sharing!
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Rick M Active Member 54 posts
Rick M

Thanks

Thanks everyone for your comments. They are greatly appreciated. I will post on more projects as time goes on as I enjoy sharing my modeling with others. We all benefit from sharing with each other.

Logo.jpg 

Rick McPhee

Monashee Laser Engineering
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Rick M Active Member 54 posts
Rick M

Jigs

Thomas,

You asked to see the jigs I used. The plan view of the frame was mounted to a clear piece of styrene and then the blocks were glued to hold the parts in place during assembly. The jigs for drilling mounting holes were made with styrene as well. The side view of the outside sill showing the hole locations was taped to the jig and then holes drilled in the appropriate locations.

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The last photo shows a side sill and end beam in the jigs. Very simple jigs to create giving very accurate results on the model. Thanks again for taking a look.

Logo.jpg 

Rick McPhee

Monashee Laser Engineering
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Bernd MRH Author 5,552 posts
Bernd

Simple & Neat

Rick,

Very nice simple and neat jigs you made. Thanks for posting.

Bernd

New York, Vermont & Northern Rwy. - Route of the Black Diamonds - NCSWIC
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splitrock323 Prolific poster 1,364 posts
splitrock323

Thank you

That's a great way to make and use jigs. I always appreciate when modeler so show th rest of us how they created great models and trains. 

Very nice ice scratch build.

Thomas Gasior

Thomas W. Gasior MMR

Modeling northern Minnesota iron ore line in HO.

YouTube: Splitrock323      Facebook: The Splitrock Mining Company layout

Read my Blog

 
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