Aristocraft Gondola shorten/bash

[a98087]

I’ve had an idea for a unique wagon for my layout, and that’s to shorten an aristocraft gondola to make something more suited to a narrow gauge line.


Has anyone done this before or got any links to any articles? I found one many years ago but it has since disappeared from the web


My plan is to cut at the two red arrows, taking care to ensure the panel seams are preserved

As seen the gondola looks a bit big behind a forney

Dan

 

[Gizzy]

Does it have a separate chassis which you can cut in a different place and then strengthen?

I cut down a NQD coach as such....

 

[a98087]

First of all here’s a video on YouTube I found as someone doing the opposite to me, but might be helpful to any one else who gets tempted to copy me.

If anyone else does this, watch out for the hidden side screws under the side ribs.

Also you can have different lengths, I went for the shortest possible, but the 1st photo shows a longer option

Things have progressed quite well with my conversion, I’ve have

Dismantled the wagons
cut the sides and floor, measuring carefully
Reassemble wagon now in 2 halfs


Next step is glue the 2 half’s together, and then make a removable load to cover the joint.

With luck I might be able to get away without repainting the entire wagon

Dan

 

[dunnyrail]

Not done anything like this with a Gon, but have done similar work with LGB toy train wagons shortening one and lengthening another. Key was to strengthen the underside of the chassis, I found thick lengths of plasticard worked very well. I did some along each part of the underside possible trashing the chassis detail in the process, but what is not visible below the side plates is irrelevant anyway in my mind. For a longer wagon with bigger loads short lengths if thin ally angle may be a better bet