Side Dump Ore Cars

[trammayo]

When I was doing my L'il Bash (and looking for prototype pics) I came across a scene of a US contractors loco hauling a string of side dump cars.

From then on, I tried to collect a few of the Bachmann cars. I didn't know that B'mann had made two similar models - one basic and the other a Spectrum range product. My first aquisition was from ebay - Spectrum - and the second was from a fellow forumite (the original basic model). I managed to get two more - one of each again.

I did say (a while back) that I would make some from scratch and I still intend to do so on this thread. However, with four I could run a basic train - so there is no immediate hurry.

On examining the different models, the two green ones are the original basic and the black and oxide ones are the Spectrum.

Underframe of the basic model - a lot thicker in places as well as all plastic ...

Obvious differences in the Spec' were metal wheels, finer check chains and wood grain finish inside (and out) the car body. The original ones have the plank grooves only and not inside. The Spec' has a finer (mainly diecast) chassis too.

Chain is silver coloured and wider links than the Spec' one ....

I didn't particularly like the green shiny finish so I decided I could respray them in Red Oxide primer. Then I though about the planking details missing inside and, of course, the wood grain.

Does anybody remember scumbled and combed 'woodgrain effect' doors? I thought, if I had a little comb, maybe I could scratch in the wood grain? The scribe wood do the plank outlines but what could I do to make the grain? Eventually I thought of a piece of hacksaw (10 or 12 inch variety). I snapped a piece off the end of an old blade where the teeth don't get worn and had a go. It isn't the easiest of things to use - its hard to turn the tiny piece to get the grain wider or narrower - but it shouldn't look too bad repainted and assembled.

more in next post

 

[trammayo]

more pics - scribing and scratching (then lightly rubbed down) ...

and finally the detached chassis....

At the moment the body parts are in the process of being repainted.

 

[beavercreek]

Are you going to get the blowtorch and soldering iron out to 'distress' the planking like in the photo Mick?

When i was at college, for a summer job, I worked at a reproduction antique workshop owned by an antiques shop of some repute.
They made 'repro' furniture that really did appear to be original antique stuff.
I was given the task of making the lovely desks and tables etc look like they had been around for a long while.
To do this is was furnished (excuse pun) with various chains and shown how to beat or 'distress' the surface.
After a few that looked more like they had been salvaged from a demolition than had had a 'serene' long life, I got the hang of it. And to this day I always look at furniture and I still can tell real antique 'aging' from false.........

 

[yb281]

Really like that Mick. Looking forward to seeing the finished train.

 

[playmofire]

Looks good, Mick. Another way to grain plastic is to drag coarse wet and dry down it in a wavy pattern.

 

[trammayo]

Are you going to get the blowtorch and soldering iron out to 'distress' the planking like in the photo Mick?

Distress? Blowtorch? Tell you what, to buy another Spectrum one would cost be about £60 inc' postage! No, I might make a dummy load or two and I'm going to make one or two myself out of genuine didgrow - I can carve them up as I go.

 

[trammayo]

Thanks for your comments Mike, Mel & Gordon. The bits don't look too bad painted. I'll wait until tomorrow to assemble (and for the paint to harden).

Gordon - yes I wondered about coarse oxide paper. I have a couple of belt sanders and (being a tight git) if I tear a belt, I usually cut it up and put it in a sanding block. It was just the old fashioned wood graining that came to mind that led me to make a comb.

 

[Woderwick]

I use old x-acto saws to scribe my wood grain? A bit less course.

 

[daveyb]

looks great,,, just a shame about those couplers,,,,

sometimes i wonder about bachmann,,,,,,

they have to be the ugliest knuckle coupler out there,,,

bit like rolls royce having a toilet brush for a mascot,,,,,

 

[beavercreek]

looks great,,, just a shame about those couplers,,,,

sometimes i wonder about bachmann,,,,,,

they have to be the ugliest knuckle coupler out there,,,

bit like rolls royce having a toilet brush for a mascot,,,,,

Yes indeedy but they are pretty good at holding on. Only bettered by Aristocraft for strength but they are also way out of scale.
Kadee are the prettiest, IMHO, and the most in scale but I have found them to be a little unreliable on big gradients with a longish train..

 

[trammayo]

I use old x-acto saws to scribe my wood grain? A bit less course.

Yes - and there's a bit more to hold on to. Good idea Wod.

 

[trammayo]

David and Mike - yes the couplings are numb looking (and prone to opening up), Aristo are far more positive and neater.

Question though - would this type of truck ever have utilised Knuckle couplings?

I had considered converting to link and pin - any thoughts?

 

[alec dawe]

I'd have thought that knuckle couplers would be too heavy, and far too complex for construction type operations, where ore cars are continually being coupled and uncoupled, plus they would be difficult to actually get to couple properly given the light weight of an empty ore car.
Link and pin, simpler the better, seems a more realistic option, in my opinion.

 

[trammayo]

Yes you're right Alec. I'd forgotten that I had saved a photo from my Internet searches - and it confirms it

 

[bigjack]

I have several of these wagons and have put a load in each. I'll take some pictures later to show you how I did this.

 

[bigjack]

I firstly cut a piece of polystyrene to fit inside of the wagon. I then lined the wagon with clingfilm, put the polystyrene inside the wagon then coated the polystyrene with PVA. I covered the PVA with Vermiculite and allowed this to set. Once dried, the excess was removed and then a further layer of PVA was applied to build up the layers.

This how it looked once built up and excess removed.

A side profile once completely dry.

The Vermiculite was then sprayed black. Here seen as the finished article once finished in the wagon.

 

[trammayo]

Yes its a good idea Steve with the cling film - that third pic down looks good enough to eat! I have polystyrene but I also saved loads of polyurethane foam trimmings from when I put the DG in! I think I'll have a go using your method

 

[trammayo]

Right! I finally got to reassemble the painted bits this afternoon. They don't look too bad (although they are no way near as good as Bachmann's Spectrum wood grain!).

My close-up photography is naff too but at least I'm consistent (could get an ISO certificate for consistency ).......

Then I had a go with the chains. The original are rather out of scale;-

So I cut eight lengths of chain by pinning it down - one pin hammered in the wood and the other a map pin used to locate the end - and then cutting with side cutters.

I used a piece of the old chain for the loops that fit on the frame and some MIG wire cut for the top ring to allow permanent fixing. Bachmann used a 2mm parallel thread self-taper. The new chain was just a little small on the links for the screws.
I formed a spiral (like a spring) around a nail and just cut as required.

One car has the chains glued in place - they always come off the frame end when lifting on and off the track. The ones I'm going to make will have the chains permanently set in the travel position.

 

[daveyb]

link and pin all the way for me,,, the accucraft mine tubs have link and pin and look very nice,,,

loads look good too,,,

 

[stevedenver]

what a nice job you did on scoring the wood grain....

as far as repaints
great minds.....
i bought the first series in close out for 14.00 US, came with little cheap plastic mine portal and shed -green
couldnt make up my mind between oxide and black and gold victor gold mining co livery
these are a perfect scale for the LGB porter imho , not to mention the bachman shay and climax-but i think one would need 20 or more


i (over) did equine style 'cribbing' on the slats , and used real wood inserts as an experiment in a more accurate interior, later trying 'metal plates' instead -as you can plainly see, i did a half ass job on weathering and working these up, thinking i would add loads to 3 and finish up-but i was using chalks, and , simply , i didnt because i knew the effort would be washed away with the first run of my sprinklers-alas i digress

i love the look of these, especially the wheel frames

these AND the green LGB FRR side dumps were both used in the US ,
among others

these cars benefit hugely from using the inexpensive (or once were) bachman smaller diameter metal wheels-makes them run as nicely as LGB cars