Bill

That sounds very effective, but I wonder if it would not have
been easier to use a tiny bit of epoxy to hold the brass strap?
I have epoxied shim brass placards to covered hoppers this way
and they are bonded very strongly to the ribs. I've even done
it with brass cars and baked the paint in the oven and the
placards remain strongly attached.

Tim O'Connor

I was looking at photos today of some single sheathed cars and was
reminded of another situation where using brass wire to pin a part in
place works very well. Many SS cars had a strap that bridged the
diagonal & vertical braces to the right of the door permitting it to
be opened without being caught by the bracing. Although I have used
styrene to replicate this strapping, brass is much better. I trim
some brass sheeting to form the strapping. Then I drill a #79 hole in
each end, determining the ends after I have formed the brass over the
braces. I leave enough strapping to have a little handle on one end.
Laying the strapping on the model, I mark where one hole will be
drilled into the car side. The pins are made from .012 wire. I pound
one end to flatten it and then use one of the pins to hold it on the
car side. The pin can be bent on the inside to hold everything in
place. Then I position the strapping so I can mark where the second
hole will go. Drill and insert the another pin and ACC on the back of
the side. Very sturdy and looks very sharp.

I have used this technique on tank cars to secure dome platform
brackets make from brass strapping also.

Bill Welch