1. main@RealSTMFC.groups.io
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Re: Model brake component size comparison to prototype

ron christensen
 

Interesting comparison
I wondered what the cylinder should look like if the brakes were off, so I modified a cylinder.
As far as I know no one manufactures a cylinder with the push rod in.
Ron Christensen
Re: Southern FD 349012

gary laakso
 

Thanks, Garth!  The interior of the N&W gon coupled to the flatcar has debris and scrap. 

 

Gary Laakso

Northwest of Mike Brock

 

From: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io <main@RealSTMFC.groups.io> On Behalf Of Garth Groff and Sally Sanford
Sent: Sunday, April 5, 2020 4:49 AM
To: RealSTMFC@groups.io
Subject: [RealSTMFC] Southern FD 349012

 

Friends,

 

This morning while I was scanning up some Southern locomotives, I remembered this flat car which I shot in Charlottesville, Virginia sometime in the late 1980s. Probably because it was unusual, I took a series of photos, including a deck shot from the bridge you can see in the low level views.

 

The 15 cars in series 349000-349014 were built by Thrall in 1956, so they just make it into our period of interest. I present them for your enjoyment, approval, and possible use in modeling (nice weathering on the deck!). If anyone has need, I can post the ORER dimensions and note VV from my 1958 ORER.

 

Me? I have no use for heavy duty flatcars on my layout, an obscure fictional Southern-controlled subsidiary which has no customers that would need such a car. 

 

Yours Aye,

Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆
Southern FD 349012

Garth Groff and Sally Sanford
 

Friends,

This morning while I was scanning up some Southern locomotives, I remembered this flat car which I shot in Charlottesville, Virginia sometime in the late 1980s. Probably because it was unusual, I took a series of photos, including a deck shot from the bridge you can see in the low level views.

The 15 cars in series 349000-349014 were built by Thrall in 1956, so they just make it into our period of interest. I present them for your enjoyment, approval, and possible use in modeling (nice weathering on the deck!). If anyone has need, I can post the ORER dimensions and note VV from my 1958 ORER.

Me? I have no use for heavy duty flatcars on my layout, an obscure fictional Southern-controlled subsidiary which has no customers that would need such a car. 

Yours Aye,

Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆
circa 1946 freight car images

john oseida
 

There was a recently concluded eBay listing that had a number of images that might be of interest to the group including one of those not often photographed poultry cars:






Regards,

John Oseida
Oakville, ON


On Saturday, April 4, 2020, 2:06:52 p.m. EDT, Tim O'Connor <timboconnor@...> wrote:




Thanks Drew for the clarification. I'd love to see this done. It seems to be an
almost forgotten art at least for HO models.


On 4/4/2020 11:35 AM, Drew wrote:
Tim,
   I worked in a prototype model during my high school years. We used lost wax a few times. First a master is made and a mold made off that master, the mold was usually RTV rubber. Wax was poured in to that mold to make a second master which did shrink a bit. That wax master was then placed in foundry sand and hot metal poured in to the sand mold. The wax melted/vaporized and metal took its place, hence the name lost wax. It's been 20 years since I last did that but I do recall there was a bit of shrinkage in each step.

Drew Marshall in Philly, PA

Modeling the pre-Depression years.

Sent from TypeApp
On Apr 4, 2020, at 09:15, Tim O'Connor <timboconnor@...> wrote:

As I recall, all Cal-Scale detail components were OVERSIZE because they were used
 for lost wax casting! In that process the plastic parts are for the molds and are
 destroyed in the casting process, and the shrinkage produces parts that are closer
 to scale.
Or am I wrong? :-)
Tim O'Connor
========================================
On 4/4/2020 9:00 AM, Lester Breuer wrote:

A comparison of several manufacturers’ model brake component measurements to Westinghouse prototype brake component measurements prepared by George Toman was sent to me for my use.  I asked George to share his measurements comparison on my blog.  If you are interested in the  comparison measurements, they are now available on my blog I have to share photos and writeup of projects on my Minneapolis & Northland Railroad Company. If would like to take a look please do at the following link:

 

http://mnrailroadcab100.blogspot.com/

 

Lester Breuer

--
Tim O'Connor
Sterling, Massachusetts

--
Tim O'Connor
Sterling, Massachusetts

Re: New Run: Rapido HO Scale General American Meat Reefer

Tom Madden
 

On Sat, Apr 4, 2020 at 12:42 PM, Todd Sullivan wrote:
Tim,

Thanks, those are great photos and they show exactly what I was trying to describe!  There's one other photo I know about that is in one of the small softcover Anthracite railroad books.  It shows an overhead view of the CNJ yard on the Lehigh River with 3 SLRX reefers.  Since all my Eastern RR books are in storage elsewhere, I can't check.
"Memories of Eastern Pennsylvania Railroading" by Gerald Bernet, page 9. Two red Swift reefers, distant view, roofs are a dirty dark freight car red with a couple of lighter red individual boards. Lots of other interesting freight cars in the shot, including an obligatory NP box car, but the half toning gets in the way of being able to say much about individual cars. Great overall view of the CNJ's (CRP's?) Jim Thorpe yards in 1953, though. One of my favorite books but I wish it had been done in a larger format with higher quality reproduction. (It's 8.5 x 11, horizontal format.)

Tom Madden
Sunshine B&O O-59A gondola - containers

Malcolm H. Houck
 

Perhaps an obscure commodity shipped in gondola - containers was coal........Howe Scale at Rutland, Vermont had a cupola furnace for melting iron pigs and regularly received containers of anthracite (as I was informed once upon a time in conversation) for this furnace.........I will certainly stand corrected by those on this list more knowledgeable........

Mal Houck
Re: Model brake component size comparison to prototype

Ralph W. Brown
 

Hi Dennis,
 
Live and learn, I guess.  Admittedly, what know of the process was learned a few decades ago, so I stand corrected.  It would be interesting, to me anyway, to know what types of plastic are used and how the shrinkage of the various materials compare.
 
Pax,
 
 
Ralph Brown
Portland, Maine
PRRT&HS No. 3966
NMRA No. L2532

rbrown51[at]maine[dot]rr[dot]com
 

From: Dennis Storzek
Sent: Saturday, April 4, 2020 2:06 PM
To: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io
Subject: Re: [RealSTMFC] Model brake component size comparison to prototype
 
On Sat, Apr 4, 2020 at 10:36 AM, Ralph W. Brown wrote:
My understanding is that the sacrificial material used to make the molds for casting is, as the name of the process implies, wax, which melts and is absorbed by the mold when it is first heated leaving the void later filled with molten brass or other casting metal.
Wax was used when the masters were being "spin" cast in rubber molds. For higher production numbers the masters are injection molded from styrene. Precision scale Co. plastic parts are the same; investment casting masters sold as parts. Come to think of it, Grandt Line once sold their parts in brass, also.

Dennis Storzek

Re: Southwest Scale Productions Doors

Steve and Barb Hile
 

Thanks to Richard Townsend and George Toman, this request has been satisfied.
 
Thanks again.  Stay safe,
Steve Hile


From: Steve Hile [mailto:shile@...]
Sent: Saturday, April 4, 2020 1:43 PM
To: STMFC
Subject: Southwest Scale Productions Doors

I am trying to further document the selection of Dan Hall's SSP doors.  I would like to have a picture of the number 610, the 5-5-5 wide-seam "Overland" door.  Just the unfinished door, if possible.  Here is what I am using for the #612
 
 
so something like that would be helpful, if you have one or could take one like this, I would appreciated.
 
Please contact me off-list at shile (at) mindspring (dot) com.
 
Thanks,
Steve Hile
Re: Model brake component size comparison to prototype

spsalso
 

While Cal-Scale (Bowser) may well use their plastic parts to investment cast their brass AB brake parts, they still have the wrong dimensions.

Shrinkage during the casting process is 1.8%.  If you multiply the prototype dimensions in the chart under discussion by 1.018, so as to predict the proper size of plastic piece that will produce the proper sized brass one, the numbers just don't work.  The dimensions are just wrong.  Unless there are errors in the table.

So any errors in the Cal-Scale parts are not based on making properly oversized parts for casting.


Ed

Edward Sutorik
Re: New Run: Rapido HO Scale General American Meat Reefer

Tony Thompson
 

Todd Sullivan wrote Dreferring to Tony Koester)e\:

Back in his Allegheny Midland layout days, I once asked him why he didn't detail and weather all his hopper cars.  He replied that he needed 200 hoppers and was still trying to finish work on the layout.  That was an instant "Oh, never thought about that" from me.  

      Reminds me of my days in Pittsburgh, when my good friend C.J. Riley always had an excellent entry in the model contests at NMRA regionals. At one of those meets, C.J. casually mentioned to someone that he was starting a layout. The other person immediately responded, "I guess we won't be seeing you in the contest room any more." I was surprised at the comment, and said so, and the reply was, "Wait and see." Of course, he was right. Ya just can't do everything.

Tony Thompson
Greg Martin

Schuyler Larrabee
 

With the permission of his family, a report:

 

Some of you may be aware, but the current COVID-19 infection has Greg in the hospital for, now, a bit over two weeks.  He was feeling ill at home, and collapsed, whereupon his wife called the ambulance to take him to the hospital.

Greg’s has several compromising conditions, so the virus is really giving him a tough time.  He’s been comatose most of the time he’s been hospitalized and his brother told me that the reports from the doctors are up and down from day to day.

 

Greg’s contributions to the steam era freight car modeling fraternity need no clarifications from me.  But I hope that we will all l hope and pray for his recovery.

 

Greg has a Facebook page, which is being updated regularly with his condition.

 

Schuyler
Re: New Run: Rapido HO Scale General American Meat Reefer

Todd Sullivan
 

Thank you, Tim, I stand corrected.  My fingers are dyslexic.  I know the difference: SRLX = meat, SLRX = beer.

Todd Sullivan
Re: New Run: Rapido HO Scale General American Meat Reefer

Tim O'Connor
 


Whoa thar, Todd ! Be careful with reporting marks :-D

  SLRX = St Louis Refrigerator
  SRLX = Swift


On 4/4/2020 2:42 PM, Todd Sullivan via groups.io wrote:

Tim,

Thanks, those are great photos and they show exactly what I was trying to describe!  There's one other photo I know about that is in one of the small softcover Anthracite railroad books.  It shows an overhead view of the CNJ yard on the Lehigh River with 3 SLRX reefers.  Since all my Eastern RR books are in storage elsewhere, I can't check.

Thanks again!

Todd Sullivan

--
Tim O'Connor
Sterling, Massachusetts
Re: New Run: Rapido HO Scale General American Meat Reefer

Todd Sullivan
 

IIRC, when Tony bought these Atlas cars, they were the only RTR Swift meat reefer models available.  He was acquiring a fleet of meat reefers for the traffic out of Kansas City.  All other available models were resin kits, and he wasn't going to build 25-30 resin kits for his fleet due to cost and time-to-build.  Back in his Allegheny Midland layout days, I once asked him why he didn't detail and weather all his hopper cars.  He replied that he needed 200 hoppers and was still trying to finish work on the layout.  That was an instant "Oh, never thought about that" from me.  There are a few other SLRX reefers on his current layout, but the Atlas cars really filled the need at the  time.  Such are the compromises when you build a large layout.

Todd Sullivan.
Nose-talgia isn't what it used to be (was Model brake component size comparison to prototype)

Nolan Hinshaw
 

On Apr 4, 2020, at 11:45, Randy Hees <randyhees@gmail.com> wrote:

The late Dave Braun once investment cast a road kill rabbit... It apparently was almost cartoon flat, but very much recognizable as a rabbit...
I remember that one!

He sold it as a piece of art... Apparently the odor when it was being "burnt out" was particularly memorable... not in a good way...
Veterinary creamatoria aroma in a bottle! Dave was a dry one, as well as a master modeler.
--
Ex Sacramento Model Railroad Club downtown behind Beers Books
early member Sacramento Valley Live Steamers
Re: Anyone Want A First Generation SFRD Mechanical Reefer?

Garth Groff and Sally Sanford
 

But Tim,

Didn't C&BT shops do at least one of the SFRD Mechanicals, or were they just plug door rebuilds of earlier classes? I bought a couple of their swing-door cars before Long's had Intermountain make theirs. The plug door cars were too modern for my interests at the time. The C&BT cars had some problems with the add-on parts (especially overly wide running boards), but IIRC the bodies and roof castings weren't all that bad. At least one of my pair was finished with IM parts.

Yours Aye,

Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆


On Sat, Apr 4, 2020 at 2:37 PM Tim O'Connor <timboconnor@...> wrote:

This poll reminds me of practically the same poll taken some time ago, asking us
which early Santa Fe mechanical we wanted. I think I voted for the "weird" cars -
the Santa Fe built some cars with 52 ft or 54 ft length, not like anyone else's.

Different length cars must have made warehouse owners really happy trying to get
a string of cars parked in front of their loading doors! :-D

IMO this will never happen unless someone does it in resin or 3-D.

Tim O'Connor



On 4/4/2020 2:29 PM, Bob Chaparro via groups.io wrote:

Anyone Want A First Generation SFRD Mechanical Reefer?

I am good friends with a person working for a major model manufacturer. His area of expertise is product development.

For years he and I have been discussing the possibility of bringing to market an accurate HO scale first generation SFRD mechanical refrigerator car. The cut-off year would be 1960.

The car would be produced in styrene and probably only in R-T-R form.

From our discussions this project almost came to fruition a few years ago but stalled due to competition from other projects.  

Times have changed and now this has become a real possibility.

There are "foobie" cars offered by Athearn and Walthers, but I share a belief with others that there is a market for a more accurate car.

First, I want to hear from you which first generation mechanical reefer is of most interest to you and specifically why you are interested in a particular car.

Your choices are the following SFRD classes:

Rr-31 (5 cars - 1955)

Rr-54 (30 cars - 1953

Rr-56 (150 cars -1955)

Rr-60 (25 Cars - 1958

Rr-61 (25 Cars - 1958)

Rr-65 (100 cars - 1960)

Rr-66 (100 cars - 1960)

I'm fairly certain there are builder's drawings of all these classes but that will need to be verified.

Factors influencing the manufacturer's decision will be how many paint/repaint schemes are possible (including MOW), and cost of modifying the tooling to produce insulated boxcar versions and cars representing other railroads.

Once the manufacturer selects one of these choices I will ask you to submit your photos, especially those with dates, so the manufacturer can evaluate paint schemes and modifications to the as-built prototype.

If there is enough good prototype information available there is a real probability a specific car will be produced.

Thank you.

Bob Chaparro

Hemet, CA



--
Tim O'Connor
Sterling, Massachusetts

Re: Model brake component size comparison to prototype

Randy Hees
 

The late Dave Braun once investment cast a road kill rabbit...  It apparently was almost cartoon flat, but very much recognizable as a rabbit...   He sold it as a piece of art... Apparently the odor when it was being "burnt out" was particularly memorable...   not in a good way...

Randy Hees
Re: >Early EMD SC or SW Switcher - was New Run: Rapido HO Scale General American Meat Reefer

Donald B. Valentine <riverman_vt@...>
 

Thanks Bob & Tim,

    Never having seen a top down view of one of these critters before I had no idea that the exhaust
stacks were actually located off center. With the dating you have provided the style of vents makes
a lot more sense.

Thanks again, Don Valentine
Southwest Scale Productions Doors

Steve and Barb Hile
 

I am trying to further document the selection of Dan Hall's SSP doors.  I would like to have a picture of the number 610, the 5-5-5 wide-seam "Overland" door.  Just the unfinished door, if possible.  Here is what I am using for the #612
 
 
so something like that would be helpful, if you have one or could take one like this, I would appreciated.
 
Please contact me off-list at shile (at) mindspring (dot) com.
 
Thanks,
Steve Hile
Re: New Run: Rapido HO Scale General American Meat Reefer

Todd Sullivan
 

Tim,

Thanks, those are great photos and they show exactly what I was trying to describe!  There's one other photo I know about that is in one of the small softcover Anthracite railroad books.  It shows an overhead view of the CNJ yard on the Lehigh River with 3 SLRX reefers.  Since all my Eastern RR books are in storage elsewhere, I can't check.

Thanks again!

Todd Sullivan
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