a couple of flatcars

peterbunce

1880's Colorado Narrow gauge on 45mm track
29 Oct 2009
1,754
16
east of manchester
Best answers
0
Hi,

I have just finished a couple of Denver & South Park RR flatcars; the shorter one needed some transfers which have now been delivered.

Having applied them to the narrow depth of the solebars I decided to add some heavy weathering to the vehicle, which dates from 1879; to provide some contrast a couple a new planks that have been fitted into the (older) flatcar deck.

Most of the weathering is washes of (very thin) acrylic paint; but I have also used some of the very fine pigments (or powders) that are available from the Military Modeller?s equipment. These are MIG pigments, and are the ?European dust? and ?Light rust? colours.

They look very light in colour, but when mixed with an applying varnish darken down considerably; I used Johnson?s Klear for the varnish, and a dense colour can be built up with multiple applications of them.

The second, and larger flatcar is finished as being ?brand new? dating from 1883, having been built by the Peninsula car Company: there were also some companion boxcars with both vehicles being 30 feet long: I have the transfers for one of the boxcars to be built in due course. The boxcars were not quite the longest the Denver & South Park had, those were the charcoal cars which were very large, almost to standard gauge dimensions, and 31 feet long.

All Denver & South Park RR flatcars had two stake pockets that were at the ends and inset from the sides. These fitted into hidden stake pockets at the junction of the intermediate ?end to end? longitudinals; these were used when the flatcars carried sleepers (or in American, ?ties?) and to help to stop them falling off the ends. The stake pockets along the ides are made from small pieces of Plastruct ABS plastic, glued on to the junction of the 3mm thick PVC solid foam, deck, then a piece of copper wire is fitted into pre-drilled holes in the centre, and small bits of 1mm square plasticard added top and bottom for the stiffening there.

Here are some photos of them together, taken inside, as the weather was a bit cool!


99523caf77c241878493028003bc03e5.jpg


A 'low down' view of the pair of them
47be32c2efbc4d7aa4775cb8ca516fe2.jpg


a close up of the older and shorter one's weathered deck, some weathering has also been added to the solebars, and trucks, which themselves were modified (both vehicles have different modifications to them.

498e85c525eb48f288a8fddd3e9d9e34.jpg

A view of the top of the pair.

dc74e4c60f554b929915f3d206c4e75d.jpg


259e5fcacd334e24b4319d87c78e1c3c.jpg


A couple of view of some loads which are in two pieces each - there are other larger versions of each styke that have been constructed as well.
Just visible on the older one are some 'bolt heads' - they are marked out with a ruler and a compass point, the filled in with a black pen to make them show up! I would assume that on the fullsize versions the coach bolt heads would be flush with the top of the planks: so that produced the method and they will not be 'flicked off' by passing knocks when being loaded etc.

The old deck photo is not very good re the bolt heads so I grabbed the camera and took another - this time of the much easier to see version - on the new deck - Ahh the convenience of digital cameras!

here is the result - much better I think.

cd59acd469054738948fde71aed721df.jpg
 

peterbunce

1880's Colorado Narrow gauge on 45mm track
29 Oct 2009
1,754
16
east of manchester
Best answers
0
Hi Ross,

Still leaning, but at least there is some variation in the vehicles, which is always to the good; flatcar decks were massively maltreated in many ways and I will not go as far as some of them must have looked like with rotten and or broken planks!
 

robsmorgan

Registered
5 Feb 2010
1,655
0
Ceredigion, Mid Wales, UK
Best answers
0
Really impressive Peter..... wish I could just keep my rivet holes in straight lines leave alone getting the weathering looking so good as well :admire:

Rob
 

The Devonian

Registered
17 Nov 2009
1,966
23
South Hams
Best answers
0
Country flag
Nice work, as usual Peter. Quite inspirational.
Ah! weathering: a black art it would appear. It is few that can achieve it well and have it not appearing as 'fire damage'. ;)
 

peterbunce

1880's Colorado Narrow gauge on 45mm track
29 Oct 2009
1,754
16
east of manchester
Best answers
0
Hi Alan,

Happy New Year to you (all all GSC members) not black, it ruins everything it touches: more shades of light earth, brown and grey<grin>

Another 'set' for black has just appeared in the Military Modeeling area =- have a look at the following link

https://airbrushes.com/product_info.php?products_id=21235 < Link To https://airbrushes.com/pr....php?products_id=21235

which compeise a series of colours that are close but would seem to not have the deadness of black.

I may get a set to see what the work like - and to give me some ideas as well - not cheap though - there is the rub!
 

Richie

Rio Grande Railroad , Mountain biking , Gardening
24 Oct 2009
8,112
6
Albrighton West Midlands
Best answers
0
very nice work Peter :clap:
Do like the loads you have made for them :D
 

Mousey

Registered
1 Nov 2009
680
0
North Essex
Best answers
0
They look fantastic Peter.
 

stevedenver

Registered
24 Oct 2009
5,699
255
Best answers
0
Country flag
nice work as always mr bunce!
like the red paint
and the decks


but
do tell about the trucks and side frames-
i recognize them but cannot identify
 

peterbunce

1880's Colorado Narrow gauge on 45mm track
29 Oct 2009
1,754
16
east of manchester
Best answers
0
Hi,

Thank you for the kind comments, most appreciated!

Steve - you ask about the trucks (or bogies) - they are the standard Bachmann ones, BUT have been much modified; pieces removed, including the centre spring units then the extensions on some of them are added and other ones have a new centre unit added as well. They also have some centre distance pieces added and then then brake beams are added after some end to end strips are fitted to hold them. I started wioth just one 'end top end' puiece now its two so I can get at the centre bolt more easily!

Here is a photo of an early one showing the end extensions -

d92da72d444f4264be6d5f090c9404fc.jpg


This is one of my very early conversions as you can see it uswes the Bachmann flatcar deck - now I build that - the Bachmann one is more useful for Boardwalks in front of my buildings. but the bogie truck can be seen with its modifications. They are also changed to the Theilson style for boxcars and Tiffany reefers (I built, 1 more to build) and such like.

Bachmann metal wheels are used instead of the plastic ones, if those are fitted they will end up as a load for a falt - one set is already made and the wheels are accumulating for another set!

Hope the above helps - a sanding drum is used to remove the detail, (mainly) plasticard is then added to make what is needed. I adjust one bogie side frame to give it some freedom to pivot - like the LGB version has already. Both Bachmann & LGB are virtually identical and either make can be used. I use Evo-stik as an adhesive for all the work, and it works well as it has a slight amount of 'give' or flexibility due to its latex base.

Any more questions - just ask and I will answer them

Yours Peter.