battered gondolas

[Wolfgang Dudler]

How do you make battered gondolas? My first try with a candle did not satisfy.
http://www.westportterminal.de/forum..._2672_1200.jpg

Any hints?

Wolfgang

[Flash Blackman]

I don't have any hints and I am looking forward to some knowledgeable answers from TB. I have a nice picture collection of prototype battered gondolas that I want to use for modeling.

That said, I don't think your effort is so bad, Wolfgang. Lots of those even sagged in the middle, had a bad sway back, etc. I do see that it is a general damage type; I would want to place dents more precisely. I'm not sure how to do it. But, don't do away with that one!

What about using a low(er) voltage soldering iron. I have a 23 volt that is really too low for some soldering, but might do well for this. It is a small pencil type iron.

This is a good Christmas project.

[wheeler]

Not bad looking, I do wish to add that the gons we get at the (steel) Mill I work at are more bowed out in the centers, as there is less to support the sides thru there. and punctures thru the metal also.Of course most of the hand holds are torn off, and the hand brake wheels bent.
For a time were were buying beat up cars full of scrap, unloading the scrap, then cutting up the cars! (they saved the trucks- possibly resold them?)

You also see lots of patchwork with gussets and metal overlays to make repairs.Steel mills and scrap dealers are hard on these!

[Mr. SP]

Looks like a good start on that gon. Might rust it up a bit both inside and out. Other than that it looks OK to me.

[davec]

Looks pretty good to me. Add some grime and rust and you should be in business.

[JCater]

Wolfgang,
First, excellent choice of road names

I really like what you have done with the damage. I might even do some cuts along the top edges where the metal has been "torn." Other than that I would rust it down and grime it up and it will look great!
J

[Wolfgang Dudler]

Flash, could you post your prototype pictures please?
This is a pic from a gondola some years ago. This gondola from my friend Marty was in interchange service and some weeks at Westport Terminal RR trackage.



Wolfgang

[StevenWoodwardNJ]

I usually hold the car close to a light bulb to get the overall bow in the sides, then hold a high wattage soldering iron close to the car sides to do the "individual" dents and dings. I'll have to dig out the last one I did and snap a photo or two!

[Flash Blackman]

Originally Posted by Wolfgang Dudler

Flash, could you post your prototype pictures please?

Maybe not in an extreme distressed state, but this is what I have. Others are probably in some of the other RR picture sites.





Hope this helps some.

[rlperkins]

Gondolas are interesting. I recently attended a clinic at my local NMRA division meeting on open loads. One of things that was pointed out in the clinic is that the prototype gondolas are almost never painted on the inside. Therefore the inside of the car has a generous coating of surface rust. Many cars have scratches, scrapes, and dents inside too.

All the plastic model gondola I have seen have been factory painted all over inside and out. I have stated to paint the inside of my gondolas with roof brown spray paint. I would have used rail brown if Floquil had sold it in spray cans. (I do not have an airbrush). Almost any grimy or rust brown color would do.

I hope this tidbit of information is useful to the modelers on this board.

Bob Perkins