In the latest issue of N Scale Railroading (Jul/Aug 2019) they have an article on a Custom Track Cleaning Train. They are using someone's gondola cars for the cleaning cars. Searching I haven't been able to find out whose they are. I realize you could substitute a different car but would like to find some that like the ones in the article or that are similar to those. I like the looks of the drop center section. I'd post a copy of a picture from the article but that might violate forum copy-write rules. Thanks for any help, Sumner
I don't have the issue yet but are these the style cars you are referring to? If so, they are the Aztec Predator.
Aztec made several types of car 000_0958-1 by John Moore posted Jun 30, 2019 at 3:22 PM Including a box car that works well for short radiuses. 000_0959-3 by John Moore posted Jun 30, 2019 at 3:29 PM Unfortunately they closed shop due to the owners retirement about 4 to 6 months ago.
Wow, those are neat. I've never seen them before. Hopefully the owner will want to sell the design to another manufacturer. These seem too well designed to be lost to history.
I agree the gentleman had fine products and was a joy to talk to and not beyond modifying his cars for special needs. He and I had several conversations over the phone as to what design would work on my tight radius of 8 inches. We settled on the 36 foot boxcar fitted with truck mounted MTs as the best for my pike although I also have the 40 car for less restricted radius. According to his website the machinery has been sold although no mention to whom.
Thanks for the input guys. The cars were not a commercially available car as a track cleaning car. Rereading the article I'm thinking from the wording describing them they were either scratch built or kitbashed. I emailed the author and if I hear back I'll post here. Meanwhile if someone else has seen the article and knows if the cars are available in an unmodified version please post. I can't find a prototype car that looks like them, Sumner
I have the article, looked like they used some cheap 40' gons and cut out the center section and added weight blocks
I haven't been able to find any where the sides drop down between the trucks like the ones shown? If you had a link to some that are like that I'd appreciate it. Thanks, Sumner
Thanks, we are getting closer. The bottom of those cars looks the same and I hadn't seen them before so thanks, but the sides are much higher on the cars in the article. At least they appear higher to me. I'm posting a picture and if it is outside of forum rules then will a moderator please take the post down.... I like the dropped bottom that hides some of the cleaning pad and the higher sides for room for more weight. Still as the article states you aren't going to make or find a cleaning car that is going to be totally prototypical. I found the article to be a good one and plan on trying this approach if I can get the layout up at some point, Sumner
As you examine the car sides, remember that all N scale cares ride too high off the trucks, to allow for the talgo couplers. If you body mount like I do, you will have the opportunity to lower the car to a more prototypical ride height.
