Coal hoppers used on DRGW ?

espee raifan from France Jul 4, 2006

  1. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Doug, thanks for the correction. I'm a n00b when it comes to ID'ing coal cars newer than about 1980. :eek:
     
  2. Bryan

    Bryan TrainBoard Supporter

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    D&RGW coal gons - 1950s

    Like other Western roads, the Grande preferred drop-bottom GS gons. The mainstay of the Grande's coal traffic during the 1950 were 46-foot 70-tonners, the prototype for Trainworx' beautiful N scale models:

    http://www.train-worx.com/gon.rio_files/image004.jpg

    http://www.train-worx.com/gon.utah_files/image004.jpg

    Trainworx' web site says that at least 12 road numbers of each of these models are in stock.

    Between 1952 and 1954, the Grande purchased hundreds of 70-ton, 3-bay hoppers for coal service. There is a fine model of the 14-panel, 3-bay hoppers that the Grande purchased from Bethlehem in 1957, made by Bluford shops; these are no longer in stock at the manufacturer, but you might be able to find them still:

    http://www.wig-wag-trains.com/Bluford/Pics/14-Panel-Hopper/14041_DRGW.JPG

    Hope this helps.

    Bryan
     
  3. Cajonpassfan

    Cajonpassfan TrainBoard Supporter

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    Bryan, thank you, I didn't know the UCR gons were available. I'll look for some although I suspect they are a little too new for my circa '50 layout....
    Regards, Otto
     
  4. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Bryan, thanks for the info. I hadn't considered either car, mostly because I didn't check my library! :) And I roster both in my fleet. The Bluford cars are beautiful, the Trainworx cars are similarly detailed. Both are wonderful cars.
     
  5. James Costello

    James Costello TrainBoard Member

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  6. CraigfromBlufordShops

    CraigfromBlufordShops TrainBoard Supporter Advertiser

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    Steve and I have been discussing doing a new run of our D&RGW 14-panel 3-bay hoppers. The first run was "as-built" with coal loads so new road numbers of that is an option or we can do them as they were later in life with limestone/gypsum loads. Thoughts? Preferences? Bueller?
    Craig
    www.bluford-shops.com
     
  7. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    I scoured the 'net in search of these light blue end CCTX cars and found... Two. This should be #708, correct? Mike Bateman's Railblazer site:

    http://www.trainweb.org/railblazer/moffat8/drgw5515589.html

    http://www.trainweb.org/railblazer/moffat5/drgw5376.html

    So, by one-of-a-kind, there is no dead-on match for this car. Will an Atlas Coalveyor stand in reasonably?
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 12, 2014
  8. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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  9. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Mike,
    Would these cars be accurate for the #708?

    http://www.trainweb.org/railblazer/m...gw5515589.html

    http://www.trainweb.org/railblazer/m.../drgw5376.html


    And these cars for #738?

    http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1935965

    http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1104335

    Seems an Atlas 90 Ton triple is pretty close.


    This car for #726?

    http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2505881


    This car for #722? Kinda hard to see, but it looks like a quad.

    http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3999306

    I know, this is really digging in the memory banks and I appreciate your help!
     
  10. Doug A.

    Doug A. TrainBoard Supporter

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    My previous link to the HLMX (former CCTX) car was broken, but I found the updated URL: http://www.krunk.org/~joeshaw/pics/pvt-hop/hlmx/hlmx147315.jpg

    That's about as good of a photo as I've seen of these cars, and you can see some of the differences. Biggest being the squared off tubs, ribs don't alternate in thickness like the coalveyors, obvious seam down the side, et al. I do think the coalveyors would be the obvious starting point, or possibly the IMRC bathtubs if you were really going to start chopping things up. As-is, the coalveyors would be a very good stand in, IMHO. I don't think Atlas did any light blue like that but I know there was at least one run with (I believe darker) blue ends. I would probably buy the blue ones or the RTPX with white ends and paint over. (EDIT: actually, these http://www.thekentuckytrainman.com/...onsin-public-service-corp-black-blue-end-.jpg aren't that far off...) As few as there were, and as (apparently) scarce as photos are, I doubt anybody's gonna call you out on the accuracy of your 80's CCTX gons. ;-)
     
  11. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    I was thining of grabbing a batch of those and relettering them. Tehn I thought about how the rivet counter in me might not be able to know they are wrong after putting work into them just to make a foobie. I wonder if the 3D printing crowd can help? I'd only need about 15 cars. Buying a bunch of Atlas cars, chopping them up, reworking the ribs and tubs and cobbling them back together (3 cars would likely make only 2 CCTX cars) could be expensive. Unless I could get someone to cast it for me?
     
  12. Doug A.

    Doug A. TrainBoard Supporter

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    I understand about the rivet counter gene getting twitchy. lol My m.o. is to usually go through the process of..."how big of a priority is this piece of the puzzle?" For my "dog's breakfast" quad train, I recognize that the UP quads aren't really the best representation, but there's nothing else at the moment, and in the grand scheme of things the train is not necessarily a showcase train. ("Showcase" = "If MR showed up to shoot my layout, what trains would be the subject to tell my layouts story") Now the rumors are swirling about BLMA doing the UP version, maybe it becomes a showcase *because* of the better accuracy, dunno.

    Then there's one that is a priority...my FPPX train, and it just pains me. The cars are basically ok from a "not needing a new tub or changed ribs" standpoint, but otherwise they are FUGLY. Just, old tooling and bad decoration and so on. So for those, I want to do the same thing as you are talking about...either file off all the detail, make a resin cast, then reapply etched details and better wheels and paint, etc....OR go the Shapeways route.

    The way I would probably approach it is...just buy the coalveyors when you come across them on the cheap. $7-8ea at a train show...something like that. Maybe you'll come across a deal like that, maybe not, but that takes the sting out of their foobiness. Then either start collecting coalveyors for the chopping process (again, on the cheap) or keep travelling the path of finding plans and dimensions and photos and artwork and eventually get them made in some format or another. I love how the Atlas Coalveyors are designed, with (what I believe to be) a cast metal tub/frame/bolster area and then the "walls" are a single plastic casting that slips over the tub....especially great for empties since the lower part is heavier. If you emulated that design where they were interchangeable, then you could get the tubs done and still use the rest of the coalveyor, then tackle the walls in "phase 2". I'll go ahead and throw it out there...if you could do it this way I'd be in for 24-36 of each phase, depending on the cost.

    It might be worth chatting with Atlas about this. They might be willing to help with keeping the part interchangeable at some level. I don't *know* that they would, but I know they've worked with similar "mods" on their products and that would simplify things. The changed tub part seems to be fairly straightforward with the straight edges and all. Maybe we could catch Paul in a good mood and he'll just whip up a hundred or so for us.
    :cool:
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 15, 2014
  13. grande5771

    grande5771 TrainBoard Supporter In Memoriam

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  14. James Costello

    James Costello TrainBoard Member

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    Don't forget to pick up the latest Trainworx release of DRGW and CTRN quad hoppers - perfect for DRGW / Espee / UP eras :)

    12 numbers of each!
     
  15. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    D&RGW only had like 2700 of those quads. I need a schwack of them. Money is prioritized elsewhere at the moment... :-/

    Doug, you had a good idea, just make adjustments to the tubs. I wonder if I can whip up a quick add-on tub detail with strip/sheet styrene. Something to slap on the bottom to give the angular tub bottom look. Dumb question: is this a twin-tub design car (either the CCTX car or the Coalveyor)? The proto photo seems to show a single tub design. Shapeways could help here; just a simple tub bottom to slap on the bottom of a stock coalveyor. Paint and weather and nobody's the wiser. I wonder if Atlas will do a CCTX run? No car renumbering would then be needed.
     
  16. Doug A.

    Doug A. TrainBoard Supporter

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    A Few Pics For Reference

    IMG_5087.jpg IMG_5096.jpg IMG_5104.jpg


    I had a chance last night to snap some photos. An "overlay" like you were talking about might work, but truck clearance will be tenuous. I'm not sure how much room there is for filing down the tub...I think possibly the 45deg-ish angle on the cross section can probably be done with just a slight filing of the tub, and maybe the rest can be done without modifications. (may need a little trickery around the truck swing area)
     

    Attached Files:

  17. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Thanks for the photos. I think a tub overlay might work. I just need to find about 15 of these now. Any road might work with a quick relettering and blue end paint.
     
  18. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    CCTX cars were FMC 4200 cuft cars, a one-off design only used by CCTX cars and one FMLX demonstrator. This site is a goldmine for early 80's coal cars: https://www.flickr.com/photos/photographernikon/albums/72157669125810681
    Shapeways has it available in N and Z, in singles up to 18 packs. No decals are available that I can find. https://www.shapeways.com/product/8...-bathtub-gondola-1?optionId=65754871&li=shops

     
  19. WolfWorks

    WolfWorks TrainBoard Member

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    oh if I had the STL file... I would love to print these on my photons
     
  20. cfritschle

    cfritschle TrainBoard Member

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    Big E Productions may have a video you could use. http://www.trainvideos.com/

    It is listed under Southern Pacific, and here is the description from the web site:

    Southern Pacific 1992 Update DVD
    This DVD looks at operations in 1992 on SP's Sunset Route around Benson, AZ, the former Rio Grande over Soldier Pass, and the former Rock Island Golden State Route from Hutchinson, KS, to Tucumcari, New Mexico. 97 minutes.​

    They have several other videos listed that may also include coal trains that originated in the area and time frame you are interested in modeling. I have found their videos very useful for my modeling time frame in the mid-2000s.

    Carter

    Edit: I did not notice that the original post was from 2006 until after I had posted my reply. Sorry is this is totally useless information.
     
    Last edited: May 28, 2020

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