I love passenger cars. I am building a fleet of passenger cars...with plans to have the better part of a fleet of 38 DSP&P cars (there were 6 more I don't plan on building) completed within 10 years. Therefore, I have to build many clerestory roofs. I believe that it is common knowledge that the most difficult and intimidating aspect of passenger car construction. I have previously built such roofs, and so I'm sharing my technique in case anyone else needs to build one. I don't think I've seen a published method that didn't involve compromises, and there have been very few such articles published at all. First, I form the tops of the carlines (the lateral roof frame members): You can see the 0.020" x 0.188" stock I'm using at bottom, along with the pattern I made by transferring the roof profile from the Maxwell drawing (shown above) with a needle and then cutting it out. The first six duplicates are in this picture. I'll probably use 16 or so per side. Next, I'll be cutting out the profile on the bottoms of these to the correct inner profile. Here is an example of a previous roof: The roof is black as I sheath the ceiling (bottoms of the carlines) just like I do the roof. Because I enjoy lit cars, I paint all of the surfaces in between the roof and ceiling sheathing flat black. Here's the car that this roof will be for: Since another car will also get this same roof, I'll probably mold them in resin...which may come in handy since a couple of people have inquired as to if I would offer this car as a resin kit. Yes, I know that the eaves are missing at the end of the car...I dropped it...but it is easily repaired. Michael
Hi Michael, Looks good. It's a task I'm not in a hurry to learn however I do appreciate your sharing of this technique should I decide to give it a whirl. Also, when you get to the resin casting I'd really be interested in that as well. I know nothing about it yet and plan to use it for my Chama ash pit project. Speaking of which, I haven't heard back yet from the Maxwells on permission to use John's drawing in the kit I'd like to market. They just had another death in the family and have stopped selling his drawings on line as a result. Hopefully this will only be temporary but in the meantime I will give them more time before I call again.
The death was Bruce, John's son and the man whom runs the drawing business. They're trying to figure out what to do with the collection...so the business is on hold. I have prior experience with resin casting. I highly recommend Smooth-On over Alumilite if you don't have a pressure pot. Alumilite is probably the better of the two if you do have a pressure pot. There are many different resins out there. Also, the latex rubber mold material is all from Dow...so the brand doesn't really matter on it. Michael
Maybe Underground Railway Press might be a help. They handle alot of drawings. I agree with you on the Smooth-On resin. I've used it for years on different projects. BTW, what's the Tabasco sauce used for? :tb-biggrin: Some new weathering solution for the Chilli line? (Sorry, couldn't help myself...) :tb-biggrin::tb-embarrassed::tb-cute: Art
Art, Yep! I only use it for my Chili Line cars...and since I don't have any (my only D&RGW car is a Drop Bottom Gondola my dad built), I haven't used it. My wife tried a new enchilada recipe last night. We made it mild for the Chinese girl whom is staying with us right now, but the Tabasco didn't go well with it so I had to suffer through mild enchiladas. I made the important cuts for the carlines on the sides of the car...14 per side...and now I've begun cutting the carlines for the clerestory. I'd post photos, but I just noticed the time and I've got an early morning Bible study tomorrow. Michael
Here are the carlines. The deck carlines are 2" tall. The rafters haven't yet had their undersides formed...but they'll be 6" wide at the base and 2" tall on along the length. The patterns I used are at the top-left of the picture. For the deck carlines (top of the clerestory), I only used the patterns to form the top curves and then my calipers to mark the bottoms of these...followed by cutting the bottom sides out. I have three main options as to where to go next: 1) form the clerestory sides/windows 2) form the end curves 3) cut out the undersides of the rafters. I've chosen #1. I decided to go with 12" tall clerestory sides. A friend kindly checked some dimensions from the plans of the modernized version of this car that were published in the July/August 1989 Gazette (C&S #1)...and this verified that I'd guestimated some of the dimensions correctly. It is handy to study standard practices! Here are the 210 pieces of the clerestory sides ready for assembly: A little less than an hour later, here's one of the two sides: I've designed this in a simpler maner than the sides since I intend to duplicate this in resin...the windows are not openable nor have the type of complicated/prototypical construction that I'd normally use. Doing a bit a research over the weekend, I determined that in addition to baggage cars #40 and #41, three other cars can use this same roof. #40 & #41 were 34' long, 8' wide, and had 9' body/roof heights. #6 had the same roof profile and identical dimensions, only the clerestory window patern was slightly different (it was a combine); similarly, coach #7 and chair car #8 were 40'4" long, 8' wide, 9' tall, and had the same roof profile and clerestory window layout. So I'll be able to squeeze 5 cars out of this roof (I'll use three of the roof castings to make the two roofs for #7 & #8). I'll have to see if it is possible for me to widen this roof for use on #45 which was 34' long, 9' tall, and 8'2" wide...with a very different clerestory window pattern. Michael
With all the carlines formed and the clerestory sides ready, can you see what the main section of the roof will look like? I'm now starting on the ends. I'll assemble the entire thing in a single step rather than separately. Michael
Here's the clerestory with its jigs and zillions of parts ready for the next step. If there is interest in the project, I'll keep posting...otherwise, I won't go through the hassle of uploading photos. Michael
Hi Michael, Please continue! Man - what a lot of work - but it's coming right along. The patience required looks staggering...
Ok. Basically, I grow weary of posting when it is post after post without a comment (confirmation that someone else has at least some interest). Last night I didn't get home until after 10:30, but I stayed up for 3 additional hours to build jigs and assemble the rafters: I used jigs to hold the clerestory in position (0.400" in from each side and 0.228" above the table) while attaching the rafters. They kind of look like semi trucks without wheels. After attaching the rafters, I used 0.188" thick styrene to hold the clerestory up until the glue dried. The last photo shows both the "semi" jigs and the 0.188" spacer blocks. You can see them being used in Photo #2. Unfortunately, my son woke me up after less than 3hrs sleep so I had a miserable night. I plan on assembling the ends of the roof today...and maybe some of the sheathing. Michael
Wow! That's an intricate job! Kudos for taking on such a labour intensive project, and doing a stellar job with it as well. I think I would have just gone the old school route and shaped it out of basswood... -Cody
Michael, It looks good! Of course, it's easier in such a big scale.. :tb-biggrin: It's also made me think about them on my own cars. I think I'm gonna chicken out and do arched roofs instead. Post more photos!! I've been working nights for the last 4 weeks, so I've not been working on anything. When I get back to days, I've got a couple of projects to post up. Art
I was thrown off my game by 3 hours of sleep the night after my last update. Since then, I've been overwhelmed with work and haven't had more than about an hour of modeling time. Hopefully I don't have to wait 3.5 weeks to have modeling time again. Michael
I was wondering what happened to progress reports... Well, I might not be posting anything, but am following along. Still can't get over all those intricate little pieces in the framing. Yikes! Boxcab E50
The frame is complete and it is now time to sheath it with 0.010" thick sheet styrene. I'll remove the two spacers under the frame after the sheathing is in place...it is a major component of the structural integrity. Michael
There be sheathing here: That is the first of two layers....with just a little bit left in the layer. Michael
Michael, your How To tempts me to build such a car too. But H0n3 wouild be another difficulty. For the next time I'm busy with my Silver Creek, a station is needed. And some scenery. Wolfgang
I'll upload a photo with the now-completed sheathing. Wolfgang, thanks for the compliment. Maybe I'll have a project to post that might lure you into the passenger car business! You have the patience and attention to detail to make some beautiful cars. If I was in HOn3, I'd probably start with a car having either an arched or duckbill roof. The Silverton Railroad's combine, Red Mountain, is my favorite arched roof car...Monterrey & Salinas Valley combine #1 is my favorite duckbill car (EBT's Orbisonia is probably #2). Michael
The clerestory roof here looks really good! It's pretty much how I envision that they 1:1 builders would have built them. I don't think I have fiddled with so many little parts in a scratch-built model since architecture school. WOW!
