Scratchbuild Project - CC&F Twin Trailer Flat Car - BCR570

For most of us attempting to model a prototype railway as closely as possible, we often have to resort to kitbashing for some pieces of equipment which are not likely to ever be available commercially. However, there are some cars for which there is nothing close enough to use as a starting point. In this case, scratchbuilding is the only viable option.

Such is the case with the British Columbia Railway's fleet of twin trailer flat cars. During the 1970s approximately 13 per cent of the railway's trailer traffic went to Dawson Creek, so I am going to need several of these.

The first five purpose-built cars were received from Canadian Car & Foundry in December 1961 and were the first twin 40' trailer flat cars in Canada. They served the railway until 1994.

I have some dimensions from the railway's 1976 Revenue Car Catalogue, and I was able to refer to a pair of HO Scale models built years ago by PGE modeller Bill Hewlett. Additional reference photographs were sourced from fellow PGE-BCR modellers.

To examine the feasability of attempting a scratchbuild of these cars in N Scale, I decided to try my hand at a pair of test sections. These were intended to help determine the specific sizes of styrene to be used, and to work out the optimum order of assembly. Specifically, I wanted to see if I could duplicate the actual construction arrangements of the prototype without having to make too many compromises. In other words, would I be able to build a highly accurate model from raw materials?

In these photographs, the lower section is a slice out of the middle of the car showing the full depth centre sills, a diaphragm and several cross-ties. The upper section includes a tapered section of the centre sills, a bolster and end coupler pocket for the purpose of working out the truck and coupler requirements.

The first two photographs illustrate the underside of the car with supporting diaphragm and cross-ties, and also the bolster and coupler pocket arrangement:






The next photograph shows the top side of the car with the running plates either side of the centre sills:




Tim

 

You've got to see this one...scratchbuilding a TOFC flat car. Just amazing work. A unique concept by building a test cross section of the car before starting the model. Good idea. Go to this link to see the whole thread.

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kit bash kitbash scratch build trailer dry van British Columbia