Depressed center flat car

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Terr1bleone
Posts: 91
Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2018 10:01 pm

Re: Depressed center flat car

Post by Terr1bleone »

Trucks mounted, top all tacked up.
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I had to make a spacer and some bolster pads to make the couplers the right height.
This kit was designed for tom bee Buckeye trucks but mine are about 3/4 " shorter.
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Mock up with the steel end decks, decided I'm going with wood boards though.
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-Mike
Terr1bleone
Posts: 91
Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2018 10:01 pm

Re: Depressed center flat car

Post by Terr1bleone »

Mounting of various grab irons and ladders.
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Deck plate deburred and all the holes chamfered.
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Overall with everything welded up
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Onto the coupler bolts.
Threading on the lathe
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View of inside the coupler pocket showing no threads where the couper will fit.
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-Mike
ccvstmr
Posts: 2230
Joined: Sat Jan 04, 2003 10:37 am
Location: New Lenox, IL

Re: Depressed center flat car

Post by ccvstmr »

Terr1bleone wrote: Fri Nov 19, 2021 2:29 pm Carl, great pics very informative thank you. I especially like the things you put on the end platforms, it really complements the load.
- Mike
Hello Mike...without anything on the end decks, the car looked a little empty...even with a big ole transformer box in the center. Decided to fill those voids.

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Wanted the cooling tube bundles on the transformer...otherwise, it would just look like a gray box. But, with the transformer shifted to one side of the car, figured I'd make some counterweights to sit on the end platforms for balance. Hence, the orange "weights" made from some scrap steel square tubing.

Made a crate for misc. installation hardware. Made a smaller pallet for the acrylic insulators that weren't good enough to put on the transformer. Painted those and mounted them to a pallet. Figured then, needed some cooling liquid for the transformer. Saved some soup and chili cans that were cleaned, painted and labeled. Tried to see how many people would pick up on the cans to the right labeled PB&J instead PCB.

Used plastic lace from a place like Hobby Lobby to look like pallet strapping material.

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Somehow, all that still wasn't enough. With the depressed center, there's little to no room under the car for air brake equipment. So this was something else to go on the end platform. Got on-line to do some research to determine what size piping was used for the brake valve and air reservoir. From that info, was able to select proper or nearly proper sized brass rod to simulate various pipe sizes.

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The lost wax cast brake valve came from Precision Steel Car (PSC). Support brackets were made from flat brass stock. The air reservoir was made from (2) PVC caps that were joined to look like a modern air brake reservoir.

Sometime after the car was built and "decorated" with the gimmicks, decided to fabricate some chain binders to chain down the transformer. Used clock chain and chain hooks from PSC. Suspect PSC has sold more hooks for chain grabs than the originally intended brake hardware.

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Hope that gives you some ideas how to decorate your depressed center flat. You've got a nice car there. Need some kind of heavy duty load to make it look believable. Maybe a large off-road dump truck. OR...how about an Abrams tank? Just gotta think big and heavy...but something that's not wider than the car itself. Good luck and keep us posted. Carl B.
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Terr1bleone
Posts: 91
Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2018 10:01 pm

Re: Depressed center flat car

Post by Terr1bleone »

Carl. Thanks again for posting, always interesting to see what you can make look like something else.
I will be installing brake wheels on both ends, not the whole brake system this time as the girlfriend says no more air tanks. (Her 3d printer).
The 3d printer really helps pull off some things that would be very hard to machine/fabricate and can even be used as patterns.
Im thinking a large 16''-20" gear would be a good load
Possibly out of aluminum or wood to save weight.
I have already vaguely copied your chain binders on my other flat car, so i will probably make a few more.
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-Mike
Terr1bleone
Posts: 91
Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2018 10:01 pm

Re: Depressed center flat car

Post by Terr1bleone »

Brake wheel mock up, will probably get brass ones but the bolt pattern is the same. Originally put them on both ends but decided on one end only.
-Mike
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Terr1bleone
Posts: 91
Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2018 10:01 pm

Re: Depressed center flat car

Post by Terr1bleone »

dummy brake lines. On this car I will not be running a line the whole length of the car, as it’s tucked in the frame, you wouldn’t see it from the side.
instead I am running just the ends, which are passed through a grommet and threaded for a nut.
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-Mike
Terr1bleone
Posts: 91
Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2018 10:01 pm

Re: Depressed center flat car

Post by Terr1bleone »

painting time.
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a few runs but I am going to let it dry first then wet sand it.
-Mike
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SPSteam2491
Posts: 271
Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2017 2:30 pm
Location: Mukwonago, WI

Re: Depressed center flat car

Post by SPSteam2491 »

That is really A+ work on the finishing for that car. Can't wait to see it all completed!

I searched through additional pictures and below are additional ideas for loads that the full size cars hauled.
Attachments
Water Turbine Parts for a dam in Oregon.
Water Turbine Parts for a dam in Oregon.
NASA shipment of a Apollo F-3 fixture.
NASA shipment of a Apollo F-3 fixture.
Large Marine Engine from Fairbank-Morse.
Large Marine Engine from Fairbank-Morse.
Thanks
John LaFavor
Pacific Design Shops
Terr1bleone
Posts: 91
Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2018 10:01 pm

Re: Depressed center flat car

Post by Terr1bleone »

Thanks John, the kit was designed very well and went together quickly. those sure are some interesting looking loads, still leaning towards a large gear stood up.. now just how to make one lightweight.
-Mike
Terr1bleone
Posts: 91
Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2018 10:01 pm

Re: Depressed center flat car

Post by Terr1bleone »

I unfortunately could not apply all the paint within the required amount of time and this has caused the paint to wrinkle. There was just too much surface area, I also had bad runs when painting the inside frame rails through the deck holes once I flipped it back over, I was able to wet sand them out but starting over I will rethink the process. I have decided to strip the frame back to bare metal.
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The new plan will be to spray it in a series, first the bottom, getting every pocket in primer. then come back later do the sides and top last, leaving room to fix runs allow the paint to cure between. Then repeating in topcoat color.
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Masked to keep the red from puddling while spraying the frame through the holes in the deck.
-mike
Terr1bleone
Posts: 91
Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2018 10:01 pm

Re: Depressed center flat car

Post by Terr1bleone »

The key to a consistent finish is spray the areas in a specific order to avoid hazing or dusting from the overspray mist in surrounding areas.
Turned out well here’s a mock up look before the deck and decals, I’m debating on satin clearing but it looks good so I may leave it.
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-Mike
Last edited by Terr1bleone on Sun Dec 19, 2021 12:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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makinsmoke
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Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2003 12:56 pm
Location: Texas Hill Country

Re: Depressed center flat car

Post by makinsmoke »

Mike,
I only satin coat my wood cars and even then with spar varnish.

If you are using good paint I would not use any type of clear coat on a steel or aluminum car.

It doesn’t last on full size autos after years in the weather, and is really unnecessary after all.

And touch up is simple if it is needed.

Just my humble opinion.
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