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Post by tjmfishing on Dec 30, 2013 22:28:58 GMT -5
As OSB ad other particle board products came onto the market, sawmills began to stop burning woodchips and sawdust as fuel and selling them instead. CN, as well as CP, among other roads, built many variations of woodchip hoppers during the mid to late 1970's out of everything from three bay hoppers to old mill gondolas to transport these raw materials. I will focus on CN's efforts. I plan to build models of three prototypes at the moment, the first car will be of the following design, CN 873097: freight.railfan.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=cn873097&o=cnfreight.railfan.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=cn873097_2&o=cnHere is the second car, with the same end doors as the first, CN 873128: freight.railfan.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=cn873128&o=cnThe third will be a little more tricky. I will be doing two of these, for a total of four cars. I can't find any records of these cars ever having existed other than the following photo, taken in 1982, during my grandfather's last run, in Campbellton, NB, Canada:  To the right of the suits and train crew you will see two mill gondolas, fitted with what appears to be a steel frame supporting steel mesh. I asked Gramps a couple of years ago what these were for and he told me they used them for hauling woodchips. Since I can't find any records, it makes me wonder if these were captive to CN's Campbellton Division? I began by removing the underframe, cast of grabs and car ends:    Then, I began to build the raised shell of 873097 from Evergreen Styrene, complete with the outside bracing. The end doors (operable) were also built in a similar manner and handbent grabs were added where applicable:    More to follow! |
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Post by tjmfishing on Dec 31, 2013 0:53:26 GMT -5
Here is the progress on the "third" prototype with the steel mesh. Mounting the Walthers Chain Link Fencing material to the styrene frame was a lot harder than I thought it would be. In the end, the supporting strips which I ran along the top and bottom of the outside faces of the raised frame hid most of the mess. In reality, the bottom one might have been there and it might not have, who knows...  I think the mesh cars will really stand out on the layout once filled with sawdust. They will also get the mesh ends (the frame is in the foreground in the square. The plate ends are just to hold the shape of the car whilst the solvent dries! |
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Post by enginseer on Dec 31, 2013 8:16:56 GMT -5
Nice work on these!
Can't say I've ever seen the mesh wood-ship haulers, but what a neat car and great construction.
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Post by m a y o r 79 on Dec 31, 2013 9:11:41 GMT -5
Very cool build. I really like the mesh side car, very unique. One question, how big are the woodchips, seems like they would fall thru the mesh.
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Post by NS91 on Dec 31, 2013 10:00:45 GMT -5
I really like those, the one with the mesh sides is my favorite. They have that odd but unique appeal to them.
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Post by icghogger on Dec 31, 2013 10:39:29 GMT -5
Great Job, Taylor, very well done!!
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Post by tjmfishing on Dec 31, 2013 11:14:58 GMT -5
Very cool build. I really like the mesh side car, very unique. One question, how big are the woodchips, seems like they would fall thru the mesh. I know!!! That's what I can't figure out either. They would definitely be losing some along the way. |
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Post by iomalley on Dec 31, 2013 11:26:46 GMT -5
As you mentioned to me Taylor, they may be OSB-sized chips which would work. They range from cell phone sized chips, to ones larger than your fist. You know Taylor, you're going to find photos after this model is done....  |
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Post by tjmfishing on Dec 31, 2013 11:29:47 GMT -5
As you mentioned to me Taylor, they may be OSB-sized chips which would work. They range from cell phone sized chips, to ones larger than your fist. You know Taylor, you're going to find photos after this model is done.... That's always the way it goes isn't it... |
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Post by tjmfishing on Dec 31, 2013 11:49:23 GMT -5
Hey Sean,
I just showed the mesh car to dad:
"I think I remember seeing those as a kid"
me - "What, where?"
"parked in the yard in New Carlisle. I could be dreaming, but I'm pretty sure I've seen them there"
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Post by iomalley on Dec 31, 2013 11:51:49 GMT -5
I'm sorry, I chuckle every time I look at that retirement photo of your grandpa's, The management look like they could be extras in the movie Anchorman....  And your grandpa's in a hurry to 'get retired'! |
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Post by tjmfishing on Dec 31, 2013 13:44:23 GMT -5
I'm sorry, I chuckle every time I look at that retirement photo of your grandpa's, The management look like they could be extras in the movie Anchorman.... And your grandpa's in a hurry to 'get retired'! Oh its a hilarious photo. They took three shots facing the front of the locomotive like that and this one's clearly the best. When they used to do this, they'd have the family there for the photos but somehow or other he was supposed to go out on a different train but he ended up going out on Extra 594 bound for New Carlisle, where he literally would have walked two blocks home, entered the back porch and said "I'm retired" So instead of the family they grabbed anyone they could. Standing on the engine I think there's a mechanic, or carmen, followed by five guys who clearly worked over in the offices above the station as dispatchers, RTC's etc. Then on the ground you have (L-R) the brakeman, some guy, the line's superintendant, gramps (engineman), the conductor and finally another carmen or something. Clearly the were excited to leave or something cause they didn't even look up from the orders for two of the three photos hahaha. There are a bunch of other shots of him in the cab, leaning out the window, standing with the crew and shaking hands with the superintendent in front of the banner. He never spoke highly of his job, Dad always said "Serving in the Merchant Navy was his duty, to him, the railroad was just a job." I never did get too many stories about it from him which I often regret looking back. In case you're wondering what became of that banner:  I also secured two of 3624's numberboards from a retired carmen who worked at Moncton. He was literally selling hundreds of MLW numberboards which were no doubt "pillaged" (and I use that term lightly) from the deadline. |
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Post by tjmfishing on Dec 31, 2013 13:51:47 GMT -5
And hopefully he wasn't in too much of a hurry on that day. The master mechanic up there was notorious for hiding in the woods at the level crossings with a radar gun. This one time, he (the mechanic) was chasing a freight along a stretch of the highway which parallels the tracks with one hand on the steering wheel of the company truck and the other on the radar gun trying to catch up. Track speed was 30mph I might add. Anyways, didn't he get charged for speeding by a QPP police officer!!
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Post by tjmfishing on Dec 31, 2013 13:53:49 GMT -5
Here's a progress shot with those end doors I was talking about:  Unfortunatly I think all projects will be on hold for the rest of the day. I went out to the workshop to prime a shell a few hours ago and noticed the snow on the roof. I held a level up to the rafters just for kicks and sure enough they're starting to sag. With another storm due later this week, the workshop, garage and house roofs all need to have three feet of snow removed.. |
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Post by iomalley on Dec 31, 2013 14:08:00 GMT -5
I just spied your Toronto Maple Leaf banner...I just lost a little respect....  |
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Post by enginseer on Dec 31, 2013 22:01:31 GMT -5
I'm sorry, I chuckle every time I look at that retirement photo of your grandpa's, The management look like they could be extras in the movie Anchorman.... What are you talking about, this is modern Canadian attire. They just discovered Polyester (and leisure) last year from what I understand. |
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Post by tankcarsrule on Jan 5, 2014 20:37:05 GMT -5
Nice work!
Regards, Bobby
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Post by tjmfishing on Jan 19, 2014 14:56:35 GMT -5
I finished the first of four cars this afternoon. For some reason, the paint still looks really glossy in the photos that I took however that is no the case in person. I am going to fill them and take them to our operating session tonight and get some better photos of them there. Of course, the number on this one may or may not be correct. I'm basing it off of the above pictures and a particular number series of car which I think corresponds to this type of car:  This one however matches a car of the same number:  |
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Post by Canadian Atlantic Railway on Jan 19, 2014 20:35:14 GMT -5
The cars turned out very nice Taylor  |
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Post by jakeloyst on Jan 19, 2014 21:42:01 GMT -5
they look great. the mesh one especially stands out... added to my list of things to do one day,. thanks
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