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Post by m a y o r 79 on Feb 15, 2014 11:23:12 GMT -5
So I've been slowly working on a project finally but it's not a diesel. I've been collecting cars for my future Beer Line layout and one of the more interesting loads is cullet, basically broken glass from the breweries. The Schlitz brewery had a spur that would have a hopper car spotted for loading the broken beer bottles and it would typically get changed out every week or so. They typically used whatever old surplus hoppers they had on hand. In the era I'm modeling they more often than not used a rebuilt 55-ton hopper for this purpose. That being the case I wanted to have a pair for my layout, for loads and empties. Interestingly what the Milwaukee did was take a 34 foot offset side hopper and rebuilt it, initially for coal service, then for iron ore service, and finally for whatever uses they could find for them. In my case cullet loads. This build started with a pair of Athearn 34ft offset side hoppers and like the Milwaukee did, the sides were extended up all around, and ribbing and bracing were added to reinforce the car. Below are the pictures of where I'm at so far.... Initial side sill extensions after the sides were sanded smooth and the cast on grab irons were removed Here is a more complete picture of the first car (you can see a basically unmodified car that I started with to the left) Here's a few more showing the side sill extensions and bracing that was added. I still need to put new wire grab irons on and do a little underframe detailing to add the air lines and coupler lift bar. Then I get to start the process all over on the second car! That one will have a slightly different side bracing configuration since the Milwaukee didn't rebuild them all identically. I figured it would be interesting to have two slightly different cars. Then its off to the paint booth and decals. Not sure how long it will take to finish with two little kids running around constantly, but hopefully not too long.
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Post by Canadian Atlantic Railway on Feb 15, 2014 14:13:33 GMT -5
Interesting story behind the cars. I never heard of that type of load before. Where did the cullet get shipped to?
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Post by icghogger on Feb 15, 2014 15:35:39 GMT -5
Cullet is scrap or salvaged glass, recycled and shipped to glass plants for making new glass.
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Post by m a y o r 79 on Feb 15, 2014 18:33:03 GMT -5
Exactly, for breweries is was bottles that were either broken during during the botteling process, or returned bottles that broke during shippong back to the brewery. Typicaly the Schlitz brewery would fill one of these cars on about once a week. From the reserch Ive done they shipped this particular load to a recycler in Chicago.
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Post by m a y o r 79 on Feb 28, 2014 22:05:04 GMT -5
Well, the wife is out to dinner tonite with a girlfriend and the kids are asleep. So I figured this would be a great chance to work on these cars. Made a drink, turned on a Bond movie and got my toolbox out. Ended up drilling out all of the holes for grabirons on the first car, and hand bent all of the gabs from wire stock. Went to start attaching them only to discover that all of my tubes of CA are dried up! Guess thats what I get for not doing any serious modeling for over a year now.
Oh well, just another excuse to go back to the hobby shop! Time to make another drink and finish the movie I guess.
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Post by Canadian Atlantic Railway on Feb 28, 2014 22:26:28 GMT -5
A drink and a movie isn't a bad modelling substitute.
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Post by shuttleman on Jul 13, 2014 10:50:26 GMT -5
Mayor79,
Great story and interesting build, I remember these cars as I worked at Milwaukee Road's North Milwaukee Tower as an operator. They used to be in transit on the Humboldt Yard to Muskego Yard beer trains on late Friday nights or in the wee hours of Saturday mornings back then. Do you have the number series of the rebuilt cars or prototype photos you could share. Thanks for the memories.
Tom Kidd
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Post by fordy744 on Aug 7, 2014 10:51:40 GMT -5
I like those and such an interesting story behind the prototype.
Look forward to seeing your further progress
Have you got any pics of the prototypes?
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Post by m a y o r 79 on Sept 14, 2014 15:24:41 GMT -5
The cars were in the 91000-95000 series. Since they were rebuilt they werent all the same from an external apperance (differences in the ribs, spacing, quantity, etc) but they were all the same type of car. I have a few prototype photos but I dont remember where they came from so I dont thiink I should post them. If you do a google search you should be able to find them.
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Post by m a y o r 79 on Nov 1, 2015 21:32:44 GMT -5
Heres draging up an old thread, 3 pages back! Pulled these cars out of the basement this afternoon and finished the grabirons on the second car. This week or over the weekend they should see the paintbooth for a coat of primer and final body touch ups. Then I just need to find my notes on body color and figure out the decals. Not bad, only a couple years start to finish.
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pacbelt
Chairman
Building Layout #11!! ;)
Posts: 682
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Post by pacbelt on Nov 2, 2015 0:40:22 GMT -5
COOL!!! It's just nice to see more people DOING stuff on here. This place has nearly become a Ghost Town.... Time to build again!! ~ Carmine
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Post by m a y o r 79 on Nov 22, 2015 15:54:01 GMT -5
Been a busy few weeks around the house but I did find some time this afternoon while watching the Bears blow it against the Broncos and managed to get the last of the details put on. I could do more but I think where these cars are at now is good for how I want to use them. They were never intended to bemuseum pieces, but rather every day cars for my future Beer Line layout.
Some day after work this week I'll stop at the hobby shop and get some paint to spray them up hopefully after Thanksgiving. I found decals too but they're old (I mean 70s vintage) from Walthersthat will work for these cars. Hopefully I don't have too much trouble with them.
Here's a few quick grab shots with my cell phone, not the best. I'll bust out the DSLR for some good pictures once they're painted and decaled.
Took a long time to get to this point but I can finally see the light at the end of the tunne
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2015 16:16:51 GMT -5
Pics ? None showing (as number 5 would say need input more input number 5 alive)
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Post by m a y o r 79 on Nov 22, 2015 16:28:02 GMT -5
Fixed the links, sorry about that.
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pacbelt
Chairman
Building Layout #11!! ;)
Posts: 682
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Post by pacbelt on Nov 23, 2015 14:50:04 GMT -5
Really nice fix! I always find it great, when anybody finds a use for old blue box Athearn stuff!! Looks like something even I could do! ~ Carmine
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Post by elgorahr on Nov 23, 2015 16:56:18 GMT -5
An interesting conversion. For the ancient decals, try giving them a shot of Decal Bonder or Dullcote/Glosscote ahead of time. That should serve to reinforce the ink and prevent any explosion when the item is placed in water. Bob
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Post by emd16645 on Nov 23, 2015 17:22:17 GMT -5
Also I would start with the least important decal (i.e. road number) to test how the sheet reacts.
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pacbelt
Chairman
Building Layout #11!! ;)
Posts: 682
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Post by pacbelt on Nov 24, 2015 4:08:02 GMT -5
I can't add, but agree with both of those suggestions!
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Post by m a y o r 79 on Nov 29, 2015 17:56:06 GMT -5
Just a minor update on this project (spent most of the long weekend with family and putting up Christmas decorations).
Both cars were hit with primer this afternoon. After a quick look they seemed to cover well but i want to let them dry good before really going over them. Not sure what im going to do about the main body color. Im still trying to come up with a good match, though these cars are near the end of their service lives so theyll be somewhat heavily weathered. The hobby shop by me has a limited selection of colors and im leary about shipping paint to my house, and letting the package sit at my door all day, when its this cold out. Ill figure something out.
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Post by emd16645 on Nov 29, 2015 18:18:50 GMT -5
Unless the temps are going to be well below freezing, solvent based paints should be fine on your doorstep. Another option you have is to use craft paint from your local art supply store. RMC had an article over this past summer on how to do it. Something I'm planning on trying once my paint booth is setup.
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