CNR Steel Framed Hart Gondola

[sbhunterca]

Hi, all:

I'm developing a CNR Steel Framed Hart Convertible gondola kit as part of my Eastern Road Models line on Shapeways.

It's in the very early stages so far, but I've started an album to show the project as it proceeds:

public.fotki.com/sbhunterca/cnr-steel-frame-har/

Check back frequently, as I'll update the album to reflect progress.

Enjoy,

Steve

[dekon]

Cool looking project Steve.

[sbhunterca]

I've updated the album yet again:

public.fotki.com/sbhunterca/cnr-steel-frame-har/

I anticipate making this car available in both FUD and the FXD which will be available 15 April (same material, but printed at much higher resolution...

The car will come with both the movable floor doors and removable, positionable ends, so it can be set up for ballast service (with the hopper bottom exposed and floor "doors" open and propped against the car side to create slope sheets,with the ends installed tight against them, with the floor doors closed for either side dumping or for general freight or MOW traffic.

If you model either CN or GTW up to the late 80s, you need at least a couple of these cars, if not an entire trainload!

I'll continue to post news of developments on this kit.

Seve Hunter

[sbhunterca]

Hi, all:

The HO scale CNR/ GTW Steel Framed Hart Convertible Gondola is now up on Shapeways:

www.shapeways.com/product/M7MSJ3VNC/cnr-ho-scale-hart-convertible-gondola?li=shop-results&optionId=56461871

The car can be built in three configurations:

- Ends mounted, in their outer position, and floor doors closed, for use as a general purpose gondola
- Ends mounted, in their inner positions, and floor doors open, for use as a ballast hopper
- Ends not mounted, and floor doors closed, for use in ballast operations (outside the rail) using a Lidgerwood winch car and ballast plow, or in later years, a bulldozer. This configuration also allows the car to be used as a regular drop-end gondola for long loads, or for material which is difficult to load with the ends in place (rail, logs, etc.).

Eleven of CN's cars were transferred to the 42" gauge Newfoundland operations, which opens up yet another option.

Prototype photos can be seen here:

public.fotki.com/sbhunterca/cnr-steel-frame-har/

The S scale version will be up in a day or two.

Enjoy!


Steve Hunter

 

[jakeloyst]

just saw the car on shapeways, looks awesome!!!

[tjmfishing]

Were these pretty well used on Work trains at the end Steve?

[sbhunterca]

Hi, Taylor:

They started arriving in 1923, and were used in both freight and work service through the 70s (pick your car number carefully, as the 40 year rule was thinning the numbers in freight service at the time) but many cars were around until a mass retirement in 1983. Even so, enough hung around into the late 80s to make them a "must have" for at least one car on most CN layouts.

I just ordered a test sample in the new FXD acrylic, with far thinner layers, resulting in better surface quality and detail resolution than could be achieved with FUD. I'm definitely interested to see the difference!

Steve

[sbhunterca]

Hi, all:

I've posted photos of a just- arrived print of my Eastern Road Models CNR/ GTW Hart Convertible Gondola to my Fotki album:

public.fotki.com/sbhunterca/cnr-steel-frame-har/

This is my first print in Shapeways FXD acrylic. It is the same acrylic as Shapeways FUD, but printed in much thinner layers to provide far better detail definition and surface quality.

The model can be seen here:

www.shapeways.com/…/ho-scale-cnr-hart-convertible-go…

Any surface grain that is present will give a good impression of wood grain. I'll refine it a little as I build up the sample car, but the finish would be perfectly acceptable as it comes from the printer. Much of what you see isn't even texture, but slight differences in colour between print layers. Remember, as well, these models will be painted, and that will further smooth the surface.

When viewing these photos, please remember they are taken with a macro lens, and are greatly magnified. The HO model is only 6.012" long- to give a better impression of scale, I've included a Canadian dime in a couple of the photos.

The rivets are 0.010" in diameter and stand .008" high. This is slightly taller than scale, but we don't want them disappearing once the model is painted! By comparison, a human hair will typically range between 0.004 and 0.006"... these details are tiny!

I apologize for the photo quality- freshly printed acrylic is translucent, and extremely hard to photograph. Once I get a coat of primer on the parts, and as I build the kit, I'll post better photos!

Is FXD worth the extra expense, versus FUD? In highly detailed small scale models, I would definitely say I believe so. The surface quality alone is a great improvement, although even FUD is excellent.

Steve

[simulatortrain]

Thank you very much for the pictures! That looks great.

[sbhunterca]

Hi, all:

Now that the HO scale CNR Hart Gondola parts are in a coat of paint, you can really see what's there. I've posted some photos- mostly extreme close-up macro photos- to my Fotki page:

public.fotki.com/sbhunterca/cnr-steel-frame-har/

No texture is visible to the naked eye... in the extreme close-ups you can see a slight fuzz where the wax support material was, but virtually no stairstepping.

Cleanup consisted of a quick soak and scrub in 95% isopropyl alcohol, and maybe a minute of lightly scraping a little wax from the inside of the hopper bottom and three floor boards that were under the sprues that held the detail parts.
NO SANDING at all!

Steve

[Canadian Atlantic Railway]

Great work on the car Steve! We're any still on PEI in 89?

[jakeloyst]

there is no other words to use than "awesome work". looks terrific!!

[sbhunterca]

Thanks, guys!

Some of these cars were still floating around the Atlantic Region in '89 in MOW service... it's very possible one or more were on the Island but I can't say definitely. They certainly weren't strangers to PEI in previous years!

Steve