Best Of Scratchbuild Project - CC&F Twin Trailer Flat Car

[craigolio1]

Excellent work Tim. What an exciting project!!

[BCR 570]

Thank you; getting more exciting as it nears the finish line.

Tim

[BCR 570]

Hitches (Part 1)[/b][/u]
These flatcars are almost ready to carry trailers and require just one more component - hitches!  I have been putting off this step because I knew it would be challenging, and have been wondering if the models would be best served by using proprietary hitches or attempting to build my own.  I have yet to make that decision, but before doing so wanted to give it a try.

N Scale hitches are available from several suppliers.  Micro-Trains offers theirs as a package of spare parts both retracted and upright.  These are Delrin parts with little detail, obviously intended to be durable and removable.

I have some etched hitches from MLE Models but these are a different hitch, intended for spine cars.

Briggs Models has a 3D printed hitch for their PGE/BCR 7000 series trailer flatcars which are very similar if not identical to the hitches I need.  They are likely the best choice if my attempt to scratchbuild hitches is not good enough.


Here is the hitch on the Briggs Models cars:




It is a one piece 3D printed part with lots of detail which plugs into holes in the deck.  I took measurements off this hitch and selected sizes of strip styrene which were the best match.

An ACF hitch comprises four basic components:  the vertical support strut, the diagonal support strut, the retraction rack, and the hitch head.  I attempted to build those components from strip styrene and here are the results:




Those components were then glued together into one assembly:




The built-up assembly was then posed on one of the cars to see what it would look like:




With a trailer sitting on the car above the hitch, the height of the hitch head is bang on where it should be, just touching the pad surrounding the trailer kingpin:




I am not sure if I can improve on what I have built.  It is difficult to achieve a strong and square assembly with such tiny sizes of styrene.  To my eye the diagonal strut looks clunky but the parallel strips are .020" x .020" and the next size down .010" x .010" is too flimsy.

The hitch head is also a  little thick to my eye; I used .020" and could go down to .015" without sacrificing too much strength.

So I must now decide whether to try and build a set of four hitches, or go with the 3D parts from Briggs Models.


All for now; input welcomed.

Tim

[ChristianJDavis1]

No offense, but is the Briggs parts are what you need, I would go for those, if only because of how nice the Briggs parts are and for consistency and best results. I'm amazed at how well you work in styrene, but unless you just want the challenge of building them yourself, I think the Briggs parts are nice. If the Briggs parts didn't exist, I would say go for it, because your hitch matches the major dimensions, but would you rather just have it done, or try and match the Briggs parts with your own work? If you do the second option, I would be looking forward to see how you inevitably make it look great. Keep up the good work, and I look forward to further progress.

[SirTainly]

To my eye, that looks fantastic, but it's hard to be consistent if you have to make several. Might be worth looking at the Briggs one, in a compare and contrast photo, with the scratchbuilt one if possible?

[Lemosteam]

@BCR 570 Don't limit yourself to english styrene and brass sizes. Eileen's emporium has metric sizes too that may come closer to what you ar looking for and I have had excellent service and ship times from them.

https://eileensemporium.com/

No offense to the Briggs prints, but you have come this far, scratchbuilding to minutia level so why stop now?  These masterpieces deserve it IMHO, but I understand if you are burnt out by now.

If it were me, I would print an MS Paint dawing on paper drawing from measurements of the Briggs parts, affix them to brass sheet and carefully score and snip the parts out, bend and solder (or CA).  The lower half could be a single cutout bent to the side view shape, the top soldered on.  Details such as mulitiple thickness, flanges and the cylinder could be strip stock and wire.

Curious, what do these supports look like when folded flat for loading?

[bbussey]

If the Briggs hitch is exactly what you are looking for and they are available, it seems that's the better option as it is one of if not the most prominent visible feature on the model.  You are using other commercial components and the model still is 95%+ scratchbuilt.

[peteski]

If the Briggs hitch is exactly what you are looking for and they are available, it seems that's the better option as it is one of if not the most prominent visible feature on the model.  You are using other commercial components and the model still is 95%+ scratchbuilt.

What if Tim acquired a 3D printer, then designed and printed multiple copies of the hitch?  That would still be 100% scratchbuilt, right? 

Actually in this project there would have been many opportunities to use 3D printed parts.  Heck, the entire car could be 3D printed (from a personal design).  I don't know how many of these cars Tim plans to scratchbuild, but I can't imagine making a dozen of them.  That would take a *LONG* time of very tedious work.

[nkalanaga]

Is Briggs Models still active?  I tried contacting them about an order for NP log cars, and other stuff, from last September, through their contact page.  No answer.  The last I've heard from them was in December, when they said that my order should go out within a week.

[BCR 570]

Is Briggs Models still active?

Jeff is not able to print at present due to the current pandemic; he is continuing at home with product development.

I have pasted your query into a post and emailed him for you, so hopefully you will hear from him.


Tim

[Ed Kapuscinski]

How do we tag posts as "best of" again?

[James Costello]

Is Briggs Models still active?

Jeff is not able to print at present due to the current pandemic; he is continuing at home with product development.

It'd be great if the man replied to an email occasionally....

[u18b]

Congrats on Best Of.

[nkalanaga]

Tim: Thank you.  As James said, it would be nice if he answered emails.  Not knowing what's going on is worse for customer relations than having to admit problems.  And, being unable to print, especially if he has to use machines at another location, is a logical problem, under current conditions.

And, on the hitches, I'm with Bryan and the others.  If the Briggs hitches are what you need, I'd use them, especially if you can attach them in such a way that they can be removed in the future, without damaging the cars.

It would be easier than trying to build multiple identical parts; if one is damaged in the future you can keep spares; and if a better model comes along, they can be replaced, with no emotional attachment.

[BCR 570]

Congrats on Best Of.

Thank you; I am humbled to be in the company of so many fine modellers here and to receive this honour is truly a blessing.  I am sure many feel as grateful as I to have our hobby during these difficult days.



It would be easier than trying to build multiple identical parts; if one is damaged in the future you can keep spares; and if a better model comes along, they can be replaced, with no emotional attachment.

This is perhaps the strongest argument for using the 3D parts.  They are indeed exactly what i need, and they will need to be able to stand up to the rigours of trailers added and removed between op sessions.


As James said, it would be nice if he answered emails.  Not knowing what's going on is worse for customer relations than having to admit problems.

Agreed, and I have mentioned this.  A simple email response to acknowledge the customer or keep them informed goes a long way.


So I will now have to wait for hitches.

Tim