I need woodchip cars like this. Circa 1975

[Specter3]

Does anyone make these woodchip cars?

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Picture credit Brian Ehni via Railpictures

I found a guy on Shapeways that does them but based on reviews of their current level of finishing I will see what else is available.

[fcnrwy23]

No not like that model.

I remember in one of the magazines, someone building their "kitbashed or scratchbilt" version.  I want to say, scratch-built was the theme of the article.

Jerry G.

[sirenwerks]

Bone Valley Models on Shapeways makes a similar car used by the SCL, not sure if they're the same heritage. https://www.shapeways.com/shops/bonevalley

[mu26aeh]

After seeing what the black acrylate can do with printing a locomotive shell at @randgust booth today at Altoona, I don't think it will be long before print finish problems will be all but history.  $42 for a printed kit is a little much if you need more than a couple, especially since you still need trucks/couplers/ladders etc. 

[Specter3]

With the larger layout I am envisioning for my train room I will definitely need more than a couple.

@sirenworks that is the shapeways model I saw. I could probably deal with that car as a stand in or perhaps get the seller to modify it a bit to match the SOU version. But when you are talking 40-50 a car it gets painful quickly.

At that price it might be a bunch or Red Caboose Oertner coal hoppers that stand in for  a while. Right shape anyway. For the other half of that industry I need bulkhead flats.

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David Harris via Railpictures.net

I am thinking Seico cars, Wheels of Time 53 ft welded cars, and the old Con Cor car bashed without the centerbeam. Then maybe a couple of the NSC cars with the ends cut down a bit. That should give enough variety to achieve the feel. I will have at min two on layout industries that will take these cars. 

[sirenwerks]

Regarding the price of the Shapeways cars, I don't think he's reworked the design since the price jump. If he sprue-connects the parts the price may go down significantly. Ask him. And while you're asking him, ask him to do a multi-pack print, which will cut per-car costs.


Regarding the pulpwood cars, those look pretty spot on for the Walthers cars. You can still find those on eBay and at shows. I may have a small handful I don't need.

[jmlaboda]

And while you're asking him, ask him to do a multi-pack print, which will cut per-car costs.

He already does... three- and six-packs.

[Ike the BN Freak]

Those pulpwood cars do look like the Walther's ones. I got a 3 pack somewhere that I got in a lot, so they can be sold off if you want the set

[Specter3]

So If you have the shorter(53 ft) bulkhead flats that you want to part with I do need some. Let me know what you have and what you would like to get for them.

Thanks

Ryan

[sirenwerks]

The Walthers cars are 60' SIECO cars and they're all metal, so hard to shorten.

[ljudice]

The Walthers cars are 60' SIECO cars and they're all metal, so hard to shorten.

I respectfully beg to differ - they are plastic.....

 

[jmlaboda]

I respectfully beg to differ - they are plastic.....

I respectfully beg to differ with you.  Spookshow states that the models are metal with styrene detail and they are appropriate for the period of time that Specter3 is modeling.  His review of the model can be found at the link below...

http://www.spookshow.net/freight/walthers50sieco.html

They are reasonably appropriate models for modeling SR's pulpwood shipments in the mid-70s.  Ironically after a heavy investment in new cars many plants switched to chips only, leaving many of these cars as surplus.  Some were rebuilt with side bracing for hauling long logs while others were rebuilt to gondolas for hauling green and treated ties (the tops of the bulkheads ended up becoming a wall around Roanoke, Va.'s Recycle Systems scrap site).

There was another type of car that was also quite common on some lines.  Both Central of Georgia and Norfolk Southern (the original) had ACF 70-ton smooth sided cars and both groups remained in service well into the NS era with any still in use on shortlines.  Haven't seen a model of these as of yet (may be one just haven't tried to look considering how difficult Shapeways can be to search) but they may be out there.

Here is a link to one of the CG cars... many actually were repainted as SOU and given their own new number series (CG cars to SOU 132500 - 132597 series, NS cars to SOU 131950 - 131999 series...)

http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=205623

And there were plenty of the CG and Southern 70T triple hoppers that were converted to woodchip service still in use.  Be they CG, NS or SOU, they continued to soldier on into the 80s.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Regarding the pulpwood cars, those look pretty spot on for the Walthers cars. You can still find those on eBay and at shows. I may have a small handful I don't need.

My thoughts exactly. On both accounts, actually. I too have some of the Walthers cars I'd be happy to let go to a good home.

[Mark5]

Be careful on Spookshow's site - not always accurate (with so much info there are bound to be some errors).

[peteski]

Be careful on Spookshow's site - not always accurate (with so much info there are bound to be some errors).

If there are, we should let him know, so he can correct them.