Goodyear Synthetic Latex Tankers

[SAH]

I haven't posted something like this in a while, but here we go.

I need about a dozen synthetic latex (or SBR for Styrene Butadiene Rubber) tank cars to support the Goodyear SBR plant on the layout.  I've found photos showing Goodyear decorated prototypes from UTLX, GATX and SHPX.  They're each slightly different of course. 




I hauled out the usual suspects today and made some measurements.  All the candidates are old school N scale models.  I not aware of anything close (for my tastes anyway) on the market.



I've selected the blue Gulf Oil tanker at the left rear(Atlas 1st Gen), the partially assembled white tanker at left center (AHM Austria) and the white tanker to the right of the AHM model (Bachmann China).  I'll have to find a few more to fill out the fleet but fortunately they're swap meet cheap.  Those of you who know me know I like the challenge of making something out of nuttin'.

The first right to succeed test was making sure I could fab a proper sized expansion dome.  The orange Micro-Trains tanker front and center measured out about right.  The photo shows the result after forming the dome interface radius to match the tank diameter.   The rest of the project should be a piece of cake.  (What's the "insert tongue in cheek" emoji?)



This project will probably take awhile.  I need detail part etchings and custom decals.  Fortunately, with a layout under way there will always be something to do during downtime on this one.

[wazzou]

There was one of those just a few miles South of me for years and years at a Goodyear re-tread operation of some sort.
I’ve posted information about my family’s Coal unloading spot which was located on rail in a Redi-Mix batch plant that was also family owned.
The Goodyear facility was adjacent to our operation.
It was interesting because the car was static, still on its trucks and wheels, but on Concrete footings, maybe 3’ high and separated by the truck centers. 
The Concrete platforms had a truck’s wheelbase section of rails, on ties, with the wheels welded to the rail.
It had an overhead pipe to the building.
If I recall correctly, it was adorned in the GATX scheme.
I’ll see if I can’t locate a photo?

[SAH]

I made a bit more progress recently.  I've decided to make a master for the tank and cast copies.  Too many added details that can be cast to build them one by one.  For the frame my first inclination was to strip the Bachmann frame to the essentials, make castings and then fill in the missing parts with brass etched parts.  After getting the ride and coupler height right I mated the frame to the tank to check the overall height.



The tank was a bit high.  I decided to flatten the bottom of the tank a bit.  At that point I felt like I'd travelled this road before, and I had.  I has been 30 years since my Upgrading Tank Cars articles appeared in N Scale mag.  Yikes.  Where has the time gone?!!!!!  So much has changed in the hobby since then, not to mention life in general.

It then occurred to me that a frame from the current ATL 11k gal tank car might work.  It looks promising.  I'm at the proverbial fork in the road:  Create a mostly scratchbuilt frame or use the ATL version.  Craftsmanship or expediency.  We will see.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Wait. Tell me about that SHPX car next to it too. I've wanted cars like that for a long time (not enough to make one though).

I'm guessing that's scratch built too?

[Spades]

.  At that point I felt like I'd travelled this road before, and I had.  I has been 30 years since my Upgrading Tank Cars articles appeared in N Scale mag.  Yikes.  Where has the time gone?!!!!!  So much has changed in the hobby since then, not to mention life in general.

SAH 

I remember that article it was great.  Didn't you do articles as well on converting a Con Cor SD50 into a SD40T-2?  Also one where you milled off the cast on walkway of a Walthers covered hopper.  Really great articles on improving n scale models.

[SAH]

Kit-scratched or Scratch-bashed, as you choose Ed.  I know the basis is the old Atlas 1st Gen tank car.  Two of them actually.  Here's a poor photo showing the four sections of the final model assembled but before paint.  I remember worrying about how I was going to keep all the sections in alignment and then discovered the metal weight from the Atlas jumbo tank car was the perfect width to act as a guide to string them together.  A happy accident.  I also remember being hesitant about this build because the cast on handrails would be trashed once the sections were assembled, gaps filled and tank sanded. And so, my first go at scratching hand rails.  Of course, once you discover it can be done there's no going back, for better or worse.  A close-up of the model is also shown.





I did not do the locomotive bash article @Spades but did do a couple of different covered hopper articles.  Overall there were six or eight freight car articles, a caboose and one structure IIRC.  Thanks for the recall.  It occurred to me when I posted this ref that many of the members on this forum aren't old enough to remember those articles.     I've becoming a geezer modeler. 

[SAH]

I assembled the cast parts for a test fit today.  Some tweaks will be necessary but overall it's a good start.

[SAH]

I redesigned the frame and lowered the ride height slightly.  I like the effect much better.  Paper mock-ups of the iron work parts verify the details fit as planned.  It's time to relearn the ppd guidelines and draw some parts.  This is my first tank car casting project.  I'm glad it wasn't my first go at resin casting.

[SAH]

While waiting for the ppd etched part sheet for the SHPX model to arrive I've been working on the decal artwork and making the master for the UTLX 25xxx series as shown in the lead post.   

I'm sure you long time N scalers will recognize the starting point shell on the right.  We've come a long way have we not?

[SAH]

The parts casting operation for the UTLX car is underway.  No fails so far.  I must have learned something over the years.



Yeah, I know - Old school technology.

Here's the test fit.  I need to lower the truck bolster about .010" but otherwise it seems to work.  I had such a problem with the cast underbelly on the SHPX car I decided to make the tank casting accept the A1G/Trix underbelly part.  So far so good.

[peteski]

Very nice!
Do you use pressure casting?  What brand and type of resin?

[SAH]

Thanks Peter.  I use the Micro Mark RTV and 30 min resin, both 1:1.  I believe they are rebranded Smooth On products.  The quantities work for me since casting is a sometime thing.  There is less material left to expire when I'm finished with a project.  I do use a pressure pot.

[peteski]

Thanks Peter.  I use the Micro Mark RTV and 30 min resin, both 1:1.  I believe they are rebranded Smooth On products.  The quantities work for me since casting is a sometime thing.  There is less material left to expire when I'm finished with a project.  I do use a pressure pot.

Thanks SAH.
I also heard that Micro-Mark resin is from SmoothOn.  I usually buy mine directly from SmoothOn. They sell trial size quantities, and I know it is fresh.  I also cast so little that I only use small amount of the trial size before it becomes unusable. I have  not compared prices though.

[SAH]

The etch sheet arrived!  Seven weeks.


Couldn't wait to try out the frame build.  It worked out pretty much as planned.  Some improvements in technique are in order but overall, good.


And the sigh of relief was audible throughout the house when the platform slipped over the expansion dome.

[SAH]

A busy month (non-RR modeling anyway) but the first build is finally complete.  A few procedural and technique changes should make the subsequent builds go better.  It went together pretty much as planned but when I missed I missed by a lot.  Nothing that could not be recovered and can not be changed going forward.  A trip to the weathering shop is next and then onto the layout!