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

[BCR 570]

Brake Equipment (Part 6)
When posting my last instalment I realized that I had forgotten to add the slack adjuster on the right side of the car.  This appliance maintains appropriate pressure of the brake shoes on the wheels as they wear down.  It is located underneath the side sill on the right hand side of the car and protrudes through a plate measuring approximately 12" x 6".  I used a 12" long piece of .015" x .040" styrene, drilled a hole in the centre, mounted it underneath the side sill, and then inserted a length of .015: wire.  It was fixed in place with CA:




The slack adjuster adds some more detail on the right hand side of the car:




Safety fittings are next.

Tim

[prr7161]

Fantastic and inspiring work!

[BCR 570]

Thank you; much appreciated. 

Couplers & Trucks
I thought that safety fittings would be next, but decided that it was time to install the couplers and trucks and take the cars for their first test run.  The coupler pockets were already built and installed, as well as the bolster hubs, so this was a fairly easy and relaxing job compared with much of the earlier work on these models.

The first step was to install an additional plate on top of the coupler boxes.  In the photograph below of a car retired from service, I noticed that at each end of the car there was an additional plate on top of the draft gear box:




It occurred to me that I could add this and gain a little extra thickness for securing the coupler mounting screws.  The lid of the coupler boxes is .020" thick so I made this additional plate from .010" for a total of .030" into which to tap for the screws.  I had to make the plates a little longer in order to cover the screw holes:




To centre them I placed styrene strips either side, and then glued them in place on top of the coupler boxes:




I then drilled through the new plates with a #62 drill, and threaded the holes with a #00-90 tap for the Micro-Trains coupler screws:




This is what the additional plates look like in place and with the screw holes drilled and tapped:




For couplers I am using Micro-Trains #1016 medium shank couplers.  When I first embarked on this project almost ten years ago I was planning to use #1023s, but test runs up the helix at the head of a train with a Minitrix 85' car resulted in constant derailments as the car tipped over on the 16" radius curvature.  I figured that medium shank couplers might help.  I tested the screws in a .030" thick piece of styrene to see how well they would hold and there were no issues.  Here are the couplers and screws with the test strip:




They fit into my coupler boxes really well, and were tested for correct operation.  One or two of them would not centre well so I backed off the screw a bit and also filed the back of the draft gear which seemed to help.  Here are the couplers after installation:






The coupler screws will be trimmed flush on top once I am confident of their operation during the test run.  I had already tested the height of the coupler box lid to the coupler height gauge, so I was reasonably confident that the couplers would come out well in terms of height when compared to the gauge:




The trucks most appropriate for these cars are the early roller bearing ones from Micro-Trains, seen here with Fox Valley wheel sets and #2-56 x 1/8" mounting screws:




The trucks slip over my styrene bolster hubs and the screws go into the hubs which were tapped at time of installation:




Here is what the cars look like with trucks and couplers now mounted - looking more like freight cars!




With trucks and now couplers installed, the cars are finally ready for a test run.  The layout has been dormant since the last op session on March 6, so I have to run a track cleaning train before I can run a test train.  The cars will need to be able to run through reverse turnouts, around 18" curves, through yard trackage, and most importantly up the 16" radius helix at the head of a 15-18 car train.  They need to track well and run steady when loaded with trailers.


To the layout!

Tim

[BCR 570]

Test Run!
The moment had finally come - time to see these models run in a train for the first time.  It is not enough simply to create a model which is as faithful as possible to the prototype; they also need to be able to serve my layout during an operating session.  That means they need to be able to withstand the drawbar forces in a train, go around my 18" minimum radius curves, negotiate all of the yard trackage including reverse curves through opposing turnouts, and travel successfully up  and down my 16" radius helix. 

Most importantly, they need to be able to do this at the head of a train.  Northbound trains on the British Columbia Railway's Chetwynd, Fort St. John and Dawson Creek Subdivisions ran with trailers on the head end so that they could be set out and unloaded quickly.  This includes my trains going up the helix to Dawson Creek.  Earlier tests with a Minitrix 85' flatcar purchased from "Retro" Lee indicated that this was a problem as the drawbar forces caused the car to tip over into the curve. 

Additional weight and swivel couplers seemed to mitigate the problem.  This led to the procurement of custom tungsten weights to get as much weight into the cars as possible, and the switch to#1016 medium shank couplers.  Time to see if my strategy will work, so I invite you to follow along as the models go for their first run.

For the first phase of the test I placed the cars as #2 and #4 in a five car train, with Briggs Models 7000 series 52'-6" trailer flatcars as #1, #3 and #5.  I chose these as they are the cars with which the new models will run with most often:




The first run was up the Fort St. John Subdivision to Septimus, where the cars were taken through the reverse curves into the siding there.  This was to duplicate a run north on the Septimus Turn:




The cars were then sent to Dawson Creek.  They are seen here negotiating the trackage at the north end of Chetwynd Yard onto the Dawson Creek Subdivision:




My biggest concern with these cars is how they will perform in the helix.  I don't think I have been in there in a very long time, and can't remember when I last took a photograph in there.  These photographs show the cars during their first of three climbs.  Not pretty overhanging the 16" radius curve, but tracking well and showing no signs of coming off the tracks:






After successfully climbing the helix, I enjoyed watching them traverse the upper deck.  The entire train is seen here crossing the Kiskatinaw River Bridge:




At Dawson Creek, the cars were set out and shoved through yard trackage to get to the trailer ramp, replicating a typical move by the Dawson Creek Switcher:




Arrival at the company trailer ramp in Dawson Creek, which the two models will no doubt serve regularly during operations:




How about a little video action?  Lets get you trackside for the return trip to Chetwynd.  Here the cars are negotiating 18" radius reverse curves just before the grade crossing at the east end of Tremblay:

After returning to Chetwynd, five cars were added to the rear of the train for the second test run.  The goal was to increase the drawbar forces on the cars toward the head of the train to try and trigger the problem I had with the Minitrix car years earlier.  Here is the ten car train departing Chetwynd:




The addition of the five cars seemed to have no effect on the performance of the models in the helix.  They are still showing no signs of coupler stress or tipping over.  So far so good.  Back down the hill to Chetwynd to add another five cars for a total of fifteen, which would be a typical consist going to Dawson Creek.  Here is the third test run with fifteen cars crossing the Pine River, now with a third engine added, and trailers sitting on the models for the first time to check clearances in the helix:




This video was recorded as the train went around the top turn of the helix.  This is where the tightest overhead clearances are.  You will see one of the trailers make contact with the ridge above which supports the access hatch above the helix.  I probably didn't have the trailers on straight (no hitches yet) but we will re-check that on the return trip:

Once again, the cars performed brilliantly.  Here they are again at the east end of Tremblay, this time at the rear of the fifteen car train and carrying trailers for the first time:

During the descent in the helix, another clearance check overhead:

I am so pleased to see that these cars run so well, to see that the trailers ride nice and steady, and to see that they will have no limits on operation.  They will be able to carry trailers to and from Septimus or Dawson Creek as needed, and two at a time no less!  Very rewarding after all the work to build these.  The Briggs Models cars performed well too.

Now to get them to the finish line.  Safety fittings are definitely next.


Thanks for watching,

Tim

[jpf94]

Tim,

Some excellent work there, resulting in some beautiful cars.   I hope you get them finished soon and share that with us as well.  Love to see them carrying a flatbed trailer as shown earlier in the thread.   

Great work!!!

Joe

[BCR 570]

Thank you, and yes if people are watching and interested I will keep going with updates.  Documenting the project as extensively as this does slow the pace of work as I have to keep swapping out my chair for the the camera and tripod, but it has occasionally been helpful to go back through the thread even for my own reference. 

Back to the safety fittings,

Tim

[Mark5]

Looking good Tim - thanks for letting us tag along!

Mark

[x600]

Hi Tim,
I've been following along since the beginning. I have to admire your dedication to prototype fidelity.
Oh, and the skill to pull it off!
I feel fortunate that the railroads that I model don't have that much unique equipment. Other than a scratch bashing a
few passenger cars, all I've had to do is paint and decal some engines, move a few horns, and build a few kits to get a good representation of my railroads prototypical consists.

Carry on, sir, We're tuned in!

Greg O.
 

 
 

[wazzou]

Hi Tim,
I've been following along since the beginning. I have to admire your dedication to prototype fidelity.
Oh, and the skill to pull it off!
I feel fortunate that the railroads that I model don't have that much unique equipment. Other than a scratch bashing a
few passenger cars, all I've had to do is paint and decal some engines, move a few horns, and build a few kits to get a good representation of my railroads prototypical consists.

Carry on, sir, We're tuned in!

Greg O.

Come on...you've been building the same house for +/- 30 years now.   

[Philip H]

these are things of beauty

[BCR 570]

Safety Fittings (Part 1)
After three successful and satisfying test runs from Chetwynd to Dawson Creek and back, the models are now back on the workbench, and the trucks and couplers have been removed for installation of the various safety fittings.  For this stage of assembly I took time to review prototype photographs and list the various fittings to be installed, and which parts to use:
- 18" end grab irons x 4
- 18" side grab irons x 4 (already installed)
- 18" top grab irons x 2 (holes already drilled)
- 18" centre sill steps x 2
- 18" corner sill steps x 4
- cut levers for couplers x 2

In N Scale there are a few choices for grab irons.  Gold Medal Models offers etched grab irons in different widths (#160-56) and BLMA (now Atlas) offers formed wire grab irons in 15" and 18" widths.  Gold Medal Models includes drilling templates; BLMA/Atlas offers drilling templates separately.  I had both in stock and elected to go with the BLMA grab irons and template:




The sill steps were a bigger challenge.  Several manufacturers including GMM and BLMA/Atlas offer etched sill steps but none match the style seen on these cars, where the vertical legs slope outward towards the mounting ends.  Fortunately I found the correct style in some extra stainless steel frets for the Briggs Models NSC exterior post double door boxcars.  The fret also includes etched cut levers so I will utilize those too:




I decided to tackle the end grab irons first.  These proved to be very challenging to locate and drill for on the ends of the models.  How does one accurately locate precisely spaced holes on the end of an N Scale 85'-0" flatcar?  The first challenge is to stand the car on its end securely so that the holes can be located and drilled.  Obviously they won't stand up on end by themselves so I clamped them to a large angle block.  I located the clamp at the point where the lowest set of diaphagm plates intersect the centre sills.  This puts the end to be worked on about 6 1/2 inches above the workbench, but it is now steady and oriented towards me:




The drilling jigs offer an opportunity to locate two perfectly spaced holes, thus ensuring that the formed wire grabs will fit well.  On a large flat surface such as the side of a boxcar, the jig can be taped in place for drilling.  Prior experience has taught me that even with taping,the jig is prone to sliding around during drilling, and I opt instead to use the jig simply to prick the model with a pin to create a pre-drill mark. 

While these cars have unusually deep end sills for this type of car, there is still little surface on which to balance the drilling jig in order to locate the holes, and I found that even with a quick prick of a pin it was not possible to get accurate results: 




A better solution was required.  I fabricated two drilling jigs from styrene to fit over the end of the models securely.  On the side facing the model, side and top ridges prevent the jig from moving around.  On the side facing the drilling template, a top ridge locates the template at the correct height.  I made the jigs deep enough so that the drilling template could be balanced easily on them:




I used the template to drill #80 holes at either end of the jigs, and then enlarged them to #78 so that I could go through them onto the model with a pin:




The jigs then went onto the models in preparation for transferring the holes to the models:




The transfer process begins with a pin which is used to prick a pre-drill on the model.  This intermediate step has two advantages:  (1) pricking with a pin rather than drilling a hole only requires a second or two for the jig to be on the model, thereby reducing the chance of it moving on me; and (2) locating pre-drills offers an opportunity to examine their location and make adjustments if necessary prior to drilling through the end sills:




The jig is then removed and the pre-drills inspected for correct location.  If they need to be moved slightly, that can be done by angling the pin and "skidding" the pre-drill up, down or sideways a tad.  I then check to ensure that the grab irons will fit, after which the holes are drilled through the end sills with a #80 drill.  I go all the way through the end sills so that I can apply thin CA from the rear if needed:




With the holes drilled successfully, I then install the grab irons for a test fit:




This process yielded satisfactory results for location of the holes.  I also need to install the cut levers on the end sills, so will do that next prior to installing the end grab irons.


All for now,

Tim

[BCR 570]

Safety Fittings (Part 2)
I don't always install cut levers on freight cars I am building, but these are special builds and they have rather deep end sills for this type of car.  BLMA offers etched cut levers in several different styles (#404)  but as I was raiding the Briggs frets for sill steps, I thought I might as well do the same for the cut levers.  To secure them on the car I found some left over eyelets from BLMA locomotive cut lever packages.  Here are the parts:




Installing these is a very fiddly process so I didn't even attempt to photograph it until I was done, but I will describe my process for those interested.  The angles on the cut lever prevent it from being slid into position after the two eyelets are installed, so one has to go in first and the second has to go in with the cut lever inserted through it.  I drilled a #80 hole as close as possible to the coupler at the bottom of the side sill and inserted the first eyelet with the eye rotated at an angle to match the slope of the cut lever. 

I inserted the cut lever into the first eyelet now on the end sill, and maneuvered the cut lever into its final position.  I then drilled the hole for the second eyelet, which is below the end grab iron and inside the left end of it.  The cut lever was then removed and re-inserted into the first eyelet with the second eyelet thread on loosely at the outside end.  After getting the second eyelet to go into its hole, I held it in place with my finger, applied some AC from behind, and turned the end sill face down to allow the AC to wick down into the hole and secure the eyelet.

The eyelets were now secure in place but the cut lever was still loose, so I applied some CA at each eyelet to lock the cut levers in place.  The cut levers were then trimmed back a bit at their inside end to clear the couplers.  Once this was done, I then glued the end grab irons in place, for which the holes were already drilled.  Here are both cars clamped to the angle block with cut levers and end grab irons installed:




and here is a close-up of those detail parts:




Next up are the sill steps.  These cars have a sill step and grab iron in the centre of the car on each side to allow carmen to access the middle of the car between trailers.  These came from the Briggs Models NSC boxcar fret and the locating pins had to be cut very short in order not to protrude up through the side sills:




The holes for the centre sill steps were located with the BLMA drilling jig and a pin.  I used the other car to help balance the drilling jig on the underside of the side sills:




The pre-drills were then located and drilled through with a #80 bit:




The corner sill steps were a little trickier.  Their inside leg plugs into the underside of the side sill, but the outer leg goes into the end of the end sill, requiring a right angle bend.  I drilled the hole for the inside leg first, inserted the sill step and marked for the pre-drill in the end sill, drilled the hole, and then bent the outer leg 90 degrees to plug into the hole.  Here is one set of corner sill steps with the inner leg trimmed and the outer leg bent 90 degrees:




Here is a view of a corner sill step installed:




With all of the underside fittings now complete, I was able to install the top grab irons above the centre sill steps.  This photograph shows the centre sill step and top grab iron in place:




At this point I re-installed the trucks and couplers.  With the test runs complete and the couplers known to be working fine, I could now cut off the excess mounting screw and file them flush:




Here are the cars back on the tracks with their safety fittings installed:




And thus another phase of construction is now complete with all safety fittings in place.  The last major components to be added are the aprons and hitches, so those are next.


Tim

[BCR 570]

Aprons (Part 1)
It is now time to fabricate the TOFC appliances for these cars, namely the aprons and hitches.  Unlike most U.S. trailer flatcars I have seen models or pictures of with one apron at either end, all of the PGE/BCR trailer flatcars had both aprons at the 'A' end of the car.  Trailers were loaded and unloaded circus-style via ramps at various locations between North Vancouver and ultimately Fort Nelson.  All of the ramps were served by north-connected spurs so the trailer flatcars always travelled with the 'A' end of the car, aprons and trailers facing south.

This 1961 publicity photograph from the railway's newsletter The Coupler is the best view of the ramps that I have.  They measured 48" x 30".  The topside was treadplate and the underside had three longitudinal stiffeners and a horizontal one across the top:




At a later date, most trailer flatcars received a horizontal brace to reinforce the hinge point, which I will model on my cars.


I began fabrication of the aprons by cutting out rectangles from the BLMA etched treadplate 48" x 30" scale inches.  I did this back when I was cutting the running plates, so these were ready to go.  I had also built a test apron way back when I first started this project:




On the backside of the treadplate, I began gluing the stiffeners in place using ..010" x .030" strip styrene.  I glued the pieces in place leaving them long and trimmed them to size after the ACC had set.  Here is the backside of the aprons with the top horizontal and left side vertical stiffener in place (not yet trimmed):




This photograph shows the first vertical stiffeners being cut to length using a #17 Xacto blade:




The second and third vertical stiffeners were then glued in place, again leaving them long until the glue had set:




The same trimming process was used to cut the second and third stiffeners to length:




A length of .010" x .020" strip styrene was glued across the bottom of the aprons to represent the bottom horizontal stiffener and help them to stand on end:




A short length of .010" x .010" strip styrene was glued across the vertical stiffeners to represent the supports for the hinge arms.  Here are the finished aprons:




There are hinge points on the 'A' end sill either side of each apron, and on the top of the side sill.  I cut squares from strip styrene and drilled #76 holes into the centre of the squares:




The hinge points were then glued in place on the 'A' end sills and the tops of the side sills:




The placement of the hinge points worked so well that I was able to stand the aprons in place on the cars without gluing them in place:




Of course, they will be glued in place, and hinge arms attached between the aprons and the side sills.  I will hold off doing that work until the hitches are assembled and installed in order to avoid breakage.

This step went very well.  Hitches are next.


Tim

[Tallmatt]

That's looking pretty special - what are you doing about trailers?

[BCR 570]

Thank you; I have already built a fleet of van trailers and flatdeck trailers for my TOFC traffic which can be seen here:

http://www.bcrdawsonsub.ca/index.php/rolling-stock/trailers

http://www.bcrdawsonsub.ca/index.php/rolling-stock/other-road-trailers


I have one more to build at some point which is a Canadian Freightways trailer.

Tim