Shapeways Heavyweight Streamlined Roofs

[peteski]

I know we can buy two (or more) cars, cut the windows out of one and cut the window area of the second one, then arrange the windows from the first one the way we want them in the second body and glue it all into one piece.  But, that takes two cars, every time.  Much better to just have the mass-produced windows available separately.  Especially if those windows were made from a weldable plastic, rather than resin or FUD.  That way, you only need one donor car to use as the body to make a car with different window arrangements.  Unless, of course, somebody also makes the complementary "windowless riveted car body" that Sirenworks noted we would need, so we don't have to make our own by cutting the windows out of a perfectly good car.

That sounds like a good idea but I don't thing that any of the model RR companies which produce injection-molded styrene models would be interested in it.  There would be only very limited customer base for these parts, consisting of craftsman-type of modelers. Companies probably would not even recoup their investment in design and tooling of this type of product. Most modelers want ready-to-run modelers. 

[jmlaboda]

I think that is what is called a "betterment" roof, but will be subject to correction by the more expert among you.

It is.

[nickelplate759]

I'm looking for something that keeps the full arch all the way to the end, like this (although maybe a little less in need of restoration):

[Nato]

                  Tower Series Betterment Pullmans like in the photo were used on the prewar Texas Zephyr, and on the Rock Island/ Burlington Zephyr Rocket trains. The turtle -back roof like on the Erie car covered the clearstory and the ends sloped down to the height of a normal lightweight car. Union Pacific's rebuilt heavyweight cars, chair cars, diners , and dormitory lounges had this type of roof. Nate Goodman (Nato). Salt Lake , Utah. 

[Lemosteam]

I'm looking for something that keeps the full arch all the way to the end, like this (although maybe a little less in need of restoration):

What will you do with the heavyweight end walls on this design?  Would that need to be taken into consideration?

I could do all of these roofs as an offshoot of my arch roof, but it would be helpful to understand which base MT cars to start from, for as I mentioned earlier, the attachment schemes are all different.

Unless one had a way of milling out the windows cleanly, I don't think the window pieces will fly, at least I can't envision a market for them vs. all of the time I would have to spend designing them.

[peteski]

I'm looking for something that keeps the full arch all the way to the end, like this (although maybe a little less in need of restoration):

That car doesn't even look like a heavyweight car (except maybe for the 3-axle trucks). Wouldn't it be easier to take a newer passenger car, modify its appearance as needed, then install 3-axle trucks under it?  Actually, in that photo that car looks like one of the European passenger cars (except for the trucks again). So maybe take one of the European models and convert ti to your prototype?

[nickelplate759]

It is a modernized heavyweight car, of course.  The windows have been changed (interior too).   The ends and sides are pretty much unchanged  except for teh windows of course. The end of the roof isn't flat with the end   The arched roof line at the end of the roof goes straight across, but the panels from the roof line to the top of the ends sort of bow out to meet the car ends.   The roof is taller than a normal streamlined car (matches the height of the original car roof).

[Lemosteam]

So then @nickelplate759 and @CBQ Fan , what MT cars would you like these to fit?

[nickelplate759]

Diner!  (and yes, I know the MT diner doesn't look much like NKP 125).

I realize that diners aren't all that common - in fact, I'd probably get only 1 roof (2 tops).

[Lemosteam]

It's more about whether I own the car or not... and thanks.

[thomasjmdavis]

Unless one had a way of milling out the windows cleanly, I don't think the window pieces will fly, at least I can't envision a market for them vs. all of the time I would have to spend designing them.

Actually, I would think that might be easier for one of the side manufacturers- either etched or laser cut.  USP already makes some sides for remodeled heavyweights, and often you can find sides for a streamlined car with similar window pattern.  Or cut the window panel from a donor streamline car body.  For that matter, one could probably devise a mini pin router from a dremel tool drill press or router table, if only doing a few.

[CBQ Fan]

MT 10-1-2 or 12-1 sleeper plus a diner would be cool!

[Maletrain]

That car doesn't even look like a heavyweight car (except maybe for the 3-axle trucks). Wouldn't it be easier to take a newer passenger car, modify its appearance as needed, then install 3-axle trucks under it?  Actually, in that photo that car looks like one of the European passenger cars (except for the trucks again). So maybe take one of the European models and convert ti to your prototype?

The whole idea was for the car to not look like a heavyweight.  But, typically, the belt rails and rivet lines remained, although sometimes the rivets were smoothed.  B&O had some combine cars where the rivets were smoothed on the coach window area and not on the baggage area of the same car side (which were painted differently).  [Well, OK, Jerry, those cars were really combines that had been converted to Baggage/dormitory/lounge cars for trains like the Capitol Limited.]  starting with the same car that the railroad actually started with makes the most sense when the windows were not changed at all (e.g., "Betterment" cars).  But, even when the windows were moderenized to Thermopanes, they were essentially just put into the same openings as the original windows, maybe with some blanked off.  So, that is still easier to simulate on the same car than trying to do windows from scratch on a different car body.  The main problem with doing windows in N scale is making them sufficiently aligned and uniform in shape and, when appropriate, making the corners square enough to be realistic looking.

So far as sales volume is concerned, I would think that my proposed car window parts would sell much better than the other plastic and brass building window components that are already made by some of the smaller manufacturers.  So, I don't buy the argument that they could not be worth the investment.  it could actually bring more people into the scratch/kit-bash market, since windows are one of the toughest things to make look good from scratch.

[peteski]

I still think that appearance-wise it would make sense to make this model by kitbashing a more modern passenger car to look like a modernized heavyweight,  than start with a body of a heavyweight car. But we all have different ways of doing things.

[sirenwerks]

It is a modernized heavyweight car, of course.  The windows have been changed (interior too).   The ends and sides are pretty much unchanged  except for teh windows of course. The end of the roof isn't flat with the end   The arched roof line at the end of the roof goes straight across, but the panels from the roof line to the top of the ends sort of bow out to meet the car ends.   The roof is taller than a normal streamlined car (matches the height of the original car roof).

Are you sure it's not a former hospital car? It has almost the same window pattern (minus one window) and the same end design, and they rode on six-wheel trucks.