Thrall double stack car diagrams

[tngjstn]

Hello, I am designing N scale double stack cars on AutoCAD that can later be manufactured, and I am currently doing some research on the Thrall Lo-Pac cars.



Before their acquisition by Trinity, these well cars came in two phases: the low sill (represented by BRAN 4521), which was produced from 1984-1986, and the high sill (represented by DTTX 745243), which was produced after 1987. Seeing that these are relatively older cars, I have yet to find dimensions, diagrams or drawings of these cars. If anybody has such information it would be greatly appreciated.

[jagged ben]

If you can't find a copy of the following magazine I may be able to dig mine out and send it to you or send you copies of the drawings.  I think it's in storage though, so I suggest searching for your own copy first.
Mainline Modeler: February 1987
Fortenberry, Curt & Bill McKean. - "APL Container Car". - . - p.65-69.

For more check out the magazine article section on the well car Wikipedia article.  (I completely forgot I put that all there.   I re-found it with Google.   ) 

Note that there were several versions of the Lo-Pac car;  all 40' wells, 45' wells in the 3 center units (as in your BRAN photo), and 48' wells in the center units.

Also note that the 40' version has been produced as a kit by Interail a long time ago, and then reproduced in a slightly lower quality RTR version by Deluxe Innovations.  If I were you, I would choose to produce the 45' or 48' center wells version, since those haven't been made yet.   

Also note that the TXX photo you posted is a rebuilt car that started life as a 48' well.  It would have been originally built around 1990 and modified to 40' around 10 years ago.    Walthers has done several runs of the 48' version but the quality is not great (unless you add the Gold Medal Models etched details), and a rebuilt version would be welcome.

Another Thrall double stack car that would probably be very popular is the 53' three-unit set. 

Good luck with your efforts.   

[tngjstn]

If you could send me copies of the drawings that would be of great help. As for the different variations in well sizes, I eventually plan on doing all of the well sizes you mentioned as time goes by. I'm surprised that Thrall didn't publish brochures or drawings prior to its acquisition by Trinity.

The Interrail/Deluxe Innovations set is very rare, and hasn't been in production for the past several years. However, I plan on offering the 40' version with BRAN reporting marks, which haven't been done before in N scale.

[jagged ben]

Send me PM with you address.  You may need to remind me periodically as I don't regularly visit the storage unit.

[tngjstn]

Here are some additional magazine articles pertaining to the Thrall cars. Perhaps you might have some of these?

Mainline Modeler:
Fortenberry, Curt & Bill McKean. - "APL Container Car". - February 1987. - p.65-69.
Fortenberry, Curt & Robert L. Hundman. - "APL container car part II the brake system". - March 1987. - p.78-81.
Hundman, Robert L., & Curt Fortenberry. - "APL 45-foot container car". - May 1987. - p.54-57.

Model Railroading:
Geiger, Doug. - "Thrall Double-Stacks: Three-Well DTTX Drawbar-Connected Car". - October 1994. - p.50-55.
Mansfield, Jim. - "Thrall Five-Unit Double-Stack Car - Series TWG50J". - October 1993. - p.19-23.
Mansfield, Jim. - "Thrall Five-Unit Double-Stack Car - Series APLX 5000". - November 1993. - p.24-25, 27-31.

Railroad Model Craftsman:
Panza, Jim & Chuck Yungkurth. - "Thrall's double-stack cars". - January 1989. - p.89-98.
Panza, Jim & William Halliar. - "Thrall stand-alone and drawbar connected well cars". - October 1992. - p.64-68.

[ednadolski]

Note that there were several versions of the Lo-Pac car;  all 40' wells, 45' wells in the 3 center units (as in your BRAN photo), and 48' wells in the center units.

<dusting off this old thread with a question>

@jagged ben

For the three center well units, were the 40'/45'/48' wells all essentially identical other than their length? IOW, if I had a drawing of one size, would it be usable for the other lengths, or are there notable/structural differences? (I presume they must have differed in the # of vertical ribs, but that could probably be adapted.

Since the emergence of 3D printing, this has become a topic of interest to me

Thanks,
Ed

[jagged ben]

<dusting off this old thread with a question>

@jagged ben

For the three center well units, were the 40'/45'/48' wells all essentially identical other than their length? IOW, if I had a drawing of one size, would it be usable for the other lengths, or are there notable/structural differences? (I presume they must have differed in the # of vertical ribs, but that could probably be adapted.

Since the emergence of 3D printing, this has become a topic of interest to me

Thanks,
Ed

I think they are close enough  that with a little additional photo research the answer would be yes, you could work off plans for the 40ft version.
Note I'm talking about the earlier version mentioned above, just to be clear.

There were some slight changes to the stirrup steps and things in different runs.  Also I believe at some point most if not all of the breaking systems were modified so that there are brake wheels at both ends.

Lol at first I didn't realize it was an old thread and was wondering why I couldn't upvote my reply above.  .  I was like 'this guy's saying everything I would say."

[Rivet Miscounter]

I think they are close enough  that with a little additional photo research the answer would be yes, you could work off plans for the 40ft version.
Note I'm talking about the earlier version mentioned above, just to be clear.

There were some slight changes to the stirrup steps and things in different runs.  Also I believe at some point most if not all of the breaking systems were modified so that there are brake wheels at both ends.

Lol at first I didn't realize it was an old thread and was wondering why I couldn't upvote my reply above.  .  I was like 'this guy's saying everything I would say."

A 3D Printed conversion kit to change the intermediate platforms to 48 on the Interrail kits would be nice.   The Santa Fe car is high on my list.

[jagged ben]

A 3D Printed conversion kit to change the intermediate platforms to 48 on the Interrail kits would be nice.   The Santa Fe car is high on my list.

The Santa Fe cars were Lo-Pac II, i.e. the later, higher sill version.   They are a match to the Walthers model (except for the end-well lengths), not the Interail model.

[Rivet Miscounter]

The Santa Fe cars were Lo-Pac II, i.e. the later, higher sill version.   They are a match to the Walthers model (except for the end-well lengths), not the Interail model.

Ah, ok.  Thanks for clarifying.  So I guess I need 3D printed Walthers 40ft ends then.  Or someone to do the whole shebang.   I bet resin prints and use the GMM etched details and modern-tooling trucks and couplers would be a pretty nice looking model.  I guess we're assuming that "Tang Justin" isn't following through.      (I'm really not intending to be rude...I know projects like this are a kick in the nuts most of the time.  Hopefully he's on the verge of bringing that plan to life.)

While we're on the subject of 80s stack cars, I'm hoping ScaleTrains.com brings the Backpacker to N.

[ednadolski]

For reference, as it seems some of the OP's links may no longer be working:

https://www.railcarphotos.com/Search.php?SxSeriesID=6000
https://www.railcarphotos.com/Search.php?SxSeriesID=1178

Plus, a few quick decal links:

http://www.microscale.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=60-788
https://www.microscale.com/Merchant2/graphics/Instructions/87-788instr.pdf

Ed