Ulrich-- Gondola Build

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Thank you Patrick! Appreciate that!

 

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Final coat on the gondola floor-----Primary Black (A)

My first attempt at weathering like this. I'm happy with it. I think the key here though, (at least for me,) is to test colors/technique before giving it the final go.
With that done, I can move on to the bottom side of the floor. First, is to install the air reservoir, brake cylinder, air valve. This is were those micro files came in handy. I could file the mounting pegs down on these pieces so they fit close to the mounting brackets.

All the components mounted, ready to install brake rodding.

I wanted to know what size wire I needed for the rodding, so I checked out the detailing freight cars book.

This page shows piping/rodding sizes, lower rt.

I needed a couple of rods with clevises, so I used the set of turnbuckles that I had purchased just for that purpose. I trimmed the turnbuckle and cut it in half, then CA'd the wire in it.

 

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All the rodding is mounted.......

I set the trucks on the bolsters to make sure every thing cleared.

Looks good here, now its install the piping.....

 

[Sirfoldalot]

That's really taking shape - looks nice!

 

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Thanks Sherrel, appreciate that!
Only 3 pieces of piping to fashion & install, here is the floor complete.

Almost ready for some primer.....tape off the coupler pocket openings......

Out to the train room for primer.

I had cut a piece of balsa wood earlier as a substitute floor while working on the gon sides, I clamped it to the floor to help keep it from being scuffed and keep the primer off my new weathering job.
The trucks came in yesterday, National type B-1 (Kadee's) I ordered from Midwest Model Railroad, who I had seen on the Ron Marsh vids. I didn't recall of hearing of theses guys before so I thought I'd give them a try. Nice service, fast shipment! Looking at there web site, I'm glad I don't live close too them, I know I'd be spending the whole stimulus check there!
Anyway, here's the trucks, notice the suspension on them.......

 

[Sirfoldalot]

JERRY -- I have known of MIDWEST MODEL seems like as long as they have been around. All good reports!

 

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Sherrel thanks, that is good to know......

 

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Well, now we're in the waiting period for the primer on the floor assembly to dry/cure, so I thought this would be a good time to start on the gon load. And that will be cinders as I had mentioned before. I used the ol' tried & true method of foam core load making. Lots of Youtube videos on this subject.
With my substitute floor I traced & cut a piece of 1" pink foam. This hacksaw blade holder I had as a holdover from my mechanic days, very handy for cutting foam with a minimal of mess. The blade length is adjustable.

I have an Intermountain 50' 6" war emergency gondola that I used to trim & shape the foam to before painting.
Trimmed & painted. I used the cheapy folkArt paint full strength to cover the foam---don't want pink showing!

While this dries, I'll sort out some cinders for the load. I didn't want pit run, I wanted a fairly consistent size for the load, around the HO one foot size. All the screens that I have, sift to the order of 3-4 inches on down to dust. I had bought a 3 piece screen set some time back, so I took one of those and an awl, and pushed a set of holes thru the screen that would let scale 12 inch cinders through.

I picked out the larger red cinders before crushing the rest. I didn't want the red overwhelming the black, I left the black cinders in for contrast.
Left to right....3 ft size, 1 ft size, 3" & down

 

[MoPac_Eagle]

Your loads will look very nice when they are done.

 

[2Tracks]

Thank you Luke, I appreciate that!

 

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I was going to approach putting the cinders on the foam as using the 3" and smaller first, (to hide the areas that the 12 inch cinders didn't cover,) and then the 12 inch cinders. This is the foam with only the small fines on it.

Looking at this form, I didn't care for how steep the sides are. When I go to apply the 12" cinders, that will widen the load too much to make it fit in the car. I have lots of foam, so I whipped up another form.

Note the shoulder along the lower edge. It will be easier to keep the cinders above that line.

Old form & new form.

I brushed on straight Elmers glue, applied the 12" cinders first and then poured on the fines to fill in the voids that the 12" cinders wouldn't cover.

With the glue still fresh, I put the load in the car so any cinders that hung over the shoulder would move up and out of the way of the side panels.

 

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New cinder load in the stand-in Intermountain gon.

 

[santafewillie]

Jerry - Nice load although a bit tall in the modern world, maybe not for your era though.

 

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although a bit tall

I had noticed that, I was going to go with, cinders are light so they loaded the car up. But since you had said something, it doesn't take much to make a new load.

I like that much better. Thanks for saying something Willie.......

 

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While the paint on the underside of the floor is curing, I painted the inside of the gon sides. This way, with the insides painted, I'll assemble the car and it will be easier to protect the floor when I paint the outside verses trying to protect the floor AND paint the insides.
In a previous step I had put the car together and held it together with the bar clamps and pre drilled the holes for the side mounting pins. Now is when that step comes into play, I can insert the pins through the gon side holes, and into the pre-drilled holes in the floor bottom sill. Carefully hammer the pins down, (using a nail set for the last few millimeters,) and the gon is together.

Did you note the side pins?