Author Topic: A little steamer car help  (Read 1335 times)

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jnevis

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A little steamer car help
« on: July 04, 2012, 10:38:02 AM »
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I'd like to try and bash one of WP's steam cars they got from GN for the CA Zephyr.  I was thinking of using an MTL RPO and cutting it down to 40' then building sides.  Has anybody tried to build one I could get pointers from?

http://www.midcontinent.org/collectn/stlpas/gn90.html
Can't model worth a darn, but can research like an SOB.

Philip H

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Re: A little steamer car help
« Reply #1 on: July 05, 2012, 09:57:44 AM »
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if you are doing that much cutting and filing, why start high end?  Grab an old Rivirossi or Model Power car or two at a show for $2 each, and then do the splice and dice.  Add MT trucks and couplers, some rebuilt car sides, and BLMA grabs.
Philip H.
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jmlaboda

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Re: A little steamer car help
« Reply #2 on: July 05, 2012, 10:19:42 AM »
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I would start with a Wheels of Train car vs. the MT 60' mail car, in as much because you have a good bit of windowless sides that you likely would want to keep.  And you have to remember, though, that the 6 cars had separate origins, and this could and should be taken into consideration.

GN 1 and 2, built by St. Louis Car Co., had one large door on one side only with two windows on the opposite side, while 3 and 4, also St. Louis built, had small doors on both sides roughly placed over the left truck on both sides.  GN 2 sold to Western Pacific, date unknown.  GN 3 sold to AutoTrain.

GN 5, rebuilt from GN diner 1001, had a similar door and window arrangement as 1 and 2, but when created in the GN shops this car came out with a streamlined roof, matching the profile of new lightweight equipment.  both cars was sold to the Spokane Portland & Seattle in 1969 to allow for freight locomotives to be used on all four of their trains, though passenger cab units remained in service.

GN 6 and 7 were built the cars rebuilt from the short mail cars and featured a single center large door with a single window opposite the door on the other.  GN 6 was sold to the Western Pacific, date unknown.

GN 8 and 9 were rebuilt from boxcars.

Photos of these cars can be found at the Passenger Car Photo Index under AutoTrain, GN and WP listings and if you are interested I do have diagrams that I can share, if you would be interested in seeing them.  Email or PM me and I will see what I can do about sending them to you.


jmlaboda

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Re: A little steamer car help
« Reply #3 on: July 05, 2012, 11:26:35 AM »
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Here are links to the two diagrams that I have of the cars as GN.  While not the best you should be able to at least gain some information from them to help you to build the cars.  Sometime in the future I have plans to build a couple myself for my freelanced lines (roughly based on 6 and 7 but built new).

http://passcarphotos.info/GN_1_2.jpg
http://passcarphotos.info/GN_6_7.jpg

Also while working on an Update for the Index I came across two more shots that might be of some help (they will be included once I get the Update finished)...
http://abpr2.railfan.net/abprphoto.cgi?october11/10-28-11/GN_Heater_Car_3_Minneapolis_MN.jpg
http://abpr2.railfan.net/abprphoto.cgi?november11/11-18-11/WP804D_WP_Depot_Oakland_CA_California_Zephyr.jpg