Etched brass contraption wanted

[up1950s]

I chose 7ft for the second deck clearance. My desire to add intricate detail hinges on consensus of the 2nd deck composition, wood, steel plate or steel grating to see sub-floor details and cars through grating.

Base flat car at 40ft might be a problem. IIRC, Atlas A1G 2370 series was the only 40ft fishbelly flatcar. Might have to go with 50 footers unless anyone else knows a good supply.

Red Caboose has or had 42 foot flats . I would think the upper deck is steel , if it were grated crap would fall down on lower cars . Notice the shadowed lower level in the shot .





http://www.red-caboose.com/cgi-bin/e_catalog/catalog.cgi?&page=new_product_pages/n_flat.html&shop=redcaboose&language=eng&curr=0&session=48e628d612a3731a&cart_id=61109018x4771

I think it would be easy to shorten a 50 foot flat car . Shortening the structure from 50 feet to have a correct length car would be harder . Having said that , I would still buy at least 3 , maybe 5 of whatever you might make . Thanks in advance of considering the project .

AS been said before , maybe this , and certinally othere were home road made , and maybe some used a 50 foot flat for theirs . Too bad that photos of these things are so rare . Somebody could make big dough making a photo and diagram book of unique or rare freight cars .

I plan on using these on my home road , so a generic design is just ducky with me , and glad to have it .

[DKS]

I would think the upper deck is steel , if it were grated crap would fall down on lower cars . Notice the shadowed lower level in the shot .

Agreed. My guess is that the upper deck is probably something like diamond plate.

[victor miranda]

I chose 7ft for the second deck clearance. My desire to add intricate detail hinges on consensus of the 2nd deck composition, wood, steel plate or steel grating to see sub-floor details and cars through grating.

Base flat car at 40ft might be a problem. IIRC, Atlas A1G 2370 series was the only 40ft fishbelly flatcar. Might have to go with 50 footers unless anyone else knows a good supply.

bob,
please consider 6 feet
7 is too tall

the man standing at the end of the car is similar in size to the space between the railcar floof and the second deck
a 7 foot tall man is very rare.
and
the cars in that rack are about 5 or a little more tall. either by my memory of those autos or proportion of the man standing on the end of the rack.
also consider a flat car deck is often 42 inches off the rails (3.5 feet)

the reverse direction is also telling
if 15 feet is a good clearance number for any railcar and the top of the autos
and you subtract 5 plus feet you are under 10 feet for the top of the rack from the rails.
Your 7 foot rack height leaves 3 feet or less for the railcar deck to the rail head.

double stacking Autos  is a question of railcar clearances and the height of the autos.
6 foot tall autos require a 3 foot railcar deck...
and there is no room for the rack...

I think 7 foot too tall.

v

[Mark5]

On a related note:

http://www.canadasouthern.com/caso/NYC-EARLY-AUTORACK-STORY.jpg

[Mark5]

Notice the build date on this car (the rack was probably added later):

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/ttx/ettx50924acw.jpg

[TrainCat2]

Red Caboose has or had 42 foot flats . I would think the upper deck is steel , if it were grated crap would fall down on lower cars . Notice the shadowed lower level in the shot .

With a BUNCH of these RDC flats in 6-packs on hand, I guess i'll have to include the flat with the rack.

Ok Victor, 6ft and diamond plate it is.

[up1950s]

Red Caboose has or had 42 foot flats . I would think the upper deck is steel , if it were grated crap would fall down on lower cars . Notice the shadowed lower level in the shot .

With a BUNCH of these RDC flats in 6-packs on hand, I guess i'll have to include the flat with the rack.

Ok Victor, 6ft and diamond plate it is.

Wow this is sooooo cool , thanks . I think 6.5 would be safer . That slightly oversized quasi N Scale 57 Chevy roof is 6 feet high .

[victor miranda]

well, that is a good reason for 7 feet...

sigh....

over scale racks for overscale cars....
and If they are that tall, the racks should hold them.

Bob,
I forgot the reality of our scale
7 feet may be a better choice....
v

[Ryan87]

anybody know how late these cars would of ran... did they co exist with 85/89 foot autoracks?

[up1950s]

1955 to 1959 would be the era . There were not too many made either . There are pretty unique , and not every road built them . They are an oddity that punctuates a very small time frame . I plan on filling them up with CMW 1959 Fords . For me they are spot on the era I want . I also plan to fill flats with loaded car carrier trailers .

[randgust]

I'm tellin' ya Bob, that's a winner of an idea.  Considering your photoetch skills, you're it.

I always thought that Tyco and everybody made those shorty autoracks up from their imagination (i.e never happened)   Hang around on the forums long enough and you'll both be proven wrong, and learn something!

[clarkrw3]

super cool...I might have to be down for a couple of these

[Nelson]

The autos in the photo are 1959 Plymouth Belvederes,
They had the following dimensions:
Wheelbase 118 in
Front Track 61 in
Rear Track 59.6 in
Length 207.8 in
Width 78.3 in
Height 56.6 in
Ground Clearance 5.7 in

The rack dimensions should be able to be figured from there easy enough.

[DKS]

super cool...I might have to be down for a couple of these

I will definitely be down for a couple. Not that I have a specific modeling era or road that they would serve, but because I have an especial fondness for somewhat esoteric rolling stock.