Looking for 40' Boxcars with Gunderson Ends

[C855B]

Does anybody other than MTL do their "plain vanilla" 40' boxcars with the Gunderson Bros. roofs and 2-piece ends? I'm looking for kitbash fodder.

[wcfn100]

Does anybody other than MTL do their "plain vanilla" 40' boxcars with the Gunderson Bros. roofs and 2-piece ends? I'm looking for kitbash fodder.

Which MTL car is that?

Have a pic of what you're looking for?


Jason

[C855B]

The 40' box that MTL does in every foobie paint scheme in the world has the Gunderson-style ends. MTL cars are just too expensive even in the used market to chop-up, at least in the numbers I'd like to try.

I went to Bachmann's site, incidentally, to look for a "cheapie" for this, and was frustrated that the HO car they use for illustration in their online catalog is "right", but the actual N cars have P-S style ends.

Specifically:

[wcfn100]

We'll I'm still a bit confused.

If you're talking about the MTL 'Standard 40' box car' that's a Pullman Standard PS-1 with PS ends and the PS bow-tie roof. So I still don't know what car you are referring to.

And in the picture you posted, I think you're talking about an 'Improved Dreadnought' end.  Gunderson would be the builder, but many builders used these types of ends.

I would guess that car has a diagonal panel roof, but I don't know.

So in answer to your question, I dont know of anyone who makes a 5/5 'Improved Dreadnought' end.  Is that car taller than most?  IM has a couple shorter 'Improved Dreadnought' ends, and some of the old CC box cars do too.  IM also has an 'modified' end which I think is 6" taller than the one I previously mentioned.  I've been looking through older cars and there are a few that have those types of ends but the molding is crude or out of scale.

As for the roof, I still have no idea what you're asking for.  There are a couple different diagonal panel roofs. IM has one for their 40' box cars and there a some 50' options w/o roof walks that could be cutdown. I haven't looked for roofs, but I would guess it's the same story as the ends on older models.


Jason

[sirenwerks]

Mike,

The MT 60' auto parts box cars have the right ribs, but in a 3-3-3 arrangement. The ExactRail PC&F cars are the same. The UP car, and it's shortie Pig Palace NP counterpart, would be perfect cars for Bob @ Traincat to produce (hint, hint, wink, wink).

[C855B]

[forehead slap]  :-\

Yeah, Jason... now that I'm looking at an MTL car under semi-decent light I see what you're saying. Nix that idea. And for some reason I woke up this morning thinking "Dreadnought ends", so apparently some deep-seated memory slapped me around a little. As far as the roof... your guess is as good as mine. I was making the assumption of a "stock" roof that Gunderson would have used in the mid-'60s. I have something like 30 pix of UP stockers in front of me, and the only one with any view of a roof is a wooden car from the 1920s. Not useful.

You know, Bryan, after we chatted yesterday I started thinking hard about that idea and it dawned on me that as good as Bob's stuff is, it's justifiably priced to match the quality. One or two I'd have no problem with, but a full train - which is how they ran - would push the cost of the project into the $2000+ range, and at that it would still be sophisticated kits and the time it would take to build them. My objective was originally a bash solution, to essentially cut the sides off of something off-the-shelf bought cheap from train show tables, and slap on some jig-built sides out of styrene or ABS shapes. Something that would hopefully take under an hour each once it got going, and under $10 per by the time I put MTL RB trucks underneath.

It's sounding like there's nothing out there to use as a reasonable core, so now I wonder if it's time to revive my vacuum molding skills. But, OTOH, I have too many other projects in the queue to make another serial project out of this idea, so I suppose we'll be waiting for somebody to produce one (or a close-enough) commercially and then drain my wallet accordingly.

[TrainCat2]

That car has been on my watch list for quite some time along the the 85ft Pig Palace. Dreadnought ends have been a show stopper in etched brass for several projects. If resin did not vary so much, that would be the answer.

[sirenwerks]

Using plastic instead of resin out of the question, Bob? The ends alone would be a nice detail part to use on other cars as well.

Another question would be, if you're going to do the 85' Pig Palace, can you do the shorter version at the same time?

[Sokramiketes]

That car has been on my watch list for quite some time along the the 85ft Pig Palace. Dreadnought ends have been a show stopper in etched brass for several projects. If resin did not vary so much, that would be the answer.

I'd like to put one vote in for conversion sides for freight cars.  I don't think you need to include the roof/ends/underframe for all these kits.  Just offer the sides like other companies do for passenger cars. Should also bring the cost down some, and even a flat panel roof is going to look better from a plastic shell than from etched brass.   

[Dave Schneider]

I'd like to put one vote in for conversion sides for freight cars.  I don't think you need to include the roof/ends/underframe for all these kits.  Just offer the sides like other companies do for passenger cars. Should also bring the cost down some, and even a flat panel roof is going to look better from a plastic shell than from etched brass.   

YES, YES, YES!!! This is exactly what we need. I have been thinking about doing this myself, but am pretty sure that I wouldn't be able to get good looking rivets. I have also tried the Archer rivets details, but my I would probably lose my mind/eyesight before finishing more than a couple of cars.  The other thing that would be cool is various plug door latches, etc.

Best wishes, Dave

[C855B]

I'd favor a Lego block approach, almost like the real thing uses. For example, the stock car we're discussing here is taller than usual, and wouldn't quite work if the "core" was a standard-height 40'. So, basic underframe with a variety of available ends and roofs to go along with those sides.

"We have the technology."

[wcfn100]

I've you knew someone who could cast the parts, making RP end masters would be fairly straight forward since it's got quit a bit of duplication.  I have no idea of what the breakover of sales would have to be though.


Jason

[sirenwerks]

A double door conversion for a IM single door 40' box would be sweet. The IMs are a great staring point considering their modular design. In fact, Bob, perhaps you could partner with IM and use their end, doors, roof, and underframe components with your sides?