Thrall 40ft Well

[Sokramiketes]

I need some variety from strings of MTL Huskystacks... so here's a shortened (48ft to 40ft well) Thrall built well car.  I sent it to shapeways to get a confirmation model in hand, but I'm thinking this will eventually go through the lost wax brass process to produce kits like the AAR flatcar.  Walkways will be etched.

Thrall also has 40ft articulated wells... it will be easy to do that version as well now that the main body is comlpete.

[GaryHinshaw]

N scale too, while you're at it!  But definitely metal.

[Chris333]

I don't know the exact car, but Hobo Tim made well cars from etched brass.

[Sokramiketes]

N scale too, while you're at it!  But definitely metal.

N doesn't have these yet?  If that level of detail is OK I can probably scale it up.  Are you OK with the walkway support blocks as-is?  They arn't the separate legs of the prototype, but the blocks will cast better. 

[Sokramiketes]

I don't know the exact car, but Hobo Tim made well cars from etched brass.

Been talking to Hobo Tim a lot lately, and purchased some etched Maxi-IV's from him.  The etched cars are great, and finely detailed.  Tim has also done 48ft Thralls of similar design in etchings, but with all the layers of folded parts, it seemed like the Thrall variants would be a good test for brass castings.  And I can get the angled ribs instead of flat layers too. 

[GaryHinshaw]

N doesn't have these yet?  If that level of detail is OK I can probably scale it up.  Are you OK with the walkway support blocks as-is?  They arn't the separate legs of the prototype, but the blocks will cast better.

Only the Walthers 48' sets, and they're a pain to cut down. I've been putting off that project for a few years now.  RE the support blocks, you could leave them off.  The GMM etched detail set has folding support legs:



I'd be very grateful if you could make this happen.

-gfh

[James Costello]

I'd be very grateful if you could make this happen.

Same, for both the stand-alone and the 5 car sets.

[Scottl]

+2  I'm willing to be a guinea pig for a first trial of the RP model.

[Philip H]

+3. No matter how hard I try, I can't get away from good intermodal models.  Or even mediocre ones.

[ednadolski]

+4   (Sorry tho to add to the pile-on)

Ed

[Sokramiketes]

Here I am minding my own business in the Z scale section... 

Tell you what, I'll make the changes to the solid model to adapt it to N scale, throw it up on Shapeways, and one or more of you can order the model and provide feedback.  I'll change the supports to work with the GMM detail set.

If someone wants to measure inside the folds on one of the GMM end platforms with steps, maybe we can save a round of iterations.  What trucks do you guys want me to size the bolsters for? 

After the model is dialed in I'll get some prices for brass or pewter castings. 

[Philip H]

I'd prefer BLMA with appropriate wheels, but I am often an oddball. Some sort of simple for centering a coupler to body mount would be welcome.

[GaryHinshaw]

Can't hide here, I'm paid to read all the posts.

I can scan a GMM fret and send you a copy if you like.  I'll include a dimension to make sure you have the scaling correct.

Thanks!!
-gfh

P.S. BLMA trucks would be fine.

[Scottl]

Sounds like we have progress!  I agree, BLMA is fine for trucks.

Can't wait!  Now going back to the physics lesson in another post

[Sokramiketes]

Can't hide here, I'm paid to read all the posts.

I can scan a GMM fret and send you a copy if you like.  I'll include a dimension to make sure you have the scaling correct.

Thanks!!
-gfh

P.S. BLMA trucks would be fine.

It's hard to get a precise spread distance with just the flat part.  It's hard to tell exactly where the fold takes place. 

I think I've got a Walther's thrall somewhere... I'll measure across the end instead.