Wheels of time flats

[JoeD]

I've been onboard for these flats, glad to see them frankly. Assuming the decks are separate (and they look like they are) we have options and surly folks will come out with wood and laser board decks. 

Joe

[mcjaco]

Here's a shot I took of the underside when I got the SP bulkheads.



Looks like the deck can be removed.

[bbussey]

The deck is a separate component, just got confirmation from WOT a few moments ago.  Also, two types of deck, one all-wood and one with metal plates.

[Cumbo2000]

Additional observations ...

Wheels of Time Welded Flat Car

Comparing this pre-production photo with recent flat cars offerings from BLMA and InterMountain there appear to problems with the deck and how WofT modeled the body of the flat car.

The prototypes for all three flat cars have the top of the body bolsters and the draft gear for the couplers flush with the top of the wood deck. BLMA and IRC use separate small castings to represent this feature with the decking fitting around these castings. To me the WofT pre-production car has this feature painted on the deck. The decks are thinner on the BLMA and IRC flats and both contain detail to represent the bolts that fasten the deck to the underframe. The thinner decking makes the lack of detail for the end of the planks less noticeable.

I would like to see a photo of the end.

I concur that the old Walther's model of the GSC flat car was one one of the better modeled flat car underframes.

Bob Witt

[robert3985]

I don't know why nobody has suggested it yet here, but if the deck is too thick (and it looks like it is) and it's a separate piece, why not pop it off, attach it to a nice, flat block of wood with double-sticky tape and sand the underside until it looks "right"?

Then, scribe the board edge details by pressing 'em in with a single edge razor blade.

Lastly, repaint and weather appropriately and glue back on.

That's what I'd do...and I think I can guarantee it'd make the deck exponentially better looking.

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[Philip H]

I don't know why nobody has suggested it yet here, but if the deck is too thick (and it looks like it is) and it's a separate piece, why not pop it off, attach it to a nice, flat block of wood with double-sticky tape and sand the underside until it looks "right"?

Then, scribe the board edge details by pressing 'em in with a single edge razor blade.

Lastly, repaint and weather appropriately and glue back on.

That's what I'd do...and I think I can guarantee it'd make the deck exponentially better looking.

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

Really Bob - advocating actual modeling on a bitch and whine forum . . . Sheesh 

[nkalanaga]

How thick IS the deck?  Many of the GN's flats had 3 inch boards, and I doubt that they were modern 2.5 inch finished lumber.  Three inches would be very close to 0.020 actual, and most of my scratch decks are Evergreen 0.020 scribed sheet.

[wcfn100]

For riveted flats 2 3/8" was pretty common which would be under .015" in N.  Looking at later welded flats like this car I can find 2 1/4" - 2 3/4".  GSI bulkhead flats like the Athearn car has a drawing that shows 3".  No doubt there are a lot of variables.

Can someone just measure the deck?

Jason

[Atlas Paul]

I've been onboard for these flats, glad to see them frankly. Assuming the decks are separate (and they look like they are) we have options and surly folks will come out with wood and laser board decks. 

Joe

I prefer to buy my products from folks that aren't surly.

[GaryHinshaw]

I think they have a spot for you on the staff of New Yorker, Paul.

[basementcalling]

I prefer to buy my products from folks that aren't surly.

Surly, you can't be serious?

[Dave V]

[mcjaco]

I'm actually quite fond of one of Minnesota's greatest exports:

[Mike C]

A bar in Columbus ....

[John]

I prefer to buy my products from folks that aren't surly.