I received my copy of the August issue of Scale Rails yesterday. There is an interesting article about using metal tape to replicate steel in it. I wonder if metal tape could be used to replicate stainless steel rolls?

Ralph Wrote:"Reading", as the old Public Service Campaign used to say, "is fundamental!" It occurred to me to read the article a little more closely!
The author says that hot rolls cool to that dark blue gray color and then start collecting a patina of rust. I'm guessing the shiny silver rolls are stainless.
Makes sense to me!

Ralph

Unless the mill is one dealing with stainless steel (generally considered a "specialty" steel), chances are that the shiny ones are tinplate. Coils were also shipped in boxcars, on heavy-duty wooden skids. I'm not sure why, but at the plant where I worked, most of the cars were U.P. 50' or 60' cars, with double plug doors. I didn't work in this department, but the coils were likely either tinplate or a type of galvanised steel, and, being shipped on skids, were shipped "on-end".

Wayne

As i said id post pics of my shot of steel coils all comments welcome.

Dandy coils - seems like I can count the layers wound on ! For additional detail, one should add blocking ( 6"x6" or so timbers) to keep those babies in place. If one or more shifted to one side of the car as in the first pic, the gon might get tired half way thru the trip and roll over for a nap ! (front office wouldn't be impressed) ! Have also seen the coils layed flat on slag or gravel (To insulate the car - coils are often shipped while still quite warm - and prevent shifting of the load. Nice work ! Bob C.

Thanks Bob it takes me just about a half hr from roll to finish. I know what you mean about the front office, right now they sit near the factory awaiting timber in order to be shipped.

Those look great Harry!
Ralph

I actually gave up and bought two packs of the walthers coils