Nachoman's 2010 spring bash chalenge

[nachoman]

I did some more work to the frame, building up both ends, cleaning up flash, filling in holes, and installing couplers. There is still a lot of work to do on the frame, but things are definitely taking shape. I also carved off some details on the tank that I think were supposed to represent straps that hold the tank to the frame. I decided these looked bad, so I will make new ones out of brass strip.

[nachoman]

I did some lazy internet research into the origin of this car, and it looks suspiciously similar to the athearn 3-dome tank car. The details are pretty much the same, the way the handrails and ladders attach. I wonder if Bachmann actually used the Athearn car as their prototype. Athearn sells this car as an 8,000 gallon tank car, but my calculations of the model show this is likely a 10,000 gallon car. Another photo of the CONX 190 car appears here:

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The lettering indicates each compartment at 2000 gallons, so this is probably a 6,000 gallon car. I am also thinking that there may be void space between the separate tanks, so my calculation of 10,000 gallons for the model may account for 2,000 gallons of void space - thus the Athearn 8,000 gallon designation may be correct. Nonetheless, I think I will still try to create the CONX 190 car, as it is the best internet photo I have found of a 3-dome car that looks similar enough to the model. I also like the handrail for the high roof walk and the rather plain lettering scheme.

[e-paw]

The capacity discrepancy may also be caused by a layer of insulation wrapped around the tank like boiler lagging. All in All a good build.

[nachoman]

As an experiment, I filled the truck mounting holes with JB weld. Once it sets up hard, I will drill and tap it for a truck screw. I also made an executive decision and sanded the rivets from the top rim of the domes. The rivets were so badly formed on the center dome, that I decided the car would look better if I got rid of them from all three rather than from just one.

[Gary S]

Nice work Kevin. I have used JB weld as you are doing, and it worked just fine. I like the way you built up the end of the frame. Should make for an easy means to mount the coupler box.

On a couple of tank cars I rebuilt, I actually put a nut on top of the frame and ran the coupler box screw into it. Yeah, you could see the nut, but painted black, it kind of blended in with the frame. I like what you are doing better!

[Sumpter250]

This is coming along very nicely.

[nachoman]

The trucks for my tank car are painted. If you look closely, the trucks are slightly mismatched. they came from my parts box, and are probably either Athearn or MDC trucks. I replaced the wheels with metal wheelsets.

[Gary S]

Nice paint on the trucks. Was that airbrushed?

On another note with the mismatched trucks. I have found that the center plate on various trucks are different heights. Make sure they are the same height, or use some of the Kadee washers to make them the same.

[nachoman]

Nice paint on the trucks. Was that airbrushed?

On another note with the mismatched trucks. I have found that the center plate on various trucks are different heights. Make sure they are the same height, or use some of the Kadee washers to make them the same.

Yes, entirely airbrushed. I started with testors gloss black. Then I sprayed near each journal box and wheel with Polly Scale "oily black". I got the wheels spinning before shooting the paint on, that way it would be even. Last, I sprayed Model Master Acryl "Burnt Sienna" to the center part of each truck to represent rust and dirt.

[Ralph]

I am also impressed with the trucks. Nicely painted. One would really have to scrutinize them to realize they weren't identical!
Looking good!
Ralph

[nachoman]

I havent forgotten about my tank car. I put grab irons on the tank, and made a railing for the upper walkway. The railing is actually bent from the old railing from the original car. I will fashion a new lower railing out of wire. The corner stanchions are plastic that I cut from an evergreen I-beam scrap. I drilled tiny holes in the top of the end stanchions so that I could loop a think copper wire through and tie the corner of the handrail down, otherwise I doubt the glue would hold. I think the side stanchions are from athearn handrails. I found those in a miscellaneous parts box I picked up at a train show a few years ago. I also embossed a few pieces of styrene with rivets and glued them to the tank saddles. I need to fashion some kind of hold down bracket that will support the tank strapping. I also began drawing decals on powerpoint. The conoco logo is still a little large. When I get them the way I like them, I will print on white decal paper.

[nachoman]

I made tank straps and a handrail out of brass, installed the trucks, and placed the tank on the frame. Everything fits together well, and the couplers are at approximately the right height. Next comes brake rigging (anyone have a good photo or diagram of the bottom of a tank car? :?: ). After that, just a few more details such as the side ladders, stirrup steps, and DOT placards. Then comes paint and decals, and I am done :mrgreen:

[doctorwayne]

Tank car brake layout is essentially the same as that for a boxcar:
[album]1327[/album]

If you'd prefer a view of a tankcar, let me know - it only takes a minute or two to get a photo.

Wayne

[nachoman]

Here is my attempt at brake rigging. The main components are all from the original car, with the castings cleaned up. They aren't the most detailed, but I did not want to spend extra money on this car. The rods are pieces of music wire, and the levers are scrap styrene. I still need to add a main air pipe, and the hand brake rod. For this car, I consider my brake efforts "good enough". I am not sure what the brake rigging looks like on the actual car, but I realized upon assembly that the brake rods may make unloading the car rather difficult (assuming it is unloaded from the bottom).

[Gary S]

Kevin, that turned out very nicely. Doing the brakes is rather fun, no?