A second start for my "White Swan" reefers

[modelsof1900]

E-paw, thank you very much.

Wayne, thanks for your lauding comment - and more yet for your friendly and helpful explanation.
Yes, you are right. I should look on Shorpy, a source without ending of information. Best of all is last picture with ribs between the plank ends or more correct I think steel belts for saving the plank ends.
Pictures will help to finish this first test sample and my four more models.
Thanks again - and more pictures will follow!

And an addition - wood planks on a plastic model?
Ok, it was my intention to built them from wood 'for a more realistic aging'. You are right I could build the roofwalks from plastic also. But it was my specific connection with wood for this decision.
First test have shown that the wood strips are fixed absolutely strong to styrene by use of an AC glue. The nails are only an adornment but they are a very good addition for a more realistic look of these models. And, I admit it, I look like always new challenges for my model projects. I hope for good luck.

And a second addition:
I modified my drawing a bit (last picture of my last post) and now I have found my solution. I will realize the roofwalk after scheme no. 4 - as seen on car left of mentioned picture. Ok, and thanks for this simple solution.

[modelsof1900]

Roofwalk is nailed and fixed using a pattern after this picture of Shorpy with car in front on left side.



Next, I tried to set reworked ice hatches on the roof for a last attempt of selection.



Ice hatches are from the original ones made by Tichy. I removed the wood platforms and so I think to realize them in this manner. The details are still missing yet on this picture.

[modelsof1900]

Ready!



(Click on picture for max enlarging, please.)
Roof walks are 'nailed' on the roofs using more as 500 'nails'.
Biggest problem was to pre-drill all the holes with 0.2mm drill bits (=0.0079" or #92 bits) and I must admit that 10 bits are rest in peace in the roofs now with a cost of $68. On my website I have written - "The value of the models increases slowly".
And the ice hatches are added after my last idea. Only one has to wait for the next part delivery.

[faraway]

.... pre-drill all the holes with 0.2mm drill bits (=0.0079" or #92 bits) ...

Bernhard, your patience must be endless but the results are outstanding. It was worth every hour you spent

[modelsof1900]

Reinhard, thanks!
Yes, it was a puzzle and at some days I do not have more than one half of a roof done. But I'm happy now working on the next parts and slowly I can see a light at the horizon.

[ngauger]

Beautiful Work!!!

[zstripe]

Modelsof1900,
Outstanding dedication, a true Craftsman, in my book.
Cheers,
Frank,zstipe

[modelsof1900]

Thanks all for your friendly comments.
Today I have sent a file for 3D-printing to a model builder who has offered to own the best available 3D printer.



This door lock was developed and designed by a friend on base of that Carstens Reefer picture and now I'm very curious about the result.

[dave1905]

Since I model the 1900's, somebody sent me a link to this thread and asked If I had any information.

I don't have any information on the prototype, but I do have some observations on the prototype photo.

Normally early trucks have either a 5 ft or 5 ft 6 in wheelbase. If the truck wheel base is 5 ft then the car is about 31 ft long. I also scaled off the grabirons on the end, assuming that the grabirons are 18" long, the car scales out about 30 ft long and sides about 10 ft 6 in high. Your car may be too long.

Also the reefer hatches on the B end of the car appear to be extra. If you look at the picture the reefer hatches are over the space above the blank spot between the door and the end of the car. The hatch is visible in the photo. When you enter the car on the side of the prototype photo there would be the ice bunker on your immediate left and the entire car to the right will be open. Apparently there is no bunker on the right end because there is no hatch visible. If there is no platform, there will be two boards on the roof behind the hatch or a single block about hatch length inboard of the hatch so when the hatch is opened and laid back on the roof of the car, the hardware on the hatch doesn't strike the roof and damage it.

The channel bracing on the end of the car was there to strengthen the end of the car against shifted loads. Since shifted loads would never hit the end of the car on the bunker end of a reefer (the load is up against the bunker) reefers normally didn't have the channel bracing. Since your car has a bunker only one end, the non-bunker end could have the bracing, but I doubt the bunker end would have it.

A car as tall as this one would be very restricted since it would be pushing the limits of the clearance envelope. It might not clear some tunnels and doors of its era. It would be a "hi-cube" of its day. The car in the photo looks to be about 13 ft 6 in high over the roofwalk, higher over the handbrake. A typical P&R engine of the period was 14 ft 6 in high over the smokestack, so these cars were at the limits of height. The problem comes in the corners of the top. If you look at an NMRA clearance gauge, notice how the corners are angled off. So the max height is over a limited space over the center of the track, it gets lower further from the center. The reefer not so much. So the car would be restricted on where it could go.

[doctorwayne]

Thanks for your input, Dave. I hadn't made the connection to your user name here. :oops:

Wayne

[dave1905]

There is an amazing amount of work going into the cars, I wish I had additional photos to help.

[modelsof1900]

Dave, thank you for your detailed explanations.

I would like to repeat some of my thoughts in the construction of the model.
We and my friend have had first this sketch only from the 1913 catalog of Seattle Car and Foundry Co. together with these dimension dates.
Length 34' and hight inside 10' 2'. All out of standard dates like gauge, coupler hight etc.
And later, we have received this image of Carstens reefer without any info, but with the big assumption that this could be an identical car.
First compromise is that we built models on base of 36' frames with result that models are 2' too long.
Second problem was to find an appropriate external height corresponding to the inner height of 10' 2". In result the models have a height over all of 51 millimeters or 4.437 meters or 14' 6½'. This is a really high car and 2 or 3 inches more are to add for the brake wheel.
My friend and I have discussed a long time about the left ice hatches (look on end of car).
At end we have decided to add four ice hatches because we do not know about the car in new condition - so as we build - and because we do not know about the Carsten reefer is it pictured in modified condition or in old but original one. One is visible, the Carstens reefer is used and maybe rebuild also. Compare the condition of doors.
We know that a few more information and pictures would be very helpful. But so we think that we should finish the models now and we know also that we started with a compromise and so these models will never be absolutely correct. However they are looking good with their extraordinary height and the painting will give these models the last finish. Let you surprise or click my website. There is a preview.

And an addition yet.
The cars were built around 1913 or later and there was used a steel frame - we so would like to say that this is a modern feature for that time!
We (my friend Joerg and I) were sure that this car with such a (modern) equipment and built in or after 1913 must have archbar trucks with a wheelbase of 6' or more. But the Carstens reefer clearly shows that the wheelbase was 5' or 5'2" only. (I have calculeted this using the well known car length over all.) Were older trucks mounted below of an old car?
One problem more, or? Here we have once more a bit of playing ground and nobody can give us the correct answer. But I must say also that I and we would made many more errors without the help in forum here. And so thanks to all for your opinions and answers on our questions.

Now the latest addition yet. Yesterday I received the locks for the ice hatches, etched from 0.08' nickelsilver.

[modelsof1900]

In last days I switched back to my 'White swan' reefer models after the Decker reefer are ready for a color correction.



All parts around the ice hatches are completed and I added stirrups and pole pockets.
Now I must wait for the door locks and a specific part of brake - all are planned to make by a 3D-printing in a steel mixture. Because of the extreme cost I will let to print each only part and then I will copy the required number of parts cast as lost-wax parts from brass. But now I must wait for help by a very busied friend in order to make a correction of the needed print-construction files, unfortunately.

[modelsof1900]

Almost the last steps were done!



All parts of the hand brake and end sides attached.
Now I wait for the door latch mechanisms, which should printed as metal parts in 3D printing technology.
Now I hope for a fast delivery, because the paint job is complicated and is still need a lot of time. And after a few more small parts must be assembled, and also they need to get on the color in a second step.
But I am very happy to have reached this state. Most work is done!

[doctorwayne]

Beautiful craftsmanship, Bernhard. I'm really looking forward to seeing the completed cars.

Wayne