Refrigerator Car Roof Surfaces

Collection of the late J. P. Barger

Having crews work on "bare" roof surfaces presented a seemingly risky endeavor, especially when the surfaces were smooth and wet, such as those on steel-roofed, ice-cooled refrigerator cars. One means to make things a little less perilous was to apply something rough and/or textured mixed with the paint applied to the roof. A common additive was crushed slate granules. This added (and noticeable) texture provided a more sure-footed surface for crews. These two photos illustrate that to good effect. The photo above is the roof of a PFE R-40-20. The texture is quite evident (click on the image to see a larger, more detailed view.) Contrast the surface texture of the roof and most of the hatch cover with the more smooth rectagular-shaped surface in the middle of the Equipco hatch cover (the stencil notes that, "THIS HATCH COVER MAY BE LOCKED FROM INSIDE OF CAR.")

The roof and hatch covers on Santa Fe rebuilt refrigerator car 9161 from class RR-43 are similarly textured.

Santa Fe photo, courtesy of the late Richard Hendrickson

While it may be difficult to effectively capture in HO scale, it is definitely noticeable compared to the other surfaces on the car. Happy modeling!

Coupler boxes, draft gear or whatever you choose to call them

My in progress PRR X41B has been equipped with the new prototype-sized draft gear

Yes, it's been awhile since I last posted, due to a variety of factors including illness, the holidays, work, moving stuff upstate, fostering an elderly pit bull and myriad other things. That doesn't mean I haven't been doing anything, although truth be told, I haven't done as much as I'd like. However, a little over a year ago, I made a pattern for a new scale-sized coupler box. Aren't there many of those already, one might ask? Yes, but none has satisfied my want for something a lot narrower than what the market has offered. [click on any photo to view in a larger format]

Note how narrow the opening is. These will operate down to "small" radius curves, especially if easements are used to form the curves. P.S. - I messed up on my X41B - the stringers should be 2 scale inches closer to the respective side sills; I (mis)located them too close to the center sills and they are "crowding" the middle section of the underframe!

I made a pattern that is essentially the narrowest box that I could create to accommodate the Kadee 158 whisker coupler and still have it be reasonably easy to duplicate via resin casting (and operate, of course!) At least for my wants and needs, I believe I have succeeded. The parts fit inside the boxes of the other scale and semi-scale coupler boxes. The caveat: these are not intended for hands-free magnetic uncoupling. I cannot state that they won't work with magnetic uncoupling tools, but my focus is for operators who use manual uncoupling tools, such as skewers or other similar tools. They do pivot easily and if assembled properly and not overtightened, will self center reliably.

The assembly is held in place with a single 00-80 screw

The draft gear installed on the (in progress) pilot model for the upcoming ATSF Bx-34 box car conversion parts including Duryea underframe

The draft gear for the Duryea underframe extends prototypically far (compared to standard draft gear) beyond the end sills

A third view on the Bx-34 pilot model

These will be available directly from Speedwitch in one dozen pair packs in the near future and if demand warrants, five pair packs, too. Pricing will be announced when these parts are available

Dean's Mill in Coxsackie, New York

 

I have spent a fair amount of time over the past year in the northern Catskills of Greene County, NY, especially the area around Catskill, Athens, and Coxsackie* (cook-sahkee or "cook sake" as in cooking the Japanese wine,) NY. On one of my outings, I passed Railroad Avenue in Coxsackie on my way downtown and decided that sounded like a promising diversion. It was! I came upon the two structures shown herein, the largest being the old feed store and mill, known as Dean's Mill in its last iteration (Dean's Mill the business has moved to East Durham) and the smaller was "Geo. E. Van Vorst."

Coxsackie was on the West Shore Line which was part of several predecessor ventures that ultimately became part of the New York Central. For a brief history, you can visit this wikipedia page. Like much railroad history in the US, there were many players and several busts and acquisitions along the way. There is enough business in Coxsackie to make it an interesting switching layout/diorama or as part of a larger West Shore-themed layout. Gems like these are always worth a stop and I am sharing the images here in the hopes it might spur on someone's modeling efforts. Enjoy!

All images can be viewed in a larger format by clicking on the image

In this historic image, an early iteration of L. Bedell (later Dean's Mill) can be seen behind the station. The tracks are part of the West Shore Line

1920 Sanborn Map Co. Fire Insurance Map, Library of Congress. Note the red arrows pointing to the two structures/businesses that are the subject of this post, L. Bedell (later Dean's Mill) and Geo. E. Van Vorst. The map is oriented with north oriented down and left, as the arrow in the map indicates

This and the following images are of what is Geo. E. Van Vorst on the Sanborn map

Bill Welch's FGEX Consortium Book

 

Since the passing of Bill Welch, I have received many inquiries about the book that he was so passionately engaged in creating. I thought it probably a good time to share some insights into the status of that project. Many of you are aware that Bill handed that off to me when he realized that his time was growing short, even though it was already decided that I would publish it. Sadly, his time was shorter than we imagined and he passed before we were able to arrange for a proper discussion of what he had done, where the files were located, etc. The result is that I have been scouring his two computers and an external hard drive to piece together the parts of the book. Bill seemed to have believed in repetition, as there are many, many folders that are duplicated (maddeningly, not exactly duplicated) in various places on these drives. I continue my work of sorting through it. To put it succinctly, the project moves forward, although it is not yet press-ready by any stretch.

P.S. many have offered aid in the form of sorting, proofreading, etc. I appreciate those offers and when the time is right, I will gladly avail myself of those offers. However, it is still not yet that time so I appreciate the continued patience. Thank you

AC&F Type 27 ICC 103 6,000 Gallon Tank Cars

 

"Tank car going over the retarder at the south hump at an Illinois Central Railroad yard," Chicago, Illinois, Nov. 1942, Jack Delano photo, FSA-OWI Collection, Library of Congress, Call Number: LC-USW3- 010536-D

Collectively, American Car & Foundry (AC&F) and General American Transportation produced the vast majority of tank cars that traveled the rails in the Steam and Transition Eras. AC&F settled on common design traits that were modified to suit various sizes and types of tanks. The notable feature was the underframe and AC&F designated various underframes as "standard" and applied a "type" based upon the first year it was produced (more likely marketed, as some slightly predated the year's designation.) One of the most common was the Type 27. Of the Type 27 tank cars produced, most were 8,000 or 10,000 gallon general service cars (ICC 103) and insulated (ICC 104) or insulated and pressurized (ICC 105) most commonly in ~6,000 or 10,500/11,000 gallon capacities. However, there were small quantities of cars built in smaller or larger capacities or even multiple compartments (what modelers colloquially refer to a "two-dome" or "three-dome," for example.)

R C Feld photo, John C LaRue, Jr Collection

When added to a model tank car fleet of more common-sized cars, these odd capacity cars can stand out in a consist and add a little variety. At the recent Chicagoland RPM, Resin Car Works released a 6,000 gallon ICC 103 Type 27 general service tank car ($60). According to the prototype info referenced in the box insert, there were only 77 of this prototype produced between 1931 and 1941. The RCW kit replicates the 33 cars built between August, 1940 and May, 1941, with truck centers of 21'7". The kit includes lettering for generic SHPX stenciling as well as SHPX cars lettered for Wolf's Head Refining. There is also an add-on that includes lettering for Chateau Martin Wines, with a cast brass frangible disk and attractive color lettering and logo. I opted for this scheme. There were five cars in series CMWX 101-105 in the early 1940s. By the early 50s there were only two cars, nos. 101 and 105 (note if you look for Chateau Martin's cars in the ORER, they are listed in the back section under "Commodities Car Co."

It looks to be a straightforward kit. When I build it, you will see it here...

Presentation File from Chicagoland RPM, Oct 10-12 2024

 

As promised at the clinic, here is the file from my presentation about etchings. Note that it does contain some new and updated material from previous iterations. I plan to share an hourlong presentation sometime in the next couple months on a Wednesday evening as part of the Hindsight series (details to follow; to be the first to know, join the Hindsight 20/20 groups.io list.) It will cover the actual process of creating the artwork in far greater detail than I was able to present at Naperville.

Enterprise Gondolas

 

Note the Murphy-type corrugated steel ends. Ralston Steel Car Co. photo, from Columbus Railroads web site (although I cannot find the exact citation at present)

One of the most visually distinctive cars of the Steam and Transition Eras was the GS (General Service) gondola with drop doors and appliances to allow the doors to be locked or deployed to release the cargo. These cars are generally associated with Western roads, although there were small quantities on roads like the Boston & Maine, Maine Central, and New Haven (note that I am not including the more traditional-looking gons of the N&W, C&O, etc., with full length straight side sills and more simple drop doors, usually four in total, as they are quite different in appearance and operation.)

The SP gons used a flat end with two braces. Ralston Steel Car Co. photo, from Columbus Railroads web site (although I cannot find the exact citation at present)

Even more distinctive-looking were the "Enterprise" gondolas of the Union Pacific and Southern Pacific. They incorporated small sloped sections at the bottom of the interior of the sides, that made them look "short" compared to other gons. Besides the small sloped section of the sides, the distinguishing feature, and what made these "Enterprise" gondolas, was the mechanism that allowed the doors to be lowered. It consisted of "links" that when the rod on which they were threaded was turned, they "unfolded" until the doors were lowered and the links, fully extended, held the doors in an open position. In reverse, the links efficiently folded up. It was an ingenious design. The photo of SP 46954, from class G-50-9, illustrates how the links appeared when the doors were in the dropped and open position.

Road	Series Begin	Series End	Qty	Built	Builder	Class
UP	62000	62999	1000	1920	RSC	G-50-7
UP	63000	63999	1000	1920	PC&M	G-50-7
AE	4000	4025	26	1923	GATC	G-50-9
PE	5700	5899	200	1923	GATC	G-50-9
PE	5900	5999	100	1923	GATC	G-50-9
PE	6000	6099	100	1923	RSC	G-50-9
SP	46155	46604	450	1923	GATC	G-50-9
SP	46605	47079	475	1923	RSC	G-50-9
PE	20000	20599	600	1924	GATC	G-50-9
SP	91400	92399	1000	1925	TCI&RR	G-50-10
SP	92400	92899	500	1926	PSC	G-50-11
SP	92900	93899	1000	1927	SSC	G-50-12

GATC - General American Transportation

PC&M - Pullman Car & Manufacturing

PSC - Pressed Steel Car

RSC - Ralston Steel Car

SSC - Standard Steel Car

TCI&RR - Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad

UP diagram states series 63000-63999 built 1920, but photo evidence indicates majority of cars built in 1921

The cars were rated at a respectable cubic capacity of 1776 cu. ft. with an inside length of 41 ft. 6 in. (for comparison, the SP's steel and composite GS gons built in the 40s had listed cubic capacities between 1776 and 1948 cu. ft.) The accompanying table lists the information for both roads' cars. They represented significant groups of cars for both, especially the SP, where they were a signature car from the 20s into the 50s. The SP/PE cars were shuffled around a bit and were then renumbered entirely in 1956 as part of the systemwide renumbering. The accompanying table traces those changes.

Reporting	Series Start	Series End	Built	Qty.	Class	1956 Series	Notes
SP	14112	14442	1924	331	G-50-9	360002-360304	1
SP	44160	44359	1923-4	200	G-50-9	360305-360457	2
SP	44361	44428	1923	69	G-50-9	360458-360511	3
SP	46155	46604	1923	450	G-50-9	360512-360789
SP	46605	47079	1923	475	G-50-9	360790-361054
SP	91301	91325	1923	25	G-50-9	361055-361068	4
T&NO	42250	42449	1923-4	200	G-50-9	---	5
SP	91400	92399	1925	1000	G-50-10	361098-361993
SP	92400	92899	1926	500	G-50-11	361994-362376
SP	92900	93899	1927	1000	G-50-12	362377-363024

1 - transferred from PE 20000-series in 1951

2 - transferred from PE 5900- [100 cars], 6000- [16] and 20000-series [84]

3 - transferred from PE 6000-series

4 - ex-Arizona Eastern; transferred to SP in 1924

5 - transferred from PE 20000-series in 1929 [100 cars]; Dec 1940 from PE 6000-series [15] and 20000-series [85]

The three cars shown in this photo are all UP G-50-7s and clearly illustrate the Murphy-style corrugated ends. "Council Bluffs Iowa Railroad Strike,"Feb 6, 1951, Robert Paskach photo, Robert Paskach Collection, The Durham Museum

Many of the SP cars from classes -9 and -10 had the lower side sections and slope sheets replaced by welding new steel in place, as illustrated in this photo of G-50-10, with its palindromic number 361163 (some cars also included a relatively small number of rivets, as well.) This was because the side and slope sheet sections were a single piece. On the G-50-11 and G-50-12 classes the side sheets and slope sheets were separate sections, with the top of the slope sections overlapping the bottom of the side sheets, creating an "edge" inside the carbody where the two met, Bob's Photo

SP 92622, a G-50-11, shows the separate side sheets, riveted along the bottom edge of the side sheet sections. Given that the side and slope sheets were distinct parts, repairs presumably involved only the component requiring maintenance as opposed to the entire side and slope sheet section, unless both required work, of course. Indio, California, Mar 11, 1956, Col. Chet McCoid photo, Bob's Photo