# Building NG Rail and Tie Cars



## maculsay (Jan 2, 2008)

I’ve been rounding out my narrow gauge (1:20.3) backwoods MOW rolling stock. To my already-built Crane and Idler Cars, and a Rail Maintenance Tools/Supply Car, I’m adding 2 Rail/Tie Cars and a Flat Car carrying a rail worker’s Push Work Car. 


















The Rail/Tie Cars are a scale 13 feet 9 inches long (coupler-to-coupler). 

Specs in 1:20.3 scale: 
Frame length/width…….6.25” x 3.172”
End Beam length………3.875”
Pin Beam length……….3.172”
Decking width…………3.5”

The picture shows the 3 cars in different stages of assembly. The rail is cut to a standard 10 foot length and will be weathered so it appears rusted. The basswood frame, end beams, pin beams, and decking are already stained using Black India ink and alcohol. The Truss Rods are 1/16” brass rod, formed to sit on the truss pads with each end CA’d into holes drilled on the inside of the end frames. The frame’s center section contains buckshot for added weight. The 16” Brake Wheel w/lock pawl is assembled with a 1/16”dia. brass rod with sufficient length below the lock pawl to insert well into the end-frame. The rail ties are stained using Micro-Mark’s Gray/Brown Railroad Tie and Bridge Stain #83760. The Ozark Miniatures metal parts have been chemically blackened and will be further weathered with 2 different Rust colors and a touch of Earth color using an airbrush to represent kicked up dirt.












And now on to the remaining details.






Not unlike the tie stack, shown above, a jig was built to facilitate the gluing (CA) of the spacers between each layer of 5 rails. Once weathering was completed on each layer they were aligned and glued in a stack. I’m still not satisfied with the rust on the rail stack, need darkening with Roof Brown, I think?


















Tie down rings were made using cotter pins and small lock washers, then installed on the car’s deck and frame through drilled holes with CA. Brass Chain (8.5 links/inch), Chain Hooks, and Chain Binders were blackened and assembled to secure both the rail and tie stacks to the tie down rings.













The two Rail/Tie cars completed:































Parts/Supplies List:
32”- ¼” x ½” Basswood Frame
18”- 3/8” x 3/8” Basswood End Beams 
7”- 3/16” x 3/8” Basswood Pin Beams
6”- 5/8” x 1/32” Plywood Center Section Floor
7 ½ feet- ¼” x 3/32” Basswood Decking
4- Boxcar Corner Braces (cut in half)
2- Link & Pin Couplers (end beam mounted)
1- Brake Wheel w/lock pawl
15”- 1/16” dia. Brass Rod (truss rod)
4- Truss Rod Pads
4- 6” dia. Truss Rod NBWs
12- 1” Bolt w/ 2” square Nut NBWs
20- ¾” Bolt, 2” Hex Nut & Washer NBWs
7- 3/16” Cotter Pins & ¼” dia. Lock Washers
24 inches- Brass Chain (8.5 links/inch)
8- Chain Hooks
4- Chain Binders
24- Scale 6” x 8” x 8’ Ties (pre-1920 NG size)
5– 6 foot long Sunset Valley Aluminum Rails (code 250)
2- Crates & 3- Barrels from Lantz’s Hobby Shop






The 3rd car is a flat car used for carrying the Ozark Miniatures Rail Worker’s Push Work Car # 0118 and a Wheel Barrow #0140. They come in kit form. Once assembled and weathered, I installed a cotter pin hold down ring on the deck to lash down the work car to the flat car. 

















Here’s the final backwoods MOW consist headed up by my Cricket (Byers Locomotive) complete with interested onlookers.


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## xo18thfa (Jan 2, 2008)

Howard: Beautiful work, just gorgeous. Those cars look at home behind the Byers.

The Ozark journals look very nice. Are they sprung?


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## Terl (Jan 2, 2008)

Great looking cars and consist. 

Terl


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

Amzing how many details you put in those small cars! The third car is my absolute favourite but all three are great. 
And, yes, perhaps some darkening/toning would of the rails would be a good idea. They are what to orange now.


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## maculsay (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By xo18thfa on 18 Dec 2009 11:46 PM 
Howard: Beautiful work, just gorgeous. Those cars look at home behind the Byers.

The Ozark journals look very nice. Are they sprung? 



Thanks Bob. Yep, those are Ozark's Fully Sprung Flap Lid Journals, #1010. Somehow I missed putting them on my Parts/Supplies List. From my reading on the Byers Loco, this is one of the types of task for which they were used.


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## maculsay (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Paulus on 19 Dec 2009 06:23 AM 
Amzing how many details you put in those small cars! The third car is my absolute favourite but all three are great. 
And, yes, perhaps some darkening/toning would of the rails would be a good idea. They are what to orange now. 


Paulus....The color is Badger's Rust, The one I always use for weathering. The difference is that I brushed it on instead of using my air brush. I should of chemically blackened the aluminum rail first, then air brushed on the Rust color with a touch of roof brown in spots other that, like I always do. Oh well









And thanks for kind words.


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## maculsay (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Terl on 19 Dec 2009 12:51 AM 
Great looking cars and consist. 

Terl Appreiciate it, Teri


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## xo18thfa (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By maculsay on 19 Dec 2009 09:09 AM 
Posted By xo18thfa on 18 Dec 2009 11:46 PM 
Howard: Beautiful work, just gorgeous. Those cars look at home behind the Byers.

The Ozark journals look very nice. Are they sprung? 



Thanks Bob. Yep, those are Ozark's Fully Sprung Flap Lid Journals, #1010. Somehow I missed putting them on my Parts/Supplies List. From my reading on the Byers Loco, this is one of the types of task for which they were used.


That's good to know. Solid based 4 wheelers can hop off the track. At least you can run these on a rickety old backwoods track and they will stay on.

Bob


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## maculsay (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By xo18thfa on 19 Dec 2009 11:39 AM 
Posted By maculsay on 19 Dec 2009 09:09 AM 
Posted By xo18thfa on 18 Dec 2009 11:46 PM 
Howard: Beautiful work, just gorgeous. Those cars look at home behind the Byers.

The Ozark journals look very nice. Are they sprung? 



Thanks Bob. Yep, those are Ozark's Fully Sprung Flap Lid Journals, #1010. Somehow I missed putting them on my Parts/Supplies List. From my reading on the Byers Loco, this is one of the types of task for which they were used.


That's good to know. Solid based 4 wheelers can hop off the track. At least you can run these on a rickety old backwoods track and they will stay on.

Bob 



I also have the center section full of buckshot....they really stay put on the track.


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## maculsay (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Paulus on 19 Dec 2009 06:23 AM 
Amzing how many details you put in those small cars! The third car is my absolute favourite but all three are great. 
And, yes, perhaps some darkening/toning would of the rails would be a good idea. They are what to orange now. 

Okay Paulus....here's the darkened rust on the rails. It does look better, what do you think?


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## armorsmith (Jun 1, 2008)

Howard, 

All the rail I am used to seeing in stacks lineside were always in 11 yard (33 feet) lengths. I am curious where the 10 feet length came from?? 

Bob C.


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## audi84 (Jan 13, 2008)

The degree you have gone to in building these SUPER backwoods items is just fantastic!! I envy your attention to detail and authenticity!! 
you have the patience of Job! 

audi84....aka Noel One


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## Richard Smith (Jan 2, 2008)

Howard, 

Really a neat looking consist. I don't know how you get cute, quaint, realistic, scale, prototypical and artistic all together at once but you did it!


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## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

Those are some great-looking cars. Did you make the axle journals, or are they commercial? Using cotter pins & washers for tie-downs was a stroke of genius; I'd never think to do it that way.

Is it possible for you to post the pixes of the crane and idler car? Or a link would do.

Les


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## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

Posted By armorsmith on 20 Dec 2009 03:54 PM 
Howard, 

All the rail I am used to seeing in stacks lineside were always in 11 yard (33 feet) lengths. I am curious where the 10 feet length came from?? 

Bob C. 


Bob,

In reading up on strap-iron track (which there is little on) the discussion soon goes to T-rail. It seems the length was determined by the capacity of the mills, and somehow tied with the process of rolling the rails. Best check, though.

Les


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Les on 20 Dec 2009 06:01 PM 
Posted By armorsmith on 20 Dec 2009 03:54 PM 
Howard, 

All the rail I am used to seeing in stacks lineside were always in 11 yard (33 feet) lengths. I am curious where the 10 feet length came from?? 

Bob C. 


Bob,

In reading up on strap-iron track (which there is little on) the discussion soon goes to T-rail. It seems the length was determined by the capacity of the mills, and somehow tied with the process of rolling the rails. Best check, though.

Les




Maybe this is from a different, later era, but I remember reading that rail lengths were 39 feet, one foot shorter than a 40-ft gondola (so they fit!)


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## maculsay (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Les on 20 Dec 2009 05:58 PM 
Those are some great-looking cars. Did you make the axle journals, or are they commercial? Using cotter pins & washers for tie-downs was a stroke of genius; I'd never think to do it that way.

Is it possible for you to post the pixes of the crane and idler car? Or a link would do.

Les
Appreciate your comments Les.
The Journals are from Ozark Miniatures....fully sprung, Flap Lid Journals #1010.

I got the cotter pin idea from some of the Ted Stinson plans published in Garden Railway Magazine. I just added a small lock washer to simulate a ring.

My crane and idler car is listed under the Builder's log feature of MLS. Here's the link: http://www.mylargescale.com/Features/BuildersLogs/tabid/66/EntryID/38/Default.aspx


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## armorsmith (Jun 1, 2008)

Semper, 

You are correct, 39 feet (13 yard). Some day my CRAFT will go away (Can't Remember A Freaking Thing). Did the same thing at a club meeting a couple of months ago.  

Bob C.


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## maculsay (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By armorsmith on 20 Dec 2009 03:54 PM 
Howard, 

All the rail I am used to seeing in stacks lineside were always in 11 yard (33 feet) lengths. I am curious where the 10 feet length came from?? 

Bob C. 

Bob....I've found references to 16, 20 and 39 foot rail lengths (modern era). I model circa 1890s - 1920s. Early-on, rail was shipped in from England via ship, were probably the shorter lengths for obvious reasons.
In examining some oldtime logging photos, I have found as many as 3 rail joiner plates under a single logging loco. When a person (assumed 5' 8" tall ) is in the picture, I can extrapolate rail length at about 12'. This is surely not scientific or exact. I do exercise some artistic freedom in my building, in other words, to fit the scheme of my backwoods cars, 10 foot rail lengths is what fit in well with my 11' 10" cars. 

The point made about the new rolling mill capabilities in the 1850s to get T-rail, may have contributed to shorter rail lengths, at least for awhile.

Thanks for your input.


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## maculsay (Jan 2, 2008)

Noel One and Richard....thanks for the kind words. It's always appreciated.


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## maculsay (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Les on 20 Dec 2009 06:01 


Bob, 
In reading up on strap-iron track (which there is little on) the discussion soon goes to T-rail. It seems the length was determined by the capacity of the mills, and somehow tied with the process of rolling the rails. Best check, though.

Les


Right on, Les. Strap iron was wrought iron and somewhat brittle. IIRC, T-rail had to be steel (Bessimer process) and had to be formed in a rolling mill to get the needed characteristics.


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Great Looking Cars. You did a wonderfull job. 

What is the differance between Balsa Wood and Basswood?


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## maculsay (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By John J on 21 Dec 2009 12:02 AM 
Great Looking Cars. You did a wonderfull job. 

What is the differance between Balsa Wood and Basswood? JJ....here's a link to a discussion of the merits of each wood. http://www.garrettsbridges.com/building/woodtips

And thanks for the nice comments.


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## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

Posted By maculsay on 20 Dec 2009 10:45 PM 
Posted By armorsmith on 20 Dec 2009 03:54 PM 
Howard, 

All the rail I am used to seeing in stacks lineside were always in 11 yard (33 feet) lengths. I am curious where the 10 feet length came from?? 

Bob C. 

Bob....I've found references to 16, 20 and 39 foot rail lengths (modern era). I model circa 1890s - 1920s. Early-on, rail was shipped in from England via ship, were probably the shorter lengths for obvious reasons.
In examining some oldtime logging photos, I have found as many as 3 rail joiner plates under a single logging loco. When a person (assumed 5' 8" tall ) is in the picture, I can extrapolate rail length at about 12'. This is surely not scientific or exact. I do exercise some artistic freedom in my building, in other words, to fit the scheme of my backwoods cars, 10 foot rail lengths is what fit in well with my 11' 10" cars. 

The point made about the new rolling mill capabilities in the 1850s to get T-rail, may have contributed to shorter rail lengths, at least for awhile.

Thanks for your input. 






Bob, Mac & Arrowsmith(?)

When I mentioned the 10' length, I was thinking of the earliest type rails, ca 1830-40. Strap was quickly found to be brittle and caused a lot of problems, especially on mainline heavy freight or 'fast' passenger lines. It went away quickly, except in logging/SL small operations/and low budget RR's. There are some Civil War photos showing bent strap iron track, destroyed by one army or another, so it lasted for at least awhile, but few were happy with it. Since my operation will focus on the early side of 1830-75, I'm going with 10' strap iron on my SL backwoods lashup. I suspect that, in the beginning of T-rail, a lot of different lengths would've been tried. I think the Brits went for 3' lengths of fishbelly for a while.

Les


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

Posted By Paulus on 19 Dec 2009 06:23 AM 
Amzing how many details you put in those small cars! The third car is my absolute favourite but all three are great. 
And, yes, perhaps some darkening/toning would of the rails would be a good idea. They are what to orange now. 

Okay Paulus....here's the darkened rust on the rails. It does look better, what do you think? 


Sure thing! I think they do look a lot better this way!


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