# Building a Don Winter's Drop Bottom Gondola Kit



## tmejia (Jan 2, 2008)

Back in late Nov. 2012 I acquired some Don Winter’s D&RGW 700 Series Drop Bottom Gondola kits. I started to build 2 of them figuring I would paint them grey and letter them for my Pearl Harbor consists. Although it had a lotta of pieces I thought I could figure it out. It only took me a little over a year.







Part of the problem was I had trouble understanding the directions. Once I figured it out, the directions made a lot of sense and made it look so simple. Things went okay with the woodworking until it came to mount the trucks. I wasn’t happy with my first try. Looking at the parts and pictures of other builds I finally figured it out. At this point I was so frustrated I fixed one and then put them both on the shelf to work on at a later date. I was now working on the Icing Facility anyway. So for the last year these 2 wooden gondolas have been patiently waiting for my return, sitting on the train shelf staring at me. Well I finally decided to start working on them again.
I want to thank Bruce Chandler (Jackson & Burke Railroad) and Phil (Phil’s Narrow Gauge) for their detailed gondola builds.







Without their pictures I would have never been able to put this together. When I really got frustrated I would look at the part and think Don must have really loved this hobby to make this kit and that would keep me going.
My biggest problem was I had no idea what all the pieces were or how they went together. I spent hours looking at Bruce and Phil’s pictures trying to figure things out. I also used an AMS flat car to help me. More than once I sat looking at the pieces, reading the directions, looking at the pictures, looking at the part, reading the directions, looking at the pictures, looking at the part….. The hardware placement was a real struggle for me. 
So let the build began.
Here are all the pieces and instructions.








Woodworking portion done.

















I don't like this truck mount








This looks and works better. 








Dang there are a lot of pieces to clean up, remove flashing and drill.

















Pieces are starting to make sense








I decided to drill the brass rods so I could attach the chains with wire.

















Seeing how the lettering might look. Gotta give Stan a call.








Truss rods in place








Parked out in front of the Icing Facility.

















Just needs paint and decals.








Now to finish the other one.

















Tommy







Rio Gracie


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## HampshireCountyNarrowGage (Apr 4, 2012)

That's some nice work Tommy.


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## R.W. Marty (Jan 2, 2008)

Tommy, 

Nice job on those Gons. 
They are a challenge to to build I know 
having built a couple back when Don first 
introduced them. 

Rick


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Fantastic deducing, I really understand your motivational reasoning... 
I wish my environment would support such detail, but my critters don't miss a chance to devour what ever isn't part of their norm. 

Nice to see your splendid Ice House again. 

John


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## docwatsonva (Jan 2, 2008)

Tommy,

Thanks for posting your construction of Don's kit. Great job. I have one of them too and maybe I'll work on mine now that you've provided some building guidelines.

Doc


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Tommy,

Very nice build. Beautiful work.


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Very nice Tommy. Are you planning to Paint/Stain or just let them weather naturally?


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

Tommy, 
Those are really nice looking. How many "Buds" per kit to ease the nerves?


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## tmejia (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks for the comments guys. 

Randy, Exterior paint flat grey and letter for the Pearl Harbor consist. Interior possibly stain.

Paul,
It's bad manners to count.







That's what I tell Grace anyway









Tommy








Rio Gracie


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Very nice!

Looking at the pics, I don't quite understand how the drop bottom works on these cars. What do the other end of the chains attached to, and what is their purpose?


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## tmejia (Jan 2, 2008)

Ray,

The chains are attached to the door braces. On the model, The door braces hide the seams of where the door is. Also the yokes on the inside hide the door seams.
Here is a link on how open doors look. 

http://drgwrr.co.uk/wp-content/uplo...GW-787.jpg

Tommy








Rio Gracie


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## tmejia (Jan 2, 2008)

So a little bit of progress on the second gondola.
I prepped all the metal pieces. 

Marked and drilled the holes for the grab irons, stirrups and bearing blocks. Sawed off the old bolsters and installed new ones.










Drilled and tapped for the coupler










All tapped!










Mounted










Installed the door braces. You can also see the new bolsters.










Now that the door braces are installed, next is to measure and drill the brass rods.

Tommy








Rio Gracie


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## Lake Valley #1 (Dec 31, 2012)

Looking fabulous, Tommy! Maybe one day I'll get busy and scratch build some of those. On a mining and lumber pike like the one I'm working on, they'd get lots of 'business'. Thanks for sharing! Jeff


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Very nice Tommy!


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## tmejia (Jan 2, 2008)

The Rio Gracie **** Works is proud to announce the addition of 2 drop gondolas to the Pearl Harbor consist.









Both Gondolas done and waiting for paint.










Beautiful painting weather of about 75 degrees.










Finished painting.










During a test run a problem with one of the trucks arose. A spare set of AMS trucks were painted and installed.

Decals from Stan arrived.







First car done. 










Decals applied.










Paint and finish I used.










Out on the track.










My workbench while the tender is charging.










Video of running on the Rio Gracie.



Later

Tommy








Rio Gracie


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## docwatsonva (Jan 2, 2008)

Great work Tommy on a difficult kit. Someday -------!

Doc


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## JohnCVRy (Jan 23, 2011)

Those cars are absolutely beautiful. What a great job!
I would love to have a couple. They would fit well in my planned Kahului RR.
I now have some thing new to look for...

John R.
Hollister, Ca.


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