# Mexican train part 2



## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

I have started two new cars for my Mexican train. I will post photos as soon as MLS will let me add them to my to my MLS space. I added a new directory to my web space but when I click on it to add photos I get this message:

This is the manage page. The following files are in your folder. You are currently using 74.43 MB of your allotted MB. 
Microsoft VBScript runtime error '800a004c' 
Path not found 
/manage.asp, line 200 



I sent a message to MLS but don't know when they will answer.


----------



## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Winn,
The 1st class area is public space (has to be, so we can see each others pics.) So I have no problem finding your folders [looked at the image location for your sig/logo and chopped off the file name.] It is at http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/placitassteam/

The last folder is 
11/19/2016 12:59 PM <dir> Mexican 2nd class & cargo

That "&" is probably the problem. These files and folders are stored in a server that needs simple names, and the '&' means something. [That's also why you often see filenames with %20 in them instead of spaces.]

Always use lower case, no spaces (hyphen works well) and no special characters. Delete the folder (or abandon it) and make a new one called "mexican-2nd-class-and-cargo" or similar.


----------



## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Pete, Thanks so much for your help on uploading photos. It worked as you can see.

I will start with a couple of photos of the second class car that I am modeling. Here is a train pulling several of the cars.









I took this photo of a car being painted at the railroad museum in Puebla, Mexico. Sorry about quality.









It turned out that this car is about the same length as a flat car except for the platform extensions. The wheel base is about right and it appears that it rides on arch bar trucks or something that looks pretty close. It almost looks like these were actually built on a freight car base but the floor is the same height as a regular passenger car. The sides come down so low that they almost hide the trucks.

I started with an Accucraft flat car.









The stake pockets and end beams were removed.









Parts of the end beams will be used later to make the draft gear.









A floor was made that sits on top of the flat car deck. 









The car sides are built in 3 layers. The outside layers are made from Evergreen .060 thick grooved car siding. They split at the belt line which made it easy to cut out the windows. The belt line was made from strip styrene and glued to the top of the lower wall. The window section was then glued to the top of the belt line and window trim added. The outer wall was painted before continuing the construction.The second layer is a single piece of 3/32 Lexan glued to the inside of the wall with super glue gel. The inside of the walls will be finished with wood veneer. Here are the parts I have so far.


----------



## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

I have done a little more on this car. The paneling and trim on the inside of the walls is done.








I also got started on the end walls.








This is another photo of the second class car. This one is actually both first and second class.








And here is a view of the interior. How would you like to spend 24 hours in there?








This is my attempt to model those wood slat seats. I started with seats that I had from an Accucraft J & S coach. After removing them from the floor I painted them black and then added the wood slats.








That is all for now. I will be incognito for a couple of weeks.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL


----------



## Wesley Furman (Jan 2, 2008)

I get it. 
Says right on the side. "Primera" "Segunda" by the entrances. 
What were the differences in the interior seating arraignments?


----------



## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

In this case I don't know. Most of the first class cars were more like the Jackson Sharp. Gerald Best's book has a photo of a first class interior with leather upholstered seats. I don't plan to do a first class car other than Pullman.


----------



## Naptowneng (Jun 14, 2010)

Winn
Looking very nice, I look forward to seeing more when you return from holiday break.
Best wishes to you Kathy and the whole family

Jerry


----------



## noelw (Jan 2, 2008)

Do any one know why the long air hose up the railing is for. It that some kind of a Emerg. brake if needed when backing up?


----------



## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

Noel;

It allows the conductor to control the brakes from his end of the train. Some of them also had a small air whistle for signaling. I have seen them on cabooses as well.

Yours,
David Meashey


----------



## Tomahawk & Western RR (Sep 22, 2015)

dave, they used to have one on the last car at _Steam into history_ and the conductor showed me how it worked. he showed me the little whistle on the end, and as you said, it was used for signaling


----------



## noelw (Jan 2, 2008)

Thank's Dave for the inform.


----------



## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

I'm glad you guys had the answer because I sure didn't.


----------



## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

More problems with this site. I tried to log in but since I changed my email it won't let me. I tried to send a message to the site manager and get a response that it is an incorrect address. I am really getting annoyed with MLS, the owners don't seem to give a **** about the members!!


----------



## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Some progress. The walls are a layer of .06 grooved styrene with .03 trim on the outside and wood veneer on the inside. The doors are a thin clear styrene laminated with .03 trim on the outside and wood veneer on the inside.









The walls are completed and attached to the floor. All the seats are finished and half of them installed.









The restroom enclosure is made from .06 basswood and wood veneer. The door is fixed.. 









I am making the roof from 2 layers of .03 styrene sheet. I tried to do it with 2 full layers without much success. I ended up using smaller pieces with the joints staggered and overlapped.









The layers were glued together and restrained in a 2 piece form to get the correct curvature.


----------



## chuckger (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Win,
Car looks very nice, like the seats and interior details. How are you attaching the roof to the car? Is there a frame for the roof? Is the roof removable from the car? 
Thanks Chuck


----------



## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks Chuck, Yes the roof will have a frame and be removable. It will slip down over the top of the walls and the letter boards will hold it in place.


----------



## chuckger (Jan 2, 2008)

Winn, thanks for the quick reply. When you post again on the car can you show a pic of the roof framing please. The reason I am asking is I have several AMS coach sides I would like to build into cars, these would be clearstory type roofs.

Chuck


----------



## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Chuck, Take a look at my Mexican train part 1 and you can see how I did the roof on that car. It is based on an Accucraft coach with a clerestory roof.


----------



## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

In between many distractions I have managed to get some more done. The roof turned out to be harder than it should have. After gluing up the layers as shown above I found that the form should have had a little more curvature. I tried heating the roof with an electric torch while retained in the form. That just put ripples in it. I found that a piece of PVC pipe that I had was about the correct diameter. I put the roof on that and covered it with a sheet of .010 brass. I then wrapped the whole thing with 2 ratchet straps.









I was going to put the whole mess in the oven and heat it. First I decided to determine the best temperature. I laid a piece of .060 styrene over a can and put it in the oven. The temp. started at 170 deg. F and was gradually raised to 220. I checked the test piece after each temp. increase until the plastic curved over the can from its own weight.









After heating the roof for about 20 minutes and letting it cool in the oven I removed it from the pipe. It now looked pretty good and the curvature was slightly under the required radius. I installed some ribs which pulled it into the right shape.









The wooden forms held things in place while the glue dried.


----------



## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

I made the letter boards for the edge of the roof. Here is a photo showing how I cut the bevel along the top of the boards to match the curve of the roof.









I cut ribs for each end of the roof frame and glued them to the letter boards.









Then I glued the roof frame to the roof. Sorry, I don't have a photo of this step. I also made arches to install on the ends of the roof. They are laminated from 3 strips of styrene.

















Here is a photo of the mostly completed roof, including paneling on the inside, next to the body of the car.









The overhead racks are installed. The brackets are .010 X .120 brass strip and the boards are .030 Birch plywood.









The couplers are installed.









Here is a side view. The roof will be finished in my regular fashion, strips of masking tape painted faded black.









Still to come; end beams, railings, steps and other details.


----------



## Wesley Furman (Jan 2, 2008)

Impressive.


----------



## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Well. it is done except for a few minor touches. Here are the steps in progress.









The end beams are redwood and the railings are soldered up from brass tube and rod. I used the grab bars and brake wheel from the donor car. The long grab bars are made from .06 brass rod. 









The end beams ready to install.









After painting I installed the steps and end beams.









A little more paint here and there, some tape and paint on the roof and lettering and here she is ready to join the train. 

















With the Pullman car.


----------



## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Next will be the baggage and postal car. Here are a couple photos from Best's "Mexican Narrow Gauge". Not a lot to go on but basically they will follow the method used on the Second class car. No platforms or roof overhang to mess with. The roof will be fixed and no interior to model.

















Time to start cutting more plastic!


----------



## Wesley Furman (Jan 2, 2008)

Winn,
Looking at them they are smaller cars than the 2 you've built. Are you going to still put them on mortified (Stripped) flats? I see you still need 2 axle trucks.
Simpler detailing with only 2 window and 2 doors shown, no end planforms, and you have mastered the curved roof.
They should go much faster. 
Are you going to construct interiors? 
Hope to see them soon.
Wesley


----------



## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Wesley, I think they are the same length as the second class car without the end platforms, at least they appear that way in photos of them together. I plan to make the roof fixed, the doors closed and no interior. Should be a lot easier. I won't even have to cut up the flat car except to remove the stake pockets.


----------



## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

I am going to start a new thread for the baggage car.


----------

