# new USA Auto cars are in! who's got 'em?



## Enginear (Jul 29, 2008)

I heard (and saw) on another forum that guys are getting their cars delivered. The pics look great to me. I'm a little concerned about the low USA coupler. I would need to have KDs mounted higher. Anyone else see them? Anyone get a look if KDs can work?


----------



## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

We shipped several today. Didn't get a chance to open one.


----------



## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

From all the other cars I have from USA trains, the coupler mount was the same as LGB, in fact their hook and loops looked to be an exact copy. 

Good to ask about them in case they changed anything.


----------



## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

I opened one up today. They are VERY IMPRESSIVE. The coupler may be a challenge to change to hook and loop.


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Say Joe the Engineer, send me a pm OK!!! 

I have one that shipped out today!!!!! be here in a week!!!??? look out fer that Brown truck!! 

Dirk - DMS Ry.


----------



## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

why put a hook/loop on such a fine model?? 
If I get some I will probably use USAT couplers.. It would be good to see a Kadee gauge sit infront of factory couplers. 
I am waiting for the BN colors to come.


----------



## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

My C&NW should be here this week. Yep who would want to put a hook and loop coupler on such a fine looking car. Later RJD


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Marty - I thought all colors were out at the same time!?? BN green included...!! USA sent out notices, included were all cars released at the same time. 

IT's OK,.. just dive in and order some!! 

Dirk


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Not all road names and numbers came in .... 

Greg


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

the slow boat syndrome again... 

Part II - eh!


----------



## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

The ones that arrived have two numbers available at this time.


----------



## Enginear (Jul 29, 2008)

I saw the pics of a guy who got the BN green one. Looks really good. It's one of those cars you can't look away from. Just too nice. I would have liked it in 1/32 for my RR.


----------



## Robby D (Oct 15, 2009)

The UP is in all 4 road numbers. Marty we have several BN auto racks in stock


----------



## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Please Mr. Marty buy some. 

-smile- 

After your foray into 1" and that startling threat to alter the high line.... we be worried! 
The Social aspect of G needs you. 

Please buy some Mr. Marty....... 

with warmest regards 
All your followers.


----------



## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

I need to get Kidmans payed off first for the 1" stuff, they was kind enough to send it before I had all the $$. 

Robby, do you have two with different numbers?? 
I was told BN would be the 2nd run. but thats fine. 

FYI, I am stealing dirt from the G RR to build the 1" tunnel. 
Big holes, just ask Stan.


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

You play'N gopher Marty!!! 

What are ya using to dig with!??? 

I got MY UP car just now. pix this evening for all!! 

Dirk


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

here is a close up of the side details.. the UP logo and all the ventilation holes on the side covers... 

Incredible detail here... 

 

Thank you USA Trains for a nice car!!!! 

Dirk - DMS Ry. 
http://dmsry.blogspot.com/


----------



## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

is the plastic still on it??


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

in the bag still - ya Eagle eyes 'ol Guy!!


----------



## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

I would love a unit train of them, but man, where to put them??? Even my coal train has not been run since it got placed on a shelf. 
My 3 engine lash ups take up 8ft alone. 
I don't want them on shelves if I can help it.


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Hey Marty, 

I'm surprised with the land / room and all those building at your place, you do not have a 'waist high' Yard - indoors style.. for train storage, and train make-up sessions...? 

When I visit Dennis S's layout in Mesa, AZ, he has a large train garage with like a 8-10 track yard, a main on it, and run thrus out the front roll-up door, across a 4 foot bridge, on to a 3-track yard going out on to the driveway, all hidden behind a tall fence, used during train runs.... 

Makes life much simpler and more enjoyable also!! 

I think I should have one - someday!! Dirk :~}


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)




----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Mind reader!!! 

Greg, that picture I see is some what dated lacking the current bridge across the door opening!!! But it is a nice set-up for trains!!!! 

It ought to give Marty an idea or 3!!!!!


----------



## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

When I grow up, I want to be like Dennis. LOL 
And look like Greg...Joking. 
FYI
If I ONLY knew then what I know now.... things would be different.
Ask Dennis, I bet he gets tired of taking things off the racks . Never enough storage area.

I started before LR switches, before SD45s, before NW2s. 

The photo above I can't figure out which garage its coming out of, because google earth shows a 24 X 50 ish train shop next to his yards.??


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Marty - when you look at the sate. view of Dennis' layout, it will run east/west - OK . 

there is a large building to the West, next to the layout, which is the train garage shown above. 
There is a single track thru the back wall right out into the main line, and the extra storage tracks shown above are out the front door, also to the West of the train garage... 

When you have as many cars as Dennis does, well it is better they are on moving racks, than the floor!! Ya just grab the rack you want and start rolling 'em onto the yard tracks and out they go, behind some locos - usually a set of 6!! 

Trick - He uses one of those wedge track railers that you just roll a car down onto the rails, ready to run!!! 

WE all live with the same gremlins in life, - ""IF ONLY WE KNEW""...it is a level playing field.... 

Some times ya just have to out smart 'em........ 

D


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

If you follow the tracks to the back wall, you can 'just see' the tunnel opening leading to the mains, in the back of the picture/back of the garage.


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

OK - I thought You and Dennis were about the same age here!!! Younger than I am !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

I just visited Google Earth also.... 

The DDA40, measured to with-in a couple of inches of the real thing!! 

The Fair Plex measured, a surprise to me, 100 ft wide including the buildings x 250 ft. long - fence to fence!! shorter then I have heard mention.......... around .6 acre is all. 

D


----------



## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

D 
You have to remember at our home, the land is from 0 at south end to 13ft high at north loop mt. so its hard to place a building. believe me I have tried. Even my new work shop had a window placed to allow train storage but there was just not enough room. 

When you think of parking "trains" my stack train takes up 2 32ft and 1 40ft tracks. so I would have to have a 100ft building to store it w/o locos.


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

M, 

Why do you need to park a train without locos in one long piece? Your stack train sounds like about 40-45 cars... (104 ft of siding ) 

Not to be a pain here, but look around!! Dennis has a rather short lead track of maybe 20ft. or less, outdoors to the main. 
I will have at least or over 100 ft of lead to have a storage building that will work for the layout.... 

Priorities are in play here!! That's all...How bad do you want it!!! Re-arrange - re group, re-organize, something should / can work.. 

I know your battling the urges to not do G for a spell.... but maybe a working storage yard could be a big factor to enjoyable running.. 

Still do not know how to solve the one problem we all share in common... 
Running trains alone....... 

Warm up, get stuff done and look at it again another day!! 

D


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

OK, back on USA Auto racks here... mm 

Some measurements for ya all!!! 

Length = 37 1/4 in. 
Height = 8.0 in. 

Ah = new item - Weight = 7.9 pounds of solid, but fragile freight car!!!!! The ladders are just not solid enough to make it to a customer!! In one piece... 

Two piece flat car frame assembly, just plain toooo long a car I guess!! 2 part roof top also, and I will have to figure out the side skin panels as they seem to want to come off, and be painted / weathered an old dull gray galvanized color / finish!!! Seems right anyways - most of the cars look really bad these days, and terribly shiny for a brand new car just out of the shops!! 

Dirk - DMS Ry.


----------



## Brandon (Jul 6, 2011)

Thanks Dirk! 

8" high? Did they reduce the height? I thought they were 9 1/4" ?


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Brandon, 

at 9.25'' a scaled out height will be 22.35 feet tall, tall enough to rip car roofs off in a lot of tunnels out there!! I have even seen a real auto rack car pix with the roof peeled back after being sent to a place it should not have been sent to.... not pretty to say the least!! what fun that day must have been for the train crew... 

at 8.0'', it is 19.333 ft tall, still darn tall - but better... found a drawing that shows 19.0' extreme exterior height - less than model is!! 33'' wheels on bi-level cars, 28'' on tri-level cars 
a AutoMAX is 20' - 2'' tall in real life...... 
double stacks are also 20' - 2'' tall.. ...model wise tho? 
and hi-cube box cars are usually 17.0 ft tall.

Modern tunnels should be 26 ft. tall inside... 10.758'' for us layout builders, in 1/29 G-scale .... 

A detailed drawing can be found by searching ''BNSF Bi-level Autorack specs''.... 

Dirk - more when it warms up and I can get out of the cabin and closer to the model car!!


----------



## N1CW (Jan 3, 2008)

Sorry but its cold and drizzle here, so here a two shots from Sunday's trip to USA trains.[/b]
Dang things need their own ZIP code......sweet....[/b]

*







*


----------



## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

I have often wondered if they would sale the stripped down flat car in pairs?


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Dirk, did you measure the height from the railhead, or sitting on a flat surface? (that would add the flange depth to the overall height). 

It's not unusual at all for 1:29 stuff to sit abnormally high and need to be lowered to match the prototype. 

Greg


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Good ? Greg!! 

I have a 6 foot piece of track on the bench here! I always measure from the rail head !!! 

Since My last post - the wheels are 36'',.. not true to scale 33'', this will lower the car .052'' ... 

the car sits .138'' too high, at the roof, minus the wheel change, leaving .086'' still to lower the car, even doing this however keeps the flat car floor too high for a correct scale coupler install... 

More figuring here.... 

While it does come with steel wheels, it's free rolling is nothing compared to other cars with metal wheels, it rolls well - YES - but not nearly as far as other cars can roll.. I attribute this to the much higher car weight more than anything else...this means more drag and fewer cars per loco when pulling a string of these, something to plan for ... 

Dirk


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Ahh... I shoulda known! Never ceases to amaze me that they use oversize diameters on the cars, and quite often undersize diameters on the locos. 

Greg


----------



## Ron Hill (Sep 25, 2008)

Greg, at this point I cannot justify the price. I will have to save for them. Maybe next year there will be a few behind the double stacks along with a few scratchbuilt piggyback flats.


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

USA already has 33'' wheels on the well cars, so what's the problem? 

A CNC lathe does not care...what size it makes...all numbers. just numbers. 

Ron, I had to save and pre-paid for the 2 cars I got!!! I wanted to see some on My layout, and was interested in how they will perform on the over-size prototypical track work I have here!! 

I have some more pix for tomorrow also! 

Dirk


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

SP com'nn ta town!! 

 

 

 

 

Compared to a Dash-9 loco,.. 

 

 

Compared to a Hi-cube box car, @ 17 feet tall ... ( lowered LGB box car, .300'' lower, and home grown hi-cube addition ) 

 

next up details. 

Dirk


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

See the under belly details here; brakes, lines, tanks, etc. 

1st the stock ride height, a bit high in the saddle here guys!! 

 

brakes,... 

 

Mid-section and two part joint in flat car base... 

 

Air tank... 

 

Step down towards truck.. 

 

Truck... 

 

Coupler mount - USA height - low... 

 

OK, wheel pockets for turning clearances... 

 

Dirk - DMS Ry.


----------



## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Great 
now take one all apart so we can see if it can be made into a long flat car. 

FYI
those look like the same trucks gunderson stacks have . I use those to lower LGB covered hoppers. I bet if you put regular 60ft box car trucks on them it will raise the coupler to right heigth.


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Marty, do ya want a $200.00 flat car?? 

My 1st thoughts are the roof needs to un-snap to get inside and remove lots of screws that hold the side bottom clips to the flat car deck ....leaving lots of holes??? fill or ....? 

Also at this point, it looks like the flat car has both the bottom frame part 1/2's - but also a top surface 1/2's that may also come off, need a different deck?? 

lots of parts here,.. need to get past removing the end doors too??? They need to be out of the way, too fragile mostly, and seems like a puzzle to remove so far, but just looking so far!! 

To me as a flat car it needs to be lowered even more than as a auto rack. It is easier for the rack to get away with being too tall!! 
But ideas for now......... 

You get a green one yet? 

Dirk


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

One thing about the stack cars is they come with the needed 33in. wheels, could try a set on this car!! 

Personally,..I would like to see the coupler come out the upper molded pocket - where a real one sits!! 

Dirk


----------



## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Thats my first thought, is what will it take to make the couplers "currect". 
Mine should be here tomorrow. 

I sent you an e-mail also. 
After seeing your photos, I can't wait. I bet you could cut out the area above the coupler to make them go inside. 
I want to run them with my pigs.










COME ON Dirk, open yours up and see, before I get mine. LOL


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

on My wife's laptop, get mail tomorrow THX !! 

Yep it's a cool car - and big, very bottom heavy also... 

Tried to get all the pix I could!! 

For a flat it really needs to come down at least 3/16'' - and use 33'' wheels, both - then set couplers .... 

I saw a unit of these today, they do SIT lower, and the under main frame is only maybe 6''- 8'' off the rails - not way up in the air like the model is, from that point of view it could drop a full 1/4''.... need to find a balance between the different heights on this thing!!!! 

Why I think the 3/16'' will work the best and 33'' wheels... 

Dirk


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Didn't mean to make you drool................ 

not!


----------



## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Your hung up on 33" wheels, 
I'd like to test other trucks from USAT just to see. and remove coupler box to see whats under it. see I keep checking the computer instead of doing book work because of you. TURKEY.. 
MAN they look nice anyway. The flat car idea is more for after market getting parts or casting parts. 










I like the long flats


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

OK - what are your thoughts on the 33''s...? 

that is what is on a real car...... a bi-level, a tri-level runs on 28''s........ 

that's all!! 

and it will lower the car .052''....... 

There are some spare parts to move the coupler closer/higher and still use the same basic install...but it is the USA one... 

HEY ,,,,..... ////// your the one LOOKing on the 'puter, I'm not in your living room / office am I ... that would be nice tho - we could go run trains in the dark!! ha! 

Get your billing done man!! 

:~|


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Isn't that where your digging all the dirt from for the canyon?


----------



## bnsfconductor (Jan 3, 2008)

Dirk, 
That car looks way to high for my eye! It needs to be lowered a lot to make it look right. The outside frame of the sill above the trucks shouldn't be riding that high. It should almost be centered above the truck bearings. And that coupler box looks way to big and is a big distraction to my eye. Seeing what you can come up with will be interesting. 
Craig
PS It looks like some of your spikes are coming up on the turnout...







And your missing quite a few as well...


----------



## San Juan (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By SD90WLMT on 12 Dec 2012 08:36 AM 
Brandon, 

at 9.25'' a scaled out height will be 22.35 feet tall, tall enough to rip car roofs off in a lot of tunnels out there!! I have even seen a real auto rack car pix with the roof peeled back after being sent to a place it should not have been sent to.... not pretty to say the least!! what fun that day must have been for the train crew... 
Like this:


----------



## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Well my C&NW showed up today. For you folks that want to body mount couplers looks like a snap as USAT supply's the new covers to correctly make them mount to body and supposedly to the correct coupler height. Later RJD


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

RJD, any minor damages to report here?!! 

Both mine sustained light to heavy damage.......... :`{ 

Dirk - DMS Ry.


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Matt - that is the car I had in mind = Yes!!! 

A low bridge as I recall......


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Enough with the egging on there Marty.............. 

That was egg nog right!! hehe 

Bet ya didn't think I would do this tho....................!!!! 



:~} 



Well,.... for Me, you, Craig and any others interested in these long cars, .......... 


............................... 




............................................ 





.................................................................... 






........... as a 90 FOOT flat car............... 


here it sits on a 'intermodal' - container car truck with 33 in wheels... 

 

The included USA long shank coupler next to a KD G-size coupler... 

 

OK, this is the long shank installed in the upper optional position on the car, which will use the included metal cover and short screws to retain it in this upper position... 

 

A view of the amount of side swing this long coupler can do!! 

 

To create a ......... 90ft. flat, .....one needs to remove the auto cover from the car body..but first there are a ton of screws to be removed on the car bottom... this will split the under frame and deck parts, also loosen and remove the brake parts - ratchet - on the car side and frame by the chain pulley. I also took off the heavy car trucks to reduce the weight while working on this. One will find a ballast sheet - weight - of steel to help control and balance the top heaviness of this style of car. 

You can see the small wood chisel I use as a prying device to ''very gently'' loosen the lower side braces, just keep working ever so slowly here - not in a rush lest one slips or worse...the tabs underneath are glued in place.. 

 

Here they are coming loose...... 

 

If your interested in weathering the side skins these can pop off, only after removing the lower and upper braces , again they are glued in place.. 

 

 

And with a screen out of the way...... 

 

With the car sitting on wheels again, and a KD height gauge next to it, you get an idea of where one might go, However this car probably is not suitable for a typical KD coupler install, so this is a moot point - but shows where the reference is.. 

 

Now - comparing an original Auto rack car with a lowered flat car, shows these results. The car does sit about 1/4'' lower, and with the long shank coupler now in the upper location sits nearly a full coupler above the stock one!! 

 

 

The last thing for one to consider in taking this approach is how much work one wants to do.?? First you get a 200 dollar car and take it apart.. Whew!! OK still there? Add a set on trucks, from a well car, decide what coupler to run......there is still finish work to be done.. all the parts removed had tab slots and holes they fit into.. these need to be filled and touched up or the car needs to be repainted and lettered! Lots of work still, YA - I got there pretty fast but lots left yet....! 

There are also corner details to be removed the hard way - they do not pry off here!! They are molded into the car upper deck surfaces... 

 

 

It will make a 90 ft. flat much closer than right out of the box, but still has some issues that keep it from being a model of the real deal!! The deck height comes out about 1'' - 1 1/2'' higher if it was a real deck. This from the heavy plastic needed to get parts from a mold! Makes the deck surfaces thicker than they might over wise need be. The lower backbone is still too shallow to the car body and not close enough to the rails... 

Your on your own here guys!! 

Dirk - DMS Ry.


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Now - one idea I have to use a KD coupler was to make a hybrid unit, using the long shank in it's original pivot point shown above, and with removing very little from the rear end of the KD coupler, in such a way as to splice and overlay an additional support - basically creating a long shank KD unit that fits in the original location and has all that nice swing!! 

Dirk


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Now the only item really needed badly is to twist USA Trains 'ARM',... into making a center steel insert to replace that same piece on the metal truck... 

What is needed... ? 

A Center part from a Intermodal car truck that will screw into the 4 bay covered hopper metal trucks side frames!! And use the well cars 33'' wheels ......... 

Not that bad of a deal anyway. The plastic well trucks break all the time, so a metal truck for this car would benefit us all... 

Dirk - DMS Ry.


----------



## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

I have not had time to read all this. but on my long cars I use the tank car safety couplers because any dip in the track will lower and uncouple the cars 
I am hoping to use the tank car couplers on these now that I know its possible. 
I'd like to see the last photo of the couplers over each,, the right one other lined up with Kadee gauge with coupler in it.
I am REALLY (Robby) disoppointed my cars did not show up.


----------



## bnsfconductor (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks for the pictures Dirk. Looks like I'd be better off scratchbuilding a 90' flat instead. 
Are you 'sure' that the door guides are part of the bigger mold? I wonder if you stripped the paint off if they would work loose. It seems like an weird molding set up. But if you left the car like it is now you 'might' be able to pass it off as a car that had it's rack removed and placed into regular service. Off to find a picture! 









































Just a reminder that TTX owns the flat and not always the rack! 
http://www.ttx.com/equipment/listingtype/automotive/multi-levels.aspx
Craig


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

I'm mostly leaning towards a scratch built flat also, especially after My training session today, taking this one apart!! 

Yes indeed - the curved corner track is an added part, but the rest of the corner detail is molded in place with the car deck! so would need to be removed,,, or make a story as You offered! 

More clearance is needed for the wheels to roll free also, not a big challenge tho! 

I'm concerned about using plastic trucks on a car this heavy tho...? came out as a flat at 4.875 pounds .....Would really like a metal set under it... 

Dirk


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

drum roll............


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Say Craig, did you happen to notice any cars without doors on one or both ends? 

Or ones with missing ladders...? 

Dirk


----------



## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By SD90WLMT on 14 Dec 2012 06:32 PM 
 

 

drum roll............ Is this with stock trucks or gundersons? Gundersons have a differnt bollster on the truck.
plus a flat car you could cover with thin syrene


Earlier this week, Dirk got me to thinking. So I removed a wall for more room in the shop.










Which makes it easier to get around. I need to rewire the plug that was in the wall. Ladder stands where the door was.
And most of all I do feel REALLY BLESSED for what I have.


----------



## bnsfconductor (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By SD90WLMT on 14 Dec 2012 06:39 PM 
Say Craig, did you happen to notice any cars without doors on one or both ends? 

Or ones with missing ladders...? 

Dirk 
I've seen both. Now I don't have pictures to back my words up so you'll just have to trust me on this one. The ones I saw were going to the car shops to be rebuilt so I wouldn't imagine that they would be used for very long after they lost the doors and ladders. The ladders are a required feature. I've seen more cut down auto racks than anything else. They have a distinct look to them. You can tell because they retain the bottom rungs on the doors as the ladders.


----------



## Ron Hill (Sep 25, 2008)

Marty, I want several of your piggyback flats to test run on my layout. Well, uh, how about a permanent loan! 
Ron


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Yes Marty, the flat car version above is on the Gunderson intermodal truck... 

As such it is very close to real car. 

Seems like you may have more freedom to move in your train shop now, Marty. Still looks like you could optimize the train storage on the walls however, and not being able to see in the room more to the right - I'm only guessing more room is still open to increase your needs for the cars you have now and to come!! 
can you build a standard height cabinet along that wall to the right, like in a kitchen, about 30'' deep with 3-4 shelves - such that you can place cars in place side by side, and have access to any one car by simply pulling it out towards you? This would also provide a counter top height work surface or storage for locos which are heavy.. 

thinking out loud here, keep looking around !! I always find most people are not able to optimize storage to the best use for the area and needs!! I know you can come up with more here!!!!! 

Dirk - DMS Ry. 

Craig - thinking about what I can do to keep the broken car as a reasonable auto rack, just older and showing it's age some what, dull galvanized siding, weathering - faded old beat up car!!! need help!! Don't see it as a flat car....mmmm


----------



## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Dirk
I smell something burning. Don't think too hard.

don't for get about this also.









and


----------



## bnsfconductor (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By SD90WLMT on 15 Dec 2012 09:47 AM 

Craig - thinking about what I can do to keep the broken car as a reasonable auto rack, just older and showing it's age some what, dull galvanized siding, weathering - faded old beat up car!!! need help!! Don't see it as a flat car....mmmm I think it would look good as a Bad Order Home Shop car. Something along the lines of this








The tags should be orange or bright green, but yellow works. The car can be 'loaded' and still have a do not load tag. It just means that when it's empty it has to go to the home shops. Pop out a few of the metal panels on the autorack, and weather it up and you would have a credible bad order home shop car. 

Craig


----------



## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Bad order cars??










How bad??


----------



## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Marty, I'm thinking the RR pulled the switch to that siding. 

John


----------



## bnsfconductor (Jan 3, 2008)

Bad order doesn't mean out of service. Marty's car and caboose looks like they've been pulled out of service. A B/O homeshop car just means that it needs some mechanical repair of some sort.


----------



## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

HEY!!!!!! 
Have you tried Aristo roller bearing trucks??


----------



## Enginear (Jul 29, 2008)

Wow, lots of great pics here. Dirk you aint afraid of getting into anything are you? Very cool. 
Marty, I can see why it's such an event to come to your RR. I have seen pics in the past of the RR. Just not what's going on behind the scenes. Nice to have those storage tracks and work shop. I'm moving mine slowly outside. I'll need to rethink the outside service and storage. I have a 12x16 shed that's full of yard stuff that I use. It would be nice to have more space for trains. 
In the meanwhile for the winter, I have set up stuff back in the basement for upgrades. I have cut up plastic for projects and already started a 89' flat car in 1/32. It was a plan from seeing yours years ago. It got moved aside for an engine build. That got stalled as other engines recently bought are getting upgrades and installs first. I've started looking at this as a long term project and hopefully will stay focused on a plan. I was happy with ten and eleven foot curves in the past. That's going to have to change to bigger I think. These auto cars are beauties! I'm really starting to appreciate USA's releases much more. I hope they make the big flat cars next and some modern trailers to go on them. things are changing in G scale.


----------



## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Took awhile to get back to this thread Dirk so to answer your question on damage I had non. Perfect condition. Later RJD


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

RJD - thanks - unfortunately both mine were 'dropped' and not in original condition. 

the SP unit suffered broken ladders, nothing terrible. 
the UP unit was more serious, basket ball anyone - the end was dropped hard enough to break the clam shell doors on one end, all the ladders were off and one even broken ??? many small parts were damaged in relation to this stuff... 

So - to answer Joe's remark about me diving in over my head into tearing a brand new car apart, just say I was at that point where there was nothing to loose!! I felt interested enough to see what it would take to un-build it into just a 90ft flat, the results of course are above! I do have a life long problem - affliction - what is on the inside of this? -OK let's tear it apart and see. I just live this way...ever since I was a child, inquisitive is all.... 

Dirk


----------



## rocketrider (May 6, 2008)

What I found is I put a Kadee 930 coupler on one end flush no shimss of a Aristocraft Evans box car.mates up well until another fix is discoverd.

I have 2 of the auto racks and they run and behave well.....I have min 10' curves.

My question would be can they new auto racks be retro fitted represent the autoracks before the side screens and tops like they were back in the 60's and 70's

Ralph


----------



## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

See product review thread


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

My first impression on the A/C truck was the,.......34'' wheels..? the bolster does sit higher than a gunderson truck does also... 

smell burning eh Marty - look around - those loose wires in that wall you cut out????


----------



## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Dirk 
You do any more with your cars?? 
What did you end up doing?


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Beyond MY first impressions, not yet! 

Worked just to stay warm this past week.. no train work here!! 

Conclusions are towards putting most of the car back together as a 'beater'. No flat cars for now. 

As a weathered UP car, I can leave off the busted doors, and some of the busted ladders, as a bad order car I think - in transit - to some place?... when it runs.... extra ops during train runs with this single car, ? ha!! 

Been watching cars go by, couple items stand out now!! Some cars have white roofs.... regardless of road.. so a flat white weathered roof is in store. Set it apart form other cars in this series YA ... been looking at how the siding gets rusty weathering streaks down the side panels also... 

"Course I will need warmer out door heat to do any painting for a while... 

Thanks fer asking!! 

Dirk.......giving very serious thought to making an aluminum bolster ( screw in ) to fit in the metal side frames, ( stock trucks ) with the 33'' wheels (well cars ), best of all worlds by doing this... it will sit lower and look better and be a metal truck frame and wheel set, to carry the car weight!


----------



## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

I will take a better photo of how I did the coupler next time. I used hot glue to fill in the broken spots behind the parts so reinforce it. mine are both all together now. I just need time to run them. see how they track. 
Merry Christmas


----------



## Andrewcp (Apr 12, 2010)

Has any one put cars in there Auto Carrier? Im finding it hard to find cars that will fit in it. Looking at only 1/32 scale will fit.


----------



## Andrewcp (Apr 12, 2010)

here are some pics of my carrier 
http://s584.beta.photobucket.com/user/f304_2009/media/DSCN4603_zps52e7e09e.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1 
http://s584.beta.photobucket.com/user/f304_2009/media/DSCN4601_zps00ee8d9e.jpg.html?sort=3&o=2


----------



## Ron Hill (Sep 25, 2008)

Hey Marty, I have been talking to Gary Littrell from Sun City Grand Central Railroad about the spine cars that runs on his intermodal train. He said that the model that was used was an Athearn HO scale model. The cars were built using a 3-D fused deposition modeling machine. Maybe you could try this approach. He has some neat pup trailers on his train also. I might look at purchasing an Athearn set to make a set of drawing from. I have a set of drawings from TTX corp. that they gave me after I contacted them. They are the piggyback cars you made. I have been creating a drawing to make a prototype to build several from. 
Ron


----------



## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Ron 
cool, does Gary L. make and sale the parts? that would help the most.


----------



## Ron Hill (Sep 25, 2008)

Marty, this is his response to my inquiry about the spine cars in his train. 
"I'm trying to put together a web sight showing how the various cars are built, but unfortunately golf, has gotten in the way........ 
The cars shown are built on a 3-D fused deposition modeling machine, which use a solid works based 3-D program to build from. When I design the cars, I purchase a athearn HO scale model ( I use athearn because of how accurate they build their cars). I then reverse engineer the cars using calipers to be as accurate as possible.These dimensions are used directly in the Solid Works program, so there really is no drawing as such with dimensions on it. HO scale is exactly one third as large as G-Scale, so when the drawing is completed, the information is sent down to the machine in a STL file and the machine is directed to build the model by 3X so that the finished parts are exactly the correct size for 1/29 scale G-gauge. The 3-tier auto cars were made in the same manner, however molds were made of the side panels and roof section and these were produced using smooth-on casting material....a surperb product for us hobbist. 
When I built the Well Cars, I actually went to the Intermodal yard and took pictures of the cars as they were being loaded. The pictures were then re-scaled and drawings were made directly from the pictures, again no real dimensions... 
I'm sorry that I was not more help and I will keep your e-mail information and contact you when the web sight is up and running." So far, I have not heard from him. I did send him an email asking about the website. I will let you know what he says. Parts would indeed be good. I have built a couple of freight cars using parts from USAT. Mike is very useful when it comes to parts at USA. 
Ron


----------



## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks 
Andrew 
I think IF I ever get rich I will build alarge metal building like that and build my GRR in it.


----------



## Enginear (Jul 29, 2008)

I emailed KD on their site about longer shank couplers for G scale. Here's the answer right now:
Hello Mr. Paonessa,

This is a growing issue but presently we have no plans for a long shank 
Large scale coupler. It may become necessary for us to look closer at a 
longer coupler but right now it's not a high priority yet but only an 
eventuality.

Sam Clarke
Kadee Quality Products
I think this is how it went and took a while to get the new products in O scale. If you guys would like to see these made for G scale you should ask them too to show them how much interest there would be for this product to be made. There was higher demand for more products in O scale because they only had one to use.


----------



## yutzk (Jan 2, 2008)

Just sucked it up and bought ONE CR Autorack for now from RLD. We'll see what my budget can afford in the future....well thats after these 4 AML PS2's hes bringing me to ECLSTS too ahahaaha


----------



## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

I had some older 40s auto in 1/24 that fit in the auto racks also the Chevy SRS 1/24 pickup fit fine. Later RJD


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Marty, Yesterday I took the busted car - ''completely apart'' - 

It was not too bad to disassemble - once I turned the car cover over on the bench and removed the roof sections - which are made in 2 parts. 

Some details also get removed to get the roof 1/2's off, 
then the sides 'slide' - vertically here - maybe 1/2'' down, to release the end units, which leaves each of the very long one piece side assemblies ... rather flimsy at this point tho, but OK, 

Then I found it much easier to remove the supporting details and get the many silver colored side grill covers off.... 

Then I will start re-painting and repairing some of the busted parts, not all as there is too much damaged, still in line to be a '' bad order car''... ha!! At least it can run in a train or be set out on a siding some place, awaiting transfer to a repair facility. 

Dirk - DMS Ry.


----------



## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

You going to weather it? I think you said that in your e-mail? I was going to wait till i get my C&NW's to heavy weather them since its a dead RR. (sorry RJ , I mean a fallen flag).


----------



## N1CW (Jan 3, 2008)

*Another snow storm so it toooo cold to paint on "AMTRAK Alum Mist" *
*but I do like Red/White/Blue stripes.*

*How about the 'early years' of a Amtrak Phase III painted Auto Train?*


----------



## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

REALLY?????


----------



## N1CW (Jan 3, 2008)

Yep - Phase III[/b] -


----------



## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Are you going to repaint the car, lower the strips and make them thinner? I just learned alittle history that I did not know.


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Probably easier to raise the car than lower the stripes, just need a bunch of washers ;-) 

Greg


----------



## Dick413 (Jan 7, 2008)

Ray that would look really good with your other cars. 
Dick


----------



## N1CW (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By NTCGRR on 11 Feb 2013 04:59 PM 
Are you going to repaint the car, lower the strips and make them thinner? I just learned alittle history that I did not know. 



Marty - That is the plan - There was a Pre-Amtrak Auto Train from 1971-1981. 
Two years after it stopped running, Amtrak started its version with Phase 
III painted trains.[/b]

*Greg - A BIG BUNCH of washers 4 sure.







*

*Dick - Do you think if I put two Genesis on point then added the 10 built up Super 
Superliners and 2 Auto carriers that I would need a pusher Genesis?








I bet I would still be able to see the "Tail lights" on my end when the train 
arrives at your place.








*


----------



## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

So about 10 ago....
.
Saw a new auto rack pass..e/bnd...
Same ol BNSF w/ Swoosh logo..
But....it is completely covered in Orange now.
The TTX car is Orange
The cover is Orange

Bright new horizons ahead!! In 1/29th....

Dirk


----------

