# What is your 1:32 Scale 'Dream Freight Car'?



## CapeCodSteam (Jan 2, 2008)

I am only testing the waters, and looking for ideas. If you were given the opportunity to obtain a, or a few 1:32, laser cut wood car kits, what would it be? In plastic we have reefers, boxcars coming soon, hoppers still out there if you look hard. So, what would it be? 

Flatcar? 
Gondola? 
Tankcar? 
Deep-well Flatcar? 
Something else? 

Keep in mind, looking for ideas that are broad reaching, and could be incoporated in any backyard railyard. That model of the obscure caboose, that your favorite railroad had 7 of, ain't it. 

Peace, 

Kent


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

1940's tank cars (plural!)


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## altterrain (Jan 2, 2008)

One that is 10.3% bigger! /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/laugh.gif 

sorry about that! /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/blush.gif 

-Brian


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## rwjenkins (Jan 2, 2008)

I'm really looking forward to John McGuyer's gondola kits coming one of these days from Ozark. I'd also love to see what AMS could do with a two-bay open hopper since the MDC version is a bit oversized and lacking in detail.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Stock car would be neat. Jerry


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## CapeCodSteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By altterrain on 07/31/2008 10:48 PM
One that is 10.3% bigger! /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/laugh.gif 

-Brian




It took me a few minutes to figure that one out. I'm gonna guess you are one of those NG guys, arentcha? [email protected]$$


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## altterrain (Jan 2, 2008)

I'm multi scale but 1:29 is 10.3% larger than 1:32. 

-Brian


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## Richard Smith (Jan 2, 2008)

I'm in narrow gauge so I wouldn't be a potential market for anything standard gauge. If I were however the most useful car to me is the boxcar as the railroads had many times more of them than any other kind although individual railroads such as coal or ore haulers for example would have lower ratios of them. In light of that and of what is currently available and because I like the steam era my first choice would be a *steel frame outside braced 40 foot wooden boxcar.* These would add variety to a typical freight train and were in wide use well into the sixties. I used to see some even as late as 1965 when I was photographing SP and WP diesels. 

Another very useful and widely used car was the *GS drop bottom gondola*. These all steel cars also spanned the gap between steam and diesel and were especially interesting as to looks and details. In later years many were given wooden extension boards and used to haul sugar beets on the SP. 

There was also an earlier similar car that was wood and outside braced with large trusslike framing members on its sides. These were mostly gone I believe by WWII.


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## John McGuyer (Jan 2, 2008)

The Ozark (Milepost Models, Bob Uniack) 1/32 drop bottom gondola kits are made and Dave is finishing the directions. There will eventually be four variations. The first is the composite, then the steel side, then a beet gondola and finally a wood chip. After that comes the B50 boxcar which is wood with outside metal bracing. 

John


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## CapeCodSteam (Jan 2, 2008)

John, 

Thanks for the update. I just did a search and found some pictures of the 1:32 B-50 alongside the 1:20.3. Incredible detail in those cars. 

Any word on pricing for the Gondolas? Rough estimate for the B-50s when they come out? 

Thanks, 

Kent


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## Mike O (Jan 2, 2008)

Kent, 

Great to see interest in 1:32. Your post indicates laser cut wood kits, but you indicate tank cars as one of the potential cars. Are looking for suggestions for cars where the prototype was wood, or do you have a way to recreate steel cars? 

If you can do steel cars, then I agree with Semper that a 1940’s tank car would be a good model. A 70 ton, 3 bay, rib side hopper based on late 1940’s designs would also be a good choice. 

If the cars would be wood then the outside braced boxcar would be a great choice as Richard points out. I know Ozark has been working on one in addition to the gons, but those have been a work in progress for some time, so it is in the category of I’ll believe it when I see it. It would be a shame to have a duplicative effort however, given the dearth of 1:32 cars on the market. 

I know you don’t want to do a caboose, but here is a thought, particularly if the prototype needs to be wood. Wood caboose design varied by railroad and even within a railroad, due to local union agreements. However, most center cupola wood cabooses had almost identical overall dimensions with the variance being in the window arrangement in the cupola and sides. With just a bit more work, developing a generic caboose that could have unique sides might have a market. When Aster release the NKP Berk, someone build a NKP caboose that I understand has been well received. The S-2 has no caboose available and nor does the C&O H-8 by Accucraft. Wood cabooses could be found on most roads into the 50’s so they would also work for the upcoming Accucraft GP-9. 

Mike


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Just some nice 1/32nd plans could be nice to have also. Jerry


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## CapeCodSteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Mike, 

I am only looking to judge interest at the moment. I don't want to mislead anyone into thinking this WILL happen. I don't have the tools and knowledge personally for this project. I do know of a few people out there that do, and may be in a position to assist further down the road, once 'project lists' get shorter. And then again, research may show the cost of producing a limited run, detailed craftsman kit may price it out of the market for a majority of buyers. The hardest part will be obtaining the small detail parts for completion. I can find all kinds of 1:20.3 stuff, some 1:29 and close to none in 1:32. Time will tell. 

And I totally agree, with the lack of 1:32 rolling stock out there, it would be a shame to see duplicate efforts. 

Jerry, I agree. Some good plans would be a great start. Does anyone know where there might be some already in existance, instead of going through all that work to re-scale?


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## rwjenkins (Jan 2, 2008)

I'm multi scale but 1:29 is 10.3% larger than 1:32. 


Well, technically 4' 3 3/8" would be considered "narrow gauge", if such a gauge ever really existed!


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## Richard Smith (Jan 2, 2008)

I was unaware of the pending Ozark kits. Very perceptive choices!  

If you can find any around or their plans try a search for some old HO kits by Silver Streak. Not made for many years I'm sure, they were mostly wooden kits with lots of white metal castings for "steel" underframes, brake wheels, etc., and would make ideal candidates for upscaling to 1:32 either as production kits or for scratchbuilding. They had most types of railroad cars in their line.


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## Mike O (Jan 2, 2008)

Kent, 

I can provide detailed digitized drawings of C&O 50 ton AAR offset side of the mid 30's that are similar to coal cars used by many railroads, and the 70 ton cars I mentioned above. I might be able to provide drawings for other C&O cars that would be relatively generic, so let me know of anything specific and I will look into it. These drawings are from the C&O Historical Society. 

Also, as long as we are in dream mode, if steel cars are a consideration, then heavy weight passenger cars would be a nice offering. Head end mail and express/baggage, a RPO with a 15 or 30 foot apartment, single or paired window coaches, diner, and 10-6 or 12-6 Pullmans would be great. Kern Valley has been working on doing something similar for quite awhile, but just like the Ozark cars, there seem to be delivery issues. 

Mike 
SA#2697


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Mike, 
That sounds good. I'd go for a box car, a reefer and a stock car plans in 1/32nd. Jerry


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

I worked up some 1/32nd stock car plans, then modified them a bit to fit with the size of my MDC cars that I mostly use with my Mikado-like how they look with it, size-wise. They are 13 3/8" by 3 3/4" sides. Then, I discovered my little coffee stir sticks would work fine to side it, if I shortened it a bit more, so did that. They are the same 3 3/4" tall but 12 3/4" long. I can provide plans of the 1/32nd to fit a MDC size car, or one that I shortened a bit from that. Email me, will need your email address to attach the plans to. Fits on one page, so print it off and tape it together. It's just the sides. Not sure this fits anyones needs, but figured I'd post it. Jerry


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## John McGuyer (Jan 2, 2008)

Some months back, I did a build in the 'Model Building' forum of a 1/32 stock car. We plan to do that car eventually as a kit. 

John


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## Caseyjones012 (Jul 29, 2008)

I'd be interested in PFE 40' wood reefers. 

Geoff 

Geoffrey D. Cullison 
President and Chief Operating Officer 
Sheldon JW Cullison 
Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Botanical Officer 
The Arlington and Little Falls Railroad 
[email protected] 
Member of the Washington, Virginia and Maryland Garden Railroad Society


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## CapeCodSteam (Jan 2, 2008)

John, 

I remember that thread of the Stock Car. I would check it daily, waiting to see the latest work. Even my gf at the time was impressed, and she wasn't into trains or models. I would love to hear more about the release of that car. 

Kent


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## John McGuyer (Jan 2, 2008)

Bob Uniack has done a beautiful wood PFE reefer and it is planned as a kit, probably after the box cars. He has also done a Santa Fe variation with the reversed hatches. What we are working on now is a wood express reefer. I've been gathering information on the high speed trucks. 

John


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## MarkLewis (Jan 2, 2008)

I would welcome 1:32 intermodal cars. One thing 1:32 has that 1:29 lacks is an abundance of trailer/container vehicles in scale. It would be nice to have some rolling stock to match.

Mark


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## CapeCodSteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Mark, 

That sounds like a wonderful idea. I'll be the first to admit, I'm a steam dude. I did have kick a$$ intermodal in my HO days. Perhaps a rake of articulated deep well, double container cars, or a whole lot of those ITX articulated rail trailers. The only concern is, who has 1:32 Diesel? Unless you are furtunate to have a Wada Works GP-9, or have Accucraft GP-9s coming, that would work great. I'll put my ignorance out there. What other 1:32 Diesel Electric locos are out there? 

I don't see my S-12 pulling those cars. Doesn't mean they shouldn't exist. Would you happen to have any plans or drawings?


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## Enginear (Jul 29, 2008)

I run MTH 1/32 scale dash 8's. They have a whole lineup of f series. They are releasing a diesel switcher soon (vo1000). I believe their 1/32 flat bed with trailer sells really well. 
Accucraft is releasing their 1/32 scale line up with a gp60 to go with their gp9 and steamers. I want intermodel 1/32 too!!! Joe


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## Guest (Aug 20, 2008)

Joe, 
the GP-60 is 1/29th scale... 
Nick..


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## Enginear (Jul 29, 2008)

Nick, I had to look anyway, even though you told me. Yep, it's 1/29, sorry. I thought they had added it to their 1/32 scale lineup! Joe


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