Passenger Truck Question

[EZnKY]

Once I finished the wheels, which was back in February, I started assembling the Bob Hartford trucks.  I'm keeping the original 5'-0" wheelbase since the second coach will be longer than the one I'm scratchbuilding.  This made things a LOT easier since I could use the stock equalizers, etc.  I did make a second set of the Ohio Falls Car Company pedestal overlays so the trucks will have something of a family appearance with the first set.

I'm also using the same kind of pinstriping on both sets of trucks, which will also help with consistency.

Here's a shot of most of the parts to the second set of trucks.  I've got the color base coat on everything, and I'm just about ready to start final assembly.

[EZnKY]

And here's a similar shot of the first set of trucks with the shorter wheelbase.  They're in the same state - mostly painted and ready to start assembly. 

[EZnKY]

There's a lot of parts in passenger car trucks...

[EZnKY]

So the next step is deciding how far to take the weathering.  I want them to be about halfway between freshly painted and these trucks in Durango.  I'm going to do some test painting on some plastic Bachmann passenger trucks first.  And that's where I am right now.

Have a happy 4th! 

[Allan G]

Eric; looks great! How did you get the "copy" on one of them?  Allan

[EZnKY]

Allan,
The copy is etched on a 0.010" sheet brass overlay that is glued to the face of the wheels.  If you go ALL the way back to the first page in this thread you can see how I did it.  This was my first attempt at photoetching and I've gotten better since then.  It's also gotten easier to get more predictable results with practice.

[Chuck Doan]

These are looking great Eric! I'm surprised by how many parts there are.

[Bill Gill]

Eric, Your thread has held my interest. A while back I tried to detail an old HO scale Mantua Civil War gondola for a friend just getting into model railroading. Nothing remotely like your level of work, but the weathering on the finished truck looks something like the photo you posted today of the trucks in Durango. Here are a couple looks at it:
1. There was no way to remove the original plastic wheel sets from the trucks without breaking something, so they had to stay.
2. Here are the parts (On3laser cut brake shoes, drafting Mylar hanging straps) before painting
3. The original Mantua truck, one with just the end beams, one with brakes.
4. On the gondola

[Bill Gill]

And perhaps this might be of assistance for your trucks, or maybe it will just add another question: Why are there three different size links on this prototype safety chain?

[Ray Dunakin]

Great stuff!

In a way, those paper wheels were ahead of their time -- a precursor to modern composite materials.

[EZnKY]

Nice work Bill, especially at that scale!

The safety chains are very interesting.  I've seen a bunch of different ways or securing them to the sill on the car, and to the truck itself.  But I've never seen the hook kind of in the middle of the chain like that.
Might need to do some research on that...

[finescalerr]

Don't obscure the beautiful pin striping; keep the weathering subtle. -- Russ