3" scale Mining Wagon

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Eric M.
Posts: 62
Joined: Fri May 27, 2011 10:45 pm

3" scale Mining Wagon

Post by Eric M. »

Years ago I purchased some vintage victorian pocket-door wheels from an architectural salvage store in Minneapolis. I always knew that I could do something with these wheels but was never really sure what. My friend David Wegmuller helped me out by drilling out the hubs for 1/2" axles. But still, the wheels sat for years. About one year ago My wife and I went to Placerville to a nice B&B for a romantic getaway. Secretly I was also looking forward to visiting some CA gold country to see some mining museums. Here is my wife dumping me out of a small mining wagon at the Gold Bug Mine in Placerville:
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I have always loved these small mining cars. Maybe it's because I watched Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom one too many times, but whatever the reason I always wanted one. Despite my repeated asking she surprisingly she didn't let me strap this one to the roof of her Mini Cooper and bring it home :lol:

It was at this museum that it struck me what I could do with those wheels. A year or so later here is the result:
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The scale is roughly 1:4 and the gauge is 4 3/4".

The wagon dumps as well:
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There is a lift ring on the dump body so a winch could have been used to assist in dumping the load:
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Believe it or not, the dump body is fabricated from solvent welded ABS plastic. The rivets are steel "easy drive nails" with a domed head of .26" diameter. The finish is done with this stuff: http://www.dickblick.com/products/insta ... tant-rust/
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The chassis is my usual distressed poplar with hand carved splits and checking:
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The axles are mounted in pillow blocks with sealed ball bearings for free running even if I leave the wagon outdoors.

And one final shot with my TNT barrels:
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I am pretty happy with how this turned out. To me it really captures the look of the small wagons used here in Northern CA except this one is easier for me to pick up and move around my back yard.

Thanks for looking.
Eric Maschwitz
Head of Operations, Squirrel Mountain Mine
Former Whistle Punk,
Gunn Lake Land and Lumber, a subsidiary of East Devils Hill Lumber Co
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FriscoJim
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Location: Southwest Missouri

Re: 3" scale Mining Wagon

Post by FriscoJim »

Very Nice! I'm amazed at how the plastic really looks like old rusty iron... I would never have guessed that it wasn't the real stuff. Is it strong enough to haul ballast, or just for looks? Nothing wrong with it being just for looks, because it looks great... :wink:
Jim P.

N&F RR - 12" Gauge Live Steam
Eric M.
Posts: 62
Joined: Fri May 27, 2011 10:45 pm

Re: 3" scale Mining Wagon

Post by Eric M. »

Thanks Jim. It is definitely strong enough. The tub is made from 1/4" thick ABS so it's pretty tough. It was not really intended for serious use though. I have some all steel V-dump skips for ballasting and actual hard use.

Regards,

Eric
Eric Maschwitz
Head of Operations, Squirrel Mountain Mine
Former Whistle Punk,
Gunn Lake Land and Lumber, a subsidiary of East Devils Hill Lumber Co
mjahn
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Joined: Tue May 18, 2010 1:38 am
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Re: 3" scale Mining Wagon

Post by mjahn »

Very Cool! Are you going to build a mine on your railroad to go with it? :)
Mattaniah Jahn

Matt Corps. Railsystems,
operating on the Manatee Central RR
http://www.flickr.com/photos/62441046@N06/sets/
pockets
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Joined: Fri Feb 04, 2005 9:55 pm
Location: Kimball, Michigan

Re: 3" scale Mining Wagon

Post by pockets »

That is a truely beautiful piece of work. I'd like to see pics of your other wagons.

Greg B.
When the man at the door said, "Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms," I naturally assumed it was a delivery.....

"From my cold, dead hand!" C. Heston
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Adirondack
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Location: southern CT

Re: 3" scale Mining Wagon

Post by Adirondack »

L-O-V-E IT!
FredR
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Joined: Sun Jan 05, 2003 10:49 am
Location: Cedar Park, Texas, USA

Re: 3" scale Mining Wagon

Post by FredR »

I have to admit, I thought it was rusted steel as well. Any plans on maybe producing some plans or building photos? It would sort of like to build something like it......
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Fender
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Location: Chattanooga TN

Re: 3" scale Mining Wagon

Post by Fender »

Very nice, and I can definitely see the Indiana Jones influence.
Back in the early 1960's I had the chance to ride down into a copper mine in Morenci, AZ on the mine elevator. Down several hundred feet I saw a number of similar cars that had been abandoned in the mine. What was really interesting is that some of these cars had been submerged for years in water with dissolved copper salts, and the copper had completely replaced the iron/steel parts on the car! It was basically a green copper mine car!
Dan Watson
Chattanooga, TN
Eric M.
Posts: 62
Joined: Fri May 27, 2011 10:45 pm

Re: 3" scale Mining Wagon

Post by Eric M. »

Thanks for the comments. Dan that is interesting to hear about the carts in the copper mine-- almost like fossils! Fred, unfortunately I have no drawings or building photos at this point. I suppose if there was significant enough interest I would consider doing some as-built drawings. I have had another request for basic measurements so I'll likely start with that.

Greg below are some of the pics of my other wagons. First up is my track work train which is composed of a 2-axle bulkhead flat holding the tools and track hardware. Motive power is my Maxitrak Planet with sound system and black buffer beams for North American operations. Riding car behind the planet is my wood truss rod 4-axle flat:
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The 2-axle flat is made from a custom modified chassis from PNP Railways in England. I shortened the car by six inches and painted it dark gray. There are two interchangeable tops for the chassis; the bulkhead flat and an oil drum cradle-- both of which I fabricated from poplar that I hand distressed for a weathered look:
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A detail shot of some of the weathered wood:
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I do this by scratching grain into the wood with a really coarse sanding disc. I then hand carve splits and checking. I soften the edges a bit with some slightly less coarse 60 grit sand paper. Lastly I stain the wood with a dilute black stain before assembly with waterproof wood glue and scale hardware.

Here are the v-dumps:
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And me doing a spot of ballasting:
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I can't take any credit for the V-dumps. They are pretty much stock off the shelf PNP skips that have been regauged to 4 3/4"

Okay I am done hijacking my own thread now.

Regards,
Eric Maschwitz
Head of Operations, Squirrel Mountain Mine
Former Whistle Punk,
Gunn Lake Land and Lumber, a subsidiary of East Devils Hill Lumber Co
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FriscoJim
Posts: 112
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2010 9:10 pm
Location: Southwest Missouri

Re: 3" scale Mining Wagon

Post by FriscoJim »

I'm glad to see pics of the rest of your equipment... it looks really good, lots of character! Thanks for sharing!
Jim P.

N&F RR - 12" Gauge Live Steam
mjahn
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Re: 3" scale Mining Wagon

Post by mjahn »

very cool! :)
Mattaniah Jahn

Matt Corps. Railsystems,
operating on the Manatee Central RR
http://www.flickr.com/photos/62441046@N06/sets/
pockets
Posts: 807
Joined: Fri Feb 04, 2005 9:55 pm
Location: Kimball, Michigan

Re: 3" scale Mining Wagon

Post by pockets »

Very, very nice.

Greg B.
When the man at the door said, "Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms," I naturally assumed it was a delivery.....

"From my cold, dead hand!" C. Heston
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