1921 Haskell & Barker Soo Line 36' stock car

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Raymbo
Posts: 54
Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2016 5:58 pm
Location: South Central Kentuck

1921 Haskell & Barker Soo Line 36' stock car

Post by Raymbo »

For those who might be interested, I am building a 1.6 scale model of the 1921 Haskell & Barker Soo Line sawtooth stock car. I am intrigued with the sawtooth design cars that I remember on the Soo Line in my growing up years in the 1940s and 50s.

I have a set of original drawings from H&B and I had them enlarged to 1.6 scale at Office Depot. That way I do not have to calculate all the dimensions, just measure the components I am building and build them. Obviously, I am not trying to replicate every detail perfectly, there are only so many hours in a day and I want get get it running.

The original 1921 "As Built" drawings were used to make the car and components, but I am modeling the 1939 Soo Line rebuild with the larger lettering board and data board.

I made the car frame using the standard 1"X2"X1/8" channel main frame with 1/8"X3" flat bar welded on to make the fish belly. I am using Godshall Machine Andrews trucks which can be fitted with Titan air brakes later if desired. The car body is pine wood sawed on our 10" Delta table saw with a new blade. The wood is smooth and dimension accurate. I use #18 escutcheon pins to replicate the bolts holding the Z bracing framing the body. The Z braces are 22 gauge steel CNC brake formed by a local firm. The lumber door opens as on the prototype, as do the side doors.

I am in the process of fitting the doors. There is a certain amount of satisfaction in fitting details such as this as the doors are unique.

I do not know if other roads used these H&B 36' cars, but the Soo Line used them exclusively.

Here are a few photos of progress.
Attachments
Soo Line Haskell & Barker stock car
Soo Line Haskell & Barker stock car
The lumber door on the A end operates like the prototype.
The lumber door on the A end operates like the prototype.
The B end of the car using a PSC brake wheel and a scratch built upper housing
The B end of the car using a PSC brake wheel and a scratch built upper housing
Ray Grosser

Former
US Navy Sea Bee, 50s
Journeyman T&D maker, 60s
Builder 1" scale 4-6-2 Little Engines locomotive 63-65
Machinist on the Great Northern RR
Certified welder
Steel erection superintendent
US Army paratrooper, 11SFGP ABN
Taylor 12 string guitar picker
Harley owner and rider
Now that I think of it, I might have made something of myself.

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Raymbo
Posts: 54
Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2016 5:58 pm
Location: South Central Kentuck

Re: 1921 Haskell & Barker Soo Line 36' stock car

Post by Raymbo »

I started fitting the side doors to the car. I am not trying to replicate the track rollers, but just so the doors can be opened these will suffice.

My nephew made the KB brake cylinder for me out of aluminum. It does not have all the details that one 3d printed would have, but this works just fine since I am not replicating the prototype brake rigging.
Attachments
Fitting the wood doors to the H&B stock car
Fitting the wood doors to the H&B stock car
Ray Grosser

Former
US Navy Sea Bee, 50s
Journeyman T&D maker, 60s
Builder 1" scale 4-6-2 Little Engines locomotive 63-65
Machinist on the Great Northern RR
Certified welder
Steel erection superintendent
US Army paratrooper, 11SFGP ABN
Taylor 12 string guitar picker
Harley owner and rider
Now that I think of it, I might have made something of myself.

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Raymbo
Posts: 54
Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2016 5:58 pm
Location: South Central Kentuck

Re: 1921 Haskell & Barker Soo Line 36' stock car

Post by Raymbo »

I finished mounting the doors and I finished the roof today.

It is board on board except I did not attempt to do the prototype roofing with a layer of decking, then tar paper, and another layer of decking covering the joints of the boards below.

The door latching devices took most of the day, and eventually I will try to make the pins and chains holding the doors closed but for now, a bent escutcheon pin will have to do.

I am going to get started on the ladders and grabs as long as it is warm enough in the barn to work on them.
Attachments
Roofing started, pine wood sawed and planed to 5/32nds
Roofing started, pine wood sawed and planed to 5/32nds
Roof decking finished
Roof decking finished
Door latches finished except for the locking pins which will take some time.
Door latches finished except for the locking pins which will take some time.
Ray Grosser

Former
US Navy Sea Bee, 50s
Journeyman T&D maker, 60s
Builder 1" scale 4-6-2 Little Engines locomotive 63-65
Machinist on the Great Northern RR
Certified welder
Steel erection superintendent
US Army paratrooper, 11SFGP ABN
Taylor 12 string guitar picker
Harley owner and rider
Now that I think of it, I might have made something of myself.

User avatar
Raymbo
Posts: 54
Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2016 5:58 pm
Location: South Central Kentuck

Re: 1921 Haskell & Barker Soo Line 36' stock car

Post by Raymbo »

Ladders and Grabs are finally installed. The most tedious of jobs is production work. It took me a fair bit of time to make a jig to drill the grabs, and of course, the ends are shorter in length than the sides according to the drawings. It works out to be 3/8" shorter than the rungs on the side ladders.

The roof walk is on and the roof now painted. I still have to make the end braces for the ends but there are only two of them so it won't be so frustrating and a jig is not necessary because you can't see both ends at the same time.

I need to remake the end steps, I made them the same as I did on the sawtooth Pullman Standard boxcar, but these are mounted differently. I expect to be able to use them on something else in the future.

So far I have 65.5 hours in this model but I am really pleased the way it is coming together. Hopefully I can finish including the graphics in about 10 hours. We'll see.......

Here are a few more photos showing the progress.
Attachments
Ladders and grabs finished and mounted
Ladders and grabs finished and mounted
Roof walk is installed, I still need to make the angle grabs for the roof but that won't take lone
Roof walk is installed, I still need to make the angle grabs for the roof but that won't take lone
The end grabs needed to be made differently than any I have made in the past.
The end grabs needed to be made differently than any I have made in the past.
Ray Grosser

Former
US Navy Sea Bee, 50s
Journeyman T&D maker, 60s
Builder 1" scale 4-6-2 Little Engines locomotive 63-65
Machinist on the Great Northern RR
Certified welder
Steel erection superintendent
US Army paratrooper, 11SFGP ABN
Taylor 12 string guitar picker
Harley owner and rider
Now that I think of it, I might have made something of myself.

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Dick_Morris
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Joined: Sat Jan 04, 2003 2:09 pm
Location: Anchorage, AK

Re: 1921 Haskell & Barker Soo Line 36' stock car

Post by Dick_Morris »

Beautiful car!
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Raymbo
Posts: 54
Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2016 5:58 pm
Location: South Central Kentuck

Re: 1921 Haskell & Barker Soo Line 36' stock car

Post by Raymbo »

I finished my 1.6 scale model of a Soo Line Haskell & Barker 1921 stock car today. I am very pleased with the results and you will notice that I weather my cars some. I also put chalk marks on where switchmen marked the cars for which track they wanted the car sent to as well as my own graffiti markings that I did with a 1" round piece of chalk given to me by one of the switchmen working the Glenwood MN yard.

New Horizon Graphics of Somerset KY did the stencils for me and the lettering and data are all painted on like the prototype, including several overspray areas that I can vividly remember back in the 40s and 50s at the Glenwood MN yard.

I kept track of the hours it took to build this car. I have 80.5 hours total in it. :mrgreen:
Attachments
The finished car along with the 1929 Pullman Standard outside braced sawtooth Soo Line boxcar
The finished car along with the 1929 Pullman Standard outside braced sawtooth Soo Line boxcar
Lettering boards and data
Lettering boards and data
My own brand of graffiti which of course washed off fairly quickly.
My own brand of graffiti which of course washed off fairly quickly.
Ray Grosser

Former
US Navy Sea Bee, 50s
Journeyman T&D maker, 60s
Builder 1" scale 4-6-2 Little Engines locomotive 63-65
Machinist on the Great Northern RR
Certified welder
Steel erection superintendent
US Army paratrooper, 11SFGP ABN
Taylor 12 string guitar picker
Harley owner and rider
Now that I think of it, I might have made something of myself.

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