12” gauge DRGW Inspired RR

[0351]

Question for you. Did you end up drilling clearance holes through your flat bar bolsters?

I haven’t drill my bolsters yet. I’ll take a look, and see what kinda clearance I have. I’m using
1”dia-two hole bearing housings. Although, on this gon I have already designed it for a 1”dia pin passing through the (3/4” bar) truck bolster.

[0351]

Sideboards are done, and the side stakes are mounted on one side. Brake wheel, brake mast, and brake retainer valve are in place. For whatever reason I’ve always like the way retainer valve was set up on this gon, with the homemade end washer/plate notched for the valve. So I’ve included this particular detail.
I did vary slightly from the prototype regarding the metal plates on the side stakes, where they bolt to the side sills. Usually the highside gons had these plates. I thought the plates dressed up the sides. Also this is more of a road/work gon vs the prototype which set at the Alamosa shops, and was never used over the road.

[Erskine Tramway]

It's interesting where they put the Retaining valve. It must have been to make a straight pipe run from the exhaust port on the K-Triple.

Mike

[0351]

It's interesting where they put the Retaining valve. It must have been to make a straight pipe run from the exhaust port on the K-Triple.

Mike

I’ve wondered why they didn’t move it over a few inches. Seems like it would have been less hassle than notching the plate. lol! But being unusual, makes it interesting to model when nerd side come out.

[Erskine Tramway]

Looking at the prototype photo, and the condition of the end sill, makes me think the retainer was there first and the big washer was added later to reinforce the cracking sill. I'll bet the original was circular, like the one on the other side of the brake staff.

Mike

[0351]

Your assumption about the cracked end sills may be correct. I know that on both ends of the gon, the two outside truss rods had those steel plates instead of washers. The two inside truss rods used the round style washers.

Little back history of the trash gon:
“The Alamosa Trash Gondola D&RGW 06229.
This car was built on the flat car from under CONX tank #15 which originally ran on the C&S, When CONX #15 received a steel under frame on the Alamosa car shop in 1925, the old wooden frame was used to build the trash gondola. 33 inch 4 board wooden sides were added, these sides were bolted directly to the side sills and the boards nailed to the stakes. Originally it ran on 4ft 6in arch bar trucks thought to have come from the ex-Crystal River Railroad’s Ingoldsby dump gondolas.”-Rio Grande Models UK

“It is called the Alamosa Trash Gon because it was the gondola used by the shop crews in Alamosa, and it sat outside the shop where it was seen by railfans / photographers whenever they were in Alamosa. Except for times when it was full
and had been attached to a train to be taken away to be emptied, the car was a fixture there.”-BHI Publications

[rkcarguy]

Question for you. Did you end up drilling clearance holes through your flat bar bolsters?

I haven’t drill my bolsters yet. I’ll take a look, and see what kinda clearance I have. I’m using
1”dia-two hole bearing housings. Although, on this gon I have already designed it for a 1”dia pin passing through the (3/4” bar) truck bolster.

Getting the elevation right is a bit tricky. You either have to draw everything in CAD, or get the trucks rolling and basically ready to mount on the finished frame and shim them up until the couplers are at the right height. Then measure the shim stack and make the bearing standoff brackets to suit. You can also use bronze bushings (lower profile) if you end up needing a thinner "stack height".

[0351]

Thanks to Randy Geep Bradley, of the Texas Northern 16”ga RR (Bradley Signs) for his custom cut stencils!
Trash Gon is starting to get that look!
On this build, I had done a slightly weathered, raised grain look to the oak wood.
The stencils still adhered really well to the rough surface.
First coat of paint on the stenciling was the same gray body paint to seal the edges, then a coat of black for the lettering. Very minimal bleeding.

[djjh87]

Really nice work. Jim

[0351]

Thank you sir!
First attempt at building a large scale model.
Having 25 years of wood working under my belt helps. Lol!

[0351]

A major milestone was reached on the RR this week. I managed to score just over 3000’ of 12lb rail, 2 complete (24” gauge) turnouts made with 12lb rail, 2 extra 12lb frogs ,and guard rails.
After an 800 mile round trip, the rail is now here on the farm.
I would have preferred 8lb rail, but it is extremely difficult to come by it in large quantities. That being said, if anyone know of a stash of 8lb, I’m not apposed to selling off this 12lb.

[Springhill-RR]

Do you have any track down?