my ESPEE MODELERS ARCHIVE

California's Railroad to the U.S. 1861 - 1996

SP Woodchip Gondola

Jean-Marie Syx has been busy again, this time scratch-building woodchip gons. Also using the Rick Selby article described in the March ’92 MR for the ends and center sill. The car floor is constructed as a sandwich panel in which the lead weight is integrated. The sides are pretty straight forward, just a notch on one corner, glue on 4 plates and a long seam. Note the stiffeners addded in the car to avoid warping of the long car sides.

This is an attempt at a composite side woodchip gondola in 4 photos. This car used to be offered from Diamond Scale as a kit; but is as good as unfindable. So one has to build one from scratch. Luckily I had a little help from a friend of mine who owns such a car. Once again the car floor is a sandwich panel in which the lead weight is integrated. The sides are .010 styrene with .060 H columns glued on, a .060 channel at the top and a .080 L on the bottom.

Finally two photos of the above models side by side.

Model based on Rick Selby's article in the March 1992 issue of Model Railroader. I had bought enough Evergreen styrene strips to do 10 of these things, and had completed 4 of them, when E&C car shops brought out their kits. I still only have 4, but have 6 of the E&C kits.

Sources:

• Model Railroader, Mar. 1992. - Scratchbuilding article.
• Materials as per article.
• Floquil Boxcar red.
• Microscale decal sheet #87-1, #87-2 and #87-3.
• SP Freight Car Specification Sheet #23 Woodchip Cars - description and data