I have four 50’ Athearn gondolas, and three P1K drop end gondolas that I am trying to figure out loads for. I know that gondolas basically carry just about anything. I am looking not only for suggestions but also how one would go about make a certain type of gondola load.
Gondola Loads: What types and how to make?
- Thread starter TomPM
- Start date
Tom,
What a "loaded" question.
My first suggestion would be to go to www.index.mrmag.com and do a search under "gondola" "load". This will so how many magazine articles that there have been and in what magazine they are in. Then all you have to do is find that issue.
Around here all the gondolas that I see are full of pulpwood.
Dan
What a "loaded" question.
My first suggestion would be to go to www.index.mrmag.com and do a search under "gondola" "load". This will so how many magazine articles that there have been and in what magazine they are in. Then all you have to do is find that issue.
Around here all the gondolas that I see are full of pulpwood.
Dan
Tom I would try to make loads that would look at home on your layout. Not knowing where in time or place your layout is supposed to be I can't suggest a load. That said around here for the last 40 years if you see a gon it will have pulpwood in it.
Tom:
I can suggest the following categories:
lumpy stuff, like ballast.
scrap metal, large lumps down to small shavings.
rails & ties or rails on ties or tyson rayles.
steel products - pipes, beams, coils
sticks
things under tarpaulins.
railfans on benches.
If your ends fold down, you can make loads that are longer than the gondola, but you need a spare flat car at each end.
If you can get the NMRA Bulletin, they've had a series for a few years called "Open Loads".
I can suggest the following categories:
lumpy stuff, like ballast.
scrap metal, large lumps down to small shavings.
rails & ties or rails on ties or tyson rayles.
steel products - pipes, beams, coils
sticks
things under tarpaulins.
railfans on benches.
If your ends fold down, you can make loads that are longer than the gondola, but you need a spare flat car at each end.
If you can get the NMRA Bulletin, they've had a series for a few years called "Open Loads".
I model mine empty...that is, I use a hint of past loads, i.e. pallets, scraps of packing lumber, lengths of chain, rolled or balled up tarps, etc. Perish the thought of covering all that rivet detail and weathering I've done.
Hello.
My gons carry scrap from the my layout to my friends steel mill on his layout. we physically interchange cars. I make the scrap loads out of tin foil that has been weathered with that Rust All product.
Have fun,
Jorge
My gons carry scrap from the my layout to my friends steel mill on his layout. we physically interchange cars. I make the scrap loads out of tin foil that has been weathered with that Rust All product.
Have fun,
Jorge
The May/June issue of N Scale Railroading has an article on just this subject. (Most of the ideas would appear to be easily adapted to HO.)
Here are some of the ones that I've done in N scale. The first one has debris in it (2 pics), the second one has a scratch built machinery load with a parts crate (2 pics) and the last one is a flat with 2 scratch built crates and an unused tie down strap on the deck (2 pics).
Great work dinging up that gon, Blake. I just haven't worked up the courage to do that myself . Gives me hives just thinkin' about it . Shudder....
. Gives me hives just thinkin' about it . Shudder....Thanks Shay, I used a 100 watt light bulb for the heat. It takes allot longer than a soldering iron but it's safer for the model.
Blake
Those are some great looking cars and loads. Great job on the gondolas. I need to "bang up" my gondolas.
Those are some great looking cars and loads. Great job on the gondolas. I need to "bang up" my gondolas.
Open Loads
The NMRA" Bulletin" , which is of limited use to be sure, spent a great deal of time beginning in around 1995 presenting a thorough selection of common gondola and flat car loads.
If you can attend the next Great Scale Show at Timonium, Md.- coming up now- you will find several people selling them . One gent sells MDC cars and loads he makes at quite reasonable prices.
Many European firms make a variety of excellent gondola loads that appear on their websites that you can buy, or use as prototypes for your own creations. This is a much larger section of the model railroad business than in North America , where their are few producers( like Jaeger, in wrapped lumber- they tend to concentrate in given areas).
M+D produces many steel industry loads, as well as more general loads that include the best sugar beet loads available. They are online and sold in U.S. by Miami Trains, among others.
HEICO (a/k/a Ladeguter Bauer) has large collection of loads on www.
Relatedly, the entire manual, from the US Army for loading materials a/ks in open railroad cars , and securing same, is available on line, as a download, from the U.S. Army at Carlisle Barracks.
An alternative is using containerized loads commonly handled in gons as well as flats. One seen near ports, and not produced domestically, is coil and roll steel containers produced only by Broad Gauge Bodies in 'HO'. They have wwws, but I would recommend going through Lloyd's Model Railways, the large maker/retailer (like Walthers' only Australian) if you do usual "http://www." and put in next "lloydsmodelrail.com.au" that should get you there.
Using GOOGLE, or similar comprehensive search engine, you can find these sites. The URLs are too long to fit on single line in the format used on this site . Another site you might want to look up is the German model railroad manufactures site list. This gives all of them , and indicates their products and scale. It also has some Swiss , and eastern European non- German makers that gives you access to about 20 or so open freight car load making firms with www pps. , (and more without wwws)
Good-Luck, PJB.
The NMRA" Bulletin" , which is of limited use to be sure, spent a great deal of time beginning in around 1995 presenting a thorough selection of common gondola and flat car loads.
If you can attend the next Great Scale Show at Timonium, Md.- coming up now- you will find several people selling them . One gent sells MDC cars and loads he makes at quite reasonable prices.
Many European firms make a variety of excellent gondola loads that appear on their websites that you can buy, or use as prototypes for your own creations. This is a much larger section of the model railroad business than in North America , where their are few producers( like Jaeger, in wrapped lumber- they tend to concentrate in given areas).
M+D produces many steel industry loads, as well as more general loads that include the best sugar beet loads available. They are online and sold in U.S. by Miami Trains, among others.
HEICO (a/k/a Ladeguter Bauer) has large collection of loads on www.
Relatedly, the entire manual, from the US Army for loading materials a/ks in open railroad cars , and securing same, is available on line, as a download, from the U.S. Army at Carlisle Barracks.
An alternative is using containerized loads commonly handled in gons as well as flats. One seen near ports, and not produced domestically, is coil and roll steel containers produced only by Broad Gauge Bodies in 'HO'. They have wwws, but I would recommend going through Lloyd's Model Railways, the large maker/retailer (like Walthers' only Australian) if you do usual "http://www." and put in next "lloydsmodelrail.com.au" that should get you there.
Using GOOGLE, or similar comprehensive search engine, you can find these sites. The URLs are too long to fit on single line in the format used on this site . Another site you might want to look up is the German model railroad manufactures site list. This gives all of them , and indicates their products and scale. It also has some Swiss , and eastern European non- German makers that gives you access to about 20 or so open freight car load making firms with www pps. , (and more without wwws)
Good-Luck, PJB.
PJB - FYI if you use the "http://" button above, you can name your link whatever you want and the real link won't show. Not aware of a length limit, but a google search fits.
Shaygetz, don't be afraid, go ahead and spank that gondo around!
And yes, as LH stated there have been a bunch of "Removable Eoads" and "Removable Loads" so a search for *oads" should reveal a lot of fresh ideas!
Shaygetz, don't be afraid, go ahead and spank that gondo around!
And yes, as LH stated there have been a bunch of "Removable Eoads" and "Removable Loads" so a search for *oads" should reveal a lot of fresh ideas!