Thanks Tom. Getting those brass post pockets drilled for the tension rods, filed to final shape. chemically blackened, alinged to the needed position on the frame, tacked on with acc so the tension rod holes can get drilled in the right places, and then getting the horse shoe curve bent in the tension rods bent, and getting them chemically blackened, and installed, so tach corner assembly can cet flooded with ACC, is the most tedious part of this while project so far, so it is very good to have that done on unit # 2. The rest of the work needeed to catch up will be easy and fun compared to all of that.
All of that was needed though, as the pockets neened to be brass for strenth. but a brass wood joint is going to be problematic, but with the tension rods running through holes in the frame that gave lots of tiny placrs for the acc to creep into and bond the rods to the frame, which hopefully will support the pockets and keep the thing togrther.
I Just got issue # 44 of Timbertimes and there is an article on a scratchbuilt HO Surry-Parker single drum unit . That modeler had used styrene to make the pocketsm and did not model the tension rods, and there was one pocket visibly broken in the photo, so doing it the hard way is definately worth a try.
Also in that same issue, there was an article on a shop made flatcar. That got my attention, as when I was looking at the unbuilt or in need of rebuild log cars in my car shops drawer I was conflicted, as we need 25 or more log cars @ the club. I need more @ home, and I could really use some 40 ft truss rod flats to ship open loads of lumber as well.
I now have a very nice drill press, so drilling out presision metal holes for tapping could be quick and easy. If I used the alumimum Like I have used on my as of yet unsusessful attempts to built an R/C 24 oar mechanism for my Roman Bireme , it would be easy to cut to size drill and tap frame blanks. As the Surry-Parker project winds down I will start to investigate 40 foot truss rod flat designs. We could also do 30 foot cars for log service, but 40 foot truss rod flats were ubiquitous. If you want to join this project Tom, I will keep You posted as I do my initial design work, and come up with a list of needed materials. I'd be aiming for mass production (i.e as cheap as we can go and get a good looking reliable flatcar).
In my stash of kits I found six unbuilt MDC shorty flats. I'm tempter to build some or all of them to log servise specs, paint them for the C&S, and use them to get logs through interchange off the Southern. Every log car I can get off of the Valley Division, will help reduce the trafic congestion on the Mountain Division
Bill Nelson