Powered Box Car Project

[jonathan]

Well, there is a Timonium Train Show next month.  Perhaps I'll find some kind of cover, as well as some Youngstown Doors.  There's always plenty of "box of junk for a dollar" vendors. You have given me some good ideas what to look for.  Thanks again.

In the meantime the powered box car is ready for service, while waiting for parts:









I even have a place to park it until needed:



The car will be very handy when I feel the need for a loooooooong train.

Regards,

Jonathan

P.S.  I put the Athearn frame under the A-Team shell.  Sooooo... it rolls well enough to join my regular fleet.  ...talk about a plan coming together

[richg]

Without sounding too ignorant ...... what is the "purpose" of a "powered box car"?  I would run a double headed train rather than go to all of the trouble needed to make a powered box car.

PF

It should be obvious, he needed a new challenge.
Also, you can run a dummy loco that cannot be powered easily and maybe has sentimental value and for whatever reason, Can only run one loco. I have seen something like this before over the many years of model railroading.
It could give inspiration to power a B unit and add a small cab to the B unit which a prototype RR did some years ago for moving rolling stock.
Model railroading is suppose to be fun.

I have converted a 0-6-0T into a oil fired cab forward 2-6-0 with Vandy tender. A oil fired 4-4-0 cab forward existed about 1901.

Rich

[Jim Banner]

... what is the "purpose" of a "powered box car"?  I would run a double headed train rather than go to all of the trouble needed to make a powered box car.
PF

Sometimes the trains we run do not look right when double headed.  In 0n30, I have a layout that includes a helix with an almost 4% grade.  It is fun to add a pusher to a freight train to help it up the hill but at shows, I often run it with a shorter passenger train.  The passenger train just does not look right when double headed, so I built a powered baggage car, quite similar to Jonathan's powered box car.  When it is mu'ed to the little ten wheeler pulling the train, it "look right," at least to me, and will operate unattended for hours at a time with no strain on either powered unit.

After reading Rich's response, I am now thinking about what I could do with a couple of tender powered H0 locomotives sitting in the back of a drawer.  An S-scale cab, some wider walkways, some larger appliances and headlight - hmmm.  To me, the question "why?" gets the same answer as the more fundamental question "why build a model railroad?"

Jim

[jonathan]

The actual "why" for this project is two fold.  Yes, I needed a new challenge.  I had read about adding hidden power units to trains to increase length.  It sounded like something fun to try.

Also,  I am preparing for the arrival of my Spectrum EM-1.  The prototype of this locomotive weighed over a million pounds and could pull long trains all by itself.

I don't want to overtax the plastic version.  I have discovered my GP35 and GP40 mechanisms fit inside the box car shell, along with the Amtrak mechanism.  Now I can change the speed of the box car as needed.

But what's really neat is taking my 0-6-0 on the mainline with 30 cars in tow, with the help of the powered box car.  

Just my strange ideas of fun.

Regards,

Jonathan

[Geared Steam]

Great job Jonathan, no need to explain. Model Railroading is about tinkering in my book, making something out of nothing, or making a bad runner into a great runner (MDC Shays) Some people like it, some don't, its all about what you want to do. A lot of us like to do all, bench work, track, wiring, scenery, scratch building, loco mods, etc. It helps make you a better, well rounded modeler IMHO.

[Jerrys HO]

I will agree with Geared Steam.
"A lot of us like to do all, bench work, track, wiring, scenery, scratch building, loco mods, etc. It helps make you a better, well rounded modeler IMHO."

I for one love a good project, my problem is I start too many at one time.

Jonathan has done a superb job with his projects. Please stop posting them, every time you do I start a new project. Just kidding keep them coming. I will speak for almost everyone they are great.

Jerry

[jonathan]

Well, thanks a bunch.  I will continue to post projects.  I try to attempt them one-at-a-time.  Although, sometimes I get stuck trying to finish two at once.

I like to share the projects because I learn so much from all the great wisdom in this group.

I probably won't have much to share until my EM-1's arrive.  I've started collecting superdetail parts.  I have some plans for tweaking these locos.  Plus, I think it would be a good idea if someone posted a few pics on how to remove the shell, perform some simple inspections and maintenance, etc.

For now, I'll enjoy running trains and waiting for my new babies.

Regards,

Jonathan

[Geared Steam]

I've seen many examples of powered boxcars but mainly in N scale where the lighter tractive effort can limit ones train length, but since Bullfrog Snot came around it has replaced the powered boxcar option. I like this for many different reasons, mainly the ability to take a poor operating loco or critter and make it functional by using this method, in addition to adding DCC and/or sound where it wasn't possible.

[Jim Banner]

...  I intentionally model the water-level somewhat coastal flat farm land of the South where I was born and still live, so I do forget sometimes about all of the complications of trying to recreate mountains and building non-prototypical helixes and tremendously steep grades ...
PF

I too model the railroading of my youth.  And that was mountain railroading, complete with heavy grades and prototypical helical tunnels (usually incorrectly called spiral tunnels.)  I grew up on tales of great feats of engineering to build railways in impossible places, and to me, designing and building model railways to reflect this is part of the fun.  The last large addition to my H0 layout took a year to design but I managed to fit in a double helix ala the CPR "Spiral Tunnels," a resources branch line with switch backs and 6% grades, and a 5 track hidden yard capable of holding about 80 cars and 10 locomotives all in a space just a little larger than 4' x 8' but with enough room left for scenery to make the whole thing look plausible.  That my newest layout in 0n30 is also a mountain layout should be no surprise and as far as building a powered car for it is concerned, I love the tinkering.

That is one of the great things about our hobby - we can pursue the aspects we like and ignore or hire out the rest.  I never complain about people hiring out their electronics work - it helps me pay for my own railways.  But my first choice is to teach them how to do it themselves, which I do for free.  To me that is another great thing about our hobby - sharing rather than competing.

Jim 

[Woody Elmore]

Jonathan - I have an idea for your next project. How about an HO scale B&O tugboat? Saw one in one of the magazines. Even better - build one of the barges that the railroads used to move freight cars across the waters. Years ago I saw a NYC barge with a silver and blue B&O Sentinel Service box car on it. I had to have one (Sentinel boxcar) when I went into HO.

Just a thought.

[jonathan]

Woody,

I have considered that very thing.  Not wanting to model water, I built my layout with foothills in mind... no where near a shoreline. 

I have read a number of articles on barges and tugboats.  Seems they were big business around NY; the SIRT, NYC et al.

A harbor or river's edge now seems like a neat modeling possibility.

Regards,

Jonathan

[Woody Elmore]

Back in the days before all the mergers, tugs with Lehigh Valley, NYC, PRR or Erie on the stack was a common sight up here in NY Harbor. Of course there weren't any B&O tugs (at least none that I ever saw.)  Many moons ago there were a few articles about the barges in the model railroad press. I used to love to take the Ferry to Staten Island when I was a kid because there were always barges with interesting cars on them. This was before the big merger into (ugh, I hate to write it) Penn Central.

[richg]

You must not be aware of doing Google searches. Spiral tunnel info below. Have fun reading. Railroad design/construction evolves.

http://tinyurl.com/3p62umv

Rich

[Doneldon]

flory-

I think there is a third somewhere in the US but the Canadian tunnels are the famous ones because of how early they were built and where they are -- right in the middle of Yoho National Park in the Canadian Rockies. I've seen them in action (well, it was actually the trains which were in action) and they are very impressive.

These aren't just open-air Tehachapi Loops. It's quite easy to build a curve which crosses itself and a number of railroads have done it. But the Canadian loops are inside of mountains. The engineering and surveying becomes a lot more difficult when you're doing it in solid granite and trying to dig from each end so you line up in the middle. No, sir. These are most definitely not mere loops.
                                                                                                            -- D