I came across a picture of this gp40 a few years ago and thought it would make an interesting model. It's the definition of rent-a-wreck with 3 different variations of rr schemes and donor parts. It's the only picture I've seen of it and I'm not totally sure who owns it. I've searched on rr picture archive for WC 3008, WC 3015, BN 3008 and VMV 3008 and nothing came up. It's confusing because the number board has 3008 but the rear hood dons a WC 3015 and the VMV across the old BN logo doesn't really stand out. I think if I try to replicate it the number boards and hood will have the same number for the sake of simplifying it, that or some sort of fantasy lease company. If I go that route I figure a large majority of lease company reporting marks end with an X and I'm a fan of punk music I thought for $h!t$ and giggles the reporting marks could be NOFX and go with a similar decrepit scheme. Either way the model will be a gp38-2 just because I have a seaboard system 38-2 I can use. If anyone has info on this engine I'd definitely like to hear about it and get some feedback and ideas.

Conrail's WPMA-40 works the area around the piers.

Bruce

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I was working on a Csx caboose a few year ago and is in the scratchbuilding section. Long story short I bought another one but I decided to let the pros handle this one, here's a progress shot from BradleyDCC. He's doing the sound install and weathering for me and he's done way more than I expected.

I'm looking for an HO scale p2k gp38-2 88" low nose and cab, preferably Burlington Northern green & black scheme but any 88" nose without the headlight would do.

A thread in another forum trying to identify this car caught my interest and I filed away the following for a “to do” project.
A link to the original photo.

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The direct link to the answer....

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......and following the crumbs.......

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The link to Tom Daspits very informative site which includes the section on Large Flat Cars.

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So with the above sources along with the help of another modeller who came up with further information from the January 1942 O.R.E.R, I decided the following was enough to try a build.
“Breaking all records for size, this monster well car 90 ft long over the coupler pulling faces, has a load capacity of over 250 tons. Designed for use in carrying ingot molds between two Carnegie-Illinois plants, it is fitted for regular interchange movements. To carry this enormous load safely and economically, the two six wheeled trucks under each of the auxiliary bodies are provided with U.S.S Wrought Steel Wheels, 36 in. in diameter.
Pertinent Facts. Total weight of the car is 313,900 lb, of which 107,920 lb is in the four trucks, 49,000 lbs in the two auxiliary bodies, and 156,980 lbs in the well body proper. Payload capacity, at a rail load limit of 70,000 lbs, per axle, is 526,100 lbs. The total rail load is 840,000 lbs.
The well-platform is made up of seven long H-Beams, jigs assembled and are welded longitudinally. Each H-Beam in turn is made up in 5 sections- the central platform piece, two reverse curve transition pieces and two end pieces which terminate at the main bolster......”
Outside length 87'6"
Width @ eaves or top of sides or platform 9'8"
Extreme width 9'8"
Capacity 526100 lb.
Flat car, Depressed, steel, Note A: Car No. 500: height from rail to top of depressed platform 2 ft. 8-3/4 inch, to top of car body 6 ft. 9-1/2 inches; length of depressed center 18 .”
Armed with the above information I first sourced some affordable and more importantly available Buckeye trucks, Athearn ATH90407 and quickly knocked up a test car see if my requirements for overall heights, correct coupler height, and ability to run through my 15 inch radius test track.

   

As the trucks ticked all the boxes I then proceeded with an accurate (?) HO scale drawing.

   

One of my self imposed limits was that I used only hand tools that I would expect most modellers to have.

   

Thanks for looking, Cheers, the Bear.

I'm always surprised how very generic rail-related structures are almost impossible to find on the market. Looks at manufacturers catalog and you won't find a decent-sized gantry crane. None. Too small, Europeand design or the large ones on traveling on beam structure. Look for the ubiquitous model, there's nothing.



So I resorted to kitbash one using parts from a Walthers conveyor kit. I could have entirely scratchbuilt it to be 100% accurate, but I didn't want to go that route. I want a decent representation of Harlem Station gantry crane, not a prize-winning model. Everything came from the junk box, including Bachmann plastic wheel sets (yes, they do have a purpose in life other than be discarded!).



I also followed an old article in Model Railroader about a similar structure which made my life easier interpreting the picture of the prototype. I'll be honest though... I made what I could to create a believeable mechanism but did go as far as the article. It has the look, but upon closer inspection, the illusion will fall apart if you know how cranes work!



After two days of intense work, I've been able to build the structure. The last thing to be done is the crane motor and hook... and some painting of course.



I'll also have to had two rails on the layout for the crane. I'm not yet decided how I'll do it, but it will probably be some code 100 scraps of flextrack.

Matt

Happy Fathers Day. I'm sure there must be at least one of you on this forum besides myself.