Sheet Steel Loads.

[doctorwayne]

Steel can be rolled into almost any width, so the choice is really up to you.
Here's a photo, taken just a couple of days ago, with sheets too wide to be shipped flat on the car:



I plan to eventually model that load, but I've found that Plastruct ABS sheet is useful for making steel sheets and plates, as it requires no painting. It comes in various widths and thicknesses. The load shown below used .020"x1.25" sheet which scales out to about 1.75"x 9'2" in HO - this thickness would usually be considered plate rather than sheet. You can add mill markings (usually heat numbers and slab or ingot identification, plus an inspector's mark) and some surface rust if you wish.



The hold-down method is based on prototypical practice, with smaller plates atop wood blocking placed on the car first. The longer pieces are then added on top, with hardwood 4"x4"s or 6"x6"s spanning the ends of the plates from one side of the car to the other. Threaded rods, with their bottom end welded to small squares of sheet steel are then inserted into the stake pockets from the bottom, with the rod extending up through the pocket and then through holes pre-drilled in the hardwood. After adding flat washers, nuts are then threaded on to the protruding rods, and tightened until the ends of the long plates are drawn down, securing both them and the shorter plates below.




Wayne