Monday, July 15, 2024

Randolph Commander Elevator. - a new industry

If you are the owner of an operating railroad as I am of the Minneapolis & Northland Railroad Company (M&N) you may have to take time away from increasing the freight car fleet and turn to other work required on the railroad.   This was the case this past month as the town of Randolph had its industry base growing.   A Commander elevator, the new industry to be built in Randolph, Minnesota, needed track installed to become part of the customer base being served by of the Minneapolis & Northland Railroad Company.  And, the Chicago Great Western (CGW) Interchange track would be expanded.


Randolph, Minnesota prior to Commander
Elevator.
(Click or tap on this or any image to enlarge)


To enable an area for the Commander Elevator and CGW Interchange to expand new benchwork was built.  As for other sections of the railroad, L-girder benchwork was constructed as easy to construct and goes together quickly.



L-Girder benchwork assembled and attached 
to prior benchwork.


Long and short L-girders connect to the legs and short L-girders are built to sit above the long L-girders to attach 1/2 inch plywood top with screws via the L-girder cap.  Another advantage of the short L-girders riding on the long L-girders is they can be moved at anytime.   Why would they have to be moved?  After tracks are  laid on benchwork top, the L-girder might be in the area a switch machine needs to be installed.


View of short L-Girders


After benchwork was completed and attached to existing benchwork, it was painted for finished look.   I like to use a grey-black latex paint.   I like a black color for if you study colors you find the eye does not like black and will move to another location - the scenery on the benchwork.  In addition, painted benchwork helps prevent lumber absorbing moisture during summers when the humidity is a factor.   Even with dehumidifiers controlling humidity it is best to be considered.



Benchwork painted.


Once the paint on the benchwork is dry, Homasote,  a cellulose-based fiber wall board, that was painted a brown earth color latex prior to install, is attached to the plywood with nails.   Nails that are angled when put in are used rather than glue to prevent sound transfer from ballasted track on Homasote to benchwork.  Benchwork fascia was now installed and painted to match a grey-black color of benchwork I use.  With the Homasote installed a track location center line is drawn on the Homasote and Midwest cork and track is installed.   The Midwest cork was installed with wire nails and the Walthers track is installed with Micro Engineering track spikes.



Painted Homasote attached to benchwork.


The CGW Interchange was than ballasted with a mix of white and black foundry sand and affixed with Elmer's white glue thinned with tap water.   The adhesive mixture of 1/3 white glue and 2/3  tap water with a few drops of dish washing soap added is prepared in an Elmer's white glue container which also acts as applicator.  The ballast prior to adding the thinned white glue for adhesion must be lightly sprayed with wet water, tap water with a few drops of dish washing soap added, or the ballast will bubble and not stay in place when the water thinned white glue is applied..



Ballast and tools used for application.


 And, since I do like doing scenery I could not resist adding some Woodland Scenics Blended Turf, Green Blend, T 49,  and SceneMaster Grass Tufts, 949-1101, along the Anchor Glass Plant wall.



Ballast to CGW track extension and scenery added.


With the Chicago Great Western Interchange increased in length and elevator track in place.   The elevator, a combination of two Walthers Cornerstone kits, Farmers Cooperative Rural Elevator, 933-3036, and Trackside Oil Dealer, 933-4059, assembled at my work desk with MEK could be located on the benchwork.  All roofs on main elevator and sheds were not and will not be glued to allow access to interior.  The office and scale cover portion is also not glued to allow removal later.  On the attached storage sheds, scale and office portion, a concrete foundation of .060 sheet styrene foundation was added to replace the wood floor supports in the kits.   The concrete foundation was common on elevators rather than wood floor supports in the Midwest, specifically on elevators I saw.



Elevator after assembly installed.



Elevator after assembly installed.


Another major change to the wood clapboard elevator and one storage shed was needed.  The wood clapboard needed to be replaced with corrugated aluminum sheathing as common on all elevators I saw in the Minnesota area I model.   I was going to use Campbell Scale Models aluminum corrugated sheathing; however, the three packages I had in stock would only provide a tiny portion of aluminum sheathing needed to cover the main elevator body and one storage shed.  A further search through building materials I had in stock produced three packages of  plastic sheathing I had purchased from Alpine Division Scale Models years before.



Plastic sheathing for elevator.


My calculations for the needed sheathing also showed the plastic sheathing was not enough sheathing.   Therefore, I decided I would make additional sheathing to match the plastic sheathing.  To make additional needed sheathing I used a section of the plastic sheathing as a master and placed heavy duty kitchen tin foil over a section of cut plastic siding .  A dry transfer application tool with the plastic end was run over the tin foil pressing it into each groove in the plastic sheathing to make embossed sheathing like the plastic one.  The  embossed  made sheathing  was used on the trackside back wall of elevator shed on the left and bottom two rows of sheathing  on the main elevator body.  A photo is included below to show the tools used to make the needed sheathing and tools used to apply the sheathing.



Tools used to make tin foil sheathing and 
to apply foil and plastic sheathing.


The plastic sheathing was cut into strips eight feet scale wide.   These strips were cut again into sections 50 inches scale wide making an individual aluminum sheathing sheet 50 inches wide and 8 feet in length matching prototype dimensions.   The plastic panels were applied with Testors Tube Cement spread across the back of each with a toothpick.  The sheets were overlapped at the edge of each when installed providing a viewable installed sheet on the elevator 48 inches wide as on prototype.  The Testors Tube Cement was used rather than MEK  as the on the first two siding sheets installed the MEK caused the sheets to turn black in sections.  A reaction I did not want.



Testors Tube Cement


Plastic sheathing installed on two areas. 
Note black areas in plastic siding on shed.


Plastic sheathing installed on two areas. 


The corrugated sheathing panels made using the heavy duty kitchen tin foil were installed with 3M, 465, 3/4 inch high adhesive transfer tape.



Tin foil made sheathing installed  with transfer tape.
Transfer tape covering not yet removed in upper
right corner.


Sheathing application took what seemed an eternity; however, I kept forcing myself to remember  “Model Railroad is Fun” until the tedious work of aluminum sheathing install was finished.  Once finished the sheathing was hand painted Model Master Aluminum, 1781, the white styrene concrete foundations Polly Scale Concrete, F414317, the windows and doors Vallejo Model Color Cavalry Brown, 70.982.  The steel roofs were not painted; however, they were weathered lightly with Pan Pastels, Burnt Sienna Shade, 740.3.



Elevator sheathing, doors and windows painted.



In addition, the track to the elevator was ballasted and scenery added.  With elevator set in place a pencil used to draw a footprint line around it.  The elevator was removed to add the landscaping surrounding the elevator complex.  The landscaping was done with Woodland Scenics Blended Turf , Green Blend, T49, for grass and sifted common sand for roads.   In addition, the roads had some dirt obtained from the home plate area of the local baseball field applied to them with a tea strainer. All scenery materials were glued in place as the tack ballast with water thinned white glue mixture of  1/3 glue and 2/3 tap water with a few drops of liquid dish washing soap added made in a Elmer's glue container.  The Woodland Scenics grass is a temporary base that looks good until static grass is applied over it.  



Scenery materials and tools.


The Randolph Elevator while waiting for signs and other details if needed is ready for rail service provided by the Minneapolis & Northland Railroad Company.  A new customer is always welcomed.




Randolph Commander Elevator ready for rail service.


          

Randolph Commander Elevator ready for rail service.



Randolph Commander Elevator ready for rail service.


I want to say, “Thank You” to Mike Schmitzer  for providing steel and aluminum roof sheet sizes.  A “Thank You” to Dave Nelson for suggesting the use of transfer tape to attach plastic siding.  A “Thank You “ to Ron Christensen for sharing his presentation on modeling steel and aluminum roofing and siding.




Thank You for taking time to read my blog.  You can share a comment in the section below if you choose to do so.  Please sign your comment with your name if you choose to leave one.  All comments are reviewed and approved before they appear.  Please share the blog link with other model railroaders.


Lester Breuer






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Saturday, June 8, 2024

Milwaukee Road Box Car 710431

When looking for a new project I normally start by looking in the to-build cabinet for a kit.  Now and then another source of a project is a freight car on the railroad on which an upgrade was not completed.  During construction of the Minneapolis & Northland Railroad Company freight cars built to run on the railroad were not always upgraded as now, especially ladders.  When looking at freight cars on the railroad after setting up for the next operating session, I saw Milwaukee Road (MILW) Box Car 710431 still had molded on ladders.   And, when reviewing the records on MILW 710431 my notes told me this car should have a Hutchins roof.  My next freight car project was found.


MILW 710431 at start of upgrade
(click or tap on this or any image to enlarge)

My records showed I purchased  MILW 710431, kit 932-2650, in  April 1994 from the Milwaukee Road Historical Association (MRHA) produced as a 1993 MRHA Limited Edition car.  It stayed in the to-build cabinet until 2007 when I assembled, upgraded and weathered MILW 710431.



Inventory Record of MILW 710431


The prototype for this single-sheathed, Howe truss design, wood box car with reinforced composite ends, was built in 1923 by the Western Street Car and Foundry Company.  The MILW assigned these box cars to series 708500 - 710499, class XM.   The box cars were built with an inside height of 8’ 7”, had a Hutchins Dry lading roof and wood doors.  The cars rode on cast steel truck side frames.


Photos of a Milwaukee Road box car in this series can be found in several books.  A color photo of MILW 709049 appears in 1950s Freight Car Color Guide, Volume 1 (Morning Sun Books, Inc., 2022).  A color photo of MILW 510197 taken from this car series and renumbered after being equipped to handle auto frame parts appears in Milwaukee Road Color Guide to Freight and Passenger Equipment, Volume 2 (Morning Sun Books Inc., 2000).   A black and white photo of MILW box car 709884 can found in Freight Cars in Context, Volume One (Speedwitch Media, 2014.)


MILW 709884
Ted Cullota Collection


A shop diagram of this car series appears in the The Milwaukee Road Freight Cars, Official Employees’ Shop diagrams In-Service Freight Cars & Cabooses in 1937 (Normandie House).



The Milwaukee Road Freight Car Diagram


Before starting the current upgrade, I reviewed my inventory record of MILW 710431 build and upgrade work in 2007.   Assembly began with the underbody work.  Bolster kingpins and coupler pockets were drilled and tapped for 2-56 screws.  Coupler pocket covers for coupler pockets with  Kadee No. 5 coupler installed were installed with Athearn #99001, 2-56 x 3/16” round head screws.  Trucks with Proto 2000 ribbed back wheel sets inserted were installed with Athearn #99002, 2-56 x 1/4” round head screws.  The kit car weight plus electrical outlet box punch outs were used to weight the car to 4 ounces.  No underbody upgrade work was done at that time.  And, even after  the current upgrade work, still no upgrade work was done on the underbody.



Underbody 


After assembly molded on grab irons, sill steps, running board supports, retainer line, brake shaft, and brake platform supports were carved off.   Door guides were removed.  The upper door guide was reduced to desired thickness via sanding and installed.  The lower door guide rollers were made with Shinohara railroad track spikes.  With the carving work done, the roof, B end and other details installed are described in the following sections.


Roof


  • The kit longitudinal running board was milled to .020 thickness.
  • Latitudinal running boards, cut off  a Rib Side Cars longitudinal running board
  • Running board supports fabricated from Evergreen #8102, 1 x 2 strip styrene
  • Grab irons, Detail Associates #2504, .012” diameter brass wire
  • Grab irons, corner brackets, Detail Associates #2206, eye bolts


Roof after initial upgrade in 2007

Sides

  • Door hinges, upper made with Evergreen #8102, 1 x 2 strip styrene
  • Door stops, made with Evergreen #8102, 1 x 2 strip styrene
  • Sill steps, A-Line #29000, style A
  • Grab irons, Detail Associates, #2504, .012” brass wire, 18” straight type
  • Grab irons, Tichy Train Group (Tichy) #3015, .012” wire, 18” drop type
  • Braces to right of door extended over sill where lower door guide removed
  • Brace extensions made with Evergreen #8103, 1 x 3 strip styrene

Car body after initial upgrade in 2007

B end

  • Brake step, kit
  • Brake step braces, Evergreen #8102, 1 x 2 strip styrene
  • Retainer valve, molded on not removed
  • Retainer line, Detail Associates #2502, .008 diameter brass wire
  • Brake staff, Detail Associates #2505, .015” diameter brass wire
  • Brake staff step, wire staple
  • Brake wheel, Kadee #440
  • Grab irons, Tichy #3015, .012” wire, 18” drop type
  • Uncoupling levers, Detail Associates .012 diameter brass wire
  • Uncoupling lever brackets, Detail Associates #2206, eye bolts


B end with 2007 upgrade details and 
2024 end ladder wire rungs installed.

Once MILW 710431 was moved to the paint shop, installed detail parts were hand painted with Floquil Polly Scale Box Car Red F414281 (no longer manufactured) as were the trucks.   When paint was dry, MILW 710431 was weathered with eye shadow makeup using various browns and black.


Enough history, onto the current 2024 upgrade.  I began by carving off the molded on ladder rungs with my favorite tools for this task.  A Xacto number five handle with a Xacto #17 blade ground to shape I like.   A scalpel with a Havel’s Carbon Steel Surgical #6100 micro blade and a brush for removing carved material.



Knives used for carving and cleaning.



Molded on ladder rungs carved off.



Molded on ladder rungs carved off.


After final cleanup of the areas between the ladder stiles, the areas were hand painted with Vallejo Model Color Black Red, 70.859, a good match for original aged and weathered box car red.   While the paint was drying I made the Hutchins roof.



1928 Car Builders' Cyclopedia


I made a jig, a section of Evergreen styrene I beam, that could be laid on a roof rib with one end against the longitudinal running board and the other used to make a hole in the roof rib with a pin mounted in a pin vise to mark holes to be drilled for rivets.



Simple jig for marking holes to 
be drilled for rivets.


With the hole marking done, I drilled the holes with a #77 .018 drill mounted in a #8050 Dremel Tool.  Tichy rivets #8018, .025 diameter were installed into the holes and glued with MEK.



Holes for rivets visible and rivets installed.


Rivets in roof ribs being installed.


Roof rib rivets installed.


Now inner roof ribs cut from Plastruct #900849, .015 styrene round rod were cut to length on a Northwest Short Line Chopper and installed with MEK.



Inner roof ribs being cut on NWSL chopper.



New ribs installed.


After install, the new inner roof ribs were hand painted with Vallejo Model Color Black Red 70.859.



Inner ribs hand painted.

 

With the Hutchins roof made, now the install of the ladder rungs was completed.   The ladder rungs were bent using Tichy #1101, .010 diameter phosphor bronze wire (PBW) and installed with CA.



Wire ladder rungs installed.


Wire ladder rungs installed.


Once install of ladder rungs was done, a nail file board was used to make a few strokes over them to rough them up a bit to better hold paint.   And, the ladder rungs were hand painted Vallejo Model Color Black Red, 70.859.



Ladder wire installed rungs painted.


Once dry eye shadow eye makeup, a light brown color, was used with applicators with sponge tips and micro applicators to weather new added details and touch up any area showing wear due to MILW 710431 being in-service on the railroad.  In addition to the eye shadow makeup, a Prismacolor Premier pencil, Tuscan Red, PC937 was used to color boards here and there as was seen in the color photo of the prototype mentioned above.



MILW 710431 weathered again.


MILW 710431 weathered again.


Milwaukee Road 710431 was placed back in service on the siding at the Hiawatha Elevator where it was spotted prior to removal for upgrade and move to the workbench.



MILW  710431 spotted at Hiawatha Elevator
in Little Chicago, Minn.


MILW  710431 spotted at Hiawatha Elevator
in Little Chicago, Minn.


MILW  710431 spotted at Hiawatha Elevator
in Little Chicago, Minn.

MILW  710431 spotted at Hiawatha Elevator
in Little Chicago, Minn.


I want to say, “Thank You” to Ted Cullota for providing photo to assist  build of Milwaukee 710431 and allowing use of photo here on my blog.. 




Thank You for taking time to read my blog.  You can share a comment in the section below if you choose to do so.  Please sign your comment with your name if you choose to leave one.  All comments are reviewed and approved before they appear.  Please share the blog link with other model railroaders.


Lester Breuer





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