Ideas Wanted: Flatcar Loads

One of the latest additions to my collection is my first flatcar. I ran it thIs past weekend. I had it hauling an 0-4-0 & tender. That worked fine. However, when I used a lighter dozer & loader load, the train... "string lined" (I believe is the term) in the U-shaped curves so I moved It back just In front of the caboose. I need ideas for a good "heavy enough" flatcar loads. Still, It needed more weight. What can I use to make a good, cheap, steel coil or some industrial equipment.

 

A flat car of rail is a good one. It should have 4 layers with thin boards separating the layers. At least 4 pocket stakes on each side. Lumber is also good, you might need weights in the center.
From what you describe "Stringline" is the term.
Happens sometimes, when the engineer is horsing the engines, without a Full release of the brakes.

 

Oilfield pipe in 6, 10, and 12 inch diameters are good loads, I have seen some pics of them on Frisco steam trains, even saw a Frisco wooden caboose that had a load of pipe go through it from a flatcar in front of it !

 

Sometimes it's not what the load is, but how the load is secured to the flatcar. Before steel-coil flats, there were plain flats. The interest here is the methodology used to secure the steel coils. A Frisco promotional photo.

 

Hmmm.....from the looks of the photo that Karl posted, a crate in the middle of the car could be used for concealing a few thin weights, like the ones with a peel-back adhesive used on Pinewood Derby cars.

Pat Moreland,
Union Mo.

 

Here are a couple flatcar loads from 2015 on the Cuba Sub. Sorry, but my camera does not have a "time-travel" attachment. Nonetheless, they may offer an idea or two.

 

I like that idea. I already have plenty of old rail that I won't use as running track. What can I use for pocket stakes? Here's a picture of a flatcar similar to mine.

Mine is a green, BN flatcar but with the same style deck and pockets.

- Brandon

 

Keith, first I'm glad to hear that the old ¤¤¤¤¤-foot is still up and active. Six sections? Hmmm, I have a copy from 1960 that has sections 1 through 4. I can understand why the file is huge considering the several hundred pages of material.

In case others were wondering (Feb 1960 version)

Section 1 - Loading of Commodities on Open Top Cars (57 pages)
Section 2 - Loading of Steel Products including Pipe on Open Top Cars (156 pages)
Section 3 - Loading of Road Grading, Road Making, and Farm Equipment machinery on Open Top Cars (216 pages)
Section 4 - Loading of Miscellaneous Commodities including Machinery on Open Top Cars (104 pages)

Not sure about what section 5 & 6 cover.

 

Brandon, I was looking at the Flat Car your talking about. The car has pocket's, so wood pocket stakes, am
thinking about 6 by 6 maybe 4 1/2 ft. long. On that kinda flat, you could put 78 Ft. New Rail, headed for the welding plant for making Ribbon Rail. They used 78 footers at the welding plant in Pueblo, Colorado in the mid 70's. Later on the welding plant in Springfield, Mo used 78 Ft. rail, although that was after the BN merger.
The ends of the rail would be even, on a long flat like that, 8 wood pocket stakes per side. Then Banding, over the top of the rail on the two end pockets. Be a great looking car.
The rail would be like, light gun metal color.

 

Attached are a few of the flatcar loads I have done over the years. I think the biggest thing you can do when modeling a flatcar load is to put a little extra work in the tie downs. One reference source for flatcar loading is issue 20 of the Railroad Prototype Cyclopedia, this issue is full of tie down guidelines as well as photos. One place to get open load ideas other than rail fanning is simple to watch flatbed trailers going down the interstate. It's not too much of a stretch to say that anything being hauled by truck has at some point in time been hauled by train.

Brad Slone

 

Jim,

Yep that's a 155 big gun! I saw a photo of one loaded on a flatcar and modeled mine after that. I included a few more tonight, one modeled after the coil load that Karl posted. Another is the tractor for the gun.

Brad

 

Somewhere I still have about half of my hotwheels stuff from my (first) childhood. I think I still have a tank and a halftrack. I believe I just figured out a good heavy load for my flatcar that won't cost me a penny. Thanks for the ideas and photos. - Brandon

 

Chris,

Thanks, I've got a couple of flats I've loaded with plate steel, a few gons that I have loaded with plate steel laying at an angle in a timber frame that looks pretty cool as well. When I model plate steel loads I take .10 styrene as a top and bottom, then build up several layers from the bottom with 1x10 styrene kind of making a frame. Then lay a piece of sheet lead inside the frame and lay the top layer of styrene over the top. This adds weight to the car and also gives the illusion of a stack of plate steel. Then you lay down some cribbing and tie it realistically to the car.

As far as the stuff in the background, that's about a dozen Sunshine and a could Speedwitch kits built up and ready for paint. One of the problems with being a model railroader in the sticks is the difficulty in obtaining supplies. Most things I will order, but paint chips are hard to judge without seeing the actual color. I figured I would pick some up at the St Louis RPM show in August.

Brad

 

Hi Geaorge,
Are those blue locomotives
- short nose or switch engines? .... they look very nice.
- Are they with an active railroad or purchased by BNSF?
Very nice photo work.
It looks like a bridge is by your place?

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