Kansas & Texas Coal Company

Thanks guys. Still feeling under the weather. This cold is horrible. It's turning toward something else. Anyhow, I got some work done on the first of four gondolas today. Since yesterday, I did the ends and today the sides. 22 stakes, 9 on each side, 2 on each end. Calculated out the spacing and took my time. Thank God for painters tape and straight edges. All four cars will have coal loads in them. Here is the first one completed with stakes. I still have a bunch of gear to put on it to complete it. More coming soon.

Manny

 

WOW!!! Those coal cars are looking great!!! Much more detail and character than the modern steel cars.
Hope you get to feeling better. Those colds are nasty. I missed my first school day in 9 years due to one.

 

Working on the second of four right now. Had to go spray more 2x10's with sanding sealer. Thanks to all for compliments and thoughts. Cold is doing better but still with me.

 

Two down, two to go! Time consuming, but the result are so rewarding. Once the sides are on, I will add the brake deck, brake staff, NBW's, truss rod ends, cut levers, stirrups, and grabs. Then it's off to the paint shop. Nice Steam Black!

 

Thanks Keith. I try. I'm humbled.

 

They look great Manny! What are you going to use for the coal loads? I can just imagine a Frisco 4-4-0 pulling a rake of these away from the mines. You could easily do an article or two for Model Railroad Craftsman.

 

Bachmann 4-4-0 Spectrum's are on my list to buy for modeling some Frisco and S.A.&A.P. steam engines. I just took delivery of three 52" driver Bachmann Spectrum engines, and I just got an painted, but unlettered Russian from Bachmann. So the locomotive fleet will be filling out. I've sold away most of my brass because painting it and having them worked on is just too costly, time preventative, and the risk of losing engines is too great, as I have already had two stolen from me.

I just finished up the third car. Progress on the 4th has to wait because I ran out of parts from Grandt Line. I need to order more. Here are pics of the third car with the other two:



Thanks for the compliments, to all. I really appreciate them. I work hard to be accurate, realizing that there are limits. As long as I capture the look, feeling, and charm, realistically, then I've succeeded. No one can do 100% prototypical. The detail parts for everything just simply don't exist.

For anyone who is building a wooden kit, here is how I do the sides and ends:

1. Measure the ends first and cut you wood accordingly, taking into consideration the corner straps, as they will add thickness, thus reducing the length of the end boards from the width of the car.
2. Once cut, sand both sides so that the boards are even and square
3. Take 3M Painters Tape and tear off an adequate length of tape and apply it to a sheet of glass (1/4" glass plate is an excellent work surface I highly recommend you get). Keep tearing off tape and overlaying the pieces so that when you are done, you have a solid piece that is wide enough to use for the total number of end/side boards for both sides (Wider 3M tape is available that will minimize or eliminate overlaying).
4. Peel the unit up as one piece, turn over, and then using a piece of the 3M P.T., tape one edge down square to the glass edge.
5. Pull the turned up tape taught, then place another piece as in Step 4. You now have a square sticky surface to work with.
6. Using a small square, true up your boards to make on big rectangle.



7. Remove the square, and you have your sides all aligned.



8. Mark your stake distances on the bottom board. Draw the center stake (if one) first or a center line as a guide by using a square. Then using the square again, draw perfect guide lines on the wood. The glass will keep you true.



9. Complete one side of stakes.



10. Complete the other side, using the first row as a placing guide. When gluing, use sparingly. A small drop of ACC will work fine. Use small micro-brushes to clean up any glue that may have come out from under the stake. Be careful NOT to get glue between the top boards of what will be opposite sides when done.



11. Once complete, wait 5-10 minutes. Disconnect one side of tape, and carefully walk the painters tape off the boards. Your two identical sides are now free and ready to use.

Too Easy!

I'm going to progress the three I've got done so far to completion. Then I'll finish the 4th when parts arrive and off to the paint shop they go.

Till next time...

 

Thank you!

I put the brake platform, ratch & paw, brake staff, brake wheel, truss rod ends, grab irons, and grab iron NBW's on, and lastly, the stirrups. Time process. Got one car fully done tonight. The K&TC Co., had dual side cut levers on both ends of the car. I ordered them today from Cal*Scale. Here are pics from the semi-finished car today. Only the cut levers remain and she's ready to paint.



I'll finish up the other two cars this weekend. I'll also choose which Woodland Scenics coal I am going to use. I need to research lignite coal, as this is what was mined here just south of San Antonio.

 

Very nice job Manny, those are looking great!

 

Finished the second car, and I'm working on the third. Added the air release brake line to the end of the car.

More to come...

 

Nice looking brake setup! Glad to hear you plan on purchasing some 4-4-0s for your layout. I was just looking at restoration work pictures of SA&AP #60, which is now at the Gulf & Ohio Railway in Tennessee.

 

Hello Tom,

Thank you for the compliments. Thank you all! I'll post up a complete parts list so everyone can see. But to answer your question right away, the grab irons are Tichy and the NBW's are Grandt Line.

 

Cut levers arrived this week. Installed on three cars. One is dead in the water as I ran out of gondola side stakes. Three are finished and will enter the paint booth later today.



Thanks,

Manny

 

First coat of Steam Engine Black has been applied. Second coat later today. They really look good painted. Pics in a few...