Does anyone have any plans or information on any of these cars? There are pictures of the two different batches in the Nick Molo book but I would like more info. I am considering scratchbuilding one of these. Any help or information will be appreciated.
Re: Boeing flatcars. What era are you looking for? * Shipping 737's from the*Wichita plant was first introduced in 1967 and they were shipped in two sections. There are some photos in one of the*Steve Preist's books about the Santa Fe. I don't recall which one but it will give you an idea what it looked like with the forward*cab section and rear tail sections and*spliting at just behind*the wing box for the tail*section. * As for the 747, there*is are specially built well cars, built by the*Maxson corporation from Minneapolis, MN*(out of business today)*which carries the upper and lower cab sections making up of only 2/3 of the fuselage. Other parts are shipped in a converted flatcar with a canopy attached. Mainline modeler carried an article on it several years back how to build this car. * 757 cars were flat cars with specially designed tools attached. Begining in 1980, Wichita shipped a short*forward cab section, it was very odd since this car had room for another unit to be shipped but I never saw one in a consists. They were shipped that way*about 20 years before*transfering the entire fuselage production*from Renton to Wichita. But it*only lasted a few years or until the 757 program was shut down. * 767 is another modified well car. * I don't have a lot of information*on any of this but keep notes of what I see and hear. There is a book out there called "Shipping Planes on Trains"*Vol I but*I think that book covered the years from the Wright brothers to the early*WWII years.** * Again, what is your era that you are looking for? Boeing has several railcars to consider. * LOL * railroad guy
Re: Boeing flatcars. The cars tha I am reffering to are in Nick Molo's book on page 87. The car numbers are 3806 and 3807. They were built in August of 1968 by the Thrall Corrporation. Thanks in advance for any more information that you give. Bob Wintle Parsons, Ks.
Re: Boeing flatcars. Karl: Wow; great information. Thanks a million. Now if anyone has more pictures. I will probably start building one soon. Bob Wintle
Re: Boeing flatcars. Well looks like from the post preview this might work. These are flatcar loads that I modeled 12 years ago in 1996 from several photographs I took of 737s leaving the Wichita, Kansas plant on K-15. So far, I don't believe there are anything like it commercially in HO scale. The project took about a year to complete and was the hardest modeling project I've worked. Enjoy
Re: Boeing flatcars. Wayne: Your cars are not the same type as the ones I am speaking of. However yours are really cool looking and I would love to see them some time. I especially enjoyed the photograph of the cars. Where were those photos taken? Were they on the old Wichita and Ark Valley layout that was in downtown Wichita? If so what memories that brings back. I looked at your profile and I think we operated together a few weeks ago in the KC area. I sure would like to get together with you guys again soon. Bob Wintle Parsons, Ks.
Re: Boeing flatcars. Bob, If you want, sometime next week I can get you some pics. It probably wont be to much in the way of close up though. I see them just about everyday at the plant, at the turnpike, over while being switched over @ K-15 and MacArthur. Codeman
Re: Boeing flatcars. Hi Bob, Sorry about not getting around to answering sooner. Your are correct as to where those photos were taken on the old Wichita Model Railroad club layout in down town Wichita. Yes, that layout brings back great memories and images of some great modelers. I looked at your album and yes I do remember you when we operated up in Kansas City. I had a great time and hope to do this again hopefully soon. I've been working on my layout to set it up for operations. It's progressing but slowly but I'm hoping we will have it ready by the time of the Wichita train show in February. I plan to have the layout open but open for operations with one or two crew members operating. Best regards Wayne
Re: Boeing flatcars. Wayne: Thanks for the reply. Way back when our club (then The Parsons Model Railroad Engineers) and the Wichita club were pretty close. One of our members was in the Navy with one of your members. We were invited to operate that layout on several occasions. I am looking forward to seeing your layout. do you know if the meet in Feb. is going to be combined with the MCoR convention that is scheduled for Wichita? If so I need to hump up a little on my MMR work, as I am shooting to have it by that convention. Bob
Re: Boeing flatcars. Bob and All: Attached are some interesting links that I found showing the Boeing flats including an incrfedible shot going over a trestle. Someone more knowledgeable may want to weigh in here, but I believe the green paint may be primer of some sort. I remember when Matt Lauer of the Today Show visited Renton they wouldn't allow him in the paint shop as they said the process was top secret. Enjoy! http://www.northeast.railfan.net/rolling15.html (Scroll Down) http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=247489&nseq=10 http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=247493&nseq=4 Last, but not least, I actually found an article about building one of these flats. http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~keay/planedoc.html Bob Hoover FriscoFriend
Re: Boeing flatcars. Bob: No problem. Globally, I for one think it's neat that someone (in this case two people) not only build great models but take the effort to post photos and descriptions on the Internet so that we all can benefit from them. Bob Hoover FriscoFriend
Re: Boeing flatcars. Hi, Ran across this thread yesterday, ok yes I was pressing the Refresh button. MicroTrains released a N scale model a few years back,early 2000's. Looked though their matrix but could not find it, may have to call. It was painted in a very strange shade of yellow and had a different aircraft company name. I worked for Boeing, formerly Rockwell, in Tulsa for 24 years. We assemble 80,000 pounds of structure for the 747. It takes four of the Boeing canopy flats to move one shipset, aircraft, of assemblies. The green color on the 737 aircraft skin, from earlier post, is a laquer sprayed on to prevent corrosion. It is washed off right before painting. I have alot more info, including history and rail operations for the facility, if anyone is interested. This is where I supported my model railroad habit. There is a great potential for a N Track project! Joe
Re: Boeing flatcars. Joe: Please post whatever information you have on these cars and or their operation. I for one would love to see it. Recently Mike Peters, Rick McClellan and myself witnessed a set of these going thorugh the West bottoms in Kansas City. We were just a little too late coming over the 12th street viadock for me to get any photos of it. It was really cool to see it. I look forward to seeing your information. Bob Wintle
Re: Boeing flatcars. Hi, Give me a few days and I will try to get some pictures of the rail system. I believe it's still called the Douglas spur. The history goes back to 1940's. I had to take a medical retirement in 2003, found I have ALS Lou Gehrig's disease, so I need to call a couple of friends to get present time operations. Will post more later. Joe
Joe, Back in 1987/88, I was traveling Kansas on a regular basis and one trip to Salina exposed me to two 747s doing touch and gos at the Salina Airport (former Schilling AFB) on the 12,300' runway 17. They had white apendages and green fuselages. I was told that they were the planes to serve as Air Force 1 and they were testing the avionics, specifically the approach guidance (automated landing) equipment. They sure stood out!
Hi, First I need to correct info on one of my privious post. I stated that we built 80,000 pounds of structure, it should read 18,000 pounds. Sorry! I must have been half asleep when that was posted. Keith, I just happened to be working on the 747 program in 1985 and part of 86. They told us that two of the shipsets would become Presidental planes. Of course nobody knew which sets. It took, at that time, about a year for our parts to be on a completed plane. This times out just right for the planes you saw. I looked on google and bing maps yesterday. The best view of the rails by the aircraft plant is on "bing". Their birds eye view is nice. Zoom in to Tulsa, the airport is north and east of downtown, go to aerial to get to the south east corner of the airport. You will see a very long building with rail tracks at the south end, then go to birds eye. Called MicroTrains yesterday and they could not help without a part number. If anyone has one of these car please help us out! Thanks, Joe
Interesting cars. To me it looks like a flat car w/ circles. For now I'll stick to building an auto rack.
