Scratchbuilt intermodal well car

[WVRR]

This is my first scratchbuild of rolling stock. I built it from plans in Model Railroader Nov 2001. Origionally set as a three car set, I opted to model single cars. Styrene makes up the frame, the running boards are acually the roofwalk from an hopper car. The handrails are handrails from a caboose with the ladder cut off. Weight is fridge magnet cut into strips and placed into both the well and the containers. The airtanks and details are cut from a couple of spaceships that come in birthday party grab bags. I finished the car off with rapido couplers, but eventually will switch to MT's as soon as I convert everything

Sorry the pics aren't the best...webcams only work so well

 

[Catt]

Looks pretty good so far Ed.

 

[NERLRR]

Excellent job Ed! Keep up the good work!

 

[roryglasgow]

That's probably the most creative use of disparate parts that I've ever seen! Good work!

 

[WVRR]

Thanks for the compliments guys, the rest of my fleet will be made of cardstock. Also some new projects I am going to try to scratchbuild are a fleet of coal hoppers, 3 bay covered hoppers, a fleet of flat cars and some box cars. Approximatly 3/4 of my rolling stock quantity will be scratchbuilt....after seeing Robin's subway cars, I'm getting more and more tempted to build a train of passenger cars...more to come and I'll post em as I do em. These cars won't have all the details that commercial cars have, but using household items and scrap pieces from things other then railroads make scratchbuilding these so much more fun.
Ed

 

[Drew1125]

That's some really fine workmanship, Ed!
To scratchbuild the trains themselves is a real acomplishment...that's something I've never tried.
Keep it up...you're an inspiration to some of us less brave souls!

 

[kettlestack]

WVRR
Wow, in N gauge too! I tried 18 yrs ago to scratchbuild a caboose in N gauge so I know the skill you needed to build that little beauty. Your's is a whole heap more complex that what I attempted. Well done!

Errol

 

[shamus]

Hi Ed,
Looks real good to me also, nowing that it in N-scale even more so. Good work.
Shamus

 

[Matthyro]

Great model Ed. Impressive and gives us more enthusiasm to try scratchbuilding rolling stock.

 

[sumpter250]

Really don't get to see much scratchbuilt N scale rolling stock. Nice work !!
Have you kitbashed any rolling stock?
Pete

 

[WVRR]

Sumpter250
Being rolling stock deficient, I haven't really much I can kitbash. I'm on a scratchbuilding spree and hope to have 75 pieces of rolling stock all scratched from household items. Right now I'm working on some TOFC flat cars and trailers. My $$$$ situation forces me to find ways to improve my layout without spending alot of money. Everything that will be on my layout (minus the track, some rolling stock, and some locomotives) will be scratchbuilt from wood, cardboard, or other household materials.

 

[sumpter250]

WVRR,
Situation understood. I still recycle caramel apple sticks into pilings, and chopsticks into pine trees. Never throw anything away, it can be used somewhere on the layout.
Pete