Hi Dave,
You sure do have photos that fill in my gaps. I did not realize that the side doors were on a "T" shape instead of a "Z" shape. If you are interested, I'd be willing to send you a CD of all my detail photos.
I am not sure, but I think I can locate some "T" stock locally. The "Z" stock I can not find and I do not have a bending brake to make sheet metal the way I need it. However, I have a 20-ton press and I might be able to make two forms and press a "Z" shape from sheet metal.
Somehow I cam across some rusted items for the lower cleats to keep the door in line. I also have a door stop. I have not yet figured out how to make a pattern for any of them.
As for your questions on trucks, my desire is for functional day-to-day items that are not museum pieces. I made a pattern for the 3' 7" axle-to-axle arch bar truck. Many who have seen my box car do not realize that the side frame is not exact or is cast in a single piece. The side frame is slightly shorter than correct so I can use a 2" x 0.5" channel for the bolster.
I have a pattern for the 4' 11" Bettendorf truck and have an 80% complete pattern for the 4' 11" Andrews.
I have a pattern for the 26" wheels also, but I now see that RMI Railworks has a cast iron wheel of the same size. It is also available machined. The machines cost is what I would pay for a raw aluminum wheel cast from my pattern so I do not think that I'll be using my wheel pattern again.
In the late 1990's, a friend of mine and I decided to build seven 3000 series box cars. He wanted to jump right in and build all at once. I tried to slow him down since I knew you should only build one and find all the errors first before building the rest. He started all seven and when the errors were found and we tried to fix them, he decided that it was too much work and abandoned the project.
So, I have parts of seven house cars floating around.
I have one that is operational and one that is missing the roof and one truck. The others were altered based on Narrow Gauge Pictorials to match a 4000 series box car, 4400 series box car, a 30' refer (I hope to have working ice chests), and a 30' caboose.
Once I get my act together and get my digital camera (I've misplaced it) I'll take some photos of the patterns and the car to post.
Thanks for the detail shots.
Doug
