www.jv-models.com
with no need for multiple decks, hid- den staging or a helix. The style of the article, with its emphasis on operations and the “typical day in the life of the railroad” approach, was a joy to read. Also, I always enjoy Bob Walker’s column, including his usual introduc- tions to the topic of the month. His ar- ticle on weathering in the April issue was very helpful. I have a question for Mr. Walker: How would he weather a freight car if he didn’t have an air- brush? I have an airbrush (won it in a raffle), but no compressor and no spray booth or place to put one, so I am con- strained to alternative methods.
PHILIP GLIEBE Waynesville, Ohio
We contacted Bob Walker about your request and he will indeed write an ar- ticle about weathering without an air- brush.–Editors
Chain doors I
loved Montford Switzer’s
RMC/Dremel Kitbash Award article on the Monon delivery trailer in the April, 2013, RMC, especially the information about the chain doors. It brought back some not so pleasant memories of those dreadful things. When I was much younger, being the junior guy on the dock meant getting the leftovers. Many of the l.t.l. outfits I worked for as an agency driver had the chain gates. I remember hating them as they jammed or bit your fingers and never locked properly. As I recall, the tarp moved independent of the chain gate.
www.accurail.com www.blairline.com
CNR and Trans Canada Airlines (both Crown Corps. at the time) shared a fleet of trucks with these doors into the late 1960’s in the Toronto area. Most of the time the guys driving these things drove around with the chain
gate open because they would get fed up fighting with them.
A couple of things about the trailer Mont has chosen to model. These were the last built in the full frame style. The outside walls only went along for the ride, unlike today’s plate style construc- tion. The sheet metal was cold rolled and not galvanized, and in the North- ern climes tended to rust from salt build-up out along the joint line at the bottom of the outside, hence one reason for the tread plate reinforcement. For the other, you just have to look at the dents all over the trailer. Close clear- ances around terminals and drivers whose backing skills were the go-till- you-hear-the-crunch style caused this. There are still grocery chains that
have the tread plate on new equipment these days to try to minimize shunting damage. I have seen trailers so chewed up from this that they could not run over the road because parts of the side wall were peeled off.
As for trailer doors in general, the in- dustry-wide name for the swing doors is barn doors. They are the most popular as it is easy to get skids in and out with the least amount of fuss. With roll-up doors you loose about eight inches of wiggle room on the top and side when loading the last skids. These days they are popu- lar with grocery chains and places like Walmart where hook and drop opera- tions are the norm at stores.
Of added interest in the photo of the Monon trailer is the unit behind it. It has an automatic landing gear device. You can see the kingpin hanging down behind the Fruehauf. When the tractor backed under and connected with the pin, the plate lifted and through rods swung the dolly wheels (landing gear) up and backwards.
AL CRISP via e-mail
6
JUNE 2013
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