A washer is clamped to the hatch lid with pliers so that the lid can be rounded evenly (above) with a sanding stick. A ³₄″ copper pipe fitting wrapped in sandpaper is used to shape the bottom of the hatch to match the circumference of the tank (below).
The details above the lower rivet seams have been removed from the tank car body and the .005″ styrene wrappers added using the 3M VHB very high bond joining sys- tem tape (above). This builder’s photo of BMX No. 819 (below), taken in December 1948, and was the inspiration for the author’s model.
found in Tichy Tank Car Frame Set No. 3011, which is less expensive than pur- chasing another tank car kit.) Next, I attached the four styrene bands to the carbody.
Since the
handrail brackets are not in the same location as on the stock Tichy car, the end railing must be formed from .019″ wire. The Tichy end railings were used as a template for the bending. I drilled straps with a No. 75 bit and attached the handrail stanchions. I fabricated 21″ curved grab irons for the tank sides using .012″ wire and .025″ rivets and then attached styrene platforms measuring 2″×6″×28′-3″ to the platform brackets. I needed at least two, probably three, of these cars so I decided to make mas-
WILLIAM BURKET COLLECTION
ters of the hatches, discharge hoppers and bolster/tank pad supports. RTV molds were made and the parts cast in resin. If you are only going to build one of these cars it might make more sense to just scratchbuild all the parts. To construct the hatches, I started out with the scale 20″×60″ lids which were made from .030″ styrene. These were cut to size, and then I used a washer as a guide to round the ends (see the photo above right). The hinge brackets were cut from
.100″ styrene channel. One leg of the channel was removed and the remain- ing piece attached to the top of the lid with the leg extending down the side of the lid. Once dry, I trimmed the leg and sanded the top to reduce its thickness.
A length of styrene 1″×4″ was used for the latch side of the lid. I add .025″ riv- ets to the hinge and latch brackets. The hatch bases are .060″×.188″ styrene 4′-9″ long with the ends round- ed to match the lids. Three styrene 2″×4″ pieces were added to one side of each hatch base to simulate the hinge
RAILROAD MODEL CRAFTSMAN
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