EXTERNAL: Re: 6 wheel trucks

Fri Nov 23 21:55:19 EST 2018

Eric

This is not a gon, much less a battleship gon. It was an experimental, one-of a-kind hopper, class H-15, No. 76950.

Dow had this to say about it:

Another experimental car of 1963 did not last so long.  This was the class H15, road number 76950, which was a 150 ton car built in September 1963 to examine the possibility of using such large cars in unit-train service.  With a coupled length of 69’ 3” it was nearly half as long again as the H11 and H13 100 ton cars.  It rode on six-wheel trucks which used 61⁄2”x12” journals and roller bearings.  The ends of the trucks projected beyond the ends of the car and thus, unlike the HR and HV designs of over 40 years earlier, excessively long slope sheets were avoided.  Twelve pairs of discharge doors, much the same as those of the H13 car, were used, and in other details of design the H15 was very much an elongated version of the H13 design.  However the center sill was a 41.2 lb. Z section.  The sides were tied together with five tubular braces below the top side angles, and the slope sheets, again at 45°, ran up to the top end angles and dispensed with end sheets.

The H15 was extensively welded. The excessive use of welding in a coal car can lead to rigidity and an inability of the body to absorb vibration. No doubt the use of welding was to save weight and, possibly, to experiment with welding techniques.
Although the H15 was regarded as a 150 ton car its rated capacity was reduced from 300,000 lbs to 290,000 lbs in 1965.

The experiment did not last for long.  Although its later rating of 145 tons recognized its limitations, the H15 had a cubic capacity which, loaded with 54 lbs. per cu.ft. coal, would never carry more than 133 tons.  And, just as the H12 standard car had been judged by the harsh realities of operating economics, so was the H15.  Its light weight per ton of capacity, using the 133 ton figure just mentioned, was 761 lbs.  An equivalent calculation for the H11, already in service, was 713 lbs., and for the H11a, being designed in September 1963 when the H15 was being built, gave a figure of 608 lbs - considerably better The extensive use of cars of the size of the H15 would have required considerable alteration of facilities such as those at Lamberts Point, and this contributed to its demise.  Car 76950 was withdrawn from service in 1968.

My commentary on 3-D printing was not an endorsement on doing this car, in fact it was unrelated to any particular car, but a comment in general on work on 3-D printed cars I have seen at shows in the past year.

Ken Miller

> On Nov 23, 2018, at 10:24 AM, NW Modeling List <nw-modeling-list at nwhs.org> wrote:
> 
> Ken:
> 
> I agree that the Dow book covered the N&W battleship.  I recall that it also covered a C&O and a PRR battleship, where I'm using "battleship" to cover any gon with 100t or higher capacity and 6-wheel, plain journal trucks.  (The latter eliminates the modern 100t+ gons from consideration.)
> 
> Didn't Westerfield do the N&W battleship?  If so, even at $50+ per kit, that would have to be a FAR better option than going through the agony of developing a 3D model and having a bespoke printing done.  I doubt that a printing service would charge less than $50 per car anyway, even if it was done as a "flat kit".
> 
> -Eric Bott
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NW-Modeling-List [mailto:nw-modeling-list-bounces at nwhs.org] On Behalf Of NW Modeling List
> Sent: Friday, November 23, 2018 07:33
> To: NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>; NW Modeling List <nw-modeling-list at nwhs.org>
> Subject: EXTERNAL: Re: 6 wheel trucks
> 
> Jeff
> 
> N&W built a one of a kind experimental hopper:
> 
> http://www.nwhs.org/archivesdb/detail.php?ID=25241
> 
> Perhaps that is what you were thinking of. I found no reference to an article in the index search, however, I believe that Andrew Dow covered it in his book.
> 
> Regarding the 3-D printing, there is truly some excellent work being done on those type of things. In going to shows in the last year, I saw some beautiful work done on ET&WNC cars, and wondered the same thing. It takes someone to develop the drawings for such, which has to be a labor of love for someone to do.
> 
> Since this is closer to a modeling subject, I am also copying it to the modeling list
> 
> Ken Miller
> 
>> On Nov 23, 2018, at 3:48 AM, NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> wrote:
>> 
>> Recent discussions with a friend on the VGN battleship gondola brought to memory of a 6 wheel hopper I thought was VGN, but could also be N&W.
>> There were either photos or drawings in the ARROW, which I have gone through and found the VGN car, but not the style I am remembering.
>> A friend of mine had his father cut the shape out of wood some years ago. I got 6 wheel trucks for them, but never finished them.
>> Does anyone know or remember these cars, and where the drawing/photo was? 
>> I know with all the talk of the manufacturers closing down, and really putting the squeeze on available models, has anyone considered 3D printing?
>> I have quite a few hoppers, excavators, front end loaders ect that were 3D printed. I know they are not perfect and need extra attention, but after putting micro-train trucks under them, they look quite nice and work fine. 3D printing could offer unlimited items to manufacture, that otherwise would never be made except for scratch building.
>> 
>> PS in the March/April 2006 issue of the ARROW, mine came with 2 front covers, so if your issue is missing its front cover, I have it.
>> 
>> Jeff Wood
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