Model Railroad Tips: How to Make your Own Gondola Loads & Save Money!
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- Опубліковано 28 лип 2024
- www.djstrains.com
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Tutorial on how to save money by making your own loads for your gondolas. Can use technique for N Ho or any other scale.
Thank you. I know I'm not making any friends at Walther's, but we need to find ways of saving money in this hobby.
I don't get notified, but I check "my subscriptions / new videos" daily, and watch a lot of them.
I paint drinking straws. Cut to length. Wash in warm water and soap. Let dry, then spray paint with automotive primer then final coat with desired color. You do have to be careful in handling them. If they flex too much, some paint may flake off. I have used very thin striping tape for banding. (1/16"?). It is a little out of scale. Then put a dotof orange paint to simulate the banding seal. Metallic silver sewing thread can be used for braided cable to hold loads.
Thanks for some great ideas. I purchased the Kato Mixed Freight Set and the gondolas are odd sized as no loads will fit them because they are smaller than other gondolas.
Well done, great tips.
I made my own sugar beet loads for the Red Caboose General Service Drop Bottom Gondolas for the Southern Pacific. Please have a look under Olivier Vossing to see the vid.
First I filled the gondola with styrofoam. Then I painted the foam earthbrown. After drying I added 2 layers of HO scale sugar beets together with a mixture of 50% white glue and 50% water. After drying I did put on a last cover of glue to make sure the beets stay in place. It's simple like that.
I use, and this is just me, I believe they are called hair ties, for women. They look like black rubber bands and are flat. One can find them at Wal-Mart or any beauty store. There are black ones and clear ones. The bands give the impression to be just right for banding. Easy to cut, wrap around a load for banding and easy to glue. A, very small dab of silver paint can represent the locking part of the band. Hope this helps! Happy railroading!!
Love this video, DJ. These were easy to make just as you said. Thanks, Man !!!!!Bruce in Minnesota
You come up with the ideas - interesting and look really good... Many Thanks for sharing and your videos..
Awesome video! You gave me some really great ideas on building my loads. Thanks for sharing!
Another great video DJ!! Thanks for tge tip
Just found this! Amazing! Great work. Your painting skills are above and beyond!
Thank you so much 😀
Very nice! Easy and effective techniques. Thanks!
Good enough.
Thank you.
Excellent job. Great ideas. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Dominic, I have just made a very big gondola for my layout. It was made from a growth hormone box and I thickened the walls for more strength to haul more freight. I have also been modeling coal, rock every other kind of freight for large gondolas. I like to make small pieces of freight but unfortunately I don't have any weathering products for the scrap loads. I have made some changes to the layout in my bedroom and on my desk and I no longer have as many bumps in the mainline on my desk. I have a railroad that is like high speed rail just the freight version. The operations are like real life railroading, but time-lapsed to 60 MPH leaving and coming into the yard and 80 MPH for the mainline I use the layout as a super high speed freight company. I guess you could call it a race track that does what railroads do. Cory Mears
Those gondola loads are world class!
I use Krylon Paint for Plastic but there is other brands made for plastic and short of bending the straw in half they hold up very well. these paints are made to remain flexable. I have seen other modelers add a dowel inside the straw for added strength where you would handle them. As for a coating on them I just run them through the dishwasher to clean them.
Another great video DJ! Thanks for taking the time to share your idea. :) :)
Great ideas. Thanks DJ
Great! Hope it works out for you and happy railroading!
Thanks for the tips! Some really good ideas here.
The Plastruct "pipe" had walls at least a scale foot thick. Soda straws or coffee stirrers might be a better option. Someone asked about banding. One option I've heard of can be found at auto parts stores. Automotive pinstriping can be found in small rolls of various widths which could be used as strapping bands - just stick one end of the striping on the load, wrap until it meets, then snip with scissors or a blade.
I've used black electrical tape cut it to the width I want
Great tips and video!
Glad you liked it!
Very good ideas !
When you buy Evergreen styrene sheets with V grooves, sometimes they throw in the thin strips that were removed in the process of making them. They may also sell them separately. They are thin enough to bend (and break easily), but look good for banding. In the real world, they use a thin metal banding, which we are always on the look out for, because when it comes loose, it can decapitate you as a train goes by.
REALLY, you are very interesting and fun to see.
more more please!
Mi
DJ , love this Video amazing how it looks after painting and dry brush with some chalks for detailing.
Glad you enjoyed it
Ahhh! Thanks, I learn something every day!
great work and good job !!!
I liked your rusty scrap loads, too.
Yeah that is really cool. Cory Mears
great how-to video!!!!
I model HO Scale and some loads I've made are baled scrap aluminum. I used 1/4" square wooden dowels, cut each piece 1/4" and wrapped them in wrinkled up pieces of aluminum foil to make 24" cubes. I also made some with 3/8" dowel to make 3' cubes. I've also cut twigs off the ends of branches from trees. Perfect pulpwood and log loads. Small rocks and pebbles can be used for rock loads. I'm preparing to make railroad timber trestle loads with the 1/4" dowels as well. Many things can be used to make loads with a low cost and even nothing at all like twigs and pebbles.
I also use the small match sticks from the small boxes of matches after cutting off the match heads. They're perfect for HO 4x4's. Cheers - TN
In H.O. I just cut up the pieces joining parts of model kits together and plum them in. I don't even paint them.
I would think so. Pipes would look good in a bulk head flat, very common.
Great looking loads, I am always looking for ways to model loads without going broke. The steel types you are modeling starts to rust right away, so any degree of rust would be fine. scrap sheet metal from a local tin shop make great metal loads, Drinking straws come in many sizes and look closer to scale for the wall thickness. Plastic corragated sheets used for signs can be cut to produce I beams, I get used signs from the local sign shop , Just a few ideas, Keep up the great work.
Not yet. I've seen them done in larger scales, but not N scale yet. I may try making them some day.
Very good, and cheap!
Those were store bought. I still need to learn how to make my own, and will start experimenting with resin in the summer time.
What a great how-to video. Thanks for the ideas. what material do you use for scrapmetal loads?
Awsome!!!!!!!!!!!
You are able to do something similar with the flat cars and cars that carry lumber as well.
Very nice job, I might add if you want to save more money on your loads. Regular drinking straws make good pipe loads. And they are paintable, once you prime them first.
I'm going to try that for my next loads. Pipe coating plant is awaiting some new inventory! :)
THANKS, EXCELLENT!!!
thanks i will.
good idea
EXCELLENT!
Great video as usual DJ! Thanks for sharing, you make a very detailed effect seem very simple to do-I notice you only use one brand of railroad paint in this video, is this something you would specifically recommend? Cheers, Dan
The striping on pipe can also indicate which end bolts to they other
My philosophy has always been "go for what you know". Polly scale is one paint I have never had any problems with. It is acrylic, so there is low odor, and it always mixes nice. Has the price gone up? yes, sadly it is getting expensive, but I haven't found a better alternative.
THANKS!!!
asome
Thanks Dj. I just weathered one of my gondolas so this will go really well with it, but you said it yourself, gondolas always have stuff in them. So I am gonna put a very small layer of gravel and dirt (I will glue the dirt down) then I will put steel stuff on top. Do you think that will look good? I will post a video of it when it's done.
banding= sometimes when you buy evergreens v groove siding, they leave the thin strips that were removed from from the plastic. It is very flimsy, so it can be used just like real banding.
Interesting, thanks
Thanks for watching!
you can also use drinking straws or dowel rods for pipe loads
Rodney
That's a great idea. I also like your name. I like how Rodney sounds. Cory Mears
The thin strips of styrene that come in the packaging when you buy evergreen v groove siding. They also sell it separately. Flimsy, so be careful.
Love ur video haven't seen anything new from you hope all is well
I did one the other day.
Very useful, thatnks for sharing, have you done steel coils yet?
makes me think i need more Gondolas for my future layout.
Store bought coils and scrap, but will try to learn how to make those soon.
LOVE your videos, as you know, DJ!!! @5:05 there are two gondolas on the track behind the one you have steel slabs in and those have what looks like random debris. I'd like to know how you did those too. And what did you use for the coils in the gondola @4:02?
Hi Dominic, I am thinking about making a new load of steel slabs for my ROCK ISLAND train. They will be smaller than the normal ones. They will look like steel tiles in the gondolas. I don't load my gondolas part way. I try not to leave even a little space in my gondolas. I know that the real railroad has weight limits, but I don't like having a partial load on my trains. I fill up the gondolas all the way every single time when I can. The railroad is on an imaginary island like the island of SODOR on THOMAS AND FRIENDS. My island is called the ISLAND OF POULTNEY. I got that idea from the other island that I mentioned. Cory Mears
Great job as always on to make GB GBS loads ...Noticed the steel coils You make those as well? Any vids available? BTW great snap of the Valley Yard at ET one of my old hang outs.
store bought coil loads
Hey man great video. The lighter steel slabs could also double for concrete slabs too.
I just made some pipe loads with some wider tubing, width worked out to about 4 n scale feet, but I havent found anything for the banding yet. What did you use?
have not tried it yet but seen a pic of plastic ones an looked to me it would be almost identical.
I don't airbrush yet (new years resolution to learn), but when the garage gets warmer, I will try. I have some friends on here that do airbrush very well, so maybe they can help you. ask NSTrainFan, he might be able to help.
i take whats at the bottom of my coal box when im done (what is to small for the stove to burn) and they dont look the best but its cheap
need a guide to keep the foil square an something to hold it tight when rolling it.
had another idea for car loads those little spools for sowing (the little metal ones )
That is a great idea! Thanks for sharing. Cory Mears
i see alot of concrete pipe loads basic gray color
do you air brush and if so what ratio do use with acrylic paint and alcohol. how much paint to how much alcohol
Hi, thanks for the great video! Has somebody actually tried to build a gondola (not the load) himself/herself? Would be interested in this. But anyway, keep up the great work!
+Daniel Luebke I haven't attempted anything more than using a flat car base to build something that, eh, didn't turn out so well. LOL.
that's ok they don't support N scaler's very well anyways. another great video.
hey dj...do get notified when i post videos?
Maybe I missed it DJ, but what did you use for your banding on the ibeam load? That seems to be what I can never get right. What types of bandings do you see on your real life loads?
what did you use to make the banding?
Those plastic containers. My wife bought a few from the same stores you mentioned and i almost flipped when she told me how much she paid for them. If you can, buy them from a fishing supply like Cabelas or Bass Pro Shop. cheaper and much more customization options.
had a thought on making your own coils ,you could fold aluminum foil an roll it .
+George Ashing have you done one? how did it turn out?
I need to make coiled steel in N scale. Any ideas? My father worked at the bar rod and wire mill in Johnstown, PA and I'm trying to recreate. Thanks
I buy mine, lol
@@djstrains where? I've never seen any.
Thanks for your helpful video. I notice that you also have something like steel coils. Did you make them yourselves, too?
no, they are die cast. I had them a while, I think some came with a coil gon, I might have purchased some years ago from Ken Ray models.
Thanks, again!
I have a question, can you paint a drinking straw? I didn't know if they were coated with something that would prevent the paint from sticking. What about if they bend from over handling, does the paint chip off?
Primer seems to stick to most things, so I guess you can prime them, then paint what you want on top of that. No idea how much they'd chip, though.
For the pipe load, what did you use for the Banting?
Sometimes when you buy scribbed styrene, they include very thin strips. I believe that is what I used. You can buy them separately from evergreen.
Sir what did you use for banding?
In some of the evergreen sheets, they also supply the very very thin strips, but use imagination if you cant find them. Even thin sliced construction paper could work.
What do you use for banding?
Great question, I will probably try to show that in a video. Evergreen makes very thin strips that are perfect. I think in the comments someone else had good ideas also.
what material did u use for load? where did u get it from?
styrene. you can get it from most hobby stores or online. plastruct or Evergreen are the companies I use.
I've got tin foil in truck with me I'll try an make one an see how it turns out.an get back to you.
What's up, Mr. CSX!
Do you make coils? And if you do do you have a video
No, store bought. I with I knew how to make them.
@@djstrains Evergreen has .005" sheets which can be cut into strips, rolled up and painted.
Wouldn’t you put the concrete pipes on a flatbed. At least that’s what we do in England.
Americans put them into gondolas and flat cars and bulk head cars. We don't always have them on flat cars. Cory Mears
Great how to DJ.
Do you have a material tip for HO loads that is not sheet styrene? (steel sheets)
( If I order for more than 28$ the taxes kick inn and i end up paying 2,5 times the itemprice if shipping is cheap) I can only get 3mm plasticard - like stuff where i live so I\ll end up using real steel if I cant figure out something else.
I know you can get 5mm, 8mm, and 10mm round wood at shops that sells building materials. This can be used as pipes if you drill a hole in each end or used as lumber or concrete poles for bridges aso.
If you want a really realistic seen on the steel sheets and pipes you can ask the steel factory and reciever how they label the Products.
Most likely every sheet and pipe is marked in the end with a paint not only the damaged ones: green for brass, blue for steel, red for iron, or simply just one color for no default. It has been some time since i worked With steel Products so none of the collors is probably the right collor. This is simply to help identefy each material and be able to know each item is checked for damage so they do not need to check the same pipes two or Three times. If yo tell the industry Warehouse/Storage you ar modelling their industry and ask for a small tour of the Products they can probably show you what collor is for what.
For myself I can easily find what is the norm for my industry but I`ll probably still make up some collors from bad memory and not be to exact lol.
Best regards JC
I don't do much HO, but I'm sure there may be guys on HO model forums who can make some good suggestions. Thanks.
djstrains Hi agan DJ. I found a store in Norway at modellers.com. They are the only dealer in Norway that Stock evergreenproducts but they allso Stock metaltubing and balsa Products. This is a shop that is focused on People that want to build modelboats and RC boats/planes and not only wanna buy readybuildt plastic ones. So my tip for you is to try find this kind of hobbyshop in the US, as the materials you can make loads from is more varied than most other stores.
I allready have some elements from my rc hobby in the trainhobby, but this can give you real steel loads in scale amongst other options. I allso bought 10m of 0,5mm steel wire for 4 bucks at a cheap-shop intended to use for making catenarywire,but that is a bit of topic, ha ha:)
Cheers JC
it's gôndola, not gondóla...
Its people like you that the manufactures of pre made loads hate! But who cares? Im all about saving money. I hate the plastic look to my coal loads that come with my coal porters and I don't want to spend an arm and a leg pre made coal loads, so I take the ones that came with cars out smother them with model glue and press them in woodland scenics coal cinders. Let dry then trim to fit with an exacto.
My wife finds me mildly amusing, my 6 yr old daughter thinks I am funny.
Dude you’re getting huge
That video was so many years ago.
I’m down about 30 pounds since then.
If you knew anything about me, I quit making videos last December because I got tired of low life people making comments about me personally since they can’t criticize the content. My life is good. Watch this video. It’s one of my last ones but you won’t recognize me: My Life Changed in a YEAR! NEVER TOO OLD TO TRY SOMETHING NEW!
ua-cam.com/video/fHTbe85yAv4/v-deo.html
Glad you’re getting healthier. I’ve lost 30 pounds since last October. Makes a huge difference.
I use, and this is just me, I believe they are called hair ties, for women. They look like black rubber bands and are flat. One can find them at Wal-Mart or any beauty store. There are black ones and clear ones. The bands give the impression to be just right for banding. Easy to cut, wrap around a load for banding and easy to glue. A, very small dab of silver paint can represent the locking part of the band. Hope this helps! Happy railroading!!