Hi Tom; There are mentions of the Ace bolster height issue in the archives, as well as notes about the close prototypes. The car was modeled on a C&NW flatcar, with similar cars owned by MP and L&N. the L&N cars at least had overhanging decks. I suspect that on the metal cars real wood could be laid over the metal deck without fully milling it off. If you remove the fish belly on the side sill and detail the center sill, you can get close to a series of Canadian Pacific flats,
Pieter E. Roos --- On Mon, 12/17/12, Thomas Baker <[email protected]> wrote: From: Thomas Baker <[email protected]> Subject: RE: {S-Scale List} RE: Old AF flatcars To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> Date: Monday, December 17, 2012, 12:37 PM #yiv1599986367 P {margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;} Bob, Thanks for that information. I, too, somewhere picked up the caveat that the ACE flatcar bolsters cause the car to ride too high for prototypical appearances. I will have to craft a bolster similar to what you did. I would like to grind those round mounting circles down, but that could be time consuming. Never thought about milling down the metal deck. I don't know who would do it for me. Anyway, thanks for the input. Tom Baker From: [email protected] [[email protected]] on behalf of Bob Werre [[email protected]] Sent: Monday, December 17, 2012 10:36 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: {S-Scale List} RE: Old AF flatcars Tom, I have two of the metal flats on my layout. I too did not deal with the sloping stake pockets. I did however have the deck milled down and replaced it with real scribed wood. It really helps the appearance. I also tried to use the Ace bolsters, but they make the car sit really high. I don't know if I purchased the wrong kind, or the package might have been mislabeled, but they didn't work. I resorted to a built up bolster and used the old Stewart end sill casting with coupler pockets that worked out just fine. I have another one or two stashed away that I might try something new: I still would start with milling off most of the top deck. This should leave most of the deck fairly thin. I would then drill many holes then then use a jeweler's saw to eliminate most of the remaining deck. I would then overlay individual wood decking planks. In one of the many Milwaukee Road/Morning Sun type books there is a photo of a farm implement that has crashed through the floor--kinda neat. If you check out the decking, some of the boards will warp up and some down with all being very rough looking. On a flat car the most visible element is the decking. Bob Werre PhotoTraxx On 12/15/12 10:38 PM, Thomas Baker wrote: I have had an experience that I believe many in S scale have had: A friend modeling in HO comes up and says, "Oh, I found this S stuff in my basement or a friend found it. . . . Here you can have it." I'm no longer able to recall, but for years I've had three old AF flatcars, two metal, one plastic. I have decided to use them, but they will need some modification and will get it. One modification, however, they will not receive is the grinding down of the old round bolster area. I've done this on AF gons, no problem, but it's not going to happen on AF metal flatcars and probably not on the plastic job either. I appreciate detail and all that, but this is a bridge too far. Yes, I will work in some underbody detail but will not go to the lengths I have on the scale cars or in reworking old AF gons and box cars. Now the question is whether someone out there would be willing to sell me three pairs of ACE bolsters for these cars. Contact me offline. Tom Baker
