21' SKELETON LOG CARS
for the 'McPhee Lumber Company'
This Article was included in the July 2009 Issue of 'Narrow Gauge Downunder" Magazine
A
logging layout needs some way of getting the cut logs from the log loading
site to the log pond or sawmill. And one of my favourite log carrying cars
are the skeleton type.
I
didnt have any plans for the ones I wanted, and only had photographs of
slightly larger and heavier type used on 3 foot gauge lines. I required
cars that would run on 26 gauge rails, so the main frame had to be
narrower to allow the bogies to swing enough to run around the 18
curves on my layout.
I
had 4 sets of IAN
LINDSAY MODELS bogies
with AMC
top hat bearings and BACHMANN
INDUSTRIES six
spoke OO scale wheel sets. These
OO scale wheels work to 24
diameter in O scale, perfect for these cars.
BUILDING
THE MODEL
The
first and main component is the main beam. Everything else on the skeleton
car is attached to this beam. It requires two lengths of 6 x12 x 21
feet long and four spacers 3 x 12 x 20 inches long. Two of these
spacers 
are
positioned at each end, while the other two are positioned where the
bogies are attached. The diagram left and the main plans will enable you
to position these exactly. They are shown here in dark grey.
Now,
cut outs need to be made at the end of each beam to take the no.5 Kadees.
These are 12mm long x 2 mm deep. Two other cut outs are required for the
cross struts. These are 2 mm deep and the width of the strut you make.
Mine were 3mm wide. See the diagram above. The addition of 4
GRANDT LINE
NBWs each side completes this main beam.
The
cross struts are next required. Because I need a square slot at each end
of the strut, the best way to achieve this is to laminate pieces of timber
together. I used two pieces of 6 x 2 x 69 long and two
outsides pieces 6 x 1 by 79 long. These were laminated as seen
opposite, and form a slot 4 x 6 long.
The
vertical stakes are 6 x 6 x 5 feet long and have 1 cutouts at the
bottom on each side to allow them to slide into the 4 x 6 slots in the ends of
the cross struts.
The
main beam frame, cross struts and stakes have had wood grain added using
an EXACTO
saw and then stained with pa dark grey stain. A white pastel pencil
made by CONTI (available from art supply shops) is
drawn down each side of the timber beam and rubbed in to
give a mid grey weathered look.
All
the metal strips are EVERGREEN
No.115 0.4mm
x 2.5mm styrene strips. Painted dark brown and dusted with BRADGDON
INDUSTRIES
rust powder. The brake wheel is from IAN
LINDSAY MODELS. The
GRANDT LINE NBWs are treated the same
before being added to the car.
The
models are completed by adding the bogies, couplers, brake wheel and other
optional brake bits like a cylinder, tank and plumbing. All
thats left now is to test run the models and load some logs on so they
can earn their keep.
