Project: North Shore "ferry truck" flat cars

As my Baldwin DT-6-6-20 is nearing completion I have started on another long awaited (for me) project. I've been wanting to create a small fleet (6) of Chicago North Shore & Milwaukee "ferry truck" flat cars with trailers.

I had been hung up on this project by not having the measurements for the trailers (a proprietary North Shore design in 1926), but as of last Trainfest, I got the numbers from Laura Hedien, who runs northshoreline.com. She had brought in her brass collection and allowed me to take measurements off some of her stuff.

Armed with these measurements, I bought and stripped an Athearn 40' flat car and started building the trailers (17-1/2' X 8 high X 7 wide). I'm fudging a lot of the detail as the only photos of the trailers themselves that I have seen are taken largely from the sides with the underframe in shadow.

The trucks have 42" (O.D.) tires that seem by their thickness to be hard rubber and not pneumatic. Is there an HO truck model I could use that would be a reasonable facsimile for the wheels/tires? Does anyone have a simple method of carving out in 3-D (without CNC) a wheel hub? These trailers had just two wheels, so I could sacrifice a modern trailer if need be.

Once this project is completed I plan on extending a 40' flat to 60' (or finding a 60' flat) and building the NSL later generation ferry truck flats that could handle twin 28' trailers of the 1930s/40s. Does anyone make a 60' flat? I thought MDC/Roundhouse did, but I can't find a kit in town.

Jay CNS&M North Shore Line - "First and fastest"

Reply to
JCunington
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Reply to
William Pearce

Most people don't realize the North Shore pioneered "intermodal". They think it's a '50's invention.

For solid rubber wheels, check out the Jordan chain drive macks, or the SS Limited models more recently offered by Walker Model Service.

Don

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Reply to
Trainman

Bill, wasn't there a range of early Macks made by Jordan?

Reply to
Mark Newton

: > The trucks have 42" (O.D.) tires that seem by their thickness to be hard : rubber : > and not pneumatic. Is there an HO truck model I could use that would be a : > reasonable facsimile for the wheels/tires? : > Jay : > CNS&M North Shore Line - "First and fastest" : I found this via Googling for 'HO scale mack truck'

875 Wood Spoke Truck Wheels/Tires (2ea front & rear) $ 2.75

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Reply to
KTØT

Reply to
William Pearce

Jordan and ConCor both had chain drive Macks, although quite different models. The Jordan are much finer detailed kits, the Macks simple "shake the box" (I believe the ConCor ones may have actually been made by Preiser.)

SS/Limited/Walker model service also had some, but theirs were white metal castings.

Don

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Reply to
Trainman

Heljan - Denmark.

Reply to
Gregory Procter

Bill,

I can recall seeing both in a hobby store in Melbourne - the name of which escapes me but it was near FSS. The Jordan versions seemed to be the better of the two, which was why I ementioned them. But it would come down to how much detail Jay requires for his project. Also, I recall seeing individual truck parts like these, in white metal I think.

All the best,

Mark.

Reply to
Mark Newton

Thanks. I was guessing there because the Model AA Fords released at the same time WERE one of the German companies.

Don

Reply to
Trainman

I found a decent photo on the MTS Imports page. It appears the wheels are a simple six-spoke steel wheel with a solid rubber tire. I should be fake up a reasonable copy of a rim and just wrap two layers of plastic around it. One for the rim and one for the tire. The dolly wheels should be the same. Six spokes, only one layer of plastic for the wheel.

I'm trying to keep this low-budget. It's the only kind I can afford right now.

Jay CNS&M North Shore Line - "First and fastest"

Reply to
JCunington

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