# Pipe load / flat cars



## Andreash (Dec 30, 2018)

Building some pipe loads for flatcars. I had brass pipe laying around (for 20 years), and soldered them together in groups of 2, and 3’s. I’ll paint, add wood spacers, and strapping in the next few days....


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## wvgca (Jan 21, 2013)

looks good, how ever an odd number may interlock better ?


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Pipe loads are usually lashed together with banding, and/or boxed-in with timber, and/or guarded with bed stakes.
HO scale banding is easy to find. Timber & stakes are easy to fashion. Pipe _flanges_ are also easy to fashion.
And yes, odd numbers work best.


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## Andreash (Dec 30, 2018)

I’ll post photos when they are completed. I have a banding material that I’m experimenting with right now. I’ve googled pipe loads, for colours, and how they are stacked. I’ve posted an example of what I’m trying to archive.


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

They look good so far.

I did something similar in O scale. I used old copper pipe for one and PVC conduit for a few. I used CA glue to hold the pipes together.


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## flyboy2610 (Jan 20, 2010)

Flat car loads are fun to make! I used some plastic wheelsets left over from converting rolling stock to metal wheels, and a Bachmann train set flat car to make this:


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## Diesel Fuel (Apr 10, 2018)

Lehigh74 said:


> They look good so far.
> 
> I did something similar in O scale. I used old copper pipe for one and PVC conduit for a few. I used CA glue to hold the pipes together.
> 
> View attachment 505738


Good looking pipe loads, I like the smaller diameter load. What did you use for straps?


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

Diesel Fuel said:


> Good looking pipe loads, I like the smaller diameter load. What did you use for straps?


22 gauge (.73 mm) dark annealed steel wire that I got at the hardware store.


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## Spence (Oct 15, 2015)

Great start. :thumbsup:


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## Andreash (Dec 30, 2018)

Painted, and now will work on wood spacers and banding..I chose colours that I saw online, and wanted something that “popped”...


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## Andreash (Dec 30, 2018)

Also built a flat steel load....very lightly rusted...
The bands are black elastic bands.


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## lajrmdlr (Apr 25, 2014)

What's holding the slabs to the car, weight?


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## Andreash (Dec 30, 2018)

The plates and wood blocking are being all held together by the elastic bindings. No glue is being used. The black rubber bands (which are 1/16th wide), provide the loads from moving on the deck. I don’t plan on binding the load to the car, as I want the ability to move the loads ( from flatcar to industrial yard). In fact, I can change the plates as I see fit. The configuration I used is something that I saw on the internet..cheers


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

In reality, the steel bands would be secured to the stake pockets on the car to hold the load in place. But in order to make a removable model load, we can "fake" it a little and just try to kinda line up the straps with the pocket spacing but not actually secure the load to the car.

Some people that really want to model detailed loads properly will do the proper strapping and securement; some people that want to operate and be able to use the same car both empty and loaded will make a removable load that can just set in place.


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## Andreash (Dec 30, 2018)

The steel plates are typically banded together, with additional strapping used to secure the load to the car. I’ve omitted that strapping, as this load can be placed on different length flat cars, and gondolas....cheers


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Maybe more importantly, what is the load made of......real steel plates/weights, or styrene?


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## Andreash (Dec 30, 2018)

Styrene, and in between wood spacers. The black elastics bands I got from Amazon. I think 500 bands for $10. It’s easy to add extra bands to loads. The loads are 2 separate loads, I could put one load on a different flat car/gondola. The elastic banding provides the loads with a anti-slip quality to them. It takes 10 seconds to add a band, and I just make sure they lay flat. I think the fact that I can remove the bands, and re-configure the steel plate loads out weighs any lack of binding to the car itself. That being said, I ordered 1/16th inch chart-pak tape in flat yellow, which I will experiment with as using as a binding from the load to the car. I had noticed on the internet on loads that were binded together also had bindings in yellow to differentiate which bindings did what(load, or flatcar to load.


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## Andreash (Dec 30, 2018)

The pipe loads are painted, and banded. They don’t move at all. The banding is quick and easy to put on, and can be removed, or added as I want...cheers


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## Andreash (Dec 30, 2018)

Pipe loads completed. It was a fun build....


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## Andreash (Dec 30, 2018)

Used up some girders. I used “flat steel”-testers. I like the colour.


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## Andreash (Dec 30, 2018)

Tried a quicker way to build a pipe load. The pipe loads built previously took some time to construct and paint. I picked up a box of black straws off Amazon with no stripes or other decorations. I cut some strip wood, used a green marker to colour the wood, and the fine mini black elastics were used. The banding actually hold the loads together, no glue was used. It took less then 5 minutes to put together, and I don’t have to gingerly handle the loads. You could literally drop them, and there’s no damage....


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## Stumpy (Mar 19, 2013)

Nice.


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## Andreash (Dec 30, 2018)

I used 2 Mcdonalds McFlurry spoons, that were cut to produce structural steel components, with two heavy wood skids and banding to complete the load. I love $1 projects....cheers


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## Andreash (Dec 30, 2018)

I used styrene (sidewalk), which made it super simple to score and snap, no measuring required. This load was “rusted”. I’m going to keep my eye out for regular items that can be used as interesting flat car loads (I’ve already used McFlurry spoons). I have some combines and trucks that I’m going to work on as loads in the future. I’ve run out of flat cars, and now have an excuse to buy a couple more...cheers


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

Plastic drinking straws. Brilliant!


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## Norton1972 (Aug 10, 2019)

Kewl stuff -


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## Andreash (Dec 30, 2018)

I had a Athearn switcher with a weak motor, and wasn’t going to invest time and money in rehabilitating this engine. I removed the trucks and motor, and built some heavy timber stilts. I’m going to weather lightly in the future, and add additional chains. I’ll update when done.


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## Stumpy (Mar 19, 2013)

Cool.


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## Andreash (Dec 30, 2018)




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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

I found these in the used bin at my LHS for $3.00 each....made by Walthers/Lifelike a while back.....already blocked and banded....


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## Andreash (Dec 30, 2018)

I had a combine for the longest time, and finally got around to using it for its intended purpose. Careful separated the head from the tractor, and built skids to hold everything in place. I’m still debating whether to glue down everything and tie it down. I like the flexibility of using a flatcar for multiple loads...cheers


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## Eilif (Nov 6, 2017)

Really enjoyed seeing all the neat ideas for quick loads. The elastics as wrapping is particularly useful.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

After reading how a couple of folks suggested an odd number of pipes was best, I did an image search for flatcar pipe loads.....it turned out that even numbers of pipes were more common.....

The question is.....on the real flatcars, how is it determined in what format to stack them? Odd or even?


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## Andreash (Dec 30, 2018)

I’m guessing, but I’m thinking it depends on how many the end user orders. I used a google search - pipe loads on flat cars, for my inspiration. The fun part of these projects is they are typically 1 day projects, and in the case of the black straws pipe load, is a 10 minute project. Even the combine load was under a hour, as I used a marker to colour the wood skids for the equipment. The yellow elastic banding is functional, as it really is holding the combine head to the pallet..cheers


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

Old_Hobo said:


> After reading how a couple of folks suggested an odd number of pipes was best, I did an image search for flatcar pipe loads.....it turned out that even numbers of pipes were more common.....
> 
> The question is.....on the real flatcars, how is it determined in what format to stack them? Odd or even?


The diameter of the pipe and how many fit inside inside the width of the car.


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## Andreash (Dec 30, 2018)

I’ve been going through my locos in boxes, and putting in my display case. The Atlas locomotive comes in a black cradle, and before throwing it out, I was wondering if there was something I could do with it. I removed the ends, and some grinding made it a good base for a bridge. It has a good “structure” to it. The project took under a hour to make. The bridge ties are from Central Valley. I’ll get some finished photos in the next few days...I’m going to put this on a flatcar. I’ve seen some photos of bridge loads, so I’ll work on that as well.


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## Andreash (Dec 30, 2018)

Sprayed it this morning. The rear Atlas locomotive holder is behind the bridge...cheers


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## Eilif (Nov 6, 2017)

Andreash said:


> I used 2 Mcdonalds McFlurry spoons, that were cut to produce structural steel components, with two heavy wood skids and banding to complete the load. I love $1 projects....cheers
> View attachment 507484
> 
> View attachment 507486


I picked up a few of these spoons after snacks with my kids. I've got them cut down but not painted yet. I left them tapered and with the rim around the bottom. Really looks like something you'd see as a decorative structural part for a bridge or outdoor archway. I'm thinking of a gloss blue for color.

Thanks for the great idea, I'll put up pics when they're finished.


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