# Making Custom loads



## jjb727 (Apr 13, 2012)

What is the easiest way to create custom loads? i want stuff I could put in empty open quad hoppers and metal gondolas. Any suggestion is highly appreciated!

Also, as a note, I have some material that could be used as ore, but I dont know how to go about making it look like a load on some of my hoppers. Let me know, thanks!


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

Gondola loads can be just about anything. Cut up peices of tracks, old wheel sets, any scrap you can find.
To make loads for hoppers you can either glue loads to blocks of foam and insert into cars or you put a false bottom in a car then just load a load on top of that either glued down or not.
If you have a bunch of cars that are the same size you can also make a mold of a load and cast loads for your cars.


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## jjb727 (Apr 13, 2012)

NIMT said:


> Gondola loads can be just about anything. Cut up peices of tracks, old wheel sets, any scrap you can find.
> To make loads for hoppers you can either glue loads to blocks of foam and insert into cars or you put a false bottom in a car then just load a load on top of that either glued down or not.
> If you have a bunch of cars that are the same size you can also make a mold of a load and cast loads for your cars.


I have this black sand looking material that I bought from a craft store called Michaels. It looks like black sand and I want to use it for hopper/gondola loads.


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

Carve a piece of the foam insulation into a shape that will fit in your particular car, if you're doing loose material it would probably be higher in the middle than at the sides (kind of piled up) get a decent sized metal washer and draw the outline in the center of the car and carve out a pocket for the washer to sit it. Glue the washer in, then add glue to the top surface of your foam. You then pour your ballast material (or whatever you have) onto the glue. Reapply glue and material as necessary (you could even paint the foam with latex paint to disguise it a little.

The washer will allow you to use a magnet to pull the load up a little as it will sit inside the upper lip of the car and could be hard to remove otherwise.


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

HaHaHa, I had no idea what the metal washer was for. I thought maybe weight.
Your last part explained it. Good idea.


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

I've wanted to put some coal and some ballast into a couple of my gons and I'm wondering if I could use the white glue and water like for the ballast to wet the load down and stick it in place? I'm not concerned with removing the load once it's in the car but I don't want the load to spill if there's a derailment. Ya think the wet glue would work ok? Pete


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

You need to keep the center of gravity low...put your weight in the bottom, then shape a load from block foam, like you find in chairs, and cut it to fit. Paint it in a matching color to your load, then glue the load to the foam. You'll then be able to change cargoes from one type to another, they fit nicely without the need for glue.


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

One major reason to NOT fill the entire car with any kind of cargo material is the weight that it will add to the car...And it's a lot!


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

here is one i had, yes its a loose load but I don't care to glue mine in place as I like to swap out loads to different cars and what not and make it realistic type stuff










this might wind up going to a local scrap yard on my layout (if I can find a scrap yard and the proper things to go with it...


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I try to add any weight to my cars as low as possible to increase stability.


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

most if not all cars on my layouts already have a weight in them usually, so i don't have to worry about that part, but I agree with the keep the weight as low as possible.


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## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

jjb727 said:


> I have this black sand looking material that I bought from a craft store called Michaels. It looks like black sand and I want to use it for hopper/gondola loads.


That's my *favorite* load. 
It's dirt cheap and you get *lots* of it.


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

does any one know if there are working hoppers/gondolas that I can buy for next to nothing??? that I can use for things like MOW and laying track bed and all?


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

Walther's makes some drop-end gondola kits where the ends actually drop, but I've only seen them in kits, not ready-to-run. I haven't seen any hoppers with functional dumps (doesn't mean you couldn't make them yourself with some time/effort)


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

oh, cus id love to have a balast set up so when I start to build my road I can have a way to lay the balast on the tracks with minimal effort


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## sawgunner (Mar 3, 2012)

some of the old hoppers had shoots that opened on the bottom. i've had 4 of them. every one of them was B&M


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

Something like this?


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## sawgunner (Mar 3, 2012)

haven't seen that type before. when i see another one and can grab it i'll take a pic


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

I've got one of those cars too! The trap doors on the bottom of this hopper are a great!


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## jjb727 (Apr 13, 2012)

New Berlin RR said:


> most if not all cars on my layouts already have a weight in them usually, so i don't have to worry about that part, but I agree with the keep the weight as low as possible.


Mine is just for cosmetic look....although, I do need some weight for some of my older horn hook coupler cars.


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## jjb727 (Apr 13, 2012)

Wow, its so awesome that a lot of you have responded to this thread. Man, Im glad I joined this forum! Thanks guys!


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

jjb727 said:


> Wow, its so awesome that a lot of you have responded to this thread. Man, Im glad I joined this forum! Thanks guys!


 
Yep you found us. just a buch of model train nuts.


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

indeed we are


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

NIMT said:


> I've got one of those cars too! The trap doors on the bottom of this hopper are a great!


Who makes it? I'd love to make both a functional loader (I've got a flood loader kit already) and a functional dump at my powerplant. Those would be perfect.


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

Scott,
I have just packed them up, spring cleaning adventure...I think they are AMH cars if memory serves me right.
I do believe they are opened magnetically but I didn't get to play with them yet.
Maybe Southern can help out with the manufacturer of them.


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## jjb727 (Apr 13, 2012)

Here are some pics of my custom load project from today! Later today i will post more pics of the materials I used to accompish this.


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

jjb727,
While they all look good, only the first car is logical.
They don't load small rock, coal, or ballast in a Gondola.
It would be too hard to get the load out, no way to dump it.
They use gondolas for bulky loads, and the only small material they haul would be like shredded metal that they can remove easily with an electro magnet.


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## jjb727 (Apr 13, 2012)

NIMT said:


> jjb727,
> While they all look good, only the first car is logical.
> They don't load small rock, coal, or ballast in a Gondola.
> It would be too hard to get the load out, no way to dump it.
> They use gondolas for bulky loads, and the only small material they haul would be like shredded metal that they can remove easily with an electro magnet.


well then I could imagine its something else ! But thank you, I will keep that in mind! What kind of loads can be found on flat cars?


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

does anyone know of any type of scrap metal yard/plant, ect that is HO scale that I can use as a working set up? I want to haul realistic scrap around my layout (going to do an industry section of New Berlin for my first layout) and want to have a working scrap yard of some sort with areas for train grave yards/bone yards...what should I be looking for/getting for this type of thing? I know where I can get a small factory that I could use for maybe a smelting plant or something like that...


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## sawgunner (Mar 3, 2012)

New Berlin RR said:


> does anyone know of any type of scrap metal yard/plant, ect that is HO scale that I can use as a working set up? I want to haul realistic scrap around my layout (going to do an industry section of New Berlin for my first layout) and want to have a working scrap yard of some sort with areas for train grave yards/bone yards...what should I be looking for/getting for this type of thing? I know where I can get a small factory that I could use for maybe a smelting plant or something like that...



here is a working salvage yard that has a door for rail car entry
http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Walthers-HO-2928-Washington-Salvage-Yard-p/933-2928.htm


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## jjb727 (Apr 13, 2012)

New Berlin RR said:


> does anyone know of any type of scrap metal yard/plant, ect that is HO scale that I can use as a working set up? I want to haul realistic scrap around my layout (going to do an industry section of New Berlin for my first layout) and want to have a working scrap yard of some sort with areas for train grave yards/bone yards...what should I be looking for/getting for this type of thing? I know where I can get a small factory that I could use for maybe a smelting plant or something like that...


some stuff from home depot or low's could kinda do the job. Try that out


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## sawgunner (Mar 3, 2012)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kgCvmvYCBE&feature=g-vrec


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Keep checking ebay for junk parts and bodys from other train guys. You can take a junk train top and cut the plastic into smaller parts that will be good for a scrap yard. Same for vehicles and other RR things. pete


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

NIMT said:


> jjb727,
> While they all look good, only the first car is logical.
> They don't load small rock, coal, or ballast in a Gondola.
> It would be too hard to get the load out, no way to dump it.
> They use gondolas for bulky loads, and the only small material they haul would be like shredded metal that they can remove easily with an electro magnet.




I agree but it depends on what type of gondola is filled.
Bathtub gondolas were used to haul coal to a coal tipple rotary dumper for unloading.









But most were used like Sean says, that is why they are all beat to crap because of the magnets crashing into it sweeping for metal.

Anyone interested in a kit? HO, O gauge.
There is more then just the tipple, check it out.
http://www.btsrr.com/bts7240.htm


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

norgale said:


> Keep checking ebay for junk parts and bodys from other train guys. You can take a junk train top and cut the plastic into smaller parts that will be good for a scrap yard. Same for vehicles and other RR things. pete


ok, I meant building wise/crane type stuff...but thanks for the ideas tho!


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## jjb727 (Apr 13, 2012)

big ed said:


> I agree but it depends on what type of gondola is filled.
> Bathtub gondolas were used to haul coal to a coal tipple rotary dumper for unloading.
> 
> View attachment 18241
> ...


these look awesome! are they fully operational?


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