Flat car load secruing methods

@CALNNC posted:

How much into detail do you fellows get when it comes to securing unique loads to flat cars?  Plus, what are some real world ways RR and shippers secure things that are easy to duplicate?  Take a helicopter for instance.  Lionel glued it down, but if you wanted to make it look more realistic. would you use wire to represent cable, buy model chain, brown thread for rope?  Do you use balsa to make a structure to secure the load?  Would you use the stake pockets as a terminal point for a cable or chain and were stake pockets actually used to secure things?

@CALNNC

In your post you ask good questions to which I also would like answers. So I will be following this post as it develops.

As to "model" chain, I find the prices quite high for just a foot of the stuff. I go to craft stores such as Michael's Crafts here in the east coast, mid-Atlantic, that have jewelry making departments. I have found spools, sometimes containing 15 as much as 15 feet in length or more where the entire spool can cost as much as 1 foot of "model" chain. You will find several sizes of chain links and patterns thereof. Since they will come in bright silver but can be weathered with rust-colored acrylic spray paint for more realism. I am not a "rivet counting purist" modeler. So, the jewelry chains work for me and my budget.

It's a hobby. You can go all out for prototypical detail, or just plop the load on the car as you wish.

AAR posts current rules for securing loads to flatcars on its website. These are publicly available. Older versions are not as readily available.

I found a thread on this forum a long time ago with old photos of secured loads and a copy of a page from AAR rules ca. 1940s maybe? You could try searching for it.

Yeah, I'm with Randy and Ken. There are plenty of (relatively) inexpensive options that are 'close enough' for just about anyone who doesn't count rivets, and some *really* cheap ways to 'just get the job done'. When I put together an Indiana Jones tribute load, I did both: black jewelry chain to visibly secure the Ark of the Covenant crate through the proper attachment points, and a couple of rubber bands around the bottom of the car and the truck wheels or frame to hold the Menards deuce and a half military truck in place:

At some point, I may replace the rubber bands with wooden chocks or something more realistic. but for now it'll do for my purposes.

This load is quite heavy; if the trucks were Athearn sprung, the springs would be slightly compressed:

Note that the cribbing has been replaced/completed.

A thank you to Randy Harrison on the jewelry chain idea.  I just found 33 ft of black 'necklace' chain for 8 bucks on Amazon that looks promising.  That's enough for a life time, maybe take up ship modeling to use it al up.  I am not particularly a rivet counter, but I wanted to do a little better than Lionel's hot glue idea.  I have found that in getting the car weight to the point you compress the springs on a truck with real springs and needle point bearings, you will wear the axle down a bit quicker than normal, and can contribute to derail issues and string lining on curves. Looks heavy but isn't, plus secured somewhat prototypical is what I hope to replicate.  Not in the plan to get to the level of making little come-alongs.

@CALNNC posted:

A thank you to Randy Harrison on the jewelry chain idea.  I just found 33 ft of black 'necklace' chain for 8 bucks on Amazon that looks promising.  That's enough for a life time, maybe take up ship modeling to use it al up. 

@CALNNC

The Amazon chain will be great. Also, as my father used to say, "It will last you a lifetime...if you live that long.

I've used inexpensive black elastic "pony-tail" holders from my local pharmacy as tie-downs. You can get them in a set of about a dozen in various lengths.

I've also used the metallic chains from Michaels. Cheap and in a variety of colors that you can weather.

As you can see on the tank load, I did make a wooden support structure underneath the tank. I also use the stake pockets in the flatcar to weave the chain through and hide underneath and secure with CA glue.

Lionel style elastic bands.  I've used cable ties for some loads.

I got this 27 ft roll of chain at Michael's 2 Days ago for 10 bucks +TX.

Question:  how do you fasten the chain together underneath the car ?

First, I tried connecting short lengths of wire to each end of the chain and hot glueing them to the frame.    I couldn't get the chain tight this way without burning my fingers.                                                Then I used longer pieces of wire and twisted the ends together,  then cut off the excess wire.  If one side is looser than the other, then I put a kink in the wire with needle nose pliers to take up the slack as shown on the right side

This is probably a pretty crude method but the best I could come up with.

Please show some pictures how you secured your chain.

Doug

@boomer0622 posted:

Please show some pictures how you secured your chain.

Doug

The information below is copied from this thread (pun intended).

https://ogrforum.com/...-load-how-i-did-it-1

See the highlighted text below.   I have also done this with chain.

The tie downs were made from Beadalon 19 strand beading wire 0.015” diameter.

This stuff looks just like cable, because it is!  I made the hooks using the components in this photo:

Everything came from AC Moore.   I used Tichy Turnbuckles at the lower end of the tie down.  I slip the Beadalon wire through the turnbuckle, extending it about 2” past. I add a drop of ZAP-A-GAP to the end. When the ZAP-A-GAP is cured, the bead prevents the wire from pulling through.   The last inch of the tie down cables are Elastic Cord (such as EZ-Wire) painted aluminum.  These keep the tie down cables taught. I tie a small knot in the cord, push it through the turnbuckle, and then insert them through the slots in the deck. I stretch the cord and then apply a crimp bead applied to prevent the cord from pulling through.

John, that’s amazing, great work. Thanks for sharing.  You’re at a much higher level in detailing than I ever hope to be.

John, that's really amazing detail work! Looks like you made good use of jewelry and other supplies, creatively re-tasking them to achieve a very high level of prototype simulation even in the mundane task of securing a load.