Hi Everyone.
Stoney Smith Designs ladle car.
I'm wondering if anyone has ever built one of these ladle cars in 2-Rail or even 3 rail O scale. If so It would be nice to share ideas on how we went about it.
Please don't judge my effort so far as it is in the very early, early stage of construction and I don't usually build cars. That's an Atlas Ore car next to it to show the size. Thanks. Roo.
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Roo posted:Hi Everyone.
Stoney Smith Designs ladle car.
I'm wondering if anyone has ever built one of these ladle cars in 2-Rail or even 3 rail O scale. If so It would be nice to share ideas on how we went about it.
Please don't judge my effort so far as it is in the very early, early stage of construction and I don't usually build cars. That's an Atlas Ore car next to it to show the size. Thanks. Roo.
Neville: Superb work. It looks to be a good start on a specialized car. Keep us posted on your progress.
Roo posted:Hi Everyone.
Stoney Smith Designs ladle car.
I'm wondering if anyone has ever built one of these ladle cars in 2-Rail or even 3 rail O scale. If so It would be nice to share ideas on how we went about it.
Please don't judge my effort so far as it is in the very early, early stage of construction and I don't usually build cars. That's an Atlas Ore car next to it to show the size. Thanks. Roo.
I too have hoped for O-Gauge ladle cars. Born, raised, and mature in a steel town where Republic Steel was founded in 1899 and YS&T in 1900 with production only second to Pittsburgh was a natural want.
About three-years after Santa brought me my first Lionel "Santa"himself moved into HO. He bought a few of the existing ladle car kits, made all of metal. Sure wish I still had one of those.
So am surprised that after MTH and Lionel have made slag, ore, and hot-metal cars none have produced the ladle cars.
Nice work!
Ron
Roo,
Looking great! I will be following this thread. How many are you building?
Malcolm
I may be wrong, but I'm surprised no manufacturer has made a ladle car that operates.
Great looking build, I remember seeing this type car back in the early 70s when I worked for US Steel in the Ensley Rail and Billet Mill in Birmingham Alabama. Looking forward to seeing the finished version. Gene
Dan Padova posted:I may be wrong, but I'm surprised no manufacturer has made a ladle car that operates.
They did not operate. Overhead cranes did the "operation." That is what the trunnions on either side of the ladle are for.
Ron
Great work, Neville. Perfect car for a steel mill or foundry operation.
What did they do with a car like that? I worked at Armco steel for 18 years and we never moved loaded ladles on railcars, only by crane.
Thank you all for your kind words.
PRRJIM They were used to move molten metal from furnaces to foundries sometimes 2 miles or more, plenty of photos in the Morning Sun Books but due to copyright cannot print any.
Dan. You might be getting mixed up with the slag cars these had crucibles fixed that rotated to tip the molten Slag out. These cars as Ron said cranes lifted the ladle off the car.
Malcolm. I am building eight eventually two first to see how I go.
Randy. I will keep posting on the progress.
I have found I needed 3 jigs in another message I will explain why. It is harder for me to describe than build the things so be please patient with me.
Like anything specialised, especially O scale, building these cars are not cheap but I have always wanted these type of cars for our operations on the layout so I am forking out the cost and the time to build these cars eventually I will show you all the parts needed and two ways, yes, two ways to tackle this project don't ask me why I will tell you eventually . This is something new for me I don't normally spend my valuable layout time on building "freight" cars with the ladle cars I have no choice either build or don't have them. If anyone else has built these cars please feel welcome jump in with ideas. The ladle and chassis are one piece from Shapeways and designed by Stoney Smith Designs. Roo.
PRRronbh posted:Dan Padova posted:I may be wrong, but I'm surprised no manufacturer has made a ladle car that operates.
They did not operate. Overhead cranes did the "operation." That is what the trunnions on either side of the ladle are for.
Ron
These appear to operate.
And this is an LGB version that I modified to operate via radio control
Dan Padova posted:PRRronbh posted:Dan Padova posted:I may be wrong, but I'm surprised no manufacturer has made a ladle car that operates.
They did not operate. Overhead cranes did the "operation." That is what the trunnions on either side of the ladle are for.
Ron
These appear to operate.
And this is an LGB version that I modified to operate via radio control
Dan, there are two types of cars as I mentioned above 1. Slag car 2. Open Hot metal car, if we want to discuss this further maybe we can start a new thread. I cannot show you the ladle cars I am talking about in the Morning Sun Books because of copyright laws, VOL 7 of Steel Mill Railroads page 85/86 show trains of these cars there are many other photos in previous books of these cars.
I would like to try and keep this thread on "Building a Ladle car from Stoney Smith Designs" if possible because I might/ will need some help on some detail parts and advice, in the meantime the progress so far is, I have put them on trucks and have the couplings set right, here are the progress photos and one photo of a MTH slag car sitting next to the ladle car. The other photos show the car sitting in the jig or stand making it easy to screw the couplings and trucks to the chassis. I am trying to build one car complete then take it apart for painting when I am happy with it this is a new learning curve for me. I have used Weaver trucks with Intermountain wheels and Kadee couplers because this is what I have on hand I do live in a O scale wilderness and depend on the internet for advice and help if needed. Thanks again. Roo.
Roo posted:Hi Everyone.
Stoney Smith Designs ladle car.
I'm wondering if anyone has ever built one of these ladle cars in 2-Rail or even 3 rail O scale. I
Is this a 3D printed kit or set of parts that you have to finish out?
Got a link to the source?
mwb posted:Roo posted:Hi Everyone.
Stoney Smith Designs ladle car.
I'm wondering if anyone has ever built one of these ladle cars in 2-Rail or even 3 rail O scale. I
Is this a 3D printed kit or set of parts that you have to finish out?
Got a link to the source?
HLMGTFY -
Simply Fantastic
What material is this printed from and how are you finishing it? The few items I have ever bought from Shapeways I never could get them to finish smooth to my satisfaction. What's your secret.
NICE!!!!
Marty. Bob, printed the source above.
The material I choose is the cheapest out of the three available.
And thanks David.
The funny thing about these cars is for about a year I asked on forums if someone would or could mould a ladle in O scale similar to what is available in HO and I would do the rest, I did not get one reply. Then one day I wanted all weather windows for my diesels and one of the guys here on the forum put me onto shapeways I had never heard of them. I bought my window boxes and decided to troll through the many items that shapeways produce for other modellers and found numerous items made for Australian railways and many other countries I was stunned I kept looking and found these ladle cars in N scale kept looking and there they were in O scale. So if you want to build a Steel Mill in O scale you have to do lots and lots of research and be prepared to build a lot of it yourself.
It's like David M above, said once "if it was easy building an O scale Steel Mill everyone would have one" ! True words mate. Thanks Roo.
ecd15 posted:mwb posted:Roo posted:Hi Everyone.
Stoney Smith Designs ladle car.
I'm wondering if anyone has ever built one of these ladle cars in 2-Rail or even 3 rail O scale. I
Is this a 3D printed kit or set of parts that you have to finish out?
Got a link to the source?
HLMGTFY -
Thanks, and Google did not find it for me which is why I asked Neville.
Roo posted:Dan Padova posted:PRRronbh posted:Dan Padova posted:I may be wrong, but I'm surprised no manufacturer has made a ladle car that operates.
They did not operate. Overhead cranes did the "operation." That is what the trunnions on either side of the ladle are for.
Ron
These appear to operate.
And this is an LGB version that I modified to operate via radio control
Dan, there are two types of cars as I mentioned above 1. Slag car 2. Open Hot metal car, if we want to discuss this further maybe we can start a new thread. I cannot show you the ladle cars I am talking about in the Morning Sun Books because of copyright laws, VOL 7 of Steel Mill Railroads page 85/86 show trains of these cars there are many other photos in previous books of these cars.
I would like to try and keep this thread on "Building a Ladle car from Stoney Smith Designs" if possible because I might/ will need some help on some detail parts and advice, in the meantime the progress so far is, I have put them on trucks and have the couplings set right, here are the progress photos and one photo of a MTH slag car sitting next to the ladle car. The other photos show the car sitting in the jig or stand making it easy to screw the couplings and trucks to the chassis. I am trying to build one car complete then take it apart for painting when I am happy with it this is a new learning curve for me. I have used Weaver trucks with Intermountain wheels and Kadee couplers because this is what I have on hand I do live in a O scale wilderness and depend on the internet for advice and help if needed. Thanks again. Roo.
Roo, first of all thank you for the Volume 7 "Steel Mills Railroad" reference. Did not know there was a Volume 7. Fortunately found one (last one) at my local toy train shop. Passed on V6 since nothing but engine portraits no/few mill pics. By the way on page 42 there is a pic of an ALCO S2 shoving a string of dumped slag cars.
Now the BIG question. Is this ladle car a true kit? If so how many pieces? What kind of plastic? Paintable I presume.
Ron
Neville,
I have followed your "builds" for years and have never seen you turn out anything that was less than spectacular.
When you post a question on here (or anywhere else) and don't get an answer, I think it is a pretty safe bet that NO ONE has one, and they are NOT ignoring you, so don't be offended. You are a genuinely nice fellow.
Best,
Simon
Ron. The ladle car is not a kit just a casting or whatever they call this 3D operation you just get a basic chassis and ladle in one piece. I suspect that it was made originally for the 3-Rail people as the way it comes it has no provision for Kadees I extended the chassis at both ends to rectify this. In future threads I will show you all the parts and items that I used this would have been an ideal article for a Magazine but I just don't have the motivation anymore, instead I will present it here for anyone interested and anyone can copy it or modify if they find a better way either way it doesn't worry me because I am getting something that I really wanted. I wanted this car that much it was making me sick thinking about it, True story, now I am well again having solved the problem. There are many ways to build this car I have thought about milling the round bolster off and fabricating a new one but I would like to keep it simple and try to use tools and items the average bloke would have or be able to buy.I have found over the years with articles the modeller has used methods beyond the average bloke not everyone has a fully equipped workshop and know how. I have ordered more items from Shapeways and when they arrive I will start putting a kit together for this thread not for selling, I am not in the kit business.
Simon. Don't know about "spectacular" more like risky, foolish, or gritting my teeth diving in and hoping for the best! Ha Ha. Thanks for your kind words mate.
So here I am pondering the next move in front of an untidy bench how I like it ! 
Roo.
Nev, A messy bench shows you are working and making progress! A clean bench shows you have packed it in for the day!
Simon
Here is a link of some of my photos taken at the Lackawanna, NY (Buffalo) Bethlehem Steel Plant during a Western New Your Railway Historical Society – Railroad Days event held on the mill grounds in 1984. Most of the plant operations had been shuttered by then. One of the photos is of a unique dual ladle car; although I believe this car may have been used to haul molten slag and not molten iron or steel. There was also a massive molten metal submarine card on display. The plant also had quite a network of narrow gauge trackage as well, which crisscrossed the standard gauge trackage throughout the complex.
Back when the plant was still in operation, we would often go fishing on summer evenings out in Lake Erie near the plant and at nighttime it was quite a sight to see a slag train come out and dump the glowing rivers of lava-like slag down an embankment near the edge of the lake.
http://www.bendtheirons.com/im...yrhs/wnyrhs_pix.html
Scott
Scott Kay posted:Here is a link of some of my photos taken at the Lackawanna, NY (Buffalo) Bethlehem Steel Plant during a Western New Your Railway Historical Society – Railroad Days event held on the mill grounds in 1984. Most of the plant operations had been shuttered by then. One of the photos is of a unique dual ladle car; although I believe this car may have been used to haul molten slag and not molten iron or steel. There was also a massive molten metal submarine card on display. The plant also had quite a network of narrow gauge trackage as well, which crisscrossed the standard gauge trackage throughout the complex.
Back when the plant was still in operation, we would often go fishing on summer evenings out in Lake Erie near the plant and at nighttime it was quite a sight to see a slag train come out and dump the glowing rivers of lava-like slag down an embankment near the edge of the lake.
http://www.bendtheirons.com/im...yrhs/wnyrhs_pix.html
Scott
Scott.
Some great photos there! I liked the dual ladle slag car I have built a few by combining two Lionel slag cars the other photo I particularly like is the SW-1 with that great "captive" gondola one day I am going to convert some of my mint gondolas to look like that. Thanks very much for the link to your photos.
The photo here shows the converted Slag car the original Lionel car and of course my new ladle car. Roo.
As said somewhere I don't normally get involved in building Rolling Stock due to the fact I have a large layout to work on and maintain virtually by myself so building Rolling Stock is a last resort my way of thinking it's a hobby in itself like building locomotives.
It is a learning curve for me the items needed require you to learn a new language, ordering parts is a nightmare are the steps called steps or are they called stirrups is it a brake wheel if so which one and so it goes on, then of course there are so many versions of this ladle car, which one to choose should I pick the easy or simple one should I impress and choose a more detailed one ? Yep, it's frustrating and confusing, the good thing is despite all these hazards I am actually getting somewhere, going off the subject for a moment, this was one reason why I gave away ON3 many years ago imagine the fun I had on the phone (No internet) trying to order parts and not knowing the language and when you received a kit weeks later it was very hard to read the instructions unless you were an American narrow gauger and after 2 years work I had a dozen cars and a pitiful layout to show for it, anyway that is all in the past. I have a number of items (they are called detail parts) coming for this project maybe arrive in about ten days if I'm lucky so in the meantime I will play around with these two cars and hopefully make some decisions.
Here is one version (of many I have tried) for the brake gear covered up by a box the only handrails I had were plastruct I am buying some brass wire locally (if there are any hobby Shops left) just to get some idea what this might look like I have better handrails parts (Posts or are they supports, probably stanchions ! I told you it's another language) coming.
In the meantime it's back to operating the layout this Friday everyone is invited let me know the numbers so I can prepare the lunch. You all take care and any offers of advice on the above are welcome. Model Railroading is fun??? Roo/Nev.
Bravo, Neville! It looks GREAT!!!
Looks to be coming along nicely!
Thank you Randy and Marty.
If I make another batch of these cars I will at least have all the detail parts for them I have ordered more than I need. Roo.
I dunno how you blokes do things, and not trying to make out I know everything (I know very little) but to solder a brass brake wheel to brass rod I made a jig, the hole in the wood is just a tight fit for the rod to hold it while I solder the wheel . Direct the tip of the iron to the rod not the wheel the rod is thicker than the wheel so requires more heat. I'm normally a plastics man but I had these in brass so sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do !
A small thing but makes another item easier to put together. I'm learning.
Roo.
Nev you're doing a bang-up job on the ladle car.
Roo posted:
Great thread Neville!
Thanks BOBBYD and Joe.
I have a small setback on the parts I ordered some sleaze has compromised my card so I have to go to the bank this morning and sort it out. Model railroads are still fun. Roo.
With my card sorted out and the new Highline crane finished I am now building the rest of the ladle cars.
Things might come to a halt next week not even my trains cannot keep me home from another walk in the bush, summer is coming and it just gets to hot out there at the moment it's perfect I'm afraid I will have to go.
Anyway here is a photo of the cars in production. Take Care. Roo.
Well since you're building 5 I guess you've got the details all sorted out to your liking. Enjoy the bush. How long will the walk be this time?
Neville:
Enjoy your walk and be safe.
Thanks. I am hoping for 12 days. It takes a day (by bus) to get where I want to walk and another day (by bus) to eventually get home so the actual walking time is 10 days and about 180 Kilometres.
I have the details worked out for these cars still waiting for the stirrups they are on their way from the USA right now maybe here on Monday. Tomorrow is operation day if you can make it let me know so I have enough food for lunch. Roo.
Neville,
Nice work on the ladle cars.
I am in the market for a small lathe, primarily for loco axles, and noticed the lathe in your workshop. The drill press appears to be a Proxxon. Can you provide the brand for the lathe? Thoughts on a hobby lathe? (My email is in my Forum Profile.)
Thank you!
Old Goat
Old Goat. I don't mind answering here won't take a minute.
The lathe is a Unimat 3 and I have found it to be one of the best things I have bought I use it a lot I have a full size lathe outside in the shed but I find I use the little Unimat more. The drill and the grinding wheels are from Proxxon and again I have had them for many years without any problems the other tool in the photo is an English rivet press, if any other members have questions or want to post their choice of tolls and equipment It would be nice to start a new thread as I would like to keep this as a "Ladle Car" thread. I posted this here because I am in the middle of track laying four double slip switches so I need to hold my concentration I thought it would be a quick way to answer the Old goat! I will have photos of this trackwork on another thread soon.
So I'm off to lay track. Hooray! Thanks. Roo.
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