Pulpwood loads

Looks great.

Brother Love......you have indeed created a lumber load that looks so realistic, it almost is real!!!

I am impressed. Great work!!!

Peter....Buco Australia

Brother Love you are a true craftsman that does  excellent work.

@Brother_Love posted:

I used wooden dowels that I first roughed with a razor saw blade and after that stained them with a very dark gray acrylic paint.  When they were dry I dry brushed them with a lighter gray.

Interesting project, and IMHO you've ended up with a very good result!

I had a somewhat similar (but much more limited!) problem, when I tried to recreate (or-if possible, improve on) the missing OEM log load for a vintage Marx log dumping car. Like you, I used hardwood dowels (although somewhat larger in diameter, I believe) which I also first roughed up with a couple sizes of saw blades, then used a couple of color washes on the outside to emulate conifer bark. The results were quite similar, but of course the logs remained loose on the car, to permit spring-loaded dumping:

The logs have held up remarkably well even after dozens of (rather violent!) dumps by the grandkids!

@Brother_Love posted:

I never have been able to really like the plastic load that Atlas provides with their super nice GSC pulpwood racks.  I wanted to gather some pine branches but here in Mississippi we are in a severe drought and that makes the red bugs, ticks and copperheads a lot worse so I opted for another solution.  I used wooden dowels that I first roughed with a razor saw blade and after that stained them with a very dark gray acrylic paint.  When they were dry I dry brushed them with a lighter gray.  Then they were bundled together with masking tape and cut to length on the table saw.  I cut them to hangover the side sill about a scale foot just as the prototype.  It took quite a few dowels but I am happy with the results. I glue them in the car lined with non stick aluminum foil and after the glue dried I had a removable load.  Four more to go!

The pulpwood load looks fantastic, Malcolm…but I would expect nothing less from you!  IMO, this is a perfect example of the extra time and effort really paying off!

I’m really intrigued with the unique lift/loader machine.  Is that one of your scratch build creations?

Great results Malcolm!  Very interesting loader.  Are the logs in the loader actual twigs?  They look different thn the load on the car.

Nice work. I tried to build a load for my car but after collecting and cutting enough branches for about 20% of what I needed I just gave up. Maybe I will try dowels.

A very good look !   Also like the southern region railroads represented:  Columbus & Greenville and GM&O.   Would love to see an M&O representative, but perhaps out of era.

Looks great!  I have been collecting sticks and twigs of appropriate size for the last year.  I need to cut them to length now, but may try your way also.  I do love the pulp loader also!

One of my "when I get around to it" projects is a railroad conversion of a pulpwood car from a 40' flat.  Nice of the railroad to decide to make a pulpwood car from a flat the same length as O manufacturers make.  Since it will probably be a one off I was planning on leaving it empty with just enough scraps on it to show its assigned service.  Seeing your logs I might reconsider.

Nice 👍

Excellent work - what size dowels did you use ?

Super idea and very well executed. If I ever get my bench clear again, I plan to try your technique on some ACL wood racks.

Thanks for sharing.

Leon

Brother Love,

Beautiful, highly detailed work!