Elvas Tower: Open Bed Wagon 1910 - Elvas Tower

Open Bed Wagon Unhitched

Chris Gerlach
september 2015

An open bed utility farm wagon as developed in the United states between 1790 and 1920, this wagon was built by the hundreds of thousands over the decades that they formed the principle work and transport vehicle of the American farm and beyond. The design combined utility and strength and much skill was required to construct this out of specially chosen kinds of wood, and crafted metal parts. This is a summaried model of a range of similar types and is designed for use on any period route for MSTS and Open Rails Train Sim routes and scenery. A historic summary of the wagon and its construction is included.

Horse and mule teams will be developed or are available. These wagons were pulled by teams of two draft horses or four when puling an extra heavy load in which case and addional Head bar set was installed behind the lead pair.

Textures were created from historic photographs and records and data was collected thru historic research.

Credits:
Many thanks are due for all of the help from many experienced TSM modellers including Tim Muir, Capt Bazza, Jeff Farquar, and many many more. Model and texture are by me, and faults are mine.

Restrictions:

No comerical use other than inclusion in low cost library releases of routes such as the UK Train Sim forum and library.

You may mod and use this as you wish but I would like to receive an advance copy of anything you create for release.

Chris Gerlach
Sept 2015
chrisgerlach9@yahoo.com
CrisGer at Elvas Tower


History:

See Summary enclosed.

Some history around the Military version of this wagon:

General Sherman writes:

"An ordinary army-wagon drawn by six mules may be counted on to carry three thousand pounds net, equal to the food of a full regiment for one day."

The second statement can be found in Francis T. Miller's "The Photographic History of the Civil War":

"The dimensions of the box of these useful vehicles were as follows: Length (inside), 120 inches; width (inside) 43 inches; height, 22 inches. Such a wagon could carry a load weighing about 2536 pounds, or 1500 rations of hard bread, coffee, sugar and salt. Each wagon was drawn by a team of four horses or six mules."

And the third statement on the effective load of Civil War wagons comes from the U.S. Army Center of Military History historian Ted Ballard:

"An Army wagon, drawn by four horses over good roads, could carry 2,800 pounds. A good six-mule team, in the best season of the year, could haul 4,000 pounds. In practice, wagons seldom hauled such loads because of poor roads."

So despite the varying figures, the general image is rather clear: Under good circumstances, a normal military wagon could carry a load of about 3000 pounds.