[bpratt]

http://www.elvastowe...eenshot&id=1207
File Name: D&RGW Class 8 dump gondolas
File Submitter: bpratt
File Submitted: 04 May 2011
File Category: NG Gondolas

The Class 8 dump 9 ton gondolas were built by the D&RG in 1878 using Billmeyer & Small design and iron parts. There were 301 cars in this group and they were numbered from 502 to 601. These cars were built with link and pin couplers and 3' 2' archbar trucks with 24” wheels.

The D&RG later built 200 Class 9 cars numbered from 301 to 500. These were essentially the same as the Class 8 cars except for having 3' 7” trucks with 26”wheels and being rated for 10 tons. 19 of these cars were converted to standard gauge in 1890, by swapping trucks, but were still rated at 10 tons.
Also in 1890, 34 of the narrow gauge cars were formed into “unit trains” and ran between Calumet (just north of Salida) to the CF&I steel mills at Pueblo.

This model was built from plans by Robert Sloan published in “A Century + Ten of the D&RGW Narrow Gauge Freight Cars, 1871 to1981, 2nd Edition” by Robert Sloan. This publication was also the source of several reference pictures, as well as all historical data.

There are two cars in this upload. One car (DRG_LD_DumpCar_595) has an ore load and the other (DRG_MT_DumpCar_556) is empty. Both of these cars have link and pin couplers. An updated Class 9 car with knuckle couplers is under construction and may be released in the near future.

Howard Saunders did the initial testing, made all physics adjustments, and applied all lettering. Herb Kelsey did the intermediate and beta testing, and Tom Werb contributed the ore load. Howard Saunders also contributed the screen shot. The model was made using 3D Canvas (now called 3D Crafter), which I recommend highly.

I hope you all enjoy it, Bill

Click here to download this file