O scale ladle car

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.

https://youtu.be/B0fOJLq95S0

And this is an LGB version that I modified to operate via radio control

https://youtu.be/3IFG7Cw52nc

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.

https://youtu.be/B0fOJLq95S0

And this is an LGB version that I modified to operate via radio control

https://youtu.be/3IFG7Cw52nc

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 - 

https://www.shapeways.com/prod...le?optionId=64260307

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 - 

https://www.shapeways.com/prod...le?optionId=64260307

Thanks, and Google did not find it for me which is why I asked Neville.