Berkshire Valley ran ads in 48/O Scale News back in the late 90s for a plastic Thrall rotary gondola. Did this model ever see the light of day? I
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I've decided to build them on my own.
I've had the hollow vacuume formed ones (their ribs crack with age and are not proto) and a brass one (again thin sheet design and not proto). Never saw a solid plastic one for sale. Mine are the Thrall heavy ribbed coal gons. They have prototypical rib undercuts and seperate grab ladders. Solid bolster design. 3D printed and post processed. I will share the project on OGR as it progresses.
Rick Bacon posted:Berkshire Valley ran ads in 48/O Scale News back in the late 90s for a plastic Thrall rotary gondola. Did this model ever see the light of day? I
NO because Berkshire Valley had issues with their suppliers-esp the trucks with the spinning bearing end caps as Berkshire Valley stated back in the day.
Look for Barnie Stumple [Now Deceased] thralls at O scale shows. He made many Thrall Rotary Gons- esp for the SF Science Museum layout in Chicago. They maybe crude in todays standards but are still effective.
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I owned a set of 44 of the Barney Stumple Thrall cars from the Museum of Science & Industry- pretty nice cars all in all- I ended up selling them all in favor of MTH's coalporter cars. These cars were decorated for Commonwealth Edison, and were very nice considering they were from the late 70's. A lot of brass add on parts too. Also these cars had coal loads.
Good luck. I'll be following this thread. At some time I have to make some UP woodchip gondolas and the construction techniques should be similar.
Yes John it is. It does look good finished. Mine is still in basic black.
John, Great looking car! Rick, always interested in your projects.
Jeff78rr posted:I owned a set of 44 of the Barney Stumple Thrall cars from the Museum of Science & Industry- pretty nice cars all in all- I ended up selling them all in favor of MTH's coalporter cars. These cars were decorated for Commonwealth Edison, and were very nice considering they were from the late 70's. A lot of brass add on parts too. Also these cars had coal loads.
Brass or Tin? My undecorated Rotary Gons from Barney have tin metal ends.
