Westrail WQL flat wagon 

Adding to my collection of S scale flat wagons is this model of a WQL flat wagon.

Westrail had a fleet of 62 WQN class wagons capable of carrying 2 x 20’ containers, the builder Goninan also proposed a lengthened version to fit 3 x 20’ boxes.

This S scale model is based on that proposal and the WQL designation is made up.

Construction is mostly from styrene strip and shapes with American Models Barber roller bearing bogies and MTH wheels. The couplers are Kadee HO #118’s with the glad hand removed and set at the correct height for S scale. Archer 3D decals were used for the weld lines and floor plate patterns.  The combined air reservoir and valve were 3D printed while the air hoses, brake wheel and gearbox came from DPH. The brake pipe unions are from Precision Scale Company.

The model was finished with Vallejo Chrome Yellow and decals printed at home, apart from the Westrail logos which were kindly printed for me by John Miller.

AQNY (formerly WQN) flats with the WQL

Westrail/ARG WQN/AQNY

Westrail introduced the 61 strong class WQN standard gauge flat wagons in 1998 and they were manufactured by United Goninan at Bassendean.
Each wagon carries 2 - 6.1m containers for use on the Sulphur train between Kwinana and Malcolm siding.

Loaded AQNY 32208Y at Kwinana.

Empty AQNY 32209A at Kwinana.

The model is depicted post 2012 after reclassification to class AQNY under ARG ownership. 

It is primally constructed of sheet styrene; 0.5mm for the side webs which then narrow down to form the centre sill over the bogies. The top & bottom flanges are 0.4mm & 0.25mm thick styrene respectively. Sections of sheet brass were added in the end platforms for strength and after the styrene angle braces were added the body felt much stronger.

American models roller bearing bogies, NWSL wheels and Kadee HO No. 118 couplers were used.  The air brake reservoir was 3D Printed by i.Materialise and the brake piping was added with 0.04 & 0.05 phosphor bronze wire from Tichy. The brake wheel & gearbox were from Detail Associates (now discontinued) and attached to a stand made from styrene angle.

A construction photo

primer coat - in the spray booth 

Prior to weathering

second attempt at weathering the deck - this time with rust coloured pigments

The model was airbrushed using Vallejo Desert Sand acrylic primer as a base and Polly Scale Railbox yellow, followed by a light coat of Polly Scale CN Yellow No. 12 on the sides, all thinned with their respective thinners. The CN Yellow is quite a good match for the Golden Yellow used by WAGR and later Westrail. As the Polly Scale line of paints have now been discontinued the CN Yellow was rationed and the final weathering will cover most of the Railbox Yellow colour.

I created by own artwork for the decals and had them printed through Westland Models, using  Microscale Decal Set to settle them down to the paint. Details were pickd out with Lifecolor paint, using black, white orange & rust dark shadow.

Finally a coat of Model Master clear flat was applied to seal & protect the decals and hide the decal 

film, weathering was done with a selection of Lifecolor acrylic brown paint and pigment powders.

Next project are the containers...

GS

VDR Refrigerator Van

 Here are some photos of the VDR refrigerator van produced by 3D printing by Marbelup Models.

The 3D drawing was modified from that for the VD van, although the modifications were quite extensive as the roof of the VDR was raised to provide extra height inside the refrigerated compartment, presumably to allow for the thickness of the insulation material.  

The bodywork for the refrigerator compartment was based on the somewhat derelict WVD van at the ARHS museum at Bassendean, although the WVD is slightly different in that the refrigeration equipment was mounted underneath the van rather than in the centre compartment of the VD.  Little information was available on the appearance of the refrigeration equipment on the WVD, hence the choice of VDR for the model, as well as the lack of evidence that the WVD's carried the attractive advertising livery.

Some of the VDRs had a single door each side to the refrigerated compartment and Marbelup Models would consider producing the single door version if there is sufficient demand.

The main decals were done by Westland Models and are available from them should you wish to have a VDR for yourself.  Some of the tiny decals for load, tare, etc. were done at home on a laser printer using laser decal paper from local hobby shop.  The laser printed decals sprayed with a Testors Decal Bonder which made them easier to apply as the laser decal film is extremely thin and fragile.  I understand Westland Models will be including the smaller decals in their VDR sheet for future orders.

Prior to decalling, the model was airbrushed with Revell gloss white enamel, and Revell matt varnish used as a clear protective coat over the decals.  The underframe is Revel No. 9 "Anthracite".  The bogies are American Models Bettendorf style, with 3D-printed bolsters to convert them to narrow gauge.

The 3D-printed body of the VDR is printed in one piece, and printed upside down to obtain the optimum definition for the louvred sections.  Some cleanup is required to roof as there is visible stepping and also remnant of the support structure from the 3D printing process.  The lack of other detail on the roof makes the cleanup pretty easy.  The exhaust pipe from the refigeration unit is vulnerable to damage while cleaning up the roof, so there is a spare printed on the underframe in case if gets broken (which it did on the test model).  All the the details visible are included in the 3D printed body, apart from handrails and the brake pulls rods and their supports, which must be fabricated from brass wire and strip.

JV31 Midland Railway Company

Western Australian, Midland Railway Company, JV class, 1st class Sleeping Car No. 31

The Midland Railway was a privately owned railway company in WA operating between Midland and Walkaway (near Geraldton) commencing operations in 1894 until being absorbed by the WAGR in 1964.

 

The JV class sleeping cars were the last carriages built for the Midland Railway Co. being built in 1927 by the WAGR workshops at Midland. Only 3 JV carriages were built numbering 31 -33. The WAGR later went on to use the design for their own AZ class cars.

 

The picture here below from the State Library of WA shows JV 31 freshly painted in 1955.

 

 

In a 1927 report in the West Australian Newspaper, General Manager of the Midland Railway Mr J. J. Poynton proclaimed “They are the best sleeping cars on a narrow-gauge railway in Australia and as far as knowledge goes, not excelled anywhere in the world”.

 Each carriage provided sleeping accommodation for 60 persons in two berth compartments. The interior lining of the carriages was of beautifully finished Teak. Light but warm rugs made by the Albany Woolen Mills were provided for the sleeping berths finished with MR initials perforated in the centre. The corridors, considered “Remarkable”, were staggered, running half the length of the car on one side then crossing over to the other side via a vestibule with entry and exit doors, the advantages of the staggered corridors providing a better balance of weight distribution to the cars,  better access for passengers, and control of the wind draft “which is apt to whistle through a long corridor”.  

 

Other innovations included Enclosed Concertinas between cars and Water tanks under the floor with electric pumps to raise the water when required.  Automatic floodlights on the side of the cars came on when the train stopped, to light up stations at night, and then would turn off once a speed of 8 miles an hour was attained. Steps were provided at each end of the cars to allow for us at unattended sidings, a trap door in the floor of the corridor giving access to the steps when lifted and handrails swing into place “ready for use”. There could be no doubt that these cars costing approx. £7500 to build, fully equipped, would enhance the comfort of passengers and the prestige of the Midland Railway!

The Model

 

 

This model of JV 31 has been created from a WestOzModels urethane "AZ"  ½ door kit with some “creative” painting to achieve the MR livery .

 

 

The Decals have been painstakingly and beautifully reproduced by local member Rob Clarke of "Westland Models".

 

I would not normally model the MR, but I have built this carriage to assist local member Stuart Mackay who has been working on a MR layout of Watheroo for our annual exhibition for which rollingstock is a little hard to come by.

I personally prefer the WAGR greens and Creams and have got to say that after many attempts to photograph this model, Brown has to be the worst colour to photograph and get a good result. Thanks go to Bill Gray for his photo above - I believe he agrees with me.

Midland Railway rollingstock did venture onto parts of the WAGR, and so a bit of modelers license will allow my model of JV31 to fit into my future modeling intentions.

 

 

Custom Decals

Did you see this supplier of custom decals mentioned in the AMRA Journal May/June 2011 (page 62)?

web site: www.stickitgraphics.com.au
e-mail: chris@stickitgraphics.com.au
Mobile: 0430 771 965