86' Hycube...it begins

[DTI973]

I'm not sure how quickly I'll get this one done as the season is closing up fast but here's how far I've gotten so far.......enjoy all 3 feet of it!



Brian B.

[TrainWatcher]

There are no words to describe this project Brian... can't wait to see more!

[AARR]

Does it do ok going around your curved track and through the turnouts?

[thomas]

what i'm waiting for is the COLOR......blue, green or that purpleish color

[DTI973]

Thanks guys,

AARR: It does negotiate the curves and turnouts but I think once couplers are on it won't go around the main curves coupled to anything. Once I retire it will run on my retirement layout (a polebarn full of trains on a shelf/modular walkaround layout)

Thomas: It'll be a while before you see color....but the color you will see on it will be green. These Pullman Standard cars were only painted green originally but many were repainted in the mid 70's to the blue but without the compass logo. I want the compass logo so green it is!

Brian

[DTI973]

OK,

I've been putting in some time to detail it up and it's paying off. It won't be too long before I start to get some primer on it.

Here's a few close-ups to show-off my detailing efforts.

Enjoy!

[M.D.Bentley]

WOW !

[AARR]

WOW !

Double WOW! But with all due respect, DTI973, I hope you figure out a way to operate it on your layout

[TrainWatcher]

Brian as always knocking our socks off! Excellent.

[bnsf8000]

You're the man! Awesome!

PW

[DTI973]

Thanks guys,

I've been enjoying the build as I've experienced some satisfying success.

Brian

[DTI973]

Well, today was clear enough, I took her out and put a coat of color on it. I had been debating what road to paint it (I was leaning to DT&I - surprize, surprize) but, after much deliberation, I am making it Conrail!
Considering they has the largest fleet of these cars it only makes sense my first car is Conrail.

Here's a few picts of it sitting in the basement drying.
I'm really happy with the finish.

Now I have to get to work on drawing up the decals for it. (Yes, us odd scale guys have to do it all....)

Enjoy!

[AARR]

Can you take a picture of it with one of your 50' freight cars to give a better sense of its immenseness?

[Saturnalia]

How many 86 footers are left?

[AARR]

How many 86 footers are left?

If you are asking how many are left in real railroading I would say they are still fairly common espcially on MI trains. I think most auto parts travel in containers now but there is still a decent amount that go by 86' hi-cube box cars. In fact, I think I personally see CN, CSX, and NS handle 75-100 a day out of the Detroit area alone. CN switches 20+ a day off their Dearborn Sub. NS fills 40-50 a day from a warehouse. CSX has a short 5-10 car hi-cube train I often see on their Lincln Secondary. And CR switches quite a few from local warehouses and assembly plants.

[GP9R]

86' Boxcars are still the preferred way to ship auto parts. I usually have a large block of them on the stuff that goes to the UP. 86' Boxcar cars are used to ship large bulky light weight parts. Such as Body panels, Hoods, Trunk lids, etc. 60' and 50' Boxcars are used to ship smaller more heavy items such as engine parts, drive train compents

[conrailmike]

GM doesn't ship hardly anything at all by rail anymore, as far as parts go. I know for a fact that almost nothing is delivered by rail to the plants anymore. Flint Assembly might get a few..... Orion hasn't had rail delivery since the 90's, Hamtramck doesn't, and neither of the Lansing plants have rail delivery.

[DTI973]

OK Don, how's this?

[AARR]

OK Don, how's this?

I am in awe of all your work. That 86' hi-cube is amazing. But I think the engine you did may be your best work because of all the details you had to capture in large scale. Although I forget what engine it was

[Mr. Tops]

There are still GOBS of 86' boxes out there. That is all they take at the Ford plant in Chicago Heights we serve on UP. If you want to see 86' boxes, Yard Center is a great place as Cam said, they are coming and going everywhere. They move on road trains (MASIH/MYCAS always have a lot), transfers (YCH50/YCH51/YCH52 to/from the Heights and up to interchange with NS north of 80th Street), foreign railroads, coming in from CN, IHB. Yard Center is largely an automotive yard. You can always find long strings of 86 footers for the Ford Plant in Chi Hgts on the CHTT, and even longer strings of autoracks for the auto ramp there too (CHAR - Chicago Heights Auto Ramp). We get 'em all...UP, MP, SP, CSXT, CR, NS, NW, CN, GTW, NKCR, yada yada yada.