Rolling Stock
The Gilpin Gulch Railroad is home to about 400 pieces of rolling stock (Locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars and maintenance of way cars). These include pieces collected over a 50 year period of modeling, although a majority have been acquired in the last 14 years. Almost all of the locomotives have been ready-to-run pieces. There is one locomotive built from a kit. About half of the other rolling stock were ready-to-run and almost half were built from kits. Most of the rolling stock has been "weathered" to simulate real world grime, wear and soot. The most interesting rolling stock however, are the newest pieces featured below, which are "super detailed" and in some cases SCRATCH BUILT.
Recent additions to the rolling stock roster
These first four pieces were recently scratch built and super-detailed to qualify for the Achievement Program "MASTER BUILDER CARS " Certificate for the NMRA "Master Model Railroader" Program. The last four are commercial kits that were super-detailed, including underbody details.
38 foot B&O flat car
This is a scratch built flat car with scratch built load. The frame is made of individual scale lumber. The bolsters are scratch built and the top deck is constructed of individual planks. Kadee couplers and trucks are used. Grandt line Individual queen posts are mounted on scratch built queen post bars. Grant Line NBW Castings are used to secure brake fittings and end bolsters. Tichy brake parts are used and connected with scratch built brake lines. KD type brake system modeled. Truss rods constructed of monofilament line, secured to end sills with NBW castings from Grandt Line.
The top deck includes Tichy brake hardware and stake pockets, scratch built crates and Grandt Line scale chain. A steel weight is enclosed in the middle crate. The car is weathered with Minwax stain, Floquil and Valejo Paint and weathering powders.
40 foot single sheathed boxcar
This is a scratch built single sheathed box car built from a Northeastern Scale Models plan. The frame is made of individual scale lumber including scratch built bolsters and the car floor is constructed of individual planks. Kadee couplers and trucks are used. Grandt line Individual queen posts are mounted on scratch built queen post bars. Tichy brake parts are used and connected with scratch built brake lines. Truss rods were constructed of monofilament line, secured to end sills with NBW (nut, bolt& washer) castings from Grandt Line. A KD type brake system is modeled. Grandt Line NBW castings are used to secure brake fittings and end bolsters. The box car frame is constructed of Northwest Scale lumber sheets with Evergreen Products L-shaped architectural parts used for the outside car braces. There are scratch built operating doors, ladders and walkway. Northwest Scale board and and batten sheet stock was used for the roof and individually applied grab irons were from Tichy. It was finished with Micro Lux roof red paint and Microscale decals and weathered with pan pastels, Floquil and Vallejo paint and weathering powders.
Water tanker
This is a scratch built water tanker MOW (Maintenance of way) car. The frame is made of individual scale lumber including scratch built bolsters and the top deck is constructed of individual planks. Kadee couplers and trucks are used. Grandt line Individual queen posts are mounted on scratch built queen post bars. Tichy brake parts are used and connected with scratch built brake lines. A KD type brake system is modeled. Grant Line NBW Castings are used to secure brake fittings. Truss rods are constructed of monofilament line, secured to end sills with NBW castings from Grandt Line.
The car was modeled after a photo in Railroad Model Craftsman and an IHC maintenance of way water tanker. The tank is constructed from a 1 inch hardwood dowel drilled out to accept a 3 inch section of steel rebar as weight. The tank is covered with Northwest Scale scribed wood and mounted on a frame constructed from Northwest Scale lumber. It features a scratch built toolbox, fill box and frame, water pipe connection, water hose, graduated dipsticks and rope. The chain is from Grandt line. The car is painted with Micro Lux paint, Minwax stain and weathered with pan pastels and weathering powders.
Tie and Rail MOW car
This is a scratch built MOW car with a rail and tie load. The frame is made of individual scale lumber including scratch built bolsters and the top deck is constructed of individual planks. Kadee couplers and trucks are used. Tichy brake parts and queen posts are used and brake parts are connected with scratch built brake lines. An AB type brake system is modeled. Truss rods are constructed of monofilament line, secured to end sills with NBW castings from Grandt Line. Stake pockets and queen posts are from Tichy and Grandt Line. NBW Castings are used to secure brake fittings, end bolsters and tie rack frame pieces. The steps and platform structure are from a Bachmann Loco detail. Minwax stain and Vallejo and Floquil Paints were used as well as pan pastels and powders for weathering.
LaBelle HO square window open platform combine
This is a LaBelle kit super detailed with completely scratch built interior and scratch built under body and brake details.
Interior:
Passenger section features 20 scratch built coach seats with scratch built on board bathroom including toilet and toilet paper, scratch built stove and newspapers, detailed doors. Combine baggage section features scratch built furniture and crates. Coach section illuminated with scratch built battery operated lamp system.
Underbody detail:
Tichy brake system components, scratch built brake lines, truck bolsters, supports and queen post bars were used, as well as Grant Line NBW castings. Kit supplied trucks were employed and Kadee couplers were installed. Microscale decals were applied. Painted with Micro lux and Vallejo paints and weathered with pan pastels and powders.
Wood caboose ( GGRR)
This caboose kit, from Central Valley, I think, was super detailed with underbody brake details from Tichy, scratch built queen posts and brake piping, Kadee arch bar trucks and wheel sets and Kadee couplers. Upper body super detailed with individual grab irons, ladders, marker lights, reinforcing straps, side door steps and homemade decals. Painted with Floquil paints and weathered with pan pastels and powders.
35 foot wood box car.
( Detroit and Mackinac Railway)
This is Northeast Scale Models wood kit built circa 1970. Underbody has been super detailed with Tichy brake components, scratch built brake lines and kit-supplied queen posts. Outfitted with Kadee Arch bar trucks and Kadee couplers. The car has been super detailed with “rub-on” type lettering, individual grab irons, reinforcing straps and brake detail. Weathered with pan pastels, powders and Floquil paints.
35 foot wood box car( SP)
This is a wood box car kit built circa 1990. the underbody has been super detailed with TIchy brake system components and scratch built brake lines, Kadee Sprung trucks and Kadee couplers, Grandt Line queen posts and truss rods.
The car body features detailed operating doors, individually applied grab irons, brake detail and pre-printed wood siding. The car has been weathered with pan pastels, weathering pencils and Vallejo and Micro Lux paint.