Model Railroading > Rock Island HW Baggage-Harriman Roof- Suggestions

I'm thinking of scratch building some typical heavyweight Rock Island baggage cars, but it seems finding a Harriman style (round roof) car is very slim, even on Ebay.  Most that I've found are the MDC/Roundhouse versions of years past that are also shorter.  Some cars are similar but have the clerestory type roof.  I'm asking for suggestions at this point of what might be used to similate cars similar to what I'm showing in these photos with the Harriman round roof.  Does anyone know of a model producer with this type roof in a longer version.  I'm assuming these cars are of 60 to 70 foot length.

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Walthers imported some heavyweight passenger cars with a similar roof, but did none in RI (or baggage, either), but you might find one (they were Wabash and B&O modernized coaches with sealed windows) to scavenge the roof. The roof length would have to be adjusted, though.

I wish Walthers would make the roof available separately, as amny of RI's signature cars had arch roofs. Combines, Diners, Chairs, etc. usually had arch roofs.

Brian Ehni

If splicing MDC roofs together doesn't do it on its own, you could scratch build it using sheet styrene and Archer or Micro Mark rivet decals.

- Jeff Carlson

If you look on ebay today, search Walthgers Vintage, you will find some of these arched roofs which are wood. There is also some vintage Walthers heavyweight metal sided cars for sale that come with the arched roof. If you do get the wooden arch roofs I have found that you can use masking tape to simulate the steel wraps that run perpendicular to the length of the roof.. Also look at the Ken Kidder Harriman style baggage car up for auction on ebay.

Another possibility. Nice kits, from what I'm told. Sure look good when built up, and the kits look very well-thought out.

http://southerncarandfoundry.com/product/harriman-60-baggage/

~ BZ

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I'm not aware that Walthers ever did this style roof on their (relatively) recent heavyweight baggage cars in plastic but we are still waiting. Someone did an aftermarket resin roof for the Walthers heavyweight baggage car but they are all sold out. Being a Wabash modeler I should have perused it but haven't.  And I can't recall who it was now. I'm not sure if "Harriman" is the correct term for these (turtle back?) roofs as other roads not affiliated with Harriman had them. Yes, there are plenty of us that would like to model baggage cars like that.  Come to think of it, I beleive Bill Darnaby wrote an article on how to convert a clearstory roof into a turtle back roof in Model Railroad some years ago.

Victor A. Baird
http://www.erstwhilepublications.com

wabash2800 Wrote:
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> I'm not aware that Walthers ever did this style
> roof on their (relatively) recent heavyweight
> baggage cars in plastic but we are still waiting.
> Someone did an aftermarket resin roof for the
> Walthers heavyweight baggage car but they are all
> sold out. Being a Wabash modeler I should have
> perused it but haven't.  And I can't recall who
> it was now. I'm not sure if "Harriman" is the
> correct term for these (turtle back?) roofs as
> other roads not affiliated with Harriman had them.
> Yes, there are plenty of us that would like to
> model baggage cars like that.  Come to think of
> it, I beleive Bill Darnaby wrote an article on how
> to convert a clearstory roof into a turtle back
> roof in Model Railroad some years ago.

I'll second Bob's recommendation of the Southern Car & Foundry 60' Harriman baggage as the best choice. It's a resin kit, but the body is a one piece casting. Replacement arch roofs for the Walthers heavyweight ACF baggage car are offered by 5th Avenue Car Shops: http://www.accurail.com/accurail/art/custom/carshops/carshops.htm

Frank Hodina did the pattern and I did the casting, and they are still available.

Tom M..

Tom:

Thanks for the info. I will jump on it. Hopefully, there is enough for all.

Victor

In the last photo, it appears the Rock Island baggage car was rebuilt from another kind of car. Note the door on this end and a door plated over on the other end. The Wabash had some baggage cars rebuilt from combines with a resulting door on one end.

Walthers produced several passenger and baggage car types with the older metal sides that came with arched roofs which I've built. These are molded wood roofs and come very close to meeting the prototype specs less the details. You have to be careful because some of the arched roofs are more like the eastern style which where more like streamlined roofs. Mind you these kits date back at least 35 years ago. I've found some on ebay for less that $20.00. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/24/15 22:26 by Cupolau.