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Date: 01/23/25 15:49
helium at Amherst (jokes on you)
Author: inyosub

What?
No ones going ape that Rapido just announced an HO Helium car?  Yowzah. how kewl
Also pumped to see what else is going to be announced at Amherst super duper train show this weekend.
3d item
that special run of boxcars from Rapido are in, just got my pay-go on them.



Date: 01/23/25 16:34
Re: helium at Amherst (jokes on you)
Author: 494

I would have never guessed "helium at Amherst  (jokes on you)" would be a post about anything other than Maggie The Clown!



Date: 01/23/25 19:47
Re: helium at Amherst (jokes on you)
Author: SP4360

On the list for 2.



Date: 01/23/25 20:01
Re: helium at Amherst (jokes on you)
Author: funnelfan

Did not realize they were used into the 1990's. But never saw any in the PNW, so I will take a pass on the model. Cool model otherwise.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR



Date: 01/23/25 20:20
Re: helium at Amherst (jokes on you)
Author: wabash2800

You know, they had to weigh the cars down with lead to keep the cars from floating above the rails.... <G> My dealer will be ordering one or two for me.

Victor Baird



Date: 01/23/25 21:46
Re: helium at Amherst (jokes on you)
Author: railstiesballast

I think that highly compressed He is more dense that atmospheric air.
So maybe the joke is on us, He loads would be slightly higher than the MT cars.



Date: 01/24/25 09:20
Re: helium at Amherst (jokes on you)
Author: bandob

For those who may not know what a helium car looks like, here's two photos of the prototype on the NASA Railroad back in 2009.

1. Car close-up

2. View of the Yard with cars to the right.

B&O Bill






Date: 01/24/25 10:32
Re: helium at Amherst (jokes on you)
Author: inyosub

Thanks for posting the Photos B&O Bill.  
The Rockedyne plant near me had a spur for these cars for a long time so I want them.
A note on use. Most think of balloon filling but actually the main use is..
They pump helium thru the fueling systems of the great big rockets, before pumping
the actual fuel in. It's a way to purge out all the contaminates. Pretty neat.
 



Date: 01/24/25 13:47
Re: helium at Amherst (jokes on you)
Author: PHall

inyosub Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thanks for posting the Photos B&O Bill.  
> The Rockedyne plant near me had a spur for these
> cars for a long time so I want them.
> A note on use. Most think of balloon filling but
> actually the main use is..
> They pump helium thru the fueling systems of the
> great big rockets, before pumping
> the actual fuel in. It's a way to purge out all
> the contaminates. Pretty neat.
>  

They still do it today. 



Date: 01/24/25 14:16
Re: helium at Amherst (jokes on you)
Author: gandydancer4

I wonder if a loaded car of helium is lighter than an empty car???



Date: 01/24/25 14:48
Re: helium at Amherst (jokes on you)
Author: march_hare

Liquid helium cooling systems are widely used in medical imaging.

The cars will not float in the air, but a significant leak will make your voice sound like Donald Duck. We used to have fun in our chem labs doing that trick with helium. I mistakenly answered the phone once with a lung full, turned out it was the company VP who oversaw my research work. Not a good move, career-wise. 



Date: 01/24/25 15:34
Re: helium at Amherst (jokes on you)
Author: wabash2800

If you hadn't noticed, I was making another joke for this thread.

Victor Baird

march_hare Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> The cars will not float in the air, but a
> significant leak will make your voice sound like
> Donald Duck. 



Date: 01/24/25 16:35
Re: helium at Amherst (jokes on you)
Author: cajon

The cars are heavier when loaded. The helium is compressed. We use to take 8 or more helium bottles and compress the helium into the container half the size of a 55 gallon drum. The container was very heavy after we filled the container.
Dennis

Posted from iPhone



Date: 01/24/25 17:17
Re: helium at Amherst (jokes on you)
Author: ALCO630

Beautiful cars, but after all the work I did upgrading an AHM model, including cobbling together scale size placards from four different decal sheets, I hate to scrap the thing.

Posted from iPhone

Doug Wetherhold
Macungie, PA



Date: 01/24/25 20:52
Re: helium at Amherst (jokes on you)
Author: wabash2800

That is the maxim that after you kitbhash (and sometimes scratchbuild) something, a manufacturer brings it as a kit or RTR?  I never had that happen but did purchase a double track $1400 Overland brass bridge only for Central Valley to come out with a similar version as a plastic kit a few years later. I probably couldn't get that out of it now, even though I have the original box and packaging. (And I painted it.)

Victor Baird

ALCO630 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Beautiful cars, but after all the work I did
> upgrading an AHM model, including cobbling
> together scale size placards from four different
> decal sheets, I hate to scrap the thing.
>
> Posted from iPhone



Date: 01/25/25 03:38
Re: helium at Amherst (jokes on you)
Author: ALCO630

wabash2800 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> That is the maxim that after you kitbhash (and
> sometimes scratchbuild) something, a manufacturer
> brings it as a kit or RTR?  I never had that
> happen but did purchase a double track $1400
> Overland brass bridge only for Central Valley to
> come out with a similar version as a plastic kit a
> few years later. I probably couldn't get that out
> of it now, even though I have the original box and
> packaging. (And I painted it.)
>
> Victor Baird
>
> ALCO630 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Beautiful cars, but after all the work I did
> > upgrading an AHM model, including cobbling
> > together scale size placards from four
> different
> > decal sheets, I hate to scrap the thing.
> >
> > Posted from iPhone

Then I might have to start working on a couple of double track plows

Doug Wetherhold
Macungie, PA



Date: 01/25/25 09:12
Re: helium at Amherst (jokes on you)
Author: atsf121

While I never saw them in service, I did learn about the prototype at the Santa Susana club layout in Simi Valley. The club had modeled the unloading spur and a few of the cars.

This might be one of those times I grab a model that doesn’t quite fit my layout.

Nathan

Posted from iPhone



Date: 01/25/25 15:12
Re: helium at Amherst (jokes on you)
Author: dmaffei

Here it is on the Rapido table




Date: 01/25/25 17:23
Re: helium at Amherst (jokes on you)
Author: SPDRGWfan

I never thought anyone would do the shop built D&RGW offset cupola caboose - but there it is!

Rapido is only doing the riveted version so for now my welded Overland Cabooses are safe.



Date: 01/26/25 07:26
Re: helium at Amherst (jokes on you)
Author: CPR_4000

Yarmouth makes a later version of the helium car as a resin kit.



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