A collection of various Gondola Cars for reference use on your Model Railroad. We’ve added brief descriptions to each highlighting some of their unique features.
Prototype photos can be an invaluable resource when you are trying to make your Model Railroad as realistic as possible, or even just give you some ideas for equipment you want to add. They can be especially helpful as a reference for weathering your rolling stock, or if you are modelling an older time period or era.
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WOODCHIP GON AOKX 40665 in brand new paint, is another woodchip gondola. Compare the side post configuration as well as numbers with the two MWCX cars below.WOODCHIP GON MWCX 102395 is almost brand new. Note the slight variation in the outside bracing pattern as compared to AOKX 40665.WOODCHIP GON MWCX 102453, looking pretty brand new and void of graffiti, is used in the paper industry to transport wood chips to paper pulp mills.A BRAND-NEW HIGH SIDE MODERN DAY WOODCHIP GONDOLA. USED IN THE PAPER INDUSTRY, THESE CARS CARRY WOOD CHIPS FROM THE LUMBER MILLS TO PAPER MILL PLANTS.A LOAD OF WHAT APPEARS TO BE SHEET ALUMINUM OF SOME SORT IS IN TIS HIGH SIDE GONDOLA. THIS CAN EASILY BE REPRESENTED ON YOUR MODEL RAILROAD WITH ORDINARY ALUMINUM FOILS PIECES.THIS GONDOLA IS STENCILED FOR THE D&RGW RAILROAD, BUT WAS ORIGINALLY PART OF THE RAIL-GON FLEET OF LEASED EQUIPMENT.A BRAND-NEW ALL BLACK UNION PACIFIC GONDOLA SITTING IN THE RAIL YARDS WAITING FOR SERVICE.ONE OF THE MANY SOUTHERN PACIFIC COMPOSITE GONDOLAS THAT WAS CONVERTED TO SUGAR BEET SERVICE IN CALIFORNIA. THESE WERE PRE-WW2 BUILT WOOD SIDE GONDOLAS. THE ADDITION OF THE HIGHER SIDES ENABLED THEM TO CARRY MORE VOLUME WHILE STAYING WITHIN THE LOAD LIMIT OF THE CAR.THIS MISSOURI PACIFIC CAR HAS STAMPED SIDE PANELS IN ADDTION TO THE OUTSICE BRACING. MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF SIDES EXIST OF DIFFERENT VARIETIES IN AN ATTEMPT TO FIND THE STRONGEST, LIGHTEST TYPE.ANOTHER STAMPED SIDE PANEL CAR. NOTE THE SLIGHT SAG TO THE CAR. GONDOLAS ARE SUBJECTED TO A VARIETY OF ABUSE TO THE NATURE OF THEIR HEAVY LOADS SUCH AS SCRAP STEEL, LARGE BOULDERS AND OTHER HEAVY BULKY ITEMS.ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF MISSOURI PACIFICS’ EXTENSIVE FLEET OF STAMPED SIDE GONDOLAS SITS ON THE LEAD TRACK TO THE TEAM TRACK RAMP IN ROSEVILLE, CALIFORNIA. NOTE THE RUSTING SIDE PANELS ON THIS ONE.OFTEN WHEN RAILROAD CARS OF A PARTICULAR TYPE BEGIN APPEARING IN QUANTITY AT A MAJOR YARD, IT IS AN INDICATION THAT THESE CARS ARE DESTINED FOR THE SCRAP PILE. SUCH COULD BE THE CASE HERE AS UNION PACIFIC THINS ITS FLEET OF AGING RAIL EQUIPMENT.THERE ARE A FEW GOOD IDEAS FOR YOUR MODEL RAILROAD IN THESE PAIR OF GONDOLAS. FROM THE FRESHLY RUSTED BOTTOMS TO THE LEFTOVER DUNNAGE OF WOOD AND BLACK PLASTIC THAT PROBABLY COVERED THE INITIAL LOADS.
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