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Saving an old Ulrich Flat Car Kit

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  • #1

    Saving an old Ulrich Flat Car Kit

    If you could see the shelves in the back of our basement, you would be amazed that I would still buy more rolling stock kits. But, when I walked through the "Garage Sale Room" at the NCR Convention this past October, and saw two Ulrich rolling stock kits for a total of $3, I just could not resist.

    Click image for larger version Name: Plastic Bags.jpg Views: 48 Size: 111.4 KB ID: 1102723

    That lower kit is a NIB Reefer that for the moment has joined many dozens of other kits on the shelf. The upper kit box contained just the metal underframe and a painted/weathered wooden deck. No couplers, no trucks, no instructions.


    Bruce
    Tags: None
    • 1 like
  • #2
    Bruce, is that flat car the same one from your video?
    Follow along as my dog and I travel the country in our van.
    FaceBook link: https://www.facebook.com/A-Dog-A-Van-and-A-View-108345371976229 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RickS727

    Comment

    • Dutchman
      #2.1
      Dutchman commented
      1 week ago
      Editing a comment
      Yes it is. I realized that I had not shared it on the Forum.
  • #3
    With all that untapped revenue you could retire! Nice find!

    Comment

    • Dutchman
      #3.1
      Dutchman commented
      1 week ago
      Editing a comment
      It is going to be quite the estate sale, Philip.
  • #4
    I was given two Ulrich 3-bay hopper kits early in my HO modeling;. Sides were painted but other metal parts weren't. It took a while to get the 410M paint the instructions said would match but eventually I built them. I still have them, but they rarely see rails -can't think how an SLSF hopper would wind up in Massachusetts.
    Last edited by jbvb; 1 week ago.
    James

    Comment

    • deemery
      #4.1
      deemery commented
      1 week ago
      Editing a comment
      "special sand"? (Seriously, isn't the sand used in foundries a specialty material?)
    • jbvb
      #4.2
      jbvb commented
      1 week ago
      Editing a comment
      I believe sand for casting molds is a specialty, but IIRC the ready-to-use product has several ingredients beside sand. It hardens after being wetted and packed around the pattern, so would need to be shipped dry. Bagged in boxcars, maybe a covered hopper by the mid-50s. I normally leave the op session fleet on the layout but maybe I'll get them out when it's time for another Layout Tour.
  • #5
    James, the only other Ulrich railroad cars that I've built have been 2-Bay hoppers. I love their "heft', and for their time, the detailing is quite good.
    Bruce

    Comment

    • #6
      I like the old Ulrich truck models. I have several.

      Click image for larger version Name: IMG_8395.jpeg Views: 24 Size: 137.2 KB ID: 1102883

      KarlS-Curmudgeon



      Avatar image by Savannah Lyn Burgess 7-15-2022
      • 1 like

      Comment

      • Dutchman
        #6.1
        Dutchman commented
        1 week ago
        Editing a comment
        Karl, nice! Among the Ulrich kits on the shelf are a couple of their vehicle kits. On most days now, my hands are too shaky to tackle all the little parts on those kits.
    • #7
      Click image for larger version Name: Ulrich Underframe 1f.jpg Views: 24 Size: 162.2 KB ID: 1102889

      I thought it fitting to use some vintage trucks for a vintage car, so I used trucks from the Lindberg Line. I picked a few of those up at an estate sale. I found that with just a bit of filing on the Ulrich coupler pockets, I was able to fit Kadee's Centering Spring in place for their NO.5 couplers.

      With the deck in place, I brought the car over to the layout to check coupler height. All good.

      Click image for larger version Name: Coupler height 1f.jpg Views: 23 Size: 119.3 KB ID: 1102890

      Now on to building a load.

      Bruce
      • 2 likes

      Comment

      • k9wrangler
        #7.1
        k9wrangler commented
        1 week ago
        Editing a comment
        Thumbs up...a couple sets of old Lindberg trucks in my warehouse. Not state of the art these days, I've not found a fit for them.
      • jbvb
        #7.2
        jbvb commented
        1 week ago
        Editing a comment
        Looking at the cast underframe, I can't tell where the handbrake goes. My PRR flat has it beside the center sill, with the pull rod running straight to the nearest brake lever.
      • Dutchman
        #7.3
        Dutchman commented
        1 week ago
        Editing a comment
        James, there is a pocket for the handbrake shaft on one end sill right next to the coupler pocket.
    • #8
      Bruce, nice of getting the coupler height spot on.
      Follow along as my dog and I travel the country in our van.
      FaceBook link: https://www.facebook.com/A-Dog-A-Van-and-A-View-108345371976229 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RickS727

      Comment

      • #9
        Bruce that really came out nice.
        Jerry



        "And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years." A. Lincoln

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        • #10
          Bruce,

          Nice find and save. Looks great.

          Tom
          The difference between the almost right word and the right is the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.

          Comment

          • #11
            Nice job Bruce on saving this old kit.
            Curt Webb

            Freelanced PRR Bellevue Sub

            Comment

            • #12
              Nice work on the flatcar. the cast metal frame must make that near the NMRA recomended weight before you even add a load

              Comment

              • Dutchman
                #12.1
                Dutchman commented
                1 week ago
                Editing a comment
                No extra weight needed for sure, Glen.
            • #13
              Thanks for the comments, Rick, Jerry, Tom & Curt.

              Bonnie supports my hobby in may ways. For instance, she often has an item pass through her hands and says "you might be able to use this in your modeling".

              In this photo, both the sewing machine bobbins and that plastic 'tube' are two good examples. Those bobbins no longer fit her new sewing machine (I've spray painted them grey) and that tube was part of some packaging. We can't remember what its original use was. At any rate I had put them aside to use for car loads. That tube looks a good size for this flat car.
              Click image for larger version Name: Potential Loads 1f.jpg Views: 0 Size: 136.5 KB ID: 1103075

              Next will be a cradle to support that load.
              Last edited by Dutchman; 1 week ago.
              Bruce
              • 2 likes

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              • #14
                Great re-purposing the sewing bits.
                Curt Webb

                Freelanced PRR Bellevue Sub

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                • #15
                  Originally posted by PRR Modeler View Post
                  Great re-purposing the sewing bits.
                  Exactly my thought.
                  Follow along as my dog and I travel the country in our van.
                  FaceBook link: https://www.facebook.com/A-Dog-A-Van-and-A-View-108345371976229 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RickS727

                  Comment

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