Cheapie Gons & Homemade Scrap Loads

Greetings All,


After watching various train videos I really started to like the look of the long strings of gondolas loaded with scrap metal that I saw on some of the trains. These loaded gons could be seen in large quantities in both modern and vintage freight train consists.

Wanting to replicate that on my layout I looked to add a couple of more gondolas to my fleet and attempt to make my own scrap loads from the container of model railroading 'scrap' that I've accumulated over the years.  


I saw a couple of cheapie gons on ebay and took the plunge grabbing this Mehano Reading gondola. As advertised the Mehano gondola is one of the world's finest running HO freight cars! I've brush painted the deck gray.

It's running like a world class gondola now! Talgo couplers cut from the trucks, Kadee #5s have been body mounted and Intermountain wheelsets have been added.

The second purchase was this Lima CB&Q gondola.

Talgo mounted couplers cut off, body mounted Kadee #5s installed. Kadee metal wheels added and this cheapie gon now runs smooth!

Both new gons with Chooch wrapped machinery loads.  

I took out the bulk of my gondola fleet and placed them in Terminal Yard to weigh my options and get some measurements. Much to my surprise I had twenty gondolas that could use scrap loads!

This was definitely not a one size fits all project so I cut and labeled the individual foam board bases. The scrap load in the foreground was made by 1:1 PC Ralph and served as a prototype and inspiration for the project.

Next I painted the bases flat black being careful not to paint over the identifying data. Don't laugh I've done it before!

Next was getting into the scrap box, selecting the scrap and getting it ready for installation. I organized the twenty car project using the various bins seen below.

Using prodigious amounts of Elmers and Aileens white glues here are the scrap loads glued to their bases.

After a visit to the Patti-O Paint Shop the loads are painted and look oily which is not a bad look.

After adding some Doc O'Brien's Weathering Powders the loads look much better.

The new scrap loads are installed. The E.B.R.R. car is from I.H.C.

Scratch built scrap loads commingle with some factory loads. 

We got the scrap!

The CB&Q Lima gon being trailed by two P-2000 gons with all featuring homemade scrap loads. 

A train of gondolas loaded with scrap heads over the High Line

If this was a virtual ops move our favorite scrap metal dealer from West Mill NY would be having a heart attack when he sees what I'm sending him!

Thanks for reading!!!