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The B&O Wagon Top Boxcar had very humble beginnings.
At this point, I just completed the floor of the car out of wood.
I had a lot of trouble visualizing how this would turn into the
finished product.
A closeup of the wood floor. The base is 3/4"
ply with 1.5"x1.5" support stringers.
You can see the completed roof frame to the right the
photo.
Here are all the major components completed. The roof
frame assembly, floor assembly, ends and sides are all finished
and ready for assembly.
At this point, all the walls are in place.
The completed wooden boxcar. It has finally taken shape,
although there is a lot of work left.
Another show of the wooden superstructure. The entire
unit at this point weighs around 30 pounds, maybe 40 at most.
After bending the aluminum ribs, they are all in the
process of being test fit around the wooden superstructure.
The aluminum cladding is complete now, and fit between
the ribs. The next step will be torturous, riveting everything
together. I am not looking forward to this.
After all the ribs and aluminum cladding has been measured,
spaced and clamped in place, it is time to begin the arduous task
of riveting everything together. Some 3500 rivets will be used,
all to be driven in by hand. The first step is to drill a small
pilot hole. Then, start the rivet without it shooting out half
way across the room. Then, using a specially designed fixture
which we had to invent, the rivet could be driven in.
