Rb series bogie highside wagons

 

The later Rb-5 and Rb-6 look like bogie wagon versions of the Lc-2 and Lc-3 open wagons respectively.

Like the Lc-2, the Rb-5 has plain ends, while the Rb-6 has corrugated ends just like the Lc-3.

The Rb-6 appears to have had Lc-type three-part doors, while the Rb-5 had the La-8 type with the plain top part.

 

 

Sides

The sides are built up using plastic sheet and strip following a scale drawing.

However, being lazy I cut the doors from some of my cast Lc sides. . .

 

 

 

 

. . . and fitted between measured sheet styrene with ribs and a top lip added as per scale drawing.

 

 

 

All the parts were all lined up on a sheet of glass and spot superglued.

Once set, joints were fully superglued on the inside seams.

 

 

Ends

Rb-5 Plain ends were made from sheet and strip styrene and the large Tichy rivets to represent tie-down domes, just like the side domes on the Lc-3 and Rb-6.

Rb-6 corrugated ends look the same as Lc-3 ends, so I just used castings from my Lc-3 mould. Or you could build ends as in the Lc-3 project.

 

 

 

 

Chassis

Both use the same 37ft 6ins chassis, with 6 inch rather than 9 inch side sills. But note the 6 inch to 9 inch transition sections at each end.

Two chassises were built using the great "Ozzie" method.

 

 

Assembly

Ends were cleaned up and along with an assembled-and-cleaned-up side, superglued to the chassis.

 

Rb-6 assembly begins

 

Should have marked, drilled, and fitted the Tichy rivet domes to the side before assembly but no problem.

After domes were fitted to both sides as per reference material, the second side was glued in place.

Lower "extensions" to the side ribs were made from same-width but thicker strip plastic and glued on and filled and sanded for the desired bulge shape as per reference photos.

Note for the Rb-5, there are domes only on the ends, and the side and end rib "extensions" are straight and plain, and in hindsight the ribs could have been added at this stage rather than earlier.

 

Assembly completion

Once all set and dry, bogie centre positions were marked, and pre-drilled and tapped pads were added as per Ozzie chassis build.

 

 

 

Rb-5 (front) and Rb-6 (rear) bodies so far, almost ready for their truss work.
The Rb-6 has bogies and couplers fitted for testing.

 

 

Note that the Rb-5 model has the two-part top doors - after research this is wrong, it should be the plain La wagon type.

Normally I don't do too much detail you can't see anyway, but the underfloor trussing is quite visible and adds to the look of these wagons. Was built up using 1mm x 1mm Plastruct angle strip using my photos and scale drawings for reference.

 

 

 

(Above and below) Adding underfloor trusses

 

 

 

Rb-5 right way up. Doors need a cleanup and some added pivot detail.
AND the top doors need replacing with a plain sheet as per La wagons.

 

 

 

Like this - Rb-5 now has plain top doors fitted along with Frateschi "olde" bogies.

 

 

Rb-5 (above) and Rb-6 (below) having added door pivot and door stop detail.

 

 

 

 

 

Rb-5 (above) and Rb-6 (below) base coated with Wattyl Red Oxide.

 

 

 

 

More to come. . .

 

References

 

 


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