"Watermelon Cars"

I wonder how hard this would be to make. Once could probably modify an MTL boxcar. Either photo etched, laser, or 3d printing parts. Again the white decals would be the hardest part.

What era are these cars? What style of trucks should be used?

That looks like a ventilated boxcar. I have one in On30.

www.richyodermodels.com/acl_history.htm
From the 20s but you seen them hauling watermelons from down south up to the 60s. Look up ventilated boxcars or watermelon cars and you will find quite a few pictures. In one of my reference books there was some being puled by the road I model. Trucks would depend on when you are modeling it I suppose.

Here is close but need work on doors more! 3D drawing.

Kelley wrote: I wonder how hard this would be to make. Once could probably modify an MTL boxcar. Either photo etched, laser, or 3d printing parts. Again the white decals would be the hardest part.

Etching would be no issue, basically the same shape like my single sheated boxcar, just different doors, no braces and vertical planks.
Of course only if there is sufficient interest.

I was wondering if it would easier to make from scratch using photo etched or laser parts, modifying an MTL car, or building the whole thing from scratch.
The 3 D car is OK, but Shapeways is still kind of crude compared to other methods. Also note the sliding doors are outside mounted not inside.
These cars were popular on the old 3 rail train sets, and later into HO. Back when model train car kits was a box of sticks, I could see why it was sold. One could used parts from other kits, and there was the "play" value, and the idea of another kind of car on the train.
These were specialty cars that, although could be used year round, were known to be used during season to move melons all over the country.
I dont know who would buy it. Folks will only buy things with their favorite railroad markings. (ACL and SCL were later merged to CSX )
I dont know if they were used much in the South West to West Coast, but they were used in the South to the Midwest to East Coast.

There are actually 2 doors on each side, a ventilated door on the inside and a solid door on the outside. The vents on the ends could also be open or closed. It would be interesting to see in Z scale.

I guess there are different types. The way I am seeing the cars, you have 2 doors on each side on the outside, both are one the same rail. You either slide the solid door from one side over the opening, or the ventilated door from the other side over the opening, or as I have read, use both together so car is partially ventilated.
hawkinsrails.net/mainlines/scl/scl.htm
www.richyodermodels.com/acl_reserve.htm
All the pictures I see show the 2 different kind of doors one on each side of the car, in a kind of recessed part that is 3 doors wide.

Thom and Kelley! There was two doors but I had only put one on yesterday I didn't have a proto type drawing with all the measurements plus with shapeways some details are not easy to put in because of the support Wire being 8mm now! so I did it like a 40' box car. Like Gerd said! he is using metal etching which is stronger and a lot better with details. I try! that's all I can do!

This was the one I was looking at and both doors are on the outside of the box car but this is a model to.

You are doing pretty good with the 3 d printing, but the technology is just not quite there yet. Where the doors are, the sides are recessed. Myself if I were to get a shapeways one, would be to leave the ladders and break wheel parts off, and just have the holes where they go, and add my own wire ones. The running board on top was usually 3 rows of boards going length of the car, not a butch that ran perpendicular.

Kelley, That would be great if you had the parts in hand to know what parts I would have on hand to do that. I have been trying to find someone who could do the caboose railing and brake wheels so I could design the caboose to fit the etched pieces. I wish I could learn the etched drawings I have been reading up on them put just can't grab the ideal. I know there done in 2D with colors that designate what is cut and what's not.

Brake wheels and a piece of bronze wire. I got a bunch of wheels from North Star Models, that were made for ships. There are a couple of companies that make Z scale brake wheels and ladders and grab irons, I just cant think of which ones off the top of my head. Or one can make a jig and make them yourself.

www.blmamodels.com/cgi-bin/webstore/shop.cgi?c=search.orange.htm&t=main.orange.htm&ud=BAAEBgsPBgQFBxQUEBEcHAEEAAIABgwECQkTEQAA&categories=03003-00020

www.micronart.com/91406.html

Kelley, Those would make them look better. the brake wheels are one of the problem on getting them to pass as do the ladders they just don't give enough detail and they are light weight. better to make two piece bottom and then a top. That way weight could be added to the car.

Here's another redone Watermelon Car with the doors recessed doors. ladders removed no brake wheel the doors are movable. the walk way has long boards.