Improvised Armored Railcar (Panzerzug 350, Eastern Front)

[Marc Reusser]

This is my first post here in the forum. I thank James for having me. I have spent some time reading through the other projects and posts here, and I hope that I can meet the standards, and also contribute in a usefull manner. I build slow and sporadic..and am lucky if I actually finish something before hopping to the next build...so my posts, build updates and contributions may be somewhat slow and sporadic as well.

That all said, here is the intro and research portion of this build:

This project is based on an image I found in a book on German armored trains. It is an image from late in the war showing a stripped down Pz-IV (SdKfz-161) mounted on an OMMR type flatcar (Flachwagen), for use as an armored railcar (part of an armored train).

This car was part of the upgrade to create Panzerzug 350. Originally this train was Railway Protection Train #350, but in 1945 it, RPT. #83 and RPT "Berlin" were upgraded in the field shops to full armored trains (Panzerzug). The train belonged to the Armored Train Battle Group of, Army Group Vistula.

IMAGE A:



The railcar I used is an early 1st generation version of the DML kit.

At the outset of the project, I found almost no reference material or good images on this model/type of OMMR car, and I was completely unknowledgeable on the subject.

I began building and modifying the Dragon kit, using only the initial image, and some images of more recent German freigh cars (which are different from the Ommr cars...but at least gave me some general information, and heads-up on what I needed to look for re. the OMMR car). Unfortunately (or fortunately) as I progressed with the car build, some more information came to light that helped clarify some questions and issues. but by this time I was far enough along where some decisions and compromises were likely going to be made on the accuracy, as it was not always possible and, I do not want to, go back and redo work all that I had already done.

Most of the major problems and inaccuracies with the kit, lie in the frame and underside detailing, as this was not going to be readily seen in the final build, and corrcting them would have essentially coming down to scratchbuilding the frame, I decided to leave them as they were. The more visible of the kits errors will be corrected or at least modified to more closely replicate the prototype.

The "new" information that was supplied to me by a modeler on one of the German forums, consisted of a scan of an original 1941 Reichsbahn drawing for an OMMR car, in this case a high sided gondola. Other than the superstructure, this car was basically a standard OMMR flatcar, like the one pictured in the photos, so it was a great source of accurate information.


The data box on the drawing:




Section cut through end-sill:


1. The prototype the end sill consists of a 'C' channel, on the kit this unfortunately just a single straight piece.

2. The end sill channel extends below the side sill. The kit end sill does extend below the side sills, but just as a flat piece. Note also that there seems to be a return/filler piece at the end of the channel at the side sill. This can be seen in the IMAGE 'C' below as well.

3. There is a hook underneath the coupler assembly for hanging the coupler when not in use. The kit does not have this part.


Plan Detail of Underside Bracing:


4. note the gusset plate to hold all the underside bracing. This is not detailed/provided in the kit.


Section through Side Sill:


5. The side sill is actially a 'Z' metal shape. This is not accurately reproduced in the kit (nor are any of the shapes of the other frame mebers throughout the underside).

6. The added height/strip visible in IMAGE A, & B is actually not just a higher sill or added strip, but it is an 'L' angle .

7. The holes in the web at the center brace are incorrect on th kit, when compared to these here.


End Sill Elevation Detail:


7. The brake connector rod is slightly thicker than the one supplied in the kit. Here you can also see one of the brake rod retainer hoops.

8. The axle on the car is tapered from the center to the ends. The kit axle is straight.

9. The air-brake line has a seperate bracket and mount that extends below the end sill. This is incorrectly done on the kit, where the line simply passes through the end sill.

10. The end wall retainers ar actually merely "U" shaped bends at each post location. The kit has some kind of strange 'blocks with holes" detail at this point, for which I have found no prototype.

11. The handle to rotate and fasten the retainer rod for the end walls. This detail is not shown or supplied in the kit.


Top View of Car End:


The numbers here reference back to the comments for the prior image.


Car End Elevation:


12. Note the shape that the bent air line connector cose makes (this has also been verified on actual photos of equipment), and compare it to the completely strange and incorrect right angle bends the kit
hose part makes.

13. The hose retainer bracket is a thin two piece articulated affar. The kit repersents this with a horriffic 'J' shaped piece of plastic.

14. The tie down loop at the four corners of the car are actually to the underside of the end sill, not further down on the side sill, as represented on the kit.


Brake Rigging Detail:


This section through the center wheel area of the car, clearly shows the brake rigging detail under the car. The kit provides none of this, leaving the car to look naked and toy-like.



I also recently came across this image of an OMMR flat car, on the web, which helped clarify, and reafirm some more details.

IMAGE B:


IMAGE C:



1. Here one can clearly see the higher and extended side sill of the OMMR car. A defined line is visible of where the piece has been spot welded on.

2. The sloped end of the added piece, where it slopes down to the height of the original side sill, can also be clearly be made out.

3. The lever for the end wall reatiners is clearly shown.

4. Brake linkage and brake beam retainer hoops can be seen.




Marc

[Jamie Tainton]

Glad to Have ya here Marc. Look forward to what looks to be a very interesting little project.
(One more post needs to be approved and then your account will be free and open so you can add as you like)

[Dan Reed]

Marc,
Looks to be a interesting and different build!
Dan

[Marc Reusser]

Thanks Jamie and Dan.


...so here is where the build currently stands...and where the hemming, hawing, and excuses begin.

The basic car kit is pretty much built, sans some of the small kit details (tie down loops and such), and those details that I will scratchbuild.

Before the plans I found some images of stake pockets on a post-war car, that hsd holes in the front face, this has since become clear that this was not so on this particular OMMR type of car (some did have the holes on each side face though).....and here is where some may cringe, but this is a detail I am going to forgo correcting, as the pockets are already on the car, and building each out of 3 pieces of styrene was a real PITA, that I do not want to revisit. In this image you can see the current stake pocket style/build on the left of the image (this is the one done in 3 pieces).....the old one that I originally tried, then removed was done using 'C' channel, but it just looked to bulky and wrong.




Here and in the image above you can see the added height to the side sill. Done before the plans, I did this using just a strip of styrene, instead of the 'L' channel as on the prototype, however as the channel won't be visible as a shape once the decking is on, I decided the strip was going to be fine. Where I did and still am, hemming and hawing, is the fact that the prototype has a seam line with spaced spot welds along the joint between the extension and the main sill piece.....a lot of effort went into getting this piece to the right height, fitted straight and putty filled, that I am not sure I want to deal with removing it, and replacing it. I don't know how important this detail is, and am concerned with damage to the fragile stake pockets once I start cleaning up and reworking the edge.



Note in the above image, is the point noted in the previous post, re. the issue of the shape of the end sill, and the location of the tie down loop under the sill.

While I am currently avoiding dealing with some of the end sill details, I have started sizing and planing the Basswood for the decking (the plastic deck with the faux wood graining that comes with the kit is something that nightmares are made of ).

At the same time I have started working on the brake rigging detail. For this purpose I imported the OMMR elevation drawing into AutoCad, drew all the parts in 2D, then imported those drawings into Google SketchUp, where the parts were extrapolated into 3D.

This is the 3D view of the brake rigging:




All the parts (75 pieces, including some extras in case of breakage) were then assembled onto a sprue tree:






......this sprue tree file was then converted into an .STL file (3D printable format), using a plug-n for Sketchup, by CADSPAN. Once converted the file was uploaded to Print-A-Part. $37 plus shipping, and 8 days later I received my printed parts in the mail.






After some very verful clean-up and prep, the parts were built into sub assemblies, and then pinned together to see how they all fit. The assembly is fully articulated, which will help when installing and fitting it under the car. (As you can see I had some breakage during shooting, when I tried to force the styrene rod...this has since been repaired.)






Taking a break from the brake assembly, I decided to adress the coupler assembly. BML in their infinite wisdom, seem to only supply one coupler assembly for the car, even though it was/is standard on European railcars to have one at each end. To overcome this I went to my cannibalized kits and found one from a Trumpeter kit, that after some rework, was going to be close enough (the Trumpeter one is on the left, the DML is on the right). Something that both kit mfrs. seem to have ignored is the retainer plates at the end of the coupler tightening screws, these were added using some punched .010" styrene.




Marc

[Dario Risso]

Interesting project, Marc! I'll be looking for advances

Darío