90 series vans

[briantrainman]

Does anyone know the dimensions of the 90 series vans used on the DAR? As no kits are available for this type, it will have to be scratch built or kit bashed for sure.
Are they built from a " OVERLAND" type car? Also, does anyone know when they were retired?

[stem]

This would be very cool to see built. If someone does have dimensional information, we'll have add this car to the DAR Train Sim project too.

[mountainrail]

There were 10 vans in the series, 91-99, with two #98s

Most were converted from passenger equipment, (at least 7), and of the 10, 91,92 and 2nd 98 were obvious passenger cars, while the rest were of conventional caboose styling, looking similar, but of different lengths and window configurations.

I was able to measure the carcass of #91 in 1964, and have drawn plans for it in 1/4" scale, and have built it in O scale also. It is 50' long, as is #92, 2nd 98 and I think 95.
So far I have scratchbuilt 91, 95 & 96, with 92 in the works. Very slow, but with scaling from photos you can get pretty close.
Retirement dates:91 = 1-55; 92 = 3-55; 93 - 94 =?; 95 = '37; 96 = ?; 97 = 10-54; 1st 98 = 6-31; 2nd 98 = 10-48; 99 = 1-46.

Jim O'Donnell

[mountainrail]

I will attach a copy of the drawing of van 91 which was done in HO scale. This should give the necessary details for modelling, and a lot of the dimensions can be applied to other cars as well.

Jim O'Donnell

[briantrainman]

Thanks alot for the info and sketch Jim. I'll have to get on this project right away and post my progress.

Brian Lilly

[stem]

Great Sketch! Are there visable lines on your original? Because you mention it was done to 1/4" scale I though that perhaps the cyan 1/4" lines might show up on a colour scan.

Some further ponderings on No. 91 considering the information we have on the wiki:
http://www.dardpi.ca/wiki/index.php?title=DAR000091

We have Harold Jenkins stating that the van was used as a fuel conversion car in Kentville before being sold to a contruction company in New Minas where they used it as a storage shed.

When you measured it up, it was then in New Minas in 1964 in bad condition considering you called it a carcass? <chuckle>

Would anyone happen to know what a "Fuel Conversion Car" is?

[mountainrail]

The drawing posted above was drawn in HO scale shortly after the car was measured, and is done in pencil. The good version was done a few years later when I changed to larger scale drawings for obvious reasons - more accurate for better detail etc. It was done in 1/4 " = 1', but it also is in pencil, and too large to scan in one piece, except for a commercial outlet I suppose. I can do it in sections, which could be printed and pieced together.

I will enclose a photo of the van in New Minas. It had been abandoned for some time, in fact the whole place seemed abandoned at the time. I will scan a few detail photos and send along later.

Never heard of a 'fuel conversion car', but maybe was some sort of employee training car?

Jim O'Donnell

[stem]

Piecing stuff together with Photoshop is a piece of cake. It might be nice to have a scan of it for your own record "just in case".

I can send you back a high resolution bitmap of it if you send me the pieces. If you scan it in colour, maybe I can see the grid lines too whcih would help alignment as I stitch it back together.

Then it can be dropped into AutoCAD as a background and then traced!

[downeastrailfan]

While the main subject in the photo is pretty cool, I'm lovin' that VW 2 door transporter:-)

An O scale comboose would be awesome to add to my collection. I only have two pieces of 0 scale rolling stock, but its my favorite scale, by far. If only I could scratchbuild:-(

[mountainrail]

Here are a few detail views of van 91 at New Minas in Sept. 1964

[mountainrail]

Solid cast brass door knob from DAR van 91 (after removing multiple layers of paint)

Jim O'Donnell

[briantrainman]

Jim, where was this door knob located on the van? Brian Lilly

[mountainrail]

The brass door knob was located on the end door shown in the color shot, where the VW is sitting. The knob on the other end (shown in B&W view) was a later replacement of stamped brass construction. The inside of the car was a shambles, just an empty shell with lots of rubbish around.

Jim O'Donnell

[stem]

Of course there's always the other side and the innards for the lock too.

Did you manage to get the other side too?

My Dad is a lockmsmith and I've seen him occaisionally make keys by hand for old locksets like this. He's got some old railway switch locks and the like too.

[mountainrail]

This knob was the only portion remaining as I recall. I know the knob on the other side of the door was gone, but I'm not sure about the lockset part. There was very little left that wasn't wrecked or rotted. There were burn marks on the paint where the hardware, such as grab irons and the like, were torched off. Whether this was done by DAR before selling the body, or by someone salvaging scrap is hard to say.
That VW was a junker too, and had NS Public Works or Dept. Highways decals, so was probably bought second hand by the construction co. and later abandoned in the pit.

Jim O'Donnell