PX WAGON

The PX wagon fleet which totaled 20, was built by the Chullora workshops during 1975-76.Numbered 30307-30326.The wagons where probably one of the last flat wagons for general freight built before the container wagon revolution  took over in importance.

                                                                        PX  30308


Originally coded PX then with the four letter coding changed to NFPX, the wagons today can still be seen as RKPF steel plate wagons with Pacific National.


The dimensions for the wagon are.

Over Headstocks           17678 mm
Over Coupling Faces     18542 mm
Width Of Deck              2815 mm
Deck Height                  1240 mm
Bogie Centres                14326 mm
Tare                              22 Tonnes
Capacity                        51 Tonnes

Constructed from steel with a wooden deck for the conveyance of steel,pipes long loads,machinery ect.These wagons where also used extensively for Military loading of APC,s and army construction equipment but not tanks.
 A lashing bar is provided on each side of the wagon ( In the image it appears the lashing bar is also on the ends of the wagon ? ) and chaining points are located at 1 067mm centers and at the head stock.
An under deck storage box ,open to the side is fitted at diagonally opposite ends of the wagon for the storage of stanchions and chains.
The wagon is also suitable for bogie exchange so could be fitted with any of the exchange bogie types.             .
The wagon is painted PTC Blue all over , I presume the deck was left unpainted wood.

The wagon would make an important addition to most modelers wagon fleets being used from 1975 right through to today,also being bogie and not to long with the ability to lash any of the machinery ,trucks or agricultural machinery available now to its deck or with the stanchions a load of pipes or steel beams.It would make a nice addition to a general mixed goods.

           PX 30310 at Albury 11/78 Showing a typical load  Photo from the Rob ORegan Collection


The wagon is available in model form from IDR RAILWAY CASTINGS  available at Micro Model Hobbyland at Hornsby  02 94762588

  http://www.hobbylandaustralia.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=14&Itemid=6


 The kit comes as one piece deck and under frame casting with all necessarily parts except paint to complete the model.
The castings are all very clean and sharp with the underframe section being very strong with no flex or bend in its length so one would expect no sagging over time or in hot weather.
The castings where cleaned up with the side tie rail being cast onto the side of the deck, the tedious job of cleaning between the deck and rail takes a while .I did this with a craft knife but one the next one I will try drilling along between the parts with  a suitably sized number drill.
The top deck needs to be attached to the under frame, I chose to line up both pieces upside down on a flat surface and weight them down once happy with the positioning and fit I used the capillary action of the super glue to join both sections together.As opposed to the method in the instructions.
Every thing goes together nicely until you get to the underfloor piping which runs all over the place and with the pictures in the instructions it very hard to work out where the pipes should go or end up.I persevered and it looks alright to me .Being on who dosnt believe in modelling stuff you cant actually see it was a good effort on my part, but it wont happen next time.
Once finished the modeled was painted PTC Blue as in the photo but the instructions suggested dark grey all over.
Overall a very good kit apart from the piping.
And basically a one night project..