TheRailwire
General Discussion => N and Z Scales => Topic started by: up1950s on August 18, 2023, 07:26:09 PM
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(https://www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/35/medium_53-180823191012.jpeg) (https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=35303)
https://www.reddit.com/r/trains/comments/jxs27k/what_is_the_purpose_of_the_center_rails_going/?rdt=34410
https://www.vhb.com/news/massachusetts-six-bridge-bundle-replacement/
https://www.columbian.com/news/2020/apr/18/clark-asks-railroad-bridge-under-construction-in-vancouver-bound-for-columbia-river-gorge/
https://www.traveltacoma.com/articles/post/mt-rainier-scenic-railroad-back-in-operation-sooner-than-predicted-with-rail-bikes-and-steam-train/
https://www.custommodelrailroads.com/cmr-train-customstructures.html
https://www.conteches.com/Portals/0/Documents/Brochures/Railway%20Solutions%20Bro_web.pdf?ver=2018-05-16-090455-130
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This is BNSF B23-7 4252, an ex-ATSF unit in local service on The LPRR. BNSF runs the number 4252 as a ES44C4 today. There is a exhaust fan issue at Las Piedras Road on the outskirts of Las Piedras, CA. Crews are on hand and should be a simple repair. LPRR uses Santa Fe lettered utility trucks.
(https://www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/35/1137-180823200011.jpeg) (https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=35311)
(https://www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/35/1137-180823200215.jpeg) (https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=35312)
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Went down to Portland OR this week to visit my friends Dave Mackinnon and Tim Anderson. Several of my engines received a tune-up. Dave was milling the B36-7 frames for my MLW M-420s:
(https://www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/35/1731-180823200002-3530948.jpeg)
I also got more work done on the carbodies. On the top, radiators, stacks, rear end top grab iron and lift rings all installed:
(https://www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/35/1731-180823200000-352852489.jpeg)
Radiator walkways and rear end grab irons installed:
(https://www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/35/1731-180823200001-35308929.jpeg)
I also hosted an Open House for our North Shore Model Railroaders group. Back to work next week, and have to prepare for an op session next Friday.
Tim
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Just a small update this week. I recently came into possession of a few additional Rapido CPR Budd cars to partially modernize and re-equip The Dominion. I had previously replaced the stock white drumhead on my first Park Car with a red "The Canadian", as I had always intended to have a visual contrast with a second park car sporting a white "The Dominion" drumhead. I am pretty satisfied with the look of these homemade custom decals!
[attachimg=1]
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Since I gave my first marker lit caboose to my dad, I had to make another one...
The Reading repainted their cabooses into the green and yellow scheme in the sixties so they were electrified by then so my oil marker lamps wouldn't be appropriate. The electric markers they used were much smaller but I couldn't reduce the size and still get an led in it so I had to print them a little bigger.
(https://www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/35/1340-180823222547.jpeg) (https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=35313)
I finally got a picture that shows the different colors. Had to let the capacitor discharge little.
(https://www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/35/1340-180823223521.jpeg)
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Since I gave my first marker lit caboose to my dad, I had to make another one...
The Reading repainted their cabooses into the green and yellow scheme in the sixties so they were electrified by then so my oil marker lamps wouldn't be appropriate. The electric markers they used were much smaller but I couldn't reduce the size and still get a led in it so I had to print them a little bigger.
Outstanding!
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Just finished prepping a couple more cars for service. The boxcar was body mounting couplers, swapping trucks, adding weight, new stirrups, and weathering. The gon was just painting the interior and weathering.
[attachimg=1]
[attachimg=2]
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This week I mostly worked out issues with the detail kit for the TGauge FP9. The kit is windshield, cab windows and portholes (in clear), plus fuel tank, pilot insert/coupler, rear coupler and truck sideframes. The clear parts are a blend of Phrozen Onyx Impact Plus and Voxelab Transparent, so they're a kindof smoky-clear. I also refined the PRR-PC-CR FP7 details a bit--You can see the sideframes over the stock trucks on the Pennsy FP7. The fuel tank/SG water tank are beefier instead of just silhouettes on the sides, and fuel tank skirt detail is more accurate.
(https://www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/35/3184-190823111131.jpeg)
I also got some scenery done on the WP&Y (1:300) layout. This is the Fraser Lake area. The covered water tank is done, just waiting to be installed. Lake bed is painted, I need to pour the WS deep water resin in that soon.. that'll be a first. I really need to get the backdrop in before I do the lake though..
(https://www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/35/3184-190823111423.jpeg)
Finally, I picked up a fantastic book about the rebirth of the EBT by Frank Kyper, and discovered front and back cover photos, as well as some in the narrative, by our very own Ed K..! Well done!
-Jesse
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The “Indian Trading Post” T-TRAK single module recently got an Indian Taco and Fry Bread stand, along with the appropriate signage.
I used the Bar Mills ‘sandwich stand’ pretty much unmodified.
(https://www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/35/2607-190823140426.jpeg) (https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=35325)
(https://www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/35/2607-190823140544.jpeg) (https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=35326)
(https://www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/35/2607-190823140614.jpeg) (https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=35327)
(https://www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/35/2607-190823140649.jpeg) (https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=35328)
(https://www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/35/2607-190823140723.jpeg) (https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=35329)
Thanks for looking
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Bruce,
Looks great
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So I have this bridge and it's a problem as I have to merge the two scenes into one. So some current status photos.
(https://www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/35/2814-190823200258.jpeg) (https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=35330)
This is the scene from the North.
The idea is to create a view block but not, thru the bridge scene to the coke plant in the rear just enough to show it's there.....
I have some ideas to pull this off but I welcome any thoughts.
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I made a new front truck for a Bachmann 2-8-0. I used wheels from NWSL which are much finer than the Bachmann ones. The truck is made of a piece of brass bar with bits of thin pcb attached to the sides. Bushings are mounted in the pcb. The wheels are mounted on 1.5mm stub axles which are connected to each other buy a plastic muff. The pcb and the muff keep things electrically isolated. Still need to paint it, but I think its a subtle but worthwhile improvement. The diameter of the wheel hardly changed, but it looks so much less like a toy.
Before
(https://i.imgur.com/KaBD4w9.jpg)
After
(https://i.imgur.com/XeQHUh3.jpg)
Closeup
(https://i.imgur.com/ZJUEvSi.jpg)
The truck
(https://i.imgur.com/9YEeG9p.jpg)
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I made a new front truck for a Bachmann 2-8-0. I used wheels from NWSL which are much finer than the Bachmann ones. The truck is made of a piece of brass bar with bits of thin pcb attached to the sides. Bushings are mounted in the pcb. The wheels are mounted on 1.5mm stub axles which are connected to each other but a plastic muff. The pcb and the muff keep things electrically isolated. Still need to paint it, but I think its a subtle but worthwhile improvement. The diameter of the wheel hardly changed, but it looks so much less like a toy.
The truck
(https://i.imgur.com/XeQHUh3.jpg)
That is a great improvement of the pilot, but the solid spoke drivers still make that model look like a child's toy.
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I started working on a gravel quarry to fill in the area on my return loop.
[attachimg=1]
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@DeltaBravo and I went to the EBT and look who we found.
[attachimg=1]
Smartly not pictured, his fantastic wife Patricia who actually seemed to enjoy our chase of #16.
[attachimg=2]
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And some shacks and trash pile for the “Two Guns” T-TRAK double module.
(https://www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/35/2607-200823123803.jpeg) (https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=35339)
(https://www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/35/2607-200823123828.jpeg) (https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=35340)
(https://www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/35/2607-200823123857.jpeg) (https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=35341)
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I went to the Greenberg at Chantilly, Virginia Saturday. I had not been to one in some time. The Chantilly show used to be pretty good. It was somewhat of a disappointment this time. The worst part was the prices. I had thought that FeePay was bad, this was nutty. I get it, there has been inflation, but GOODNESS! One hundred bananas for a plastic frame LL FA-2/dummy B? On a good day, that is worth twenty five. Another guy wanted three hundred fifty dollars for an MDC 2-8-0 (or was it a 2-6-0?) plus a freight car four pack plus a Overland passenger car four pack. Those are just two examples. There were perhaps three tables with reasonable prices for N scale items.
I ended up buying three T-shirts, a package of paper scenery from this guy who had some interesting paper printed scenic materials. I do not buy freight cars that much any more unless it is something unusual or that I do not have. The one exception is flat cars. This guy had several boxes of loose freight cars, mostly Atlas and MT. He h ad some stuff that never had I seen previously and reasonable prices, so he made a sale.
I did not have either an ACL or SP&S flat, so I bought those. A log flat car does not really fit the concept of my pike but it will work as an occasional outlier. I will have to fashion a wood "floor" for when I want to run it empty. The log load will pop out.
(https://www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/35/146-200823150727.jpeg) (https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=35347)
I do not often see TA&G cars. I do have one other box car. It is a CC or something, I forget and can not find it right now. I saw this. It actually had a box.
(https://www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/35/146-200823150753.jpeg) (https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=35348)
I knew that the G&D car existed but never had seen one, except in photographs. This one did not have a box, but I bought it because I do not have one.
(https://www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/35/146-200823150818.jpeg) (https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=35349)
I never knew that this car existed. It actually had a box, as well. It is an old MDC "shake of the box" kit. Curiously, the truck and coupler pack that is in all of these cars did not have the MDC knuckle couplers, just Rapidos. I do not use the MDC knuckles, anyhow, but I did think this curious. I just trim the coupler tongues on the arch bar trucks, trim the "undercarriage supports" between the truck hole and the ends then body mount 1023s. The MDC nineteenth century cars are small enough that even on sharp curves, body mounts do not cause problems.
(https://www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/35/146-200823150857.jpeg) (https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=35350)
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GUYS! I got published!! I wrote this article 5 years ago, and never heard anything. We've since moved into a larger house and I've gone headlong into FreemoN, but maybe I should pull out that layout and see what I can make of it!
(https://www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/35/2646-200823161044.jpeg) (https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=35365)
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I never knew that this car existed. It actually had a box, as well. It is an old MDC "shake of the box" kit. Curiously, the truck and coupler pack that is in all of these cars did not have the MDC knuckle couplers, just Rapidos. I do not use the MDC knuckles, anyhow, but I did think this curious. I just trim the coupler tongues on the arch bar trucks, trim the "undercarriage supports" between the truck hole and the ends then body mount 1023s. The MDC nineteenth century cars are small enough that even on sharp curves, body mounts do not cause problems.
(https://www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/35/146-200823150857.jpeg) (https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=35350)
Walthers had N decals available back in the '70s for the Carstens car. The RMC layout series featuring "Inspection tours" used HO Athearn Heavyweights factory decorated - part of my model railroad youth! :trollface:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/324835754967?hash=item4ba1b843d7:g:LoIAAOSwzCBhXbbv&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAABEEftd%2FcpEWFDudt57X%2BK6BkWHZFw70Ir89erOcmR1HAfUw3p4Hk681oQbjVfcGD4elRpDT9lIY5fDK9oTecBrqdA6bkGkKW7n7LZUu6ab5FI334QPAJZmEdGvhvb3RxSjzZ5zMf%2B%2BuZEgBEmWNmpgXGAT%2BA%2B%2BwOZnTwTuG78UNtdSAdoWavh1bD6isbQthFkv44jjk%2FlvyWu9Fp6g4wSs1jtQI7Ux%2FVApzmlHudiQVcsd131xy73l61u5uVUq6BccdscIL4P%2F8VYPbPYbLau6sGIzXNuqnt8YU%2F9m4ecyz8bOmqPjyThljs3moib27Bm45coNNPDLH8aRzUzqfOBT91eE0%2FNu3DPhL%2Bm%2FVLNiuKo%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR8zDgMrCYg
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That is a great improvement of the pilot, but the solid spoke drivers still make that model look like a child's toy.
My goal is to make the best B&M K7 I can without touching the mechanism.
With that said, I have started work on a new tender. I'm reusing the wheels, axles, and pickup strips from the Bachmann tender and scratchbuilding the rest. The Bachmann tender is 50% longer than it should be. The truck sideframes are from Lemosteam via shapeways. Still need to add the springs.
The stock locomotive
(https://i.imgur.com/oYVI6PW.jpg)
With the new tender
(https://i.imgur.com/3Q4XLkz.jpg)
Will be sound equipped
(https://i.imgur.com/6GODMFe.jpg)
The target class:
(https://i.imgur.com/NznlUfT.jpg)
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Attended the Chesapeake & Ohio Historical Society Annual Meeting at Cass Scenic Railway this weekend. Here is the engine we rode behind on a gorgeous West Virginia Saturday:
(https://www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/35/2680-200823214340.jpeg) (https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=35369)
We got a shop tour and WM #6 is finally completed, paperwork has been approved, and may be available for the fall foliage runs!
(https://www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/35/2680-200823214833.jpeg) (https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=35370)
Please forgive my cell phone grabs.
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I converted an old Walthers hopper. Carved off the ladders and replaced them with Gold Medal Models brass. Chopped a couple sections out of the middle. After some paint and decals, I weathered it and added some ballast for looks and to bring the weight back up.
[attachimg=2]
[attachimg=1]
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My goal is to make the best B&M K7 I can without touching the mechanism.
With that said, I have started work on a new tender. I'm reusing the wheels, axles, and pickup strips from the Bachmann tender and scratchbuilding the rest. The Bachmann tender is 50% longer than it should be. The truck sideframes are from Lemosteam via shapeways. Still need to add the springs.
Nice job on the scratchbuilt tender!
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The TAG boxcar is ConCor, from many years ago.
If you want your own G&D boxcar, K4 Decals has a set for them. The N scale version will do several cars, if you want more than one.
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My goal is to make the best B&M K7 I can without touching the mechanism.
With that said, I have started work on a new tender. I'm reusing the wheels, axles, and pickup strips from the Bachmann tender and scratchbuilding the rest. The Bachmann tender is 50% longer than it should be. The truck sideframes are from Lemosteam via shapeways. Still need to add the springs.
With the new tender
(https://i.imgur.com/3Q4XLkz.jpg)
@garethashenden , How do the trucks fit? Hopefully OK?
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@garethashenden , How do the trucks fit? Hopefully OK?
The pickups and axles fit well. The bolster hole is a little loose. My post is slightly smaller than the Bachmann one and your trucks are slightly looser than theirs, I should be able to address that. But this is an older tender than what you designed the trucks against. You made them for the stand alone tenders and I haven’t check them on those. I have a couple and I’ll investigate how it is.
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I started working on installing a thing:
(https://www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/35/1760-180823192436.jpeg)
https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=40665.msg776764#msg776764 (https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=40665.msg776764#msg776764)
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The TAG boxcar is ConCor, from many years ago.
The one pictured above is a MT car.
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It's taken much longer than expected (was told 6 weeks and now it's going on 3 months), and it's not N scale, but it will house N scale and a shop. Everything has been harder than expected...even the garage door has caused threats of law suits (on both sides) but the end is in sight.
[attachimg=1]
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It's taken much longer than expected (was told 6 weeks and now it's going on 3 months), and it's not N scale, but it will house N scale and a shop. Everything has been harder than expected...even the garage door has caused threats of law suits (on both sides) but the end is in sight.
Of course the first thought that comes to mind is the cheesy movie, The Money Pit.
Garage door problems. Been there. They have their ups and downs.
(Good luck with it all!)
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Progress on Palmer Union Station. This is the east wall. It is complete except for the windows layer on the inside.
(https://www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/35/1350-210823131820-353632270.jpeg)
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The one pictured above is a MT car.
That one is an MT. It actually still had its box. Sadly, someone had opened the box so the factory air had escaped. I am guessing that @nkalanaga was directing his remark more at my remark that I did have another TA&G box car but could not remember the brand. I suspect that he was confirming my suspicion that it was a C-C.
Posted by: nkalanaga
« on: Yesterday at 04:51:07 PM »
The TAG boxcar is ConCor, from many years ago.
If you want your own G&D boxcar, K4 Decals has a set for them. The N scale version will do several cars, if you want more than one.
Thank you for the update. I had read about those decals but never did buy any. That box car that I found was staring me in the face. I did not have one, so I bought it. I had suspected that my other TA&G car was a C-C car but could not be sure. Thank you for confirming my suspicions.
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The pickups and axles fit well. The bolster hole is a little loose. My post is slightly smaller than the Bachmann one and your trucks are slightly looser than theirs, I should be able to address that. But this is an older tender than what you designed the trucks against. You made them for the stand alone tenders and I haven’t check them on those. I have a couple and I’ll investigate how it is.
Let me know if you would like to recommended different diameter. This was based om previous Bachmann swap truck designs.
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Progress on Palmer Union Station. This is the east wall. It is complete except for the windows layer on the inside.
That is wick'd cool! Those doors and hinges are the cat's meow!
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Can't wait to see progress on the Palmer Station. A friend (now passes) made the station in O scale it is impressive. N scale should also have the mass necessary for a large structure.
Good luck on the ptoject.
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Let me know if you would like to recommended different diameter. This was based om previous Bachmann swap truck designs.
You're trucks are spot on for the tenders that Bachmann sold separately. I don't think any changes are needed.
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Work on the tender continues. I shoehorned a Loksound Micro in there. A Nano would have been better, but this is what I had. It fit fine, but then I decided to add a Run-N-Smooth and things got tight. I will be wiring both front and rear lights, so I put a tiny piece of pcb on the tender body to connect three lengths of blue wire. One of the blue wires is actually purple, but I know that so its ok. The electronics will eventually be sealed in the tender and hardwired to the locomotive, maybe not the best idea, but I think I know what I'm doing.
(https://i.imgur.com/xnODI1f.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/aipuvkF.jpg)
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We got a shop tour and WM #6 is finally completed, paperwork has been approved, and may be available for the fall foliage runs!
(https://www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/35/2680-200823214833.jpeg) (https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=35370)
This is really exciting news for me.
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Wazzou and Brokemoto: You're both right!
I'm breaking in a new computer and browser, and the pictures don't always show well. I assumed that the one in the picture was the one of unknown origin. A closer look makes it clear that it's a MT PS-1!
I have the old CC version, with new trucks, and it doesn't look bad.
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One more update on the tender. I found a couple of pictures that showed the front of the tender, so I have made some changes. I've also wired in a rear light. This is on its one circuit board, something a friend of mine makes. I could have done this with just a prewired led and kept the resistor in the body of the tender, but I didn't think of that until right now. Should be easy enough to hide it under some coal anyway. Looking at the back of the tender the wheels are looking quite a bit like steam roller wheels, so I may need to replace them in the same manner as the pony truck.
(https://i.imgur.com/u961ff9.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/lpJrWqx.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/NGsvGzz.jpg)
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Looking at the back of the tender the wheels are looking quite a bit like steam roller wheels, so I may need to replace them in the same manner as the pony truck.
Yes, Bachmann wheelsets are rather wide, and the tubular "muff" is also not very appealing.
But if you want to retain the electrical pickup using low-friction pointy axle ends, you have to keep some sort of axle muff. You can't use the same method as you used on the pony truck. The half-axles have to be electrically connected to their corresponding wheel, while being insulated from the opposite wheel.
Kato passenger truck wheels are much netter looking (narrower tread, low flanges, and nicer wheel profile, but the muff is needed. They also scale to only around 34 inches. But don't use the set of 4 passenger wheelsets wheels Kato sells separately. Those I believe are the wheels Kato uses in their Japanese models. They are thicker and have deeper flanges than the wheels they use in Amercan cars.. If you buy complete passenger trucks from more recent sets (like 20th Century Ltd. or Olympian Hiawatha) those trucks have much nicer wheels. They'll cost a bit more, but you only need 4 wheelsets (2 trucks).
As I see it, the muffs can be replaced. I would take the wheelsets apart, then take a strip of typing paper and wrap couple of turns around each half axle to create an insulator. Then take a length (slightly shorted than the original plastic muff) of thin-wall brass tubing which would fit snugly over the paper insulator. Once the wheelset gauge is adjusted, I would apply some thin CA to the ends of the tube, let it wick into the paper. Once hardened, the CA will keep the wheelset together. This will make the axle thinner than the original muff. Before assembling it all together make sure to adjust the overall axle length to match the original Bachmann wheelsets (I think they have different lengths). That way they will roll smoothly in John's truck sideframes.
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Actually, I'd recommend using Kato's wheelsets for the Mikado tender, MHC2 car, and caboose:
https://store.katousa.com/product/33in-wheelset-for-models-with-pickup-ability-n-scale/
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I have more of the NWSL wheels, axle steel, and muffs. It will be fairly trivial to turn a cone on the end of the axle. No need to overcomplicate it. It will be very much like the pony truck, aside from the axle being pointy instead of flush. If I’m feeling ambitious there are ways to make the axle isolated without a big muff, but that would only be needed on the rearmost axle. We shall see. But I’m not going to be able to get to it for a couple of weeks.
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Who else hates this? Reminds me of Mr. Gilbert's 8th grade Electronics class at Hale Jr. High in San Diego in 1969.
(https://www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/35/1137-240823103605.jpeg) (https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=35397)
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I do. My preferred method. Virtually invisible after balasting.
Otto K.
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I actually drill the holes right under the rails, so the wire is practically invisible. It does take longer to lay track, however. You have to lay the track down, mark the rail where you're going to add the feeder, then mark the roadbed so you know where to drill the hole. One piece of flex track with two wires isn't so bad. A yard ladder with 15+ wires (+, -, and frog) and I'm ready to call it a night after that. :|
Scott
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I do. My preferred method. Virtually invisible after balasting.
Otto K.
That looks great, but every time I try that I melt a tie or three.
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North Staging Entrance/Exit progress. Getting there.
(https://www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/35/2814-240823144150.jpeg) (https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=35409)
(https://www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/35/2814-240823144207.jpeg) (https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=35410)
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That looks great, but every time I try that I melt a tie or three.
The trick is to solder the feeder drops before laying flextrack. I flip it upside down, spread the ties at an appropriate location, and notch the base of rail with a small triangular file for a better physical connection. Solder, clean with file if need be, slide the ties back into position and then glue the track with wires spread sideways, and only then drill holes for the drops.
I don't know who invented the notion that wires go in last, other than it's always been done that way...
Otto K.
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The trick is to solder the feeder drops before laying flextrack. I flip it upside down, spread the ties at an appropriate location, and notch the base of rail with a small triangular file for a better physical connection. Solder, clean with file if need be, slide the ties back into position and then glue the track with wires spread sideways, and only then drill holes for the drops.
I don't know who invented the notion that wires go in last, other than it's always been done that way...
Otto K.
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I also solder before installing, drilling a slot for the two wires between the rails, before glueing (different) it works so much better and hides the wires, at least for me. This is for flex track and I only do every other section since it is redundant from both sides. Chances are very low for failure and if it does happen easy fix with side solder outside rail from below, wire only to minimize.