Confused

[womblenz]

Hi Folks

Not sure really where to start. My head is spinning and now I'm confused
I'll start with a little background info.

I'm fairly new to model railroading. I've chosen to handlaid code55 making turnouts using fastrack jigs.
I have 2 loco's a spectrum 2-8-0 and a atlas shay and no rolling stock at all.
The era is from 1900 to 1940 mainly logging and mining.

Now i need to know about coupla's and trucks and wheels

Archbar,Barber rolling bearing,Bettendorf or Andrews what is which  ??? ??? ???

Coupla's do I go MT, Acumate or wait for Mchenry ??? ??? ???

The one thing I do know is I need low profile wheels but metal or plastic

The other thing I do know is I have a headache and probably opened a can of worms with this one  :
So any help would be greatfully received.

Cheers Warren

[Chris333]

You don't want the roller bearing trucks, those are too modern for your era. Either of the rest will work, you could find them mixed depending on the car.

I would use MT couplers, but that is just me. If you are installing them anyways you could go with #905 Z scale couplers as they are closer to scale for N (actually they are still too big, but better looking than N scale couplers)

You will be fine with MT lo Pro wheels, but hey check out the new Fox Valley metal wheelsets! They are the best thing since they figured out how to slice bread 
Check this out: http://www.photografik.net/trains/wheelsets.jpg
#5 is the winner to me.


I like how you are skipping all the crap starting out and going right for the good stuff.

[DKS]

I like how you are skipping all the crap starting out and going right for the good stuff.

Indeed.

Also agree with Chris' recommendations. Body mount Z scale couplers, MT archbar and Andrews trucks, Fox Valley wheelsets. Should be good to go.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[wm3798]

Your logging cars could probably use Arch Bars since they wouldn't likely be seeing any interchange, just hauling timber from the forest to the mill, or to a loader where they would be transfered to larger rail cars.

Check out some prototype historical references for your prototype to see what the best trucks would be to use for your hoppers.

N-joy!
Lee

[3rdrail]

Archbar trucks were allowed in interchange service until 1940, so archbar, Andrews, and Bettendorf trucks all fit into the second half of your era. While roller bearings started to appear on locomotives in the 1930's, it was the 1950's before they became common on freight cars.

Micro-Trains makes more varieties of freight trucks than all the others combined. Other than those above, you can add MTL's coil-elliptic spring trucks to the above, especially on PRR cars.

Have fuN and eNjoy model railroading.

[160pennsy]

I'm fairly new to model railroading. I've chosen to handlaid code55 making turnouts using fastrack jigs.
I have 2 loco's a spectrum 2-8-0 and a atlas shay and no rolling stock at all.
The era is from 1900 to 1940 mainly logging and mining.

Warren,

Since you seem to be leaning towards the "good stuff" right off the bat, you might find some of these vendor websites useful for n-scale logging/mining equipment, rolling stock & details from the 1900's to 1940's:

http://www.republiclocomotiveworks.com/

http://www.rslaserkits.com/N-Scale.html

http://www.nscalekits.com/

http://www.finenscale.com/

http://mts.inline.net/merchant.ihtml?id=1&step=2=

http://www.micronart.com/NSCALEvehicles.html

[womblenz]

Thanks guys

I'm alot less confused now. Looks like some more research on proto has to wheel size and truck style.

This build is a 25 to life project and with no "bagage" left from previous attempts doing it properly from the start with good gear should make things better  ;D ;D

160pennsy

I've ordered stuff from
Republic loco  9 of the 14 kits for McCabe mill complex

RS Laser kits  I have several of his
here's a shot of the engine house


nscale kits  need to look into them same with finescale

model tech have some stuff from them

microart need to see about them just got some GHQ cars

Once again thanks guys

Cheers Warren

 

[160pennsy]

This build is a 25 to life project and with no "bagage" left from previous attempts doing it properly from the start with good gear should make things better  ;D ;D

Cheers Warren

Warren,

Saw some of your projects & trackplan on another forum...nice work.

http://www.freerails.com/view_forum.php?id=7

That ore dock sure looks like it might need a lifetime to complete.
Keep the progress posts coming.

[womblenz]

Well just placed an order with Feather river trains for trucks,coupler's and wheelsets .

So now time to just sit and wait for the postman to arrive  ;D ;D

All i need now is some rollingstock to use them on   

Cheers warren

[kiwi_al]

You won't have long to wait mate!. Chuck sends them before you order them ;D ;D ;D
5 days max from when he tells you they are on their way.

[womblenz]

Well you where close 6 days from being told in the post   ;D ;D

Now all I need to do is get some rolling stock to put them on  LMAO

I have a book of drawings for ore cars so I think it time to start making some  : :

Cheers Warren