Bachman NE Caboose

[bbussey]

I'll be changing the couplers on mine as well.  Looks like it will take a little work to install MTL #1015 knuckles in the Bachmann coupler pockets.  The cavity for the centering nubs will have to be milled in on the boxes and lids.

[Mark5]

Yeah, I wanna change the couplers too. After I fix the botched lettering job on the N&W cab.

[wm3798]

Those are couplers?  I thought they were boxing gloves...

[Mark5]

I thought they were boxing gloves...

They are! Bachmann just used their HO couplers on these, right? 

Good news for lazy people like me - Accumates are a direct swap:





I've had this funny feeling that this caboose looked a little "big footed" - the reason is that the trucks seem to have 36" wheels!


Bachmann caboose wheel on left, Atlas 33" wheel on right.

Not sure what axle length these are, but the Atlas (Accumate) wheels don't spin freely in the Bachmann truck. Hope I can find a decent 33" wheel that works cuz I want to keep the Bachmann trucks under the WM cab.

Tomorrow I'll drill out the Atlas caboose truck bolster holes, since that's an easy hit.

Mark

[bbussey]

Try:

• MTL wheels
• BLMA wheels
• FVM wheels for MTL truck frames

[sizemore]

Try:

• MTL wheels
• BLMA wheels
• FVM wheels for MTL truck frames

The Atlas FVM sets I had measured out to .571", really odd will verify that tomorrow. However the FVM for MTL work. A hair loose, but the don't fall out nor sit high in the truck points. Really makes the caboose a winner! Free roll is good, but not as good as FVM-in-MT or BLMA.

The S.

[bbussey]

Interesting, as the FVM 3301 (MTL) fell out of the tankcar trucks so I went with the FVM 3302 (Atlas) and the axles spin freely and the car rolls fine.

[Mark5]

That's interesting as I swapped some ancient Concor metal wheelsets in and they fit fine. This was making me think that the 3303 (.563) would be the one.

I needs some calipers to measure stuff like this!

Mark


UPDATE:
I swapped the Bachmann caboose wheelsets into the Atlas caboose truck and they seem to fit fine (Although when I swapped the plastic Atlas wheelsets onto the Bachmann truck, it would barely roll. Maybe this has more to do with the shape of the needle point "cone") As I understand it this supports the theory that the 3302 is the answer. Will order a set based on this thread.

[sizemore]

NVM figured it out.... I think I mislabeled my bin for the wheel sets 3603 vs 3602 (yeah I know it's 36" used it for testing). Still doesn't figure the .571", my 3301/3601 measured out to .540".


The S.

[wm3798]

Anyone want to buy a couple of packs of note cards?  I want to pick up a caboose and a tank car today, and my allowance hasn't come in yet.

Lee

[sizemore]

Interesting, as the FVM 3301 (MTL) fell out of the tankcar trucks so I went with the FVM 3302 (Atlas) and the axles spin freely and the car rolls fine.

Converted all the cabeese today to 3302 works like a charm.

The S.

[Mark5]

Here's WM 1816 with 33" wheels - big improvement!



I mounted the Atlas swing motion trucks to the N&W cab. Good news - bad news:

The good news is that a 1/8" drill bit was perfect and the trucks are now mounted.

The bad news is that the Atlas truck makes the cab sit maybe 6" higher (see couplers in photo).

So it looks like I'll have to take Lee's suggestion on the N&W one and shave off the Bmann bolster and drill a proper pin hole (after lowering the bolster in total).

Still have not gotten around to removing the incorrect lettering on the N&W cab (hoping I can remove the lettering on the side and replace with decals - thus avoiding a repaint).

Mark

[bbussey]

MTL cabooses also get boosted about six inches when putting the proper Atlas friction-bearing swing-motion trucks underneath.  I have a pair of New Haven NE4 cabooses built on stretched MTL caboose underframes that I've delayed swapping out the MTL Bettendorfs on because of that.

Fortunately Atlas' own cabooses sit at the proper height over their truck frames.