MTL PS-1 Sill Modifications

[Sokramiketes]

I was comparing the old special run from Prototype N Scale to the new Atlas car and got to thinking...

So if the MTL PS-1 body is too high, and the bottom door track should be lower, but the door is the correct height... (See Atlas PS-1 thread)

Then why not just chop off the sill tabs, carve new sill tabs into the old sill, and call it a day? 


Modified sill on the right.


Modified MTL compared to new Atlas. 

Somebody good at CNC milling could work this up to be modified in a single setup.  And the same setup could move the floor farther into the body and set it at the right height.  Aztec should take this up now that decoder frame milling is unnecessary!

(I don't know where the "The" on the Atlas car ended up.  It was on the pre-production cars.  Either I got a misprint or a new error got introduced when they corrected the word Compartmentalized.)

[peteski]

Wow! That made a huge difference!

[bbussey]

Nice job Mike.  The model looks a lot better. 

[Sokramiketes]

I'll try to reshoot on a flat surface tonight, that shelf has a bow in it.

[MichaelWinicki]

Terrific job Mike!

I'm wondering about the cost to have that modification done.

And while I know the sill would be a problem unless this modification was made, would a replacement underframe be a better way to go in most instances PROVIDED someone did offer a replacement underframe which allowed the car to ride lower?

[Sokramiketes]

Terrific job Mike!

I'm wondering about the cost to have that modification done.

And while I know the sill would be a problem unless this modification was made, would a replacement underframe be a better way to go in most instances PROVIDED someone did offer a replacement underframe which allowed the car to ride lower?

If you're ok with the sill, then yes, a replacement underframe could help lower the ride height and provide a proper coupler mounting pad for body mounted couplers.

[MichaelWinicki]

I'm not that familiar with the MT boxcar line, is this sill problem widespread?

[Frank Amato]

Excellent show-and-tell.  This will be even easier for rebuilt cars with side sill reinforcements.

  Frank

[Ian MacMillan]

Door looks crooked. 

[up1950s]

It's also lower , does it have a heavy load inside ?

[Sokramiketes]

It's also lower , does it have a heavy load inside ?

That was the point, the extra foot of height was removed from the body.  Notice that the bottom sills are at the same height.

[Sokramiketes]

Door looks crooked. 

And they're too small for the opening, as they've always been from MTL.

[Sokramiketes]

I'm not that familiar with the MT boxcar line, is this sill problem widespread?

As highlighted by the recent Atlas PS-1 release, the bodies on all MTL 40' and 50' sliding door PS-1 boxcars are too tall in height.  Modifying the sill is the easiest way to trim the body height and fix the lower door track location at the same time. 

[bbussey]

Maybe the door-width issue can be solved once the Atlas six-foot version is released as spare parts.  At least this is way to salvage some of the MTL boxcars that people may be attached to.

Has anyone verified the height of the MDC/Athearn cars?  I've lowered them, but never verified the body height or done a side-by-side comparison with the MTL counterparts.

[Sokramiketes]

Maybe the door-width issue can be solved once the Atlas six-foot version is released as spare parts.  At least this is way to salvage some of the MTL boxcars that people may be attached to.

Has anyone verified the height of the MDC/Athearn cars?  I've lowered them, but never verified the body height or done a side-by-side comparison with the MTL counterparts.

It's more a height issue than a width one.  I think they are a proper 6' wide.  The problem is the daylight showing at the top.