Author Topic: Best Of ACL MEC low side gondola , interest ? ESM please read .  (Read 42822 times)

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Iain

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Re: ACL MEC low side gondola , interest ? ESM please read .
« Reply #255 on: July 04, 2015, 12:31:16 PM »
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Still down for two.
Thanks much,
Mairi Dulaney, RHCE
Member, Free Software Foundation and Norfolk Southern Historical Society

http://jdulaney.com

Chris333

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Re: ACL MEC low side gondola , interest ? ESM please read .
« Reply #256 on: July 04, 2015, 03:41:21 PM »
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Still down for two.

two floors?    :P

central.vermont

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Re: ACL MEC low side gondola , interest ? ESM please read .
« Reply #257 on: January 24, 2016, 08:57:55 PM »
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Brian,
With all the Gondola talk lately I thought I would bring this to the front and ask how it's progressing?
I'm still in for one when there produced. Also will you have it with you at Springfield?

Jon

bbussey

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Re: ACL MEC low side gondola , interest ? ESM please read .
« Reply #258 on: January 25, 2016, 12:06:46 AM »
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I'll actually have a status post here this week before heading to Springfield.  There will be two decorated pilot models on display at the show, one in ACL 1950s and one in MEC black (the Ertl scheme).  They aren't the final versions of the kit, as some additional tweaks are needed, but they are close.  We're probably looking at late 3rd quarter 2016 for the release of the kits.  More in the next post in a couple of days.


Bryan Busséy
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www.bbussey.net


bbussey

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Re: ACL MEC low side gondola
« Reply #259 on: January 26, 2016, 07:38:33 PM »
+1
UPDATE!

Yes, it's been a while.  The project got moved to the back-burner a little bit while dealing with the GSC Well Car aftermath and getting the tooling moved to a more responsible and reputable contractor, which took most of the summer and fall to accomplish.  So with that done, and the second well car release imminent, I've had some time to devote to this project.

The first two pilot models have been assembled, one MEC and one ACL.  Some minor modifications are required to the design.  I didn't compensate properly for the Atlas Barber S2-A trucks and their axle locations, so I had to add .015" MTL washers over the trucks for the outer axle to clear the coupler box.  To rectify this, the coupler box will be moved up into the body an additional .015".  The key inside the lower corner of the sides that locks in the MTL stirrup is about .010" too low, so they have to be moved up so the tops of the stirrups are flush with the bottom of the sides.  The cutout in the frame for the centersill is about .020" too short, so the MTL fishbelly underframe had to be filed slightly on both ends to fit.  The cutout will be resized appropriately.  The flat-style ends are .005" too tall, again, an easy modification to the solid model.  The dimples for drilling the grab iron holes are missing on the sides, they must be added.  And finally, the upper-right grab iron on the ends is exactly where the end reporting marks should go I think, so the prototype photos will need to be referenced to determine where those items should be located on the model and the appropriate adjustments made if necessary.

Pics of the pilot models:

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The pilot models will be on display in Springfield this weekend, for those who will be attending the show.  Note that the production kits will sit .015" lower as intended.

The changes must be made and new FXD components rendered so that another pilot model can be built to confirm all the corrections have been made.  The online instructions have been revised accordingly, based on the assembly of these two pilot models.  The needed corrections will not affect the assembly instructions, although the accompanying photos will need to be taken when the next pilot model is built.

Stages remaining:
• Modifications to the solid models and new renderings to test the fitting of parts *
• Procurement of remaining OEM parts (couplers, body details, decals) *
• Payment and delivery of the Barber S-2A trucks *
• Rendering production run rapid prototype body components *
• Milling of brass floors *
• Etching of the brass floor tops, brakebox, ladders and brake step *
• Printing of paper inserts *
• Taking the online assembly instructions photos

Duration of project to date in actual time:  151 weeks
Total man-hours invested to date:  72
Total material cost expended to date:  $400
Projected unit MSRP based on current material cost:  $10.00


* expense of these items not yet included in project material cost.
« Last Edit: January 26, 2016, 07:44:07 PM by bbussey »
Bryan Busséy
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Chris333

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Re: ACL MEC low side gondola , interest ? ESM please read .
« Reply #260 on: January 26, 2016, 08:42:39 PM »
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Man those look great!

wcfn100

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Re: ACL MEC low side gondola , interest ? ESM please read .
« Reply #261 on: January 26, 2016, 08:44:02 PM »
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Where are you getting the trucks from?


Jason

central.vermont

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Re: ACL MEC low side gondola , interest ? ESM please read .
« Reply #262 on: January 26, 2016, 09:03:49 PM »
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Real nice Brian. Can't wait to get up close and personal with them this weekend!!!!

Check out this shot on the Frank and Todd Novak Collection. The third car in the train looks like it could be one of these cars.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/40666398@N02/14822423756/in/album-72157635153995981/

Jon

bbussey

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Re: ACL MEC low side gondola , interest ? ESM please read .
« Reply #263 on: January 26, 2016, 10:16:34 PM »
+1
Where are you getting the trucks from?

Atlas. One benefit of being in the business is being able to purchase OEM components from fellow manufacturers.  They are the truck frames used on the well cars as well.
Bryan Busséy
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NSE #1117
www.bbussey.net


Lemosteam

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Re: ACL MEC low side gondola , interest ? ESM please read .
« Reply #264 on: January 26, 2016, 10:55:55 PM »
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Man @bbussey, that looks really great!  You are offering this as a kit?

bbussey

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Re: ACL MEC low side gondola , interest ? ESM please read .
« Reply #265 on: January 27, 2016, 12:41:14 AM »
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Tentatively scheduled for this autumn.
Bryan Busséy
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NSE #1117
www.bbussey.net


wcfn100

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Re: ACL MEC low side gondola , interest ? ESM please read .
« Reply #266 on: January 27, 2016, 01:53:59 AM »
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Atlas. One benefit of being in the business is being able to purchase OEM components from fellow manufacturers. 




Jason

muktown128

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Re: ACL MEC low side gondola , interest ? ESM please read .
« Reply #267 on: January 27, 2016, 07:07:38 AM »
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Looks good Bryan!

Scott

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Re: ACL MEC low side gondola , interest ? ESM please read .
« Reply #268 on: January 27, 2016, 10:25:56 AM »
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Love 'em , but geez I never thought the process took so much work . Thank you so much .


Richie Dost

bbussey

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Re: ACL MEC low side gondola , interest ? ESM please read .
« Reply #269 on: January 27, 2016, 11:20:52 AM »
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I didn't think it would take this long either, or that so many road blocks would pop up.  Usually there are unforeseen issues with every project, but this has been atypical.  We basically lost our polyurethane casting source and had to redesign the model for rapid prototype production.  So we pretty much went through the design/testing process twice.  Yet, we're going to see this though.
Bryan Busséy
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NSE #1117
www.bbussey.net