Some HO projects

[Catt]

Since I am still a closet Horribly Oversize fan I thought I might start a thread with some of my current HO projects.First one is a TYCO PS-2 (I think) hopper.I paid a whole $6.99 for this car shipped.

Car as purchased


First phase,yellow Center-Flo is a AHM (Bachmann casting)


Second phase,Boraxo car in background came in a perfect box,body is setting on a Athearn floor


By the way at this point I still only have $6.99 invested.

[Catt]

A better pic of the yellow Center-Flo hopper.Car is a AHM product,but the body casting is 100% Bachmann and it originally had a TYCO Old Dutch Cleanser paint job right down to the road number.Other than body mounted KaDee #158s the car is as molded,though I do plan to rework those stirrups so my brakemen can get their feet in them.This was another under $10.00 (with shipping) Ebay purchase.

[Catt]

Athearn blue box SW1500 and one of my TYCO Center-Flo hoppers.The hopper has my new graphics as will the two PS-2s in the first picture Only difference is the road numbers will be in the 1000s like all my three bay grain cars.Did I mention I bought this car in 1980 for $1.00?

[Catt]

So here is a almost done TYCO covered hopper.I think it looks better than the red and white sugar hopper in the first pic.According to TYCO this is a PS-2 but seeing as I own some that I know are PS-2s I'm not to sure about this one being one.Anybody got any thoughts on the matter?

[Catt]

Couple of Athearn blue box SW-7s I got in trade for one done up as a Pere Marquette unit.They both run great but not coupled together,which did not make any sense to me.So in trying to figure what the deal I popped the shells off. The solid black one has the trucks reversed so it runs in the opposite direction than the Nickel Plate unit.(can't believe I had to pop the shells off to figure that out  ).



Aside from that both units will be hardwired with the trucks turned on the one,and both will be repainted for my Grande Valley Railway.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

There's also another known issue with some old Athearn blue boxes. The frames are electrically live, and the couplers are metal, so if you've got things coupled up in a certain way, and the couplers aren't insulated, you can get a short.

I think.

[Catt]

Shore River 20001 making a delivery from New Jersey on it's maiden voyage fresh from the Shore River shops with a fresh coat of white paint on Nov.12,2014.Sestination is a factory in Wyoming, MI.



 Ed, the couplers are isolated from the metal frame.I do all my blue box locos that way.

[Catt]

Just finished this KOKOMO Grain co. car today.This is the new Accurail PS-2 CD 4750 covered hopper (not your typical Accurail car this one really is a kit).THe only credit I can take for this car is the assembly of the car and the installation of Intermountain wheel sets and KaDee #158 couplers.

The decorating was done by TheTrain Exchange in Kokomo,Ind.

[Catt]

After putting off this project for a loooong time even though I wanted to do it a thread on the ATLAS Rescue forum got me started do ng it.Since I'd rather not screw up a expencive car (very possible for me) I am starting with an old TYCO car.I like what I see so far and will be posting more pics as progress warrants.



That is .010" styrene rod which scales out to 7/8s of an inch in HO.

[Catt]

I've been thinking about the project above this and I have decided that as nice as the .010" styrene rod looks it is a bit undersized.So today I ordered some .015" styrene road..015" in HO is only 1.25" thick which should be agreeable for these cars,plus it won't be quite so flimsy.So no more progress pics till I have the .015" rod in hand.(later this week if your wondering.

[Catt]

Since I finally got the .015" Plastruct round rod I thought I would update this thread with some progress photos.The first pic is actually going to be the second car to be upgraded but I thought I would post the picture along with the current project car to show what I feel is a significant improvement in the appearance of the car(s).




There is still some cleanup work to do before paint can be applied.

[Catt]

I've just about finished the A end of the car with the exception of adding another piece to the stirrups to allow easier access for crew members.I have added angle stock to the bottom edge of the center sill. I have no idea if these cars actually had this feature or not but since they are rebuilds done by the GVR's parent company they will have them.

[Catt]

I got the B end done.I still need to figure a way to add one more step to the stirrups.



Got in a rush to remove the cast on air brake line and ended up with some collateral damage.  I will be much more careful from now on.The MTS shops were able to do a repair though.You can see the added angle reinforcement I added to the center sill in this pic.

[MrKLUKE]

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[Catt]

Jeff, aside from destroying a Athearn car To get that extra step I am at a loss to figure out away to do that lower step in such way that it won't get broke off with normal handling. I thought about just buying the parts kit for the new Accurail PS-2 but then I would basically have a Accurail car with a TYCO body which sort of defeats the whole idea of this little exercise.