Upgrading Kato Gunderson Maxi I and IV Well Car Walkways and Handrails

[pmpexpress]

Interested in replacing the walkways and handrails on my inventory of Kato MAXI I and IV well cars sets and was wondering if anyone has successfully utilized the Gold Medal Models 160-52 detail set that was designed for the Walthers 5-Unit Thrall well cars to upgrade their Kato stack car sets?

[jagged ben]

You're going to find that those details don't match up in any very nice way to Gunderson cars.  You may be able to cobble together a half decent representation from multiple sets if you are willing to compromise on some aspects of fidelity.

A better bet would be to ask N Scale Kits for their Gunderson Maxi III walkway parts.  Their not as finely detailed (fewer, larger holes) but they will work with much less modification. I suspect you could get Peter to sell you just the walkway parts if you emailed him.

For the ends of the Maxi IVs, the GMM Husky Stack kit should also work.  The ends of Maxi-Is are different.

[pmpexpress]

You're going to find that those details don't match up in any very nice way to Gunderson cars.  You may be able to cobble together a half decent representation from multiple sets if you are willing to compromise on some aspects of fidelity.

A better bet would be to ask N Scale Kits for their Gunderson Maxi III walkway parts.  Their not as finely detailed (fewer, larger holes) but they will work with much less modification. I suspect you could get Peter to sell you just the walkway parts if you emailed him.

For the ends of the Maxi IVs, the GMM Husky Stack kit should also work.  The ends of Maxi-Is are different.

Thanks for your input.

As I have some of the Gold Medal Models MDC Gunderson Well Car detail kits on hand, will see if they can be used on the Maxi IVs.

Are the Maxi III walkway parts similar to those that are found on the Maxi I?

[jagged ben]

As far as I can tell, the only difference between the intermediate walkways on the Maxi I and Maxi III prototypes is the length of the narrow walkways on the sides of the wells.  The Maxi III has them 4ft longer to account for the longer well. Early Maxi IVs (Deluxe model) have even longer side walkways for the 53ft well, but later Maxi IVs (Kato model) also have a different style platform there, more built into the well.  With that said, I believe the other parts of the intermediate walkways would all be the same dimensions.  As far as model parts working together across different manufacturers, its been a while since I looked in detail. I had an aspiration to design an etched set for use with any or all of the above, but it's been on hold for a long time.

[jagged ben]

To elaborate...

Assuming that various model parts follow prototype dimensions closely enough,  you ought to be able to use Maxi III parts on a Maxi I by cutting those side platforms down 4 scale ft.  You might also be able to use N Scale Kits walkways for rebuilt Maxi III (40ft well).  One thing that might be a little off is the width, since the Maxi I prototype well is a bit narrower.  You should also theoretically be able to use Maxi III walkways on the Kato model by cutting off the side walkways completely where the newer style platform is well modeled by Kato.

[pmpexpress]

As far as I can tell, the only difference between the intermediate walkways on the Maxi I and Maxi III prototypes is the length of the narrow walkways on the sides of the wells.  The Maxi III has them 4ft longer to account for the longer well. Early Maxi IVs (Deluxe model) have even longer side walkways for the 53ft well, but later Maxi IVs (Kato model) also have a different style platform there, more built into the well.  With that said, I believe the other parts of the intermediate walkways would all be the same dimensions.  As far as model parts working together across different manufacturers, its been a while since I looked in detail. I had an aspiration to design an etched set for use with any or all of the above, but it's been on hold for a long time.

Wonder if there would be enough buyer demand to warrant the design and production of a Maxi I and IV walkway and handrails upgrade set for the Kato models?

Although I really like the now out-of-production Deluxe Innovations Maxi IVs, the sets were never offered in BNSF Swoosh, or the red lettered TTX schemes.

[pmpexpress]

To elaborate...

Assuming that various model parts follow prototype dimensions closely enough,  you ought to be able to use Maxi III parts on a Maxi I by cutting those side platforms down 4 scale ft.  You might also be able to use N Scale Kits walkways for rebuilt Maxi III (40ft well).  One thing that might be a little off is the width, since the Maxi I prototype well is a bit narrower.  You should also theoretically be able to use Maxi III walkways on the Kato model by cutting off the side walkways completely where the newer style platform is well modeled by Kato.

Thanks for your additional insight.

Although it might be easier to design a new upgrade set for the Kato models, you have provided plenty of other (i.e., utilizing modified existing components) options to explore.

[Spades]

Wonder if there would be enough buyer demand to warrant the design and production of a Maxi I and IV walkway and handrails upgrade set for the Kato models?

Although I really like the now out-of-production Deluxe Innovations Maxi IVs, the sets were never offered in BNSF Swoosh, or the red lettered TTX schemes.

Traincat made a set for the Maxi 1. http://www.traincat2.com/d_rsupgrades.htm  To date that is the only one I know of.  GMM just released a detail set for the Walthers' refinery kit. So Loren is producing new stuff.

[pmpexpress]

Traincat made a set for the Maxi 1. http://www.traincat2.com/d_rsupgrades.htm  To date that is the only one I know of.  GMM just released a detail set for the Walthers' refinery kit. So Loren is producing new stuff.

As I Wasn't aware that Traincat offered a Kato Maxi I (and potentially a Maxi IV) detail set, thanks for posting the link.

Although the photos of the installed upgrade parts are stunning (as is typically the case with all of Bob's releases), unfortunately, like all of the other Traincat products, there is no inventory to be found anywhere.

Given the recent release of his refinery detail set, it might behoove me to contact Loren and see if he would be interested in adding the Kato upgrades to the Gold Medal Models product line.

 

[GaryHinshaw]

I converted a Kato Maxi-IV set about 10 years ago - and it took me a while to track down the photos I took way back then.  I don't remember all of the parts I ended up using, but I can reconstruct some of it from the photos.  For the end platforms, I used GMM 160-54, the MDC Gunderson set, unmodified:



Here is a shot of the results from my Picasa archive:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/A6XwBQHrBjh9vLwk9

(I've never been able to figure out how to make these photos appear inline since the switch to Google Photos. I hope the above link works...)  Some notes:

* This set is pretty accurate for the end platforms on a Maxi-IV, except that the upper-most longitudinal walkway is narrower than the prototype.  This is not too glaring though.

* In order to place the end walkway at the correct height, I had to swap out the Kato trucks/couplers for MT's.  I think I made a bolster pad to accommodate the truck kingpin.  This improves the looks of these cars substantially.

For the interior walkways, I fabricated the necessary parts from the Thrall set, but I don't remember exactly how.  I can try to reconstruct it when I return home in a few weeks.  Here is a photo link, but it's not especially helpful:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/aWFbKHt5dFtn6PAn9

I had an aspiration to design an etched set for use with any or all of the above, but it's been on hold for a long time.

Me too.  If I ever get around to it, I'll post it here.

[pmpexpress]

I converted a Kato Maxi-IV set about 10 years ago - and it took me a while to track down the photos I took way back then.  I don't remember all of the parts I ended up using, but I can reconstruct some of it from the photos.  For the end platforms, I used GMM 160-54, the MDC Gunderson set, unmodified:



Here is a shot of the results from my Picasa archive:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/A6XwBQHrBjh9vLwk9

(I've never been able to figure out how to make these photos appear inline since the switch to Google Photos. I hope the above link works...)  Some notes:

* This set is pretty accurate for the end platforms on a Maxi-IV, except that the upper-most longitudinal walkway is narrower than the prototype.  This is not too glaring though.

* In order to place the end walkway at the correct height, I had to swap out the Kato trucks/couplers for MT's.  I think I made a bolster pad to accommodate the truck kingpin.  This improves the looks of these cars substantially.

For the interior walkways, I fabricated the necessary parts from the Thrall set, but I don't remember exactly how.  I can try to reconstruct it when I return home in a few weeks.  Here is a photo link, but it's not especially helpful:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/aWFbKHt5dFtn6PAn9

Me too.  If I ever get around to it, I'll post it here.

Thanks for sharing your project info.

Although the pair of  images could not be added directly to your post, the photo links worked just fine.

Wow, really like the way the conversion turned out.

As is clearly visible in the comparison between the TTX and BNSF well-cars seen in your photo, this is a huge improvement over the thick, OEM parts.

Unless I happen to stumble upon some of Traincat's discontinued Kato Maxi-IV detail sets, it looks like this might be the preferable approach to use.

Did you use Cyanoacrylate glue to attach the photo-etched parts?

Noticed that you painted the upgrade trucks.

As it is very difficult to get anything to adhere to the plastic that Micro-Trains utilizes for their trucks and couplers, was wondering what brand of paint you elected to use?

Would also like to know what brand and size (i.e., 33" on the inner cars and 36" on the outer ends of the end cars) of metal wheel-sets were incorporated in the upgrade?

[Spades]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/A6XwBQHrBjh9vLwk9

Gary

I love the truck paint/weathering? Can you share the how to?

[James Costello]

Unless I happen to stumble upon some of Traincat's discontinued Kato Maxi-IV detail sets, it looks like this might be the preferable approach to use.

I don't think Bob got the Maxi-IV kits to production, so that's not a viable option.

I'm not sure how many Maxi-I kits got produced, sold or remain in inventory - but they did get released:





I'm not a big fan of how they handgrabs look and I hope I can flatten them out to be a bit more squat. I've got two sets of Maxi-Is stripped and ready for paint, so I really should just get these done and see how the upgrades look.

[GaryHinshaw]

Interesting James.  I didn't realize the Maxi-I set ever saw the light of day.  I agree about the hand grabs looking a bit off - I'll be curious to see what you can do with them.  Are the walkway holes even etched through all the way?  In this shot, it looks like they're not.  And why did Bob mount these on a Maxi-IV?     

Did you use Cyanoacrylate glue to attach the photo-etched parts?

Yes, I'm pretty sure I did.  There is at least one brand of CA now that has a rubberized additive that is supposed to give it a little bit of flexibility after curing.  I think it was Bob Smith Ind., but I'm not 100% sure.  Might be worth a try.

Noticed that you painted the upgrade trucks.

As it is very difficult to get anything to adhere to the plastic that Micro-Trains utilizes for their trucks and couplers, was wondering what brand of paint you elected to use?

Well, back then it would have been Polly Scale Rail Tie Brown.  I might have "etched" the trucks by soaking them in vinegar first, though I don't think that really does very much.   (Mainly I try not to handle the trucks too much.)  Afterwards I dust them with Bragdon powders, which are similar to Pan Pastels.  Nowadays I mostly use BLMA trucks which have a flatter finish that paint adheres better to, and since Polly Scale is kaput, I use Vallejo Air paints, then dust them with Bragdon powders.  I don't have the colour selection handy at the moment though.

Would also like to know what brand and size (i.e., 33" on the inner cars and 36" on the outer ends of the end cars) of metal wheel-sets were incorporated in the upgrade?

I use Fox Valley 33" wheels for the end trucks -- correct for both the Maxi-I and Maxi-IV -- and I stick with the Kato 38" wheels for the 125T articulated trucks.  (BTW, I would love to see FVM come out with a 38" wheel.)

[peteski]

I might have "etched" the trucks by soaking them in vinegar first, though I don't think that really does very much.   (Mainly I try not to handle the trucks too much.)  Afterwards I dust them with Bragdon powders, which are similar to Pan Pastels.  Nowadays I mostly use BLMA trucks which have a flatter finish that paint adheres better to, and since Polly Scale is kaput, I use Vallejo Air paints, then dust them with Bragdon powders.  I don't have the colour selection handy at the moment though.

I figures that since the air-eraser (mini sandblasting gun) is currently being discussed in the 3D section of the forum (for smoothing out 3D printed items) I might as well add that sandblasting the slippery plastic used for trucks and handrails greatly improves paint adhesion.