Lowering FVM PS5344 boxcars

[Ed Kapuscinski]

There were some that were 100T, but most were 70T

Well damn. Guess I better swap in some 70T trucks then.

@amato1969 take note

[Ed Kapuscinski]

If you don't have a problem with Accumates, the coupler box doesn't need any modifications to mount it without the lid, and the lack of a spring makes the couplers easier to install without the lid.

Ooh! Nice! I'll try that on my next victims.

[squirrelhunter]

Well damn. Guess I better swap in some 70T trucks then.

@amato1969 take note

This is where an ORER is very helpful- the Apalachicola Northern car had a 77 ton capacity, so I think 70 ton trucks are appropriate..

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I've done it.

http://conrail1285.com/lowering-fox-valley-models-50-foot-boxcars/

Don't the numbs on the coupler aid in centering it? I thought that without the numbs, the coupler would just flop all over the place.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Don't the numbs on the coupler aid in centering it? I thought that without the numbs, the coupler would just flop all over the place.

They do, although in my experience with the cars I've done it hasn't been a big enough issue to even register.

[Frank Amato]

Well damn. Guess I better swap in some 70T trucks then.

@amato1969 take note

Roger that!  I have a copy of Eric Neaubauer's FMC boxcar book somewhere, that has everything you need to know about these cars.

http://www.ericsrailroadcarhistory.com

  Frank

[cjm413]

Roger that!  I have a copy of Eric Neaubauer's FMC boxcar book somewhere, that has everything you need to know about these cars.

http://www.ericsrailroadcarhistory.com

  Fran

A good resource, but not very useful for a car built by Pullman-Standard 

Rail Model Journal covered the PS 5344 after the Athearn HO model was released.

For the FVM FMC 5347, check out FCJ #1
http://dgcasdor.ipower.com/dgcasdorph/id10.html

[squirrelhunter]

So in my quest to try an get all my plate B , plate C, etc. cars to be about the same height, I made some quick and dirty clearance plates. I don't have a ruler that would let me get to the necessary thousands of an inch to get the size exactly right, but I rounded to the closest mm and went with it. And since N scale details like roof rib seams can be oversize, I figured a little "grace" on the upper end wouldn't hurt.

I also used Plate E because the max height is only 3 inches greater than Plate C and I figured cars being .01875 inches too high was not going to be noticeable.



Anyways, I found that my modified PS 5344 fit through my Plate E clearance jig, so mission accomplished.

However, I found out my entire fleet of FVM boxcars and my IM PS 5277's ride high, so now I have a new mission!

[nkalanaga]

I made a Plate B much like that, and it's come in very handy.  Mine is cut from heavy cardstock (basically the stuff that used to come in shirts), with wood bracing, but it works the same, and has come in very handy for lowering boxcars.

[cjm413]

So in my quest to try an get all my plate B , plate C, etc. cars to be about the same height, I made some quick and dirty clearance plates. I don't have a ruler that would let me get to the necessary thousands of an inch to get the size exactly right, but I rounded to the closest mm and went with it. And since N scale details like roof rib seams can be oversize, I figured a little "grace" on the upper end wouldn't hurt.

I also used Plate E because the max height is only 3 inches greater than Plate C and I figured cars being .01875 inches too high was not going to be noticeable.



Anyways, I found that my modified PS 5344 fit through my Plate E clearance jig, so mission accomplished.

However, I found out my entire fleet of FVM boxcars and my IM PS 5277's ride high, so now I have a new mission!

Given I don't have enough BLMA (or ESM) trucks to go around, I've done a temporary fix on the some of the cars that come with truck mounted couplers by filing down the bolsters, snipping off the coupler boxes, and mounting 1015's to the frame. 

The end result is not low enough, but it does make a noticeable difference and at least gives me cars with frame-mounted couplers until I get around to the permanent fix.

[nkalanaga]

Could you trim the stops inside the body, so the frame will sit further into the body?  The brake detail might not hang quite low enough, but most visitors would notice the high roof before the brake rigging.

[cjm413]

Could you trim the stops inside the body, so the frame will sit further into the body?  The brake detail might not hang quite low enough, but most visitors would notice the high roof before the brake rigging.

That would require a bit more work, but it would spare the extra expense of buying underslung trucks and couplers.

[Frank Amato]

I spent a few hours with one of my Fox Valley boxcars, lowering the bolsters and making a cushioned coupler mount from Evergreen channel:



I used Micro-Trains Barber trucks to match the prototype (3 springs showing).  Here it is coupled to an Athearn SEICO boxcar:



  Frank

[Mark5]

Nice work Frank! What size Evergreen piece(s) did you use?

Mark

[Frank Amato]

Appreciate the comments Mark @Mark5 !  I used 3/16" Evergreen channel (SKU 266); it was the narrowest that I could jam the Micro-Trains 1015 guts into.

I had to sand the "top" to fit snug against the bottom of the etched platform, and as you can see there are a few ugly gaps in the closeup!

While doing this work, I realized that the ends of these Fox Valley cars are why they sit too high.  The end ladders sit too low - they should line up with the side ladders.  Otherwise these are great cars, they just need a little TLC in the ride height department.

  Frank