Micro Trains - February 2025 announcements

[mu26aeh]

Why is there a spring at the back of what I assume is the coupler pocket?

It's always the small details that make or brake a model.

That's the backside of the coupler

[Missaberoad]

The backside of the N-Possible coupler.

[Scottl]

I have to say, @turbowhiz is just trolling us now with those coupler shots.

[JoeD]

@JoeD ,  Would I be correct that even though they don't show up in the online graphics, the WP Sugar cars include the roof hatches that are shown in prototype photos of the cars?  I know roof hatches came with the somewhat similar SP cars a couple years ago. 

https://myp48.wordpress.com/2022/08/15/prototype-information-wp-sugar-car/

Yes, they will come with the hatches.  Sorry they didn't show up well in the photos...

Joe

[peteski]

Yes, unfortunately MTL is back to using their "new" diecast wheels with plastic axles.    I discussed the metal wheels with MTL's Eric Smith at the Springfield Amherst  show and he confirmed that those wheels are making return (after we has seen MTL use machined metal 36" wheels used on the TBOX cars).  MTL invested quite a bit of capital in those diecast wheels.

I did let Eric know that I was not thrilled with the diecast metal wheels and their return.

[bigdawgks]

To be fair most people won't care about the cast wheels (and many are still fine running the plastic wheels and pizza cutter flanges), so they will not likely lose any sales over this decision. And I'm sure people without much experience with them may even continue to buy the 403 wheel packs thinking they are an improvement to their old plastic wheels.

But honestly I would rather have the plastic wheels over these cast ones and personally I think MTL has made a grave error investing in these and while it's true that they may be able to sell them to recover some of that cost, it's definitely a step in the wrong direction.

[OldEastRR]

I thought I read somewhere in TRW that MTL now had flathead screws in their coupler assemby kits. But MTL says no. Am I imagining TRW posts now?

[bigdawgks]

They've always been flatheads. Or did you mean countersunk flat top screws?

[bbussey]

I'll bet that hole is there to make assembly of the car more efficient in manufacturing, and the hole size is probably related to the shape of the tool used.

Most likely the hole is there to reduce the chance of shrinkage in the plastic when cooling after being injection-molded.  That's why we have the "hole" on ESM truck pins.

[bbussey]

I'm pretty sure an identical pin is found on the mill gondolas. A solid top version of the same is found on the PS/2 hoppers, not sure if later releases get the hole version, but all of my PS/2 examples have a solid top pin (the gondola/PS2 pins are interchangeable). I think the zinc body of these flats is proving just a little too grippy, and the pins fail on removal. I didn't have this problem with the mill gondola.

Hell, I would try instead M2x4mm or M2x5mm pan head screws (same as on vintage Kato passenger equipment) since the flatcar has the bushing as part of the bolster rather than part of the bolster pin.  I've started designing that in various 3D-printed floor/underframes.  I embed the bushing in the bolster and the coupler pockets in the ends, and I pre-thread the holes so that both M2x5mm and #00-90 fasteners simply screw in.

[OldEastRR]

They've always been flatheads. Or did you mean countersunk flat top screws?

Ah yes - I thought they were countersunk ones. No , just pan heads.

[peteski]

Hmm,  "flathead" does mean the screw will be used in a countersunk hole with the head even with the surface.  the head of a panhead screw will protrude above the surface. Your terminology seems confusing.



 

[OldEastRR]

Hmm,  "flathead" does mean the screw will be used in a countersunk hole with the head even with the surface.  the head of a panhead screw will protrude above the surface. Your terminology seems confusing.

Nobody found me the TRW post that spoke of the new MTL screws, but yes, I thought that MTL switched to "flat" screw heads, but trhey still are "pan" head.

[bigdawgks]

It's confusing because "flat-head" can also refer to a slotted screw/driver, of which the current screws are.

[peteski]

It's confusing because "flat-head" can also refer to a slotted screw/driver, of which the current screws are.

All types of screw heads can be slotted or Philips (and also Allen and Torx).  As I understand "flat head" refers to the flat top surface and tapered sides which are designed to fit into countersunk (82 deg. angle) hole with the head flush with the surface.  I have seen them with both slotted and Philips heads (but most do seem to heave slotted  heads).

The recent MTL coupler mounting screws are steel screws with what looks like slotted pan head (they used to be diecast white metal in the past).

Z scale MTL couplers include brass screws with a unusual compact slotted oval flat head.