An N-Possible journal

[garethashenden]

It’s a Red Caboose X29.

Edit: I have a few others in PRR schemes that shouldn't need the extended draft gear. I'll get one of those converted at some point too, I suspect short-shank, but I'm not sure. It will be an improvement over their current Rapidos...

[GaryHinshaw]

Cool.  I added these to the index and introduced a new acronym: cbx =  custom box.  Please consider making custom print files available when they're mature.

[turbowhiz]

Kato CoalPorters

Turns out these are a fairly straightforward body mount conversion using a 101-SBX. Grant has a great detailed tutorial video on his YouTube member channel (top notch content there) on how he approached converting these cars to MTL body mounts, and I’ve taken a similar approach.

I decided to keep the Kato trucks, since they’re actually decent in their own right. Grant chose to re-truck the cars with Atlas/BLMA trucks, but the ditch the suspension approach is identical. The Kato trucks without nubs ride lower then the BLMA, so you don’t need a washer if you’re going the BLMA route.

High level steps:
Remove trucks
Drill m1.2 hole as shown.. You want the box pushed out a fair bit to match the prototype.




Pull out suspension spring
Cut/mill down the inner ridges supporting the suspension spring (otherwise your wheels will drag badly.. Necessary step!)



Cut off the suspension knubs and coupler off the stock trucks





On ONE end, file down the bolster inner section to be flush with the truck, so you can tighten the one truck to have no rocking. Leave the other truck loose, and you end up with better uneven track handling this way then the stock Kato setup.
Mount the NP 101-SBX WITH a hat



Use a Kadee 209 (.010 gray) washer under the trucks, gets the coupler height perfect. Note that by removing the Kato factory suspension you lower the ride height a lot more then the washer is shimming back.

[OrangeAnon]

This is exactly what I was planning, but it's made a bit difficult with the metal frame.  Did you use a drill press to make the new hole?

Yes! I bought the Innocraftsman mini drill press on a whim and it's proved itself quite useful.

[MILWcoastdiv]

Hi all, can someone point me in the right direction in regards to putting the N-P SBX into the MTL coupler height gauge?  With the SBX installed the coupler [ Guests cannot view attachments ] seems too high or suggesting that all my rolling stock couplers are too low.  Is .2" at the coupler center line correct?
 
Thanks
Mario

[jpwisc]

The Athearn acid tank car was an easy swap, and it makes a massive difference in looks!
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[Jimbo]

Hi all, can someone point me in the right direction in regards to putting the N-P SBX into the MTL coupler height gauge?  With the SBX installed the coupler (Attachment Link) seems too high or suggesting that all my rolling stock couplers are too low.  Is .2" at the coupler center line correct?
 
Thanks
Mario

Yours looks the same way I mounted mine, except you appear to be using a long-shank coupler.  (Not that I would expect any difference in height.). What rolling stock are you converting?  I’ve had at least one conversion that was, in fact, too low.

Per the n-possible website, coupler center line should be 5.5mm, or 0.217”.
https://www.n-possible.com/resources/sbx-assembly-instructions

Hope this helps.

Jim

[OrangeAnon]

First application I've personally found so far for the medium shank, Micro Trains ACF 3-bay covered hoppers.
Scalebox, no hat, trim the top lip, and filing a slight notch in the end cage piece is likely necessary.

[turbowhiz]

Hi all, can someone point me in the right direction in regards to putting the N-P SBX into the MTL coupler height gauge?  With the SBX installed the coupler (Attachment Link) seems too high or suggesting that all my rolling stock couplers are too low.  Is .2" at the coupler center line correct?
 
Thanks
Mario

The centerline should be NMRA spec @ 0.216"/ 5.5 MM (we can get all fussy about a thou here, but its not significant)

A couple of things to look out for:

First if you're using the 1055 on code 55 or less, the inside alignment sections can bottom out and cause it to read high; It looks like that could be happening in your picture. I find a section of unitrack is well suited for using the 1055 gauge to measure heights.

Secondly sometimes the bottom of the SBX coupler box can have burrs that can raise the box a hair in the gauge too. It shouldn't cause a massive delta, but it can cause subtle error of a few thou high.

[turbowhiz]

Prairie Shadows PSC Caboose [2nd Run] (If its lit, its 1st Run. If its unlit, its 2nd run)

301-URS, mimics (not perfectly, prototype has center of car cushioning) the prototype cushioning configuration.

Box needs space milled behind


I use a burr bit on a dremel, makes short and easy work of this task


URS shim installed


Coupler installed, remove the full length of the retainer spring post extension on for this install


A hint low but nothing to worry about

[CNscale]

Hmm... my Prairie Shadows PSC van looks different:

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[turbowhiz]

Hmm... my Prairie Shadows PSC van looks different:

(Attachment Link)

Looks to be a first run vs 2nd run difference. My example is from the 2nd run recently produced. From the looks of it the first run has a separate box, not quite sure what’s going on with the post thing in the picture… in any case, 201 or 301 SBX I’d say, depending on preference.

[jpwisc]

Hmm... my Prairie Shadows PSC van looks different:

I also have a first run Rapido, Prairie Shadows did a different coupler box on the last run. Smart upgrade.

[James Costello]

Athearn ABOX photos of an URS Medium conversion. Full circle moment for me, I learned how to body-mount MTLs on MDC boxcars back ~30 years ago.

Dremel out the back of the cast-on metal box and good to go. Supplied Athearn trucks for now, but coupler height works out fine.

[James Costello]

BLMA / Atlas BX-166 family of beer boxes - these come supplied with MTL couplers body mounted, so I wasn't expecting any issues with coupler height for an URS conversion. The coupler box is integrated into the very detailed underframe, which wasn't simple to just expand a little, so these got the dremel treatment at the same time as the others. I'm not sure what shank length I'll end up sticking with for these - this might be a long and I'll probably drop it back to a medium.