simond
Western Thunderer
don't forget the not-inconsiderable mass of the brake discs - it's 1988 since I was involved so memories are hazy but I'm thinking of something around 120kg per disc, maybe a bit more. And 2, 3 or even 4 discs per axle
Mickoo's American Modelling Empire
- Thread starter mickoo
- Start date
don't forget the not-inconsiderable mass of the brake discs - it's 1988 since I was involved so memories are hazy but I'm thinking of something around 120kg per disc, maybe a bit more. And 2, 3 or even 4 discs per axle
Big Train James
Western Thunderer
Not quite true. There are no straps, but there are retainer keys. Or I should say there are provisions for retainer keys. In the US, they are often left uninstalled. So clearly there must not be a mandate for their use. I suspect that they come from the manufacturer installed, and last until the first wheelset replacement.
Missing retainers would be mounted through the inside pedestal jaw, with a fastener through the hole in the bottom.
This truck has the retainers installed.
A bit more from the side.
And the key itself.
Big Train James
Western Thunderer
I thought I read somewhere that a US truck weighed somewhere around five to six thousand pounds. It's a vague memory though.
mickoo
Western Thunderer
Everyday is a school day 
Here's one with (RH) and without (LH).
Of course the only down side to this new found information......is that I am now compelled to add this feature.
One thing to note in the above truck is that the car is fully loaded, all of the bolster springs are fully compressed, I used to sit in Cajon pass and watch manifests roll by and look to see if they were loaded or empty (I blame the midday sun!), trying to work out why the hell they put empty center beams in the middle of mile long consists and then drag them up a 3% grade and around sharp curves.
I suspect those cars are almost exactly mid train or where buffing forces are close to zero due to the DPU dispositions. I did also on several occasions look for the one or two slack couplers mid train where the change from pulling to pushing occurs (again the midday sun may have been a factor in this activity), I never did find it, but I did notice couplers pulled right out at the head end and right in at the tail end ahead of the DPU's.
on the side of the draft box there is drift key through the coupler to retain it in the pocket, much like the bearing key. The key moves in a slot depending on load, it's a little detail I want to try and add to some of my stock, which of course means hacking Kaydee's and a new form of draft box assembly.
One other aspect not often modeled is the bright face to the inside of the wheel rim, caused by passing through guarded frogs I suspect.
Here's one with (RH) and without (LH).Of course the only down side to this new found information......is that I am now compelled to add this feature.
One thing to note in the above truck is that the car is fully loaded, all of the bolster springs are fully compressed, I used to sit in Cajon pass and watch manifests roll by and look to see if they were loaded or empty (I blame the midday sun!), trying to work out why the hell they put empty center beams in the middle of mile long consists and then drag them up a 3% grade and around sharp curves.
I suspect those cars are almost exactly mid train or where buffing forces are close to zero due to the DPU dispositions. I did also on several occasions look for the one or two slack couplers mid train where the change from pulling to pushing occurs (again the midday sun may have been a factor in this activity), I never did find it, but I did notice couplers pulled right out at the head end and right in at the tail end ahead of the DPU's.
on the side of the draft box there is drift key through the coupler to retain it in the pocket, much like the bearing key. The key moves in a slot depending on load, it's a little detail I want to try and add to some of my stock, which of course means hacking Kaydee's and a new form of draft box assembly.
One other aspect not often modeled is the bright face to the inside of the wheel rim, caused by passing through guarded frogs I suspect.
mickoo
Western Thunderer
Well, being a smug git and thinking there were none, I didn't actually watch the video....yet
Scale7JB
Western Thunderer
Yeah, don't quote me on it..Well, being a smug git and thinking there were none, I didn't actually watch the video....yet
JB.
Big Train James
Western Thunderer
I don't see him put anything in place, but I do hear him say that the chains are in to retain the truck assembly, and then that the frame keys are good, the frame key being what I showed above. So one way or another, everything is held in place at least temporarily.
This is another video that I think is pretty neat, and they do a decent job of explaining what the process is and what parts are involved.
This is another video that I think is pretty neat, and they do a decent job of explaining what the process is and what parts are involved.
Jordan
Mid-Western Thunderer
Yorkshire Dave
Western Thunderer
If you are using Kadees then the easy way is to make 3D prints of the keys and a representation of the slot and stick them on the sides of the draft box. However the Kadee draft box is wider than the scale Protocraft version to allow for the coupler bar swing.
Yorkshire Dave
Western Thunderer
mickoo
Western Thunderer
The plan was to have the coupler drift key as part of the coupler shank so that it moved back and forth under load, perhaps a step too far
mickoo
Western Thunderer
Depends which glasses I have on, or none, reallyIf you can see it - model it
mickoo
Western Thunderer
By complete surprise I have been gifted this little gem. Overall I'm not one for what I call the 'critter' brigade and would normally walk right past this sort of stuff, but it is kind of growing on me and i may have a use for it on the layout.
It's in the right colours and Railroad plus, very nicely made with respectable detailing for a brass model, I believe these are all RTR short run models from Rich Yoder.
The fly in the ointment is that SP #1 whilst being a genuine 1:1 engine should be (as far as my limited research today has shown) 36" narrow gauge, indeed the RTR models do also come in On3 gauge as stock, google shows those up readily, less so the O gauge version.
SP did run a small 36" gauge railway for many years with 4-6-0 engines, quite dinky and appealing, sadly the location is some remote and far from the hubbub of industry I'd like to model. I think #1 was the last engine they purchased for that line which closed a while after it's arrival. I have no idea if #1 then became converted to standard gauge or went into preservation as a 36" version aka remained 36" gauge through out or went standard and then back to 36". The two types of trucks are readily available and fully interchangeable from what I've read.
The only alternative is rule #1 and sod it it was re-gauged and used as is or look for a SP standard gauge prototype and renumber. There are very similar versions on SP in standard gauge but most are noted as 70T engines, not sure on the detail differences but a lot of these critters seem to be a mish mash of bespoke bits cross pollinated across several types.
Either way, it's a very nice RTR model with DC/DCC (auto detect) and I believe sound too and in factory fresh mint condition.
It's in the right colours and Railroad plus, very nicely made with respectable detailing for a brass model, I believe these are all RTR short run models from Rich Yoder.
The fly in the ointment is that SP #1 whilst being a genuine 1:1 engine should be (as far as my limited research today has shown) 36" narrow gauge, indeed the RTR models do also come in On3 gauge as stock, google shows those up readily, less so the O gauge version.
SP did run a small 36" gauge railway for many years with 4-6-0 engines, quite dinky and appealing, sadly the location is some remote and far from the hubbub of industry I'd like to model. I think #1 was the last engine they purchased for that line which closed a while after it's arrival. I have no idea if #1 then became converted to standard gauge or went into preservation as a 36" version aka remained 36" gauge through out or went standard and then back to 36". The two types of trucks are readily available and fully interchangeable from what I've read.
The only alternative is rule #1 and sod it it was re-gauged and used as is or look for a SP standard gauge prototype and renumber. There are very similar versions on SP in standard gauge but most are noted as 70T engines, not sure on the detail differences but a lot of these critters seem to be a mish mash of bespoke bits cross pollinated across several types.
Either way, it's a very nice RTR model with DC/DCC (auto detect) and I believe sound too and in factory fresh mint condition.
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Northroader
Western Thunderer
I gather it was built as a standard gauge GE 50 tonner, and had 3’ bogies, whoops - trucks, fitted to work the Laws branch, then ended up in Mexico. It’s looks great as a standard gauge job, though, just right.
mickoo
Western Thunderer
Appreciated, I didn't think Rich Yoder would do a standard gauge version if there wasn't a prototype, this RTR looks to be near the top end quality wise and not the sort of shinanigans of Atlas and MTH trainset going on's.
mickoo
Western Thunderer
I might get the book anyway, I like books and one day...you never know
.I do like the SP 4-6-0's
Full of character and charm
More railroad, I thought about that and I don't think you will, it's still O gauge, buildings, scenery and real estate are all still the same size/volume.
You'll gain with tighter curves but how much tighter, some of the modern standard gauge freight cars will go around 150 radius curves for real, which is scale 3 foot so model compensated wise lets say 24", you'd not want to send GEVO's or ACes round that but the GE-50T or the MP15 would be more at home.
Curves are a funny thing, sharp curves have less impact the lower you are in relation the model ground level, I aim to be around 48" layout height, both JB and Jason noted higher layouts sneak tighter curves past the eye better.
I'm limiting myself to shorter stock for that reason, 24" is too tight unless it's partially hidden between buildings lets say, coupling and uncoupling on those sorts of curves will be hard so they'll not be in car spotting places as such.
A lot of the import brass won't go below 72" so they're out of the equation and has kind of split the hobby into two distinct areas, the collection and the play trains/layout.
I can't keep wishing for more space and dreaming of sweeping curves and 100 car trains, I've had to get tighter and closer, not a bad thing and a gradual process for sure but at least it's something achievable.
mickoo
Western Thunderer
Nice thought but not really suitable for the sort of area and industries I wish to model, besides this is standard gauge and did run as standard gauge so I'll keep it as such