Running Bear's April 2020 Coffee Shop


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kbkchooch said:
Patrick, I have replaced all my plastic wheels (about 350 cars worth) with metal. about half were replaced with Proto 2000 wheels, the rest were mostly Kadee. I tried Intermountain, but getting the proper fit in the truck was a bit of a bother with them. The P2K and KD wheels too the least amount of "adjusting". View attachment 47436
By adjusting, if you find a tight axle, use a reamer (available from Micro Mark or your LHS) to add a little play to a tight axle fit, all to reduce friction and decrease rolling resistance. And yes, you don't have to replace the whole truck, just the wheel sets.
I did find a quick tutorial covering the basics .....

I other thing I do is paint each wheel set with rail brown or rust before I replace them. Saves me a step later on weathering.
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I use JB wheels. They seem to roll the best.
 
Good morning. I've been AWOL again. We finally have some warm weather and I have been taking advantage of it. Went up flying for a few hours yesterday. I guess I can call that my input to social distancing. Just got back from the groomers with the dog. She was starting to look like dust mop. While I was out I got a birthday card for the wife, went to the hardware store to pick up a few items and went through the car wash. I haven't connected the front hydrant on the house up yet as there is still a change of some freezing temps up here. &0's yesterday and the mid 70's again today.

Louis - Always enjoy your photos. Very sorry to hear about your loss.

Johnny - One thing to keep in mind is that when you finally find a new train room with a house attached, not more temporary layouts and you may have more room than you have now. As others have mentioned, there is really no reason to leave just because you don't have a layout. I haven't done any work on my layout for quite a while and may have to tear it down if we do decide to move, but I know that I am still interested in the hobby and really enjoy seeing what others are up to. I know that if we do move, I will most likely NOT start another layout at my age.

Joe - Great photos. Keep them coming.

Garry - Interesting photos. I wouldn't even want to think about trying to move my layout. It is built in 8' sections,., most of which are bolted together but to try to find another place with room ??? I would probably just sell out and enjoy looking at other layouts.

Willie - Enjoyed your photos as usual. Sorry to hear about the grasshopper infestation.

Curt - Good photos. When is bench work and track laying going to start?

Karl - I can sure understand your frustration with the hand rails. Plastic ones are a pain to work with but brass is worse.

Think I'll make an early lunch and go outside and enjoy the warm weather.

Here are a couple of photos from the South Shore Line. The first photo is of their old steel cars which I can remember riding on and the second of what that have now. Never got to ride on the new ones.

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Later
 
Patrick said:
Willie: I know the BB models use plastic wheel sets and should be replaced (in my case a money permits). What do you replace them with and is it the wheels only or the entire truck?

Guy: Thanks for posting the cabins. They'd look great modeled!
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I agree with Karl. I mostly replace them with Kadee 33" smooth back wheelsets. The original P2K wheelsets were great as well. When Walther's took over that product line, they re-tooled them as simply Proto. OK except that they are so shiny that you can see your own reflection in them. They also lack the detail of the originals. Intermountain are acceptable, but their axles are .010" shorter, but work well for tighter trucks. Most if not all Athearn RTR freight cars have metal wheels on them, which I assume are made by Athearn as they do not have the same backside profile as others. They are still good though.
As far as trucks are concerned, I never replace them unless there is an obvious defect. In my opinion, Athearn trucks are top quality, even the old Blue Box ones. Occasionally you have to file some flashing off them. Another source of high quality truck are the Accurail ones. I use the "truck tuner" or reamer on all of my trucks prior to a freight car ever going on the layout. Sometimes you get some scrapings, sometimes not.
Undoubtedly there are other brands, Jaybee comes to mind. But I can only comment on those that I have tried.
 
Happy Birthday, Bobs!

Karl, something got on that nice photo of the GG1. Back in the day, I made many sets of handrails for various models with Athearn parts. When they switched to plastic, I realized how primitive they are but then the plastic ones are all crooked and flimsy. Even so called "state of the art" models where the manufacturer went to the trouble of tooling several handrail molds for different shrink rates of different colors still are not straight, in any direction.

Willie, I'm glad to hear the prime rib was a success. I guess I missed the message with your address. I would have come, I don't have a lot going on right now.

I also replace plastic wheels, I like Intermountain's semi scale wheels. Cars 70 ton capacity and less usually had 33" wheels and above had 36" wheels. 125 ton trucks like the centers of articulated stack cars often have 38" wheels.

Chet, you are a pilot? As beautiful as Montana is from the ground, I bet it's magnificent from the air.

Have a good day, Everybody!
 
Afternoon All,

Started out today doing the monthly Wally World trip...:(. After lunch I put on the shingles on the lower tipple roof (the largest). I forgot how tedious this part of a build is.

Thank you for the photo likes yesterday.

Karl- Nice recovery. Very nice tin sign.

Louis- That is very cool. I often wonder how humanity has survived for as long as it has because of the general level of stupidity.

Patrick- Interesting RR beans!:)

Willie- Nice looking buildings, rail cars, and locomotives.

Sherrel- Thank you. Don't worry I have your back from all the meanies here!

Chet- Thank you. I went up in a small plane (Dad's friend) when I was around 8 but did not like it at all. I plan on starting the layout when I finish the major structures that I need. I have 4 more to do, but they aren't as complex as the mine. I did this originally and it worked out well for me. Nice pictures and great video. There's one at Horseshoe Curve I believe was videoed in 1919. If I remember right it was a Edison Film. Very cool.

Joe- Good luck with the track project. Take a picture when you're done. Great photo.

Bob- Happy Birthday.

I hope everyone has a good night.
 
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