While I have an idea that this is an apparatus for packing freight into a box car, can anyone tell me exactly what a "railroad car squeezer" is?
Thanks.
Bob Chaparro
Hemet, CA

This is a copy of my reply to the same inquiry made recently on the
Passenger Car List:

Three lessons from life about the useful application of ACC from tubes:

1) When puncturing the tube opening, avoid any inadvertent squeezing
of the tube so that the contents are not under pressure to pour out.

2) *Never (ever!) allow these tubes to rest in any other position but
UPRIGHT (I keep square styrofoam scraps with V-shaped cuts in the
middle designed to hold these tubes)*.

These simple two directives above will result of having a tube of ACC
that- a) can last usable for months on end; and b) has a tip free
of any clogging.

3) Do not apply glue directly from tube, but only into a tiny
intermediate puddle (Westerfield technique) from which actual
application is made by needle or similar. Even then, let the glue flow
from the tip without squeezing the tube except perhaps with
imperceptible pressure at the very bottom.

Instead of glass for puddling, I use small squares of aluminum foil
reinforced by folding the edges. I puddle the very tiniest drop, and
I use steel sewing needle applicators in holders (superior!), rather
than pins. I keep an old razor blade handy to constantly "peel" off
any dried ACC on the applicator tip.

I purchase Asian-produced ACC tubes in bulk at flea markets for about
@ $0.15, and have been doing so for some years. Occasionally, I get a
dry tube, or a tube of ACC that sets so fast one does not have time to
work it, but on balance this stuff does exactly what I want and expect
it to do at very little cost. My current tube was opened for use this
past May, and the tube, the applicator, and the glue remain quite
usable.

Denny


Denny S. Anspach MD
Sacramento

I just logged on to BSI to remind myself of their offerings which are extensive. They have a new 3/4 oz. container with a built-in pin to help keep the nozzle clear and open, which looks good to me.

I usually use small tubes purchased in bubble packs of 6-1o tubes at some place like Home Depot where the stock turns over.

I like these tubes as I can use on up easily before the contents go bad. I use the little "frosted" plastic bags that the detail parts come in as pallets and an insect pin to pick up the glue to transfer to the joint.

I am going to try some of the BSI offerings.

"Lock-Tight" is another brand to investigate. I have had good experience with their shelf lifes.

Bill Welch

I'm with those who don't like the applicator tubes and prefer
using a pin as an applicator. I've been impressed with the Bob Smith
Industries CA packaging, with a tip which doesn't ever seem to clog,
though it's too large to use as an applicator by itself.

Tony Thompson Editor, Signature Press, Berkeley, CA
2906 Forest Ave., Berkeley, CA 94705 www.signaturepress.com
(510) 540-6538; fax, (510) 540-1937; e-mail, thompson@...
Publishers of books on railroad history

This is a Walter Lucas book that I did not have in my Library (three other titles by him that I do have are 100 Years of Classic Steam Locomotives, Locomotives and Cars Since 1900, and 100 Years of Railroad Cars). <

Free pdf download from Google books: http://www.google.com/books?id=ryhSAAAAMAAJ <

I think everyone in HO is envious and wishes Rich did cars in that scale,
too. His C&O cars are beautiful, as are all his PRR models.

Elden Gatwood

I would like to hear what others are using for applicator tips for ACC glue bottles.

How do you keep them from clogging?

How do you clean them out when clogged?

In particular, I have been using some applicators that fit onto the bottle top. They have a metal tube that is quite small -- I only use them for the thin liquid ACC. They are great for this purpose, giving very good control of the thin glue that tends to run otherwise.

Nevertheless, they clog after a few uses and I haven't figured out any way to clean them out -- I don't have any wire or drills small enough to fit into the tiny tubes and ACC debonder doesn't seem to work.

Thanks
Rick Stern

John, Ed Hawkins previously posted that 867000-867999 match
the Kadee model.

Tim O'Connor

Here's an interesting announcement (scroll to bottom): Kadee offset hoppers in NYC.
http://www.kadee.com/ca/preorder.htm
I'm not familiar with the detail idiosyncrasies of the NYC prototypes versus the stock Kadee model, but I'll probably be a customer regardless.
John

I thought it was the AAR alternate standard car, which has never been
done by anyone, has it?

Schuyler Larrabee says about the alternative standard:

Vote No. 2.

Vote No. 3.

I have a video showing two such C&O cars in a train on the UP in the
Whasatch Mtns in Utah. To get there from the east you have to go up that
Hill...Lee? Johnston? Beauregard? Custer? Davis? JEB Stuart? Anyhow...

I actually just get tired of seeing those AAR Standard C&O hoppers on
layouts. Yuk.

Mike Brock