--- In STMFC@..., Anthony Thompson <thompson@...> wrote:

Bruce Smith wrote:

It was actually a GSC "kit" that a number of railroads including
C&NW, PRR and IRRC, SP purchased and assembled. However, the
Athearn car is fundamentally flawed with a body that is far to tall,
requiring major surgery to create a realistic car. This is one car
that screams for a resin/etch metal version (etched metal for the
deck).

Full agreement. The Athearn span bolster is immensely thick, and
thinning it about 80 per cent (or making a new styrene piece) is the
first essential step to keep the body from riding many feet above the
trucks (or at least that's how it looks). I sincerely doubt the C&NW
or anyone else's car was remotely that high. But more difficult is
fixing the body thickness itself, as Bruce says. You'd have to saw off
the deck, sand down the body and re-install the deck--and again, as
Bruce says, the deck is no prize anyway.
If you thin the span bolster sufficiently, the car can be a
stand-in, but no more. BTW, I think Erie was also among those buying
the GSC kit for home shop assembly.

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

Tony,
My thinking was brass for the span bolster. As far as it being merely a stand-in model, you are probably right but the project seems manageable except for the short wheelbase Dalman trucks I just discovered moments ago.
Gene Green

--- In STMFC@..., "Bruce Smith" <smithbf@...> wrote:

"Gene" <bierglaeser@...> 10/18/09 12:23 PM >>>

Perhaps in defense of Athearn Blue-Box I'd like to point out another kit
that was at least a model of an actual prototype and letter (pretty
much) correctly; their "Heavy Duty Flat" with four trucks lettered for
C&NW #48053. The kit requires some work to get a nice model but it is
better than scratch-building IMHO.

Gene Green

Gene,

It was actually a GSC "kit" that a number of railroads including C&NW,
PRR and IRRC, SP purchased and assembled. However, the Athearn car is
fundamentally flawed with a body that is far to tall, requiring major
surgery to create a realistic car. This is one car that screams for a
resin/etch metal version (etched metal for the deck).

Regards
Bruce

Bruce Smith
Auburn, AL

Thanks for the additional info, Bruce. I have a poor photo of the C&NW car, the photo in the Car Bldr Cyc and the C&NW's equipment diagram. Looks like I put two and two together and got three.

I pulled out the equipment diagram. Top of rail to top of deck should be 4'-1 5/8" so I'll have to dig out the model and have look at that. The Dalman trucks on the C&NW version had a 5'-0" wheelbase. That'll be hard to find. Challenges are easy to find; solutions a bit harder.
Gene Green

Thanks to multiple people, I have answers to questions inside five minutes. Amazing. Thanks to all
who replied.

SGL
La vita e breve, mangiate prima il dolce!







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Schuyler-Small Parts-Miami, FL



Paul Lyons

PSC 32110

Jim Hayes
Portland Oregon
www.sunshinekits.com

Try a local home medical supply firm. Some deal with insulin and similar products. If its the flexible tubing you are referring to they should have that as well. There are various sizes of flexible tubing used for oxygen systems and breathing treatment machines for in home use. If its the syringe bodies you need, they may be allowed to sell those to you without the needles (maybe).

Robert Federle
---- Schuyler Larrabee <schuyler.larrabee@...> wrote:

Page 68 in my HO and HOn3 passenger and Freight car parts catalog No. 4
Listed for HOn3 but work for HO also.



Brian J. Carlson, P.E.

Cheektowaga NY



From: STMFC@... [mailto:STMFC@...] On Behalf Of
Schuyler Larrabee
Sent: Sunday, October 18, 2009 10:35 PM
To: STMFC@...
Subject: [STMFC] Tank car handrail stanchions





During the last few months, I noted (but not well enough) someone mentioning
that Precision Scale
has brass handrail stanchions for tank cars. I've wandered around in various
PSC catalogs I have
here, and done a little on-line searching, but have not found them. Can
someone direct me to the
appropriate listing?

TIA

SGL
La vita e breve, mangiate prima il dolce!

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There's a builder's photo of LV 9952 in Train Shed Cyc #35, p328, and drawings on p329. These are reprinted from the 1919 Car Builder's Dictionary; the car is also pictured in the 1922 Car Builder's Cyc, though I don't know the page offhand.

Al Brown, Melbourne, Fla.

During the last few months, I noted (but not well enough) someone mentioning that Precision Scale
has brass handrail stanchions for tank cars. I've wandered around in various PSC catalogs I have
here, and done a little on-line searching, but have not found them. Can someone direct me to the
appropriate listing?

TIA

SGL
La vita e breve, mangiate prima il dolce!







E-mail message checked by Spyware Doctor (6.1.0.447)
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Ted Culotta refers to hypodermic tubing in his articles. I have come across an application that may
make sense. OK, so where does one find this stuff? I believe that ownership of hypodermic syringes
is still illegal in Massachusetts . . .



SGL
La vita e breve, mangiate prima il dolce!






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I would like to model this car and have the Red Ball kit as a starting point. Does anyone have a source for pictures of this car? Also interested in types of trucks (buckeye?) and wheel size plus any good sources to purchase. Finally, need info on the brake system layout.

Ed Robinson

My Digitrax system has been sold. Thanks for the responses.



Jim King

Smoky Mountain Model Works, Inc.

<http://www.smokymountainmodelworks.com>



From: Jim King [mailto:jimking3@...]
Sent: Sunday, October 18, 2009 6:28 PM
To: (RPM-forum@...); Southern Modeler
(SOUTHERNmodeler@...); (APPALACHIANcoalhauler@...);
(CRRlist@...); (MURPHY_BRANCH_PRJCT@...);
(STMFC@...)
Subject: Brand new Digitrax Super Chief for sale



I've decided to sell my new "duplex" Digitrax Super Chief equipment and move
to NCE. I've used this system to program only 1 engine and it has less than
2 hours use. I got this from a local dealer at his cost and will pass this
on to the first person interested ($446 + shipping).



The system is composed of DCS100 command station/5 amp booster, DT402D
LocoNet radio throttle, UR92 Loconet transceiver panel, PS14 DC power supply
for use w/ UR92, 2 ft of cable, LT1 test kit, Super Chief Xtra manual and
Digitrax decoder manual. All original bags and system box included.



Contact me off list with questions or your confirmation to purchase. Thanks
for help me transition to NCE.



Jim King

Smoky Mountain Model Works, Inc.

<http://www.smokymountainmodelworks.com>

Athearn didn't say they weren't going to produce these models any longer.

They said the KITS were no longer going to be produced.

Their RTR line will, I'm sure continue, using the same tooling that they
have used to produce the kits for the last umpteen years.

I would assume for them this is a simple financial decision.

Let's say the kit costs $3 to mould and pack the parts, and retails for $10.

And the RTR costs $5 to mould, assemble and pack, and retails for $16.

(I actually think the cost would be about the same for either option)

Which would you prefer to sell, if you owned the company?

Cheers

Dave North

FWIW Railworks did the Pennsy version of this car about ten years ago.



Brian J. Carlson, P.E.

Cheektowaga NY



From: STMFC@... [mailto:STMFC@...] On Behalf Of
Anthony Thompson
Sent: Sunday, October 18, 2009 8:16 PM
To: STMFC@...
Subject: Re: [STMFC] heavy duty flat was Athearn Blue Box kits discontinued





Bruce Smith wrote:

It was actually a GSC "kit" that a number of railroads including
C&NW, PRR and IRRC, SP purchased and assembled. However, the
Athearn car is fundamentally flawed with a body that is far to tall,
requiring major surgery to create a realistic car. This is one car
that screams for a resin/etch metal version (etched metal for the
deck).

Full agreement. The Athearn span bolster is immensely thick, and
thinning it about 80 per cent (or making a new styrene piece) is the
first essential step to keep the body from riding many feet above the
trucks (or at least that's how it looks). I sincerely doubt the C&NW
or anyone else's car was remotely that high. But more difficult is
fixing the body thickness itself, as Bruce says. You'd have to saw off
the deck, sand down the body and re-install the deck--and again, as
Bruce says, the deck is no prize anyway.
If you thin the span bolster sufficiently, the car can be a
stand-in, but no more. BTW, I think Erie was also among those buying
the GSC kit for home shop assembly.

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@...
<mailto:thompson%40signaturepress.com>
Publishers of books on railroad history

Dan Stainton wrote:

Sorry you feel that way, but having used both systems, I feel that Digitrax is superior.

This thread is of course off-topic, but I've had the same experience, Dan, and reached the opposite conclusion.

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

Bruce Smith wrote:

It was actually a GSC "kit" that a number of railroads including C&NW, PRR and IRRC, SP purchased and assembled. However, the Athearn car is fundamentally flawed with a body that is far to tall, requiring major surgery to create a realistic car. This is one car that screams for a resin/etch metal version (etched metal for the deck).

Full agreement. The Athearn span bolster is immensely thick, and thinning it about 80 per cent (or making a new styrene piece) is the first essential step to keep the body from riding many feet above the trucks (or at least that's how it looks). I sincerely doubt the C&NW or anyone else's car was remotely that high. But more difficult is fixing the body thickness itself, as Bruce says. You'd have to saw off the deck, sand down the body and re-install the deck--and again, as Bruce says, the deck is no prize anyway.
If you thin the span bolster sufficiently, the car can be a stand-in, but no more. BTW, I think Erie was also among those buying the GSC kit for home shop assembly.

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

Sorry you feel that way, but having used both systems, I feel that Digitrax is superior. Dan Stainton

Just saw some undec. Athearn at Model Railroad Scene @ Mansfield Ohio 419 529 5959
I have a forty foot boxcar which will become a DSSA boxcar someday! 
Mark Morgan