Hi, I'm thinking about building some sightseeing cars (hopfully) soon. I have some questions:
- How long do you think I can make it? It will be only a 4 wheel car, and needs to be able to get around 5ft. diameter curves (I know, very tight).
- I am going to obviously need axleboxes/ wheel journals, what do you suggest? I am going to use Bachmann metal wheels.
- Do you think it would be better to use link and pin couplers, or Kadee's? What Kadee couplers would I use?
- How do you make that rounded, curved roof? What materials? What tools?
I will most likely have more questions, so please check back.
I hope that they will look similar to this (but longer):
http://gardenrailway.webs.com/coaches.htm
IRB Souther Engineer - How long do you think I can make it? It will be only a 4 wheel car, and needs to be able to get around 5ft. diameter curves (I know, very tight).
Solid mount, twin axle cars shouldn’t be too long to make your tight curves. I would guess somewhere between 10 ~20 feet. Anything longer will need to have "excess" front & rear overhang needing some form of extended coupler system. If you use a pivoting axle system like Lehmann did (you can still get the pivoting journals) the axles will follow the curve, independent of the car, so car length can be as long as you need (well, to a certain point anyway.)
IRB Souther Engineer - I am going to obviously need axleboxes/ wheel journals, what do you suggest? I am going to use Bachmann metal wheels.
Ozark Miniatures
IRB Souther Engineer - Do you think it would be better to use link and pin couplers, or Kadee's? What Kadee couplers would I use?
I’m thinking you should have better "play action" with link and pin. If you build longer cars with front/rear "overhang" you might consider rooster poles.
IRB Souther Engineer - How do you make that rounded, curved roof? What materials? What tools?
Several possibilites here. #1 cut your curved end panels from thicker materials, get some thin balsa, bend to fit. #2
Block of balsa, sand, slice, carve, cut (your option) to fit.
Tom Trigg
ttrigg IRB Souther Engineer - How long do you think I can make it? It will be only a 4 wheel car, and needs to be able to get around 5ft. diameter curves (I know, very tight). Solid mount, twin axle cars shouldn’t be too long to make your tight curves. I would guess somewhere between 10 ~20 feet. Anything longer will need to have "excess" front & rear overhang needing some form of extended coupler system. If you use a pivoting axle system like Lehmann did (you can still get the pivoting journals) the axles will follow the curve, independent of the car, so car length can be as long as you need (well, to a certain point anyway.) IRB Souther Engineer - I am going to obviously need axleboxes/ wheel journals, what do you suggest? I am going to use Bachmann metal wheels. Ozark Miniatures
10 to 20 ft? I was looking for a car about 12 inches long so in 1:24 a 20ft car would be 10 inches right? I could deal with that.
Ozark Miniatures? I thought so, which ones? I may actualy use Gary Raymond wheels, and cheat using 1:22.5 wheels (since they are on sale, bad idea?). Still Ozark?
Here are a couple of good journals. I’ve used both just fine.
I’ve not used the wheel sets you are looking at, but I’m confident they will work in these journals with a possible bit of opening the bearing sets.
ttrigg Here are a couple of good journals. I’ve used both just fine. http://www.ozarkminiatures.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=309 http://www.ozarkminiatures.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=310 I’ve not used the wheel sets you are looking at, but I’m confident they will work in these journals with a possible bit of opening the bearing sets.
How do are journanals atached to the car? What do you mean "with a possible bit of opening the bearing sets"?
1. The journals glue straight to the frame.
2. All wheel sets have a short “shaft” that fits inside the “truck frame” or journal. Most all are the same length and diameter. A very few have a larger diameter, these will need the journals drilled out a bit so the wheels turn freely.
Okay, now I need some LEDs to stick in the car. Where should I buy them? The car will be running track power, so do I need to add resistors, or how do I wire them up? How do I know which rail is positively charged?
The Home of Articulated Ugliness
ttrigg 1. The journals glue straight to the frame.
Forgot to ask this: What glue do you need for this?
In my case I need the following, bottle of acetone (fingernail polish remover), old towels and adult supervision (the wife) as I glue myself to the journals with extreme regularity.
You meant what kind of glue? CAA (super glue)
ttrigg In my case I need the following, bottle of acetone (fingernail polish remover), old towels and adult supervision (the wife) as I glue myself to the journals with extreme regularity. You meant what kind of glue? CAA (super glue)
Ya, I meant the kind of glue...
By the way thanks for all your help, I am hoping to start building next week!
Another question about the journals:
on this one what does the circled part do? I like the other journal you recomended because it's sprung, but the one below seems like more like something that would be on a sightseeing car. What do you think?
OK, try the picture again. I went inside and saw that you used a picture location inside your google mail account. Put the picture over on a picture server and repost. or just email to me at rosebudfallsgrr@cox.net
The first one is for heavy freight loads. The second is more for light pax service.
ttrigg OK, try the picture again. I went inside and saw that you used a picture location inside your google mail account. Put the picture over on a picture server and repost. or just email to me at rosebudfallsgrr@cox.net The first one is for heavy freight loads. The second is more for light pax service.
So you think I should use the second one? What is that part I circled?
IRB Souther Engineer So you think I should use the second one? What is that part I circled?
If I was building a tourist car, that is the one I would use. Without a picture I cannot tell what you circled. I’m going to stab at a guess that you are talking about the small square piece to the right, if so, that is the journal oiling port (I know it has a real name but I’m very sleepy and cannot remember). In the model it serves absolutely no purpose other that to have another piece to super glue into position.
Yes it is the piece on the right. So I shouldn't even bother to glue it on?
YES!!! By all means GLUE it on! The journal looks incomplete without it.
ttrigg YES!!! By all means GLUE it on! The journal looks incomplete without it.
Okay then, where does that part go.
So it goes on top of the axle box thing.
yep
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