A few modeling ideas...

[Anonymous]

I have finally found a good way to convert the NEM coupler pockets on Trix cars to American pockets. After looking at a Athearn underframe, I realized that the pockets do not hold in the couplers with screws, therefore they could go over the hole in the Trix underframe. I cut the pockets off the Athearn frame and am going to put them on my Trix car later today.

I have also noticed lately there has been a few posts about building basic car kits. If you are like me and like well-detailed models, you may want to eventually try building a Bowser, Red Caboose, or Branchline car kit. Here are a few lessons I've learned about high end, delicate kits (some of them, the hard way, aka ruining a model.)

1. Use free-flowing plastic cement such as Tenax 7R for plastic to plastic joints, and apply the glue from the inside of the joint when possible. It is also wise to buy a glue applicator for solvent cement, as this makes fine-detail work with separate grabs and stirrup steps a lot easier.

2. Look over a kit before buying it to see if it is easy enough for you. A good high end kit to try when you think you can build one is the Red Caboose HO scale flat car. I just built one yesterday, and as a novice who has only built 3 detailed kits, I can tell you it is very easy to assemble.

3. Don't rush yourself, and only cut off the parts on a sprue you need on the next step. Also, hold the part your cutting off, as these small plastic pieces will often fly off onto the floor, never to be seen again.

4. Use as little plastic cement as you can on joints, because the joint will adhere and look better if you use only a small drop.

5. Build a few Athearn Blue Box or Accurail kits before trying a more delicate kit. This is a warning I didn't heed, and instead the first car kit I built was a R.C. wood reefer-and that didn't go so well. Even if you don't like the looks of molded-on details, you can always change a boxcar into a track cleaning car, or put a large load on a flatcar to hide the out of scale details.

Happy modeling

[Anonymous]

Hi CJM89,

Wonder why you want to convert the NEM Coupler pockets!?

Kadee sells the NEM362 couplers no: 17, 18, 19 and 20!
guess it would save a lot of work and is much easier, a child could do that.
Or is something wrong with those couplers of kadee???
Kind regards
Cor

[Anonymous]

I wanted to use Kadee #58s that I have on everything else, and get the coupler closer to the body. I see you're from the Netherlands, so European couplers are the standard for you, aren't they? The car runs fine as ever after its new couplers, and the NEM's were a little under NMRA specs for coupler height.

[Anonymous]

yes i am from The Netherlands but have beside my Dutch trains with roco couplers, Americans trains all with Kadee.

I will see if i can get some kadee couplers for Nem pockets and convert one of my Dutch cars to kadee. (don't have a American car with Nem pockets)
it shouln't give height differends because thats where NEM standaards are for, ain't it !? but ofcourse its not a number #58

Brgds
Cor