Metal Reefer Stirrups Available?

[Attuvian1]

Update:  Lee Ryan at Intermountain says their details are molded styrene.

[Attuvian1]

Ron High

here is an Accurail part for their steel reefers @ 3 for 2.98. I think they may be Delrin.

https://www.accurail.com/accurail/Direct/Underframe/180.JPG

Ron High

Ron,

Thanks for finding these.  Eric Cote at Accurail confirms that the sprues are molded in hi-melt delrin.

John

[Attuvian1]

gmpullman

This seller at eBay has them for $15 ea. which includes shipping:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/225070721248?hash=item346742a8e0:g:kzcAAOSwAY1izOqG

Perhaps contact him to see if you can buy more at a "combined" shipping fee?

This brings the repair to $7.50/car. Not cheap but better than the Yarmouth minimum plus shipping.

The Yarmouth ones are nice since the tabs are designed to exactly fit the original groove of the styrene originals. Cleaning out the groove where the styrene ones were once glued can be a chore, though.

Good Luck, Ed

 

Ed,

 

The ones on eBay somehow escaped me yesterday.  Thanks.  I may end up contacting the vendor.

 

I noted the non-standard tabs for the Yarmouth stirrups and concluded that they were etched to fit IM cars (presuming their kits as well as their RTRs).  I was not looking forward to reaming or cleaning out the slots.  Wonder if that old bottle of Mercury Adhesives M68DB debonder would help.  I guess that depends on what the IM folks used to secure the originals.

 

For all that matter, perhaps I should contact Intermountain directly.  The last time I called them was years ago, looking for an orphan tender for one of their Espee cab-forwards.  Their customer service was phenomenal - as was their price (in a good sense).

 

John

[Attuvian1]

wrench567

 John.

 Did you take a look at the ASM link I posted? A number of metal stirrups on the list.

 

I did.  The particular ones that I'm looking for are the double stirrup with the slanted side frames.  Kinda like ASM's passenger ones, but in the shape of a trapezoid. Thanks for the site, though.  I will add it to the list of options for other items.

[gmpullman]

Attuvian1

Well, I have located two places on-line (one is a common source),

This seller at eBay has them for $15 ea. which includes shipping:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/225070721248?hash=item346742a8e0:g:kzcAAOSwAY1izOqG

Perhaps contact him to see if you can buy more at a "combined" shipping fee?

This brings the repair to $7.50/car. Not cheap but better than the Yarmouth minimum plus shipping.

The Yarmouth ones are nice since the tabs are designed to exactly fit the original groove of the styrene originals. Cleaning out the groove where the styrene ones were once glued can be a chore, though.

Good Luck, Ed

[wrench567]

  John.

 Did you take a look at the ASM link I posted? A number of metal stirrups on the list.

[Attuvian1]

maxman

Attuvian1

Well, Detail Associates has the stirrups for these reefers: 229-6418.  Is suspect it is in plastic but can't determine that from any on-line source.  Do any of you know?

John

  

Plastic.  Shown in Walthers on-line catalog w/description.  Out of stock. Good luck finding from any retail source.

 

Well, I have located two places on-line (one is a common source), and my LHS might have this as they have a pretty large selection of bagged parts.  On the other hand . . .

 

Ron - the Accurail option is a possiblility.  I may call them tomorrow to see what the material is.  Delrin is certainly more durable to hammy fingers than styrene.  And . . . 

 

Dr. Wayne - I have toyed with the notion of creating a jig for a variety of grabs and have already secured various diameters of Tichy phosphor-bronze as a contingency.  But with the limited number of cars and locos that I deal with, a quicker fix is my current preference.

 

Thanks, guys.

 

John

[doctorwayne]

If I needed sill steps similar to the one in question, I'd make a suitable jig from wood, then use strip brass, bent to match the jig, then solder the middle rung in place.
While the photo below shows a different style/shape of the sill step, the procedure for making them is very simple - I often mass produce them, and usually have a good supply ready-to-use...

Here's a photo of the well-used jig, with holes used for straight pins to hold the intermediate step in-place for soldering...

The unused one at left could be easily modified to create the reefer steps.

Detail Associates offer brass strip in a variety of widths and thicknesses, as does K&S.

Wayne

[maxman]

Attuvian1

Well, Detail Associates has the stirrups for these reefers: 229-6418.  Is suspect it is in plastic but can't determine that from any on-line source.  Do any of you know?

John

 

Plastic.  Shown in Walthers on-line catalog w/description.  Out of stock. Good luck finding from any retail source.

[Ron High]

here is an Accurail part for their steel reefers @ 3 for 2.98. I think they may be Delrin.

https://www.accurail.com/accurail/Direct/Underframe/180.JPG

Ron High

 

[Attuvian1]

Well, Detail Associates has the stirrups for these reefers: 229-6418.  Is suspect it is in plastic but can't determine that from any on-line source.  Do any of you know?

John

[wrench567]

Try American Scale Models. Found this so far. https://americanscalemodels.com/index.php?route=product/search&search=stirrup%20steps

   Pete.

[wrench567]

   Have you tried AMB or PSC? I'll do some searching and get back to you.

   Pete.

[Attuvian1]

maxman

Pricey little devils.  $4 per set (does two cars), but $40 minimum order plus $12 shipping/handling.

Possibly these from Tichy might be a little more economical:

THESE FREIGHT CARS STIRRUPS ARE INJECTION MOLDED IN DELRIN PLASTIC FOR MAXIMUM DURABILITY. THEY SHOULD BE ATTACHED USING SUPERGLUE. ANY MODEL PAINT MAY BE USED. THEY COME IN PACKS OF 10 SO YOU CAN LOSE TWO AND STILL COMPLETE TWO CARS.

 

 

$2.50

 

You got that right.  I just texted the owner.  Their location in Port Huron is mailing only, so no opportunity to pick them up when I'm next in Michigan.  Apparently it's Canadian and American customs that no longer allows him to mail small orders in envelopes.  Go figure.

 

Can't justify padding an order just to get what I need.  Probably not a common supplier for my LHS, so I'd run into the same problem if I ordered through them.  I'm sure the two goverments involved have their rationale for the new policy, but it's frustrating for the right parts to be semi-readily available (there's that $12 S&H) and not be able to access them.  Where's all this New (One) World Order dream when you really need it! 

 

Maybe on HO Swap . . .

 

John

[maxman]

Pricey little devils.  $4 per set (does two cars), but $40 minimum order plus $12 shipping/handling.

Possibly these from Tichy might be a little more economical:

THESE FREIGHT CARS STIRRUPS ARE INJECTION MOLDED IN DELRIN PLASTIC FOR MAXIMUM DURABILITY. THEY SHOULD BE ATTACHED USING SUPERGLUE. ANY MODEL PAINT MAY BE USED. THEY COME IN PACKS OF 10 SO YOU CAN LOSE TWO AND STILL COMPLETE TWO CARS.

 

 

$2.50

[Attuvian1]

gmpullman

I just happened to come across my stash last night.

Yarmouth Model Works #200

https://www.yarmouthmodelworks.com/index.php/Products/YMW-200

Good luck, Ed

 

Just what the doctor ordered, Ed.  Thanks!  

 

John

[wvgca]

you can always make your own, some stiff metal wire and maybe a jig if neccesary

[gmpullman]

I just happened to come across my stash last night.

Yarmouth Model Works #200

https://www.yarmouthmodelworks.com/index.php/Products/YMW-200

Good luck, Ed

[Attuvian1]

https://imgur.com/XlPSq2j

(Sorry you had to click on the URL, folks.  Couldn't get the paste function to work - again.  Arrggh!  )

Does anybody make these in other than plastic?  The car is an Intermountain R-40-23.  They are located center-sill, just where I'm apt to place my thumb when getting these cars in and out of their boxes.  I've wiped out a couple so far. 

BTW, I'll take info on plastic ones in lieu of metal or wire.  Better something than nothing.

John