Noah Hofrichter wrote:Don, Please do go on about the Body mounting, I got a 60 foot Rivarossi car recently that I want to body mount the couplers on. Please expain the details. Noah
The easiest method I've found to build up the area for body mounting the couplers is to get a pack of Evergreen Styrene strips .040 by .250 and use this as a filler between the cast on center sill of the car. (If this is all you use this styrene for, one pack will do a HUGE fleet of cars) The width of the strip may need a small bit of filing to drop in, but this brings the coupler mounting surface almost flush with the bottom of the car. Secure it into position with your favorite styrene cement (I use Plastic Weld by Plastruct), and let it dry. Then lay the coupler cover against it with the lip hooked over the edge of the car (where it will sit when properly mounted) and mark the place to drill the hole. Drill a #50 hole and tap for a 2-56 screw. Mount a #5 here, reinstall the truck, and check it for height. Install shims under the pocket as needed.
It probably took me longer to type this out than it does to actually do it.
Antonioso:
GETTING Rivarossi and IHC cars to run reliably as you know is a 'Work in progress'. Where does one start (or stop)? It depends on ones Layout.
Problem 1. weight: Gone are the European flanges. Equalizing weight of cars prevents 'tip over' of cars on curves. A good compromise between wt. per car vs. wt. per inch is NMRA weighting in a mixed consist.
Problem 2. couplers. Tuck mounted Talgos and extra long couplers offer answers for too-long cars on too-sharp curves. (but the track is the real problem). Ideally 85' cars should be on 46"r curves.
Problem 3. Different couplers have different geometry and spring tensions. (Kadee has 3 different spring centering designs alone plus longer/shorter on each).
BEST results are ontained when they match: KD#36/#36, McHenry/McHenry, etc. Remrember three dynamics are at work here: the flange against the curved rail, momentum going straight, and the coupler pulling without regard to either.
Problem 4. Wheels & Rolling. 31" plastic wheels (on my calipers), plus cruddy sideframes allow improvements (1) Metal Passenger 36" wheels (raising car 4 scale "), (2) Body mounting Couplers, (3) Coupler mounting pads to lower body mouts 4''. (4) Teflon grease in the axle jounals to reduce friction, (5) Cuttin off the 'brake shoes' to free up the 36" wheels or
(6) Buy the IHC metal trucks and mounting adapters (for Rivarossi) to skip all the aformentioned 5. These trucks roll freely withe best of them, lower the center of gravity with unsprung weight, allow body mounting KD's, and since they have 31" wheels- don't raise the car.
MY GOAL, like yours, is to be able to mix and run with my other cars wherever I take them. Besides, those Rivarossi HW cars sure do look nice when I run them as Santa Fe's 11 car 'Grand Canyon Ltd.' at the club.
Okay, my two cents worth.
Double-tape Lead sheet weights in the cars, right over the trucks, center them so that when you pop the roof back on they do not interfere. You can mount interiors right over them. Bring the cars up to about 6 oz. of weight Get the TUNER, a little job that goes in and reams the inside of the truck journals. Buy Intermountain 36" metal wheelsets. CAREFULLY Bend out the outer brakeshoes of the Rivarossi trucks if needed--you might not have to. Pop in the Intermountains, make sure they spin freely. Buy McHenry spring-mounted couplers made for Rivarossi/IHC cars. Okay, they're Talgo, but they also fit better and work better. The coupler mechanism should not extend more than 1-8" beyond the ends of the cars, unless you plan on using working diaphraghms.
You should have a pretty good running passenger train after that. I've got a Rivarossi/IHC streamliner that runs just as well--if not better--than my Walthers.
Tom
Tom View my layout photos! http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/TWhite-014/Rio%20Grande%20Yuba%20River%20Sub One can NEVER have too many Articulateds!
TOM:
If your Walthers passenger cars aren't running better than IHC'S, it's the metal axles turning in metal journaled side frames (for lighting).
Lubricate the axle points with a dab of Kadee's 'Grease em' (Graphite).
For converting my Rivarossi cars. I operate on minimum radius of 30".
Changed trucks to good quality. I've used IHC, Tenshodo, Central Valley, and other good trucks. Modify bolsters on car bottom for proper placement of trucks. Install trucks. Check car height and adjust truck intallation for proper height.
Install Kadees to body ends. I use long shank kadees and set the coupler box back to allow proper coupling distance between cars. Adjust pad thickness for proper coupler height.
Install seats if car had none.
Weight to NMRA standards.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
I have a Rivarossi set of four cars that came with the one piece trucks. I removed the original horn hooks and installed the Kadee replacement coupler that has the long reach to is allow it to set inside the Rivarossi trucks.
While I was at it, I ground off a little of the bolster to get the car to ride lower to correct height. This was a cut and fit operation.
My cars came with an interior consisting of seats and compartment divisions. I disassembled the cars and cut/ground off all protrusions on the floor so that I could get a sheet of lead to lie flat. I also shoved some of the moldable lead into any nooks and crannies that are below floor level. My aim was to get the cars to weigh what NMRA recommends. I don't remember what that is now. Once the lead sheet was flat, I Goo-ed the seats on top of it, raising them slightly to a position that makes them more visible.
With the cars properly wieghted and lowered, there is absolutely NO problem dereailing them in a b ack up manoeuver. And with the four cars tied to one RS-2, the loco slows appropriately on a 2% grade.