I posted this in wrong category couple days ago. Did receive a response to put .019 Plastruc in frog but I cannot find size online including manufacturer. Any other ideas?
Trying to figure out how much movement trucks should have. Have purchased the Kadee red fiber washers as some cars have metal washer(s) and will be installing fiber washers. Having wheel drop into frogs on atlas ns code 100 #6's. Purchased Cody Grivno's "Beginner's Guide to Locomotives and Rolling Stock. Was looking for any specific numberic amount of movement. Did not see any.
Is there any specified amount of numeric movement? Or any other method(s) to determine? As a side note, I replaced all wheels with metal Intermountain wheels and used Micro Mark truck tuner
Evergreen and Plastruct are two suppliers of styrene materials for model construction. I would guess that their materials can be purchased from places such as MB Klein (modeltrainstuff.com), probably even Walthers.........? Or from them directly.
Even my local "doesn't really have anything worth mentioning in trains" hobby shop has both a Plastruct and Evergreen display which is usually decently stocked.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Walthers link for Evergreen Scale Models:
https://www.walthers.com/evergreen-scale-models
Walthers link for Plastruct Inc.:
https://www.walthers.com/plastruct-inc
Take Care!
Frank
1arfarf3I posted this in wrong category couple days ago.
Steve Otte has been known to move threads to other categories, but he has a lot on his plate. When you start a second identical thread, old guys like me get confused.
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/744/t/264676.aspx
This model railroading is not brain surgery, it's done by feel and trial and error. We can't get people to spend $5 of a volt meter when they have electrical problems, they certainly won't spend $50 on a torque wrench (which would be worthless anyway because of the softness of styrene) or $2 on a protractor.
IF you have a local hobby shop or train store, they will have strip styrene. Maybe someone can give you a better measurement of what is needed for Atlas 100's. I suspect Mark started with 0.02; a little sandpaper or a needle file will get you any size you need.
For grins I measured a Walthers code 83 at 0.03 and an Atlas code 83 at 0.04 from the top of the frog to the base of the frog. NMRA spec for max wheel flange is 0.023" It occurs to me that I have seen Youtube videos where Atlas frogs are too shallow. Could you be seeing wheel bump instead of wheel drop?
Reboxx makes wheels in different lengths. I've not seen it spelled out clearly in the forum which manufacturers have which length wheels. Most people use Intermountain or Kadee which only come in one length. If you are very aggressive with your micro tuner you could ream out too much material and make the fit of the wheels sloppy.
$16 at harbor freight will get you a voltmeter and a pair of calipers. You will find uses for both in this hobby.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
I would be very surprised to see "wheel drop" on modern (Customline 3 or 4) Atlas #6 switches. We have no problems with those switches. Older Atlas switches are another matter. Replace all older Atlas switches...they are probably unfixable. If they are newer switches... you might try some 5 mil styrene strip. Evergreen sells 5 mil sheet (not usually stocked in LHS) and you can cut the strips from that. Lay the strips in the frog and hope for the best.
1arfarf3Trying to figure out how much movement trucks should have. Have purchased the Kadee red fiber washers as some cars have metal washer(s) and will be installing fiber washers.
Replacing metal washers with fiber ones will not fix your wheel drop issue. I use both metal and fiber washers (reds and grey). The only thing that washers do is raise coupler height.
What width wheels are you using on your rolling stock? Code 110 or code 88?
Do you have an NMRA guage? <-this is vital piece of equipment for verifying proper dimensions of both wheels and track.
1arfarf3Is there any specified amount of numeric movement?
No.
1arfarf3Or any other method(s) to determine?
Three point suspension is the standard recommendation. 1 truck should turn freely but not be so loose that it rocks side to side. The other truck should be slightly looser so that it can rock side to side slightly.
Tightening the truck down to keep it from dropping (which I dont think will actually work either) will just invite derailments.
Some newer rolling stock is manufactured with plastic tabs that stick down slightly near the bolster on one end that will prevent one truck from having side to side motion.
These videos will explain to you what is happening and will give you a start on where to look into what to fix.
Watch this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbSmoUH1Cqk
And this 4 part series:
Part 1:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBdWvMHEN8s
Part 2:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REOKi62aLl0
Part 3:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QV-lBePZrjk
Part 4:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2FufQKMW18
BMMECNYC Some newer rolling stock is manufactured with plastic tabs that stick down slightly near the bolster on one end that will prevent one truck from having side to side motion.
As did some of the AHM cars from the olden days, as I recall.
Ed