Guys, Is there any company out there that makes operating Diaphragms for Kato Superliner cars? I've looked around the 'net and come up short. I had bought some American Limited diaphragms made for the Con Cor Superliners thinking I could make them work, and after a bit of drilling, filing, and painting, they work... but I had to body mount the couplers to get the cars to couple closer so the diaphragms wouldn't come apart around the curves on my layout. It's a lot of work that I would love to avoid, unless I'm outta luck with "drop in" ones. -Mike
Here ya go. I have to buy a set also. http://www.some train store.com/N_Scale_Passenger_Car_Details_Accessories_s/2115.htm
Thanks for the link Glen, but in fact, those are the ones made for the Con Cor Superliners, not the Kato Superliners. The ones I just installed (and in the pic above) were bought from there about a week ago. I bought the last two 6 car sets they had. I really like how they make the Superliners look, but I was just wanting something a bit less labor intensive, since I have so many to do. If there is nothing else but these, then that's fine, just gonna take longer to do. -Mike
Here we go Mike straight from the source. http://search.cartserver.com/search...R&maxhits=100&go=List+Parts&bool=AND&bool=AND Google does the trick again
Glen, thanks again for a responce, but those are just replacements for the stock ones. They don't move. Thanks for searching though! It's appreciated! Mike
Mike, Simple answer. No. The ALM's are the ONLY ones available. I have my 6-packs waiting to go on my Kato cars as well. What mods did you make to the diaphragms themselves??
Ray, the only "mod" to the diaphragms were painting them. I had to drill 2 slots in the stock door of the superliner so the back sides of the "spring" would have some place to go. This was a pain to do, had to drill a few small holes and then file out the centers so they would make a long slot. This had to be done just right so the diaphragm would cover the slots and prevent them from showing on the outside while still be centered on the protruding area on the car. And then gluing them in place without getting any on the moving parts while keeping them even and level, yeah, that sucked. Then I had to body mount the couplers closer together. Leaving them stock made the diaphragms have a gap between them while going around my 22" radius curve I was using to test with. It sucks about the body mounting, since they only need to be moved a couple milimeters closer together. Where they sit now (in the picture), they go around my tightest curve at 18" all the way up to straight without coming apart. I really like them, just wish they were "drop in" ready. I already have enough stuff that need to be modifed!