Keeping TOFC trailers on flat.

Steve Zink Feb 16, 2014

  1. Steve Zink

    Steve Zink TrainBoard Member

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    JUST got me some new BLMA flats and Trainworx trailers. So I've "modified" the hitches so the trailers will fit, do most of you leave the trailers just sitting on the flats?? OR do you permanently attach them????? I do have the capability to store the cars with the trailers on them....
     
  2. Eagle2

    Eagle2 Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Personally, I've never been a fan of permanently attaching trailers or containers; I like having the option of changing the look and rearranging things. Granted this wouldn't work so well for earlier TOFC, where the trailers had to be chained down, but I don't think there are too many models for that kind of car.
     
  3. nscalestation

    nscalestation TrainBoard Supporter

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    I attach my trailers with a tiny bit of a product called “E6000” which I get at a plastics store call Tap Plastics. It is clear and really holds, but you can get the items loose when you want to, and I have not had it pull off any paint yet. I first started using this stuff to attach people but have found many more uses for it. For the trailers, I put just a small drop on the bottom of both tires on 1 axle. Normally the hitch part has a bit of hold already so I don’t use any there.

    Brad Myers
    Peninsula Ntrak / AsiaNrail

    My Blogs:
    http://www.n-scale-dcc.blogspot.com/
    http://www.palisadecanyonrr.blogspot.com/
    http://tokyo-in-nscale.blogspot.com/
     
  4. Ike the BN Freak

    Ike the BN Freak TrainBoard Member

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    I use a small dot of superglue on one of the tandem wheels to hold it to the deck. Superglue being it will hold it, but takes very little pressure to pop it free if I want to swap trailers or run the spot as an empty.
     
  5. Brian K

    Brian K TrainBoard Member

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    Woodland Scenic's Scenic Cement works as well. The glue is water based so that's all it takes to remove it when you want to change out the trailer.

    Cheers,
    Brian
     
  6. Metro Red Line

    Metro Red Line TrainBoard Member

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    I just leave the trailer on the flatcar, no gluing whatsoever. Never has a problem sliding. If it does, add a tiny bit of weight to the trailer.
     
  7. prbharris

    prbharris TrainBoard Supporter

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    I have seen a number of ways of keeping trailers onto our 'older' ToFC cars. Discreet tiny blobs of glue and plastic such as the E6000 mentioned by Brad are often used to good effect. On the older cars without hitches, such as the Clejan spine cars, I would add it to the fifth wheel stand too [and the Flexi-Van trailers when they are in the yard]. It allows you to change the trailers without damaging your paintwork on the older cars too. This works well with our kits as they are metal so have a low center of gravity.

    Similar methods are also used for our newer cars such as the All Purpose well cars to good effect without any 'wobble'!

    Peter

    Peter Harris
    N Scale Kits
    www.nscalekits.com
     
  8. Allen H

    Allen H TrainBoard Supporter

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    Some of the guys in our group have had excellent results with this.
    They pinch off a tiny bit, roll into a ball smaller than a BB and than place it between two tires on the trailer.
    They've also used this on some of the early Double Stack containers to keep them from sliding off.

    It can then be removed and reused without leaving any residue behind. One package will last a lifetime.


    [​IMG]

     
  9. river_eagle

    river_eagle TrainBoard Member

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    Aleene's tacky glue
     
  10. Flash Blackman

    Flash Blackman TrainBoard Member

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    Bee's wax like the doll house makers use.
     
  11. baldylox

    baldylox TrainBoard Member

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    Poster putty I paint to match whatever it's attached to. Usually a wheel hitch on my trailers aboard ttx flats
     
  12. tehachapifan

    tehachapifan TrainBoard Member

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    Never felt a need to do anything to stick them to the car if the kingpin was properly seated in the hitch.
     
  13. DrMb

    DrMb TrainBoard Member

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    Out of curiosity, has anyone tried using magnets?
     
  14. tgromek

    tgromek TrainBoard Member

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    I'm guessing the reason this thread was started was because the kingpin receiver on the BLMA flats is smaller than what MTL and Trainworx have been using, I left the kingpins on all my trailers, and made the kingpin receiver larger on my BLMA cars, and yes, I agree, as long as the kingpin is seated, the trailers stay put.
     
  15. ntex

    ntex TrainBoard Supporter

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    "Rescue tape" found in the sewing dept. of Walmart. Very thin and double-sided, leaves no residue. Never had an army tank leave a flat car at NTRAK shows.
     
  16. fifer

    fifer TrainBoard Supporter Advertiser

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    I do not attach my ATSF TWX trailers to my MT and TWX cars. That said they are a B*@#H to get out of the box and on track. Then if you have a derail the problem really escalates !!
    Mike
     
  17. NS1980

    NS1980 TrainBoard Member

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    I use a similar product as what Bendtracker1 mentioned previously, found at the local Craft & Hobby store. Take and roll out 1 tiny ball to place under every set of dual trailer wheels, press down slowly & carefully onto the spinecar. I have never lost a trailer & whenever you choose to remove a trailer its no problem either.
     
  18. BStikkers

    BStikkers TrainBoard Member

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    I shave all mounting plastic pins off flush and replace them with a cut off straight pin. Then on all piggyback cars and semi tractors I plug any hole they made at the factory and then drill a hole to accept the pin I mounted in the trailers. This gives me 100% interchangeability for the trailers and any place I want to use them. I don't glue anything down and have never had any problem with a trailer falling off. (I model N scale)

    Bruce Stikkers
     
  19. jagged ben

    jagged ben TrainBoard Member

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    That's basically the same thing I use.
     

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