I had an hour last night, so I converted my first S Helper Service to scale by replacing the wheel sets and by installing Kadee 802 couplers. The job went pretty smoothly, once I remember the spring tricks for Kadee couplers. The S Helper cars have pre-drilled holes for the Kadee couplers and the scale wheels and very good instructions are included. My first question involves other suppliers of freight cars such as American Models, who have some cars I am interesting in obtaining. How much effort is required to change the couplers and wheelsets on the American Models cars? Do they also come with scale wheels? Their website seems to indicate that one can order cars either scale or hi-rail. My second question is a general one about who besides American Models and S Helper makes freight cars (built or kits okay) for scale standard gauge S. Thanks.
Don- Did you by chance look at the couplers made by Sergent Engineering? I think they look very realistic. I spent a few years building and repairing 1:1 freight cars, and these model units seem closer than any I've ever viewed. Wish that I could see them up close and in use. I just recently asked for, and received a nice flyer/listing from Pacific Rail Shops. Looks like they have some nice freight cars. pacrail@hotmail.com Boxcab E50 [ 02. October 2003, 04:27: Message edited by: BoxcabE50 ]
Don, American Models sells both scale and tin-plate equipment as you noted. It basically is just as easy to convert to scale as SHS. The AF style couplers are talgo mounted and come off very easy. I have a 50’ RBox type car that was AF compatible when I bought it. It was simple matter of removing the trucks and unclipping the coupler from the truck and replacing the wheels with scale wheels. There are plenty of AF people that have scale wheels from their SHS equipment that would trade for the AF wheels. As for other manufacturers, Des Plaines Hobbies has a PRR type coal hopper and a tank car. There is also a company that puts out the Tank Train tank cars. Kaslo has a urethane PS-1 40’ box car kit that is really nice. He is also working on a BC railroad bulk head flat car and a Canadian Cylindrical Hopper. IIRC, he has a caboose nearing completion, C&O wooden cupola. Greg
This may help you. Here you can see the AF ready car, minus the AF style coupler. I will hopefully post a shot of it with the scale wheels and Kadee coupler soon. I will also add the side grab irons and stirup steps. Greg [ 05. October 2003, 06:05: Message edited by: Greg Elems ]
Here is a close up of the B end of the box car. I have partially modernized it, by not putting the roof walk on. I filled in the holes on the roof. I will ad the corner roof grab iron when I add the rest of the wire grab irons and stirup steps.
Greg- Is that a PRS car? Also, in the photo with the WP car, is the WP car coupler equipped? They do look quite close together? Boxcab E50
Here is a close up of the b end of the WP car. It too has to have some detail added. The reason I never added it was, reboxing it and the planned move meant broken off parts.
Both cars have Kadee # 5 couplers. They will get remounted to extend the coupler box out to a more prototypical distance. Both cars are American models also. When I bought those cars, all the LHS had were HO and O scale Kadee couplers. I went with the HO. Later I found out that the Kadee On3 coupler is the same as the S scale. I may put the S scale couplers on when I extend the coupler box. Right now, I'm just inventoring my stuff and seeing what needs to be done. I have a lot to do, for getting the layout area ready, but once I get the layout up I want to have some equipment ready to plunk down and run. Greg
Greg, These cars look good even without the extra details you intend to add. I like the general appearance and detail of S Scale equipment, which is one reason I am making the change to S. Can you recommend a source for information on where grab irons and such should go on the cars? I would like to add these details when I get my cars. Like you, I am preparing cars and locomotive so I am ready to go when I build the layout this spring. Also, do you form your own wire details from wire (what type and gauge) or does someone supply these as detail parts? Keep up the good work.
I was wondering if it was my eyes fooling me. It would be very interesting to see a photo. The various Kadee couplers (HO, S, O, On, etc.), Sergent Engineering, AM, SHS, etc., all side by side for comparison. Boxcab E50
Don and Ken, I will post some pictures later of said items. As for detail parts, I have most of the stirrups that came with the kits. PRS does sell their detail sprues separately and AM will sell some of their detail parts. As for wire, I don’t know the gauge; I just use what looks good with the car and bend my own. There are some pre-bent grab irons out there, but I don’t recall by whom. Greg
This is the detail sprue from an AM box car kit. [ 08. October 2003, 03:06: Message edited by: Greg Elems ]
Here is a link to a nice looking set of tank cars. http://trainweb.org/mhrr/ho-s-o/mhrr-rusti-tank.htm Also another web page that may not have been posted here before. http://trainweb.org/mhrr/ho-s-o/sprotos2.html Greg
Some interesting info there. Especially that second link. I'm trying to think- What would have been the approximate date for when that CPC tank car style was first built? Boxcab E50
I've spent the last two days looking at build dates on those frameless tankcars. The oldest one I've seen here in the last two days was 1970. IIRC, they were introduced in the mid 1960's. And the latest build date on a tank car with the walk ways around at the bottom was 1969. I will keep looking, and report any older dates than 1970. Greg
