Interurbans are trains too!

Randy Stahl Sep 1, 2013

  1. John Moore

    John Moore TrainBoard Supporter

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    Looking at some ready made N scale catenary that is European I found quite a bit in different lengths ranging from 80 mm to over 200 mm. I dug out my double track masts and placed them at about 130 mm on the tracks.
    To my eye that appears to close and I am thinking about placing them at 230-240 mm or about 9 inches apart. Maybe further if I can find the ready made wire in those lengths.

    Doing more research I found that 300 mm would be right for US straight ways and that works out to near 13 inches. Here I have set the masts to about 13 inches and I like it better

    Of course the mast would be closer together on curves.
     
    Last edited: Jul 24, 2020
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  2. John Moore

    John Moore TrainBoard Supporter

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  3. Randy Stahl

    Randy Stahl TrainBoard Supporter

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    thumbnail_IMG_8677.jpg
    These were fun to paint !
     
  4. John Moore

    John Moore TrainBoard Supporter

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    Looked at my mm rule and found that the 300 mm rule was too big and bulky so came up with using a long strip of styrene that I transferred the marking that I will use to set the catenary mast at. Now have the strip marked at 60 mm for the curves up to 300 for the straight sections. The advantage is that I can bend this around the curves plus it get around some trackside stuff.

    As you can see I will be just shy of 13 inch spacing for the straights.
     
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  5. 3rdboxcar

    3rdboxcar TrainBoard Member

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    That is one nice looking electroliner. Think I need to make a board, something similar for display, the embankment is good.

    CAE car arrives in York on Monday.

    bit more progress on the 607 car.
    CNSM 607.JPG

    Sandy
     
  6. SD35

    SD35 TrainBoard Member

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    What kind of Kato mechanism ? Thanks
     
  7. Randy Stahl

    Randy Stahl TrainBoard Supporter

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    thumbnail_IMG_8699.jpg

    The Cream City (Milwaukee) Special.

    Tomar used to make tailsigns for some electric interurban name trains. I need the Liberty Bell Limited and several from the Milwaukee area like the Land O Lakes Limited, Badger Limited, Prairie State etc. I am even lacking some Milwaukee Road names I want like the Olympian. The Tomar signs are getting harder to find...

    Randy
     
    Last edited: Jul 26, 2020
  8. Randy Stahl

    Randy Stahl TrainBoard Supporter

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    Thanks Sandy. The little display I made was really simple, foam and plaster, I wanted a scenic feature and that became the Central Valley bridge. My layout is a mess ! I think all of the ideas in my head are too much for the space I have, I keep changing my mind as to what I want to focus on. I do want to build a nice display of a long street scene but I cannot decide which scene I want to use, a North Shore scene or a Milwaukee electric scene, a city scene or a residential scene?

    Naturally I will buy a couple of the CA&E cars and certainly the 607 derrick. It's actually a pretty good time to be an N Scale traction modeler !

    BTW, If you want to use any of my photo's on your Shapeways store by all means feel free !

    Randy
     
  9. John Moore

    John Moore TrainBoard Supporter

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    For the electrics I am using Kato 11-105 mechanism which already has the truck side frames as part of the truck casting. The kit came with different side frames as separate parts to be used on a Bandai mechanism which were gray painted. Unfortunately right now the Bandai mechanisms are in scarse supply and the Kato mechanism was designed as a drop in for these cars.
     
  10. 3rdboxcar

    3rdboxcar TrainBoard Member

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    CNSM Derrick car 607

    Truck mounting is a bit of an issue on this one, I have put 2 pilot holes at truck centres, the front truck could be mounted on a piece of 1mm [40thou] styrene ? the rear truck screwed into the base? Any other suggestions.

    Other 2 images are general views of finished car, also cannot think of a way to incorporate the hook.

    CNSM 607-3.JPG CNSM 607-2.JPG CNSM 607-1.JPG
     
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  11. Kurt Moose

    Kurt Moose TrainBoard Member

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    Much better!!
     
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  12. John Moore

    John Moore TrainBoard Supporter

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  13. Randy Stahl

    Randy Stahl TrainBoard Supporter

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    Add bolsters to accept micro trains truck pins.

    Im thinking powering it could be possible.

    https://www.plazajapan.com/4957265140087/
     
    Last edited: Jul 28, 2020
  14. John Moore

    John Moore TrainBoard Supporter

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    Last edited: Jul 28, 2020
  15. Randy Stahl

    Randy Stahl TrainBoard Supporter

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    John,
    Just do what the real interurbans did and repurpose an old passenger car. Put a platform on the top , paint in an MOW scheme and your good.

    Maybe Sandy will make some other utility cars for trolleys, maybe the North Shore 604 line car ?

    Randy
     
  16. John Moore

    John Moore TrainBoard Supporter

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    Well I have several Bandai cars in storage and need to see if I have enough parts to do a cab at either end and build a platform in the middle. Mount everything on a Kato 11-105 chassis and stick a pantagraph on it since I have some extra from my last order. And I want compact and that would give me about a 30 foot car with it able to tow the other car pictured earlier.
     
  17. John Moore

    John Moore TrainBoard Supporter

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    Well not too long from idea to model. Two cab sections of Bandai cab units. The glass insert also serves as the base to mount the mechanism so I can only trim it down to the top of the mechanism. You can see the mechanism behind the car with the mechanism and a window glass insert sitting on top of it.
     
  18. 3rdboxcar

    3rdboxcar TrainBoard Member

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    The 604 car was possibly the next North shore car.

    That little power unit looks like the motor will fit in the cab.

    Sandy
     
  19. 3rdboxcar

    3rdboxcar TrainBoard Member

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    CA&E 451 -460 cars are ready to go.

    Gave the car a coat of primer and a couple of pics. The hole for the under frame is 84.8mm x 15.6mm. The roof needs a light sand to finish before painting.

    It is here http://shpws.me/SbbT and http://shpws.me/SbbU

    CA&E 451-460 car_01.jpg CA&E 451-460 car_02.jpg CA&E 451-460 car_03.jpg CA&E 451-460 car_04.jpg
     
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  20. John Moore

    John Moore TrainBoard Supporter

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    Working on the line car I decided to back up and take another route. Still with a cab at both ends. I have extra roofs from Bandai kits that I saved and I chose the one in the foreground. One end will be the work platform and the other will have the pantagraph. And what good is a line car when power is down so chose a roof that reflects a diesel on board for aux power if needed to propel the car.
     
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