Hi Tim, great project! Rob is right, I would say Maxi IV too. And you really etched this in the mini-kitchen?
Hey Dom, read Tim's post again: he etched this in his breakfast box, not FR! Great stuff! BTW: FR is only doing nickel-silver, not brass.
Darn!! It was that last photo, wasn't it? Yeah, I should have known you guyZ are pretty darn receptive to photos like this. It is indeed a Gunderson Maxi IV. A Maxi IV consists of three articulating wellcars capable of carrying up to a 53' container in each well. If you drive to any major Class 1 railroad line where Intermodal traffic is a common sight (meaning many upon many consist run thru there daily), you will see that most consists have a form of wellcar that carries 53' containers ONLY. I viewed it on Union Pacific's line in central Texas and on BNSF's line in central Arizona. About 95%+ of the well cars are for 53' containers, and more than 50% are the Maxi IV's. Having said this, who produces wellcars in Z scale capable of carrying a 53' container, and is common on all major railroads? FR made the Gunderson 56', but those are scarce to be scene. AZL is making what looks like the 53' NSC, but they are saying it is a Thrall. Soon to be released. I have an HO version of the 53' NSC where I was going to make it in etched brass because AZL was saying they were making the 53' Thrall, then they showed a drawing of the wellcar they were going to make, then later a photo of a test shot. It has 53' NSC written all over it. BTW, NSC stands for National Steel Car. Seeing how I was about to be making what AZL was making, I decided to STOP all work. That is when I started working, slowly, on a MAXI IV for Z scale. What you see above is a test etch to see where artwork needs to be tweeked to make it more proto in relation to the real thing. I have spotted a few places with easy fixes. It was made from .010" sheet brass. Etching in a Nalgen wide mouth bottle limits the size of brass I can etch. I had to fold the brass to make it fit. My current plans are to have this Maxi IV professionally etched in .012" Nickelsilver. 2 reasons why!!! #1 The modern modellers have little to no current representation of Intermodal Equipment, and #2 MCZ containers needed a wellcar to be carried in. Cool Facts TTX has a majority of Maxi IV's BNSF has Maxi IV's BRAN has Maxi IV's and in my opinion, was the Best paint scheme when combined with their 53' containers (especially the hi-cubes) "Pacer Stacktrain" ring any bells!! If when a manufacturer makes an announcement of their intensions to produce a new loco or car type is considered first dibs, I just made mine known. Any questions, please email me. Note, you can find another 10 photos of this Maxi IV test etch on the Yahoo group "Z_Intermodal"!! http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Z_Intermodal/ Hobo Tim
Test Etch Painted I've taken today to airbrush the Maxi IV bodies and to brush the walkways. All in all, just need some black ends and some decals and it will look good, at least in my opinion it will. Here are a few photos. Alot more have been posted to the Yahoo Z_Intermodal site in photo section. The "B" End with brakewheel Different angle on "B" end. Articulating ends "B" to "C". As I stated above, more photos are on Yahoo Z_Intermodal of all the cars. Sure wish I had my decal printer with me!!! Ugh!!! Hobo Tim
Moded People Here's a site I never heard of before. Looks as if there are some different styles of people and also some other items. Home appears to be in California. Scale model figures, people, cars in plastic and metal from PeopleScale.com ...don
Got around to a little detailing the roster. Did ya' know the bases of Bachmann crossing gates, when filed down a little, make perfect, free, winterization hatches?! A little rotory beacon on the roof, and some Micro-clear in the windows, along with some spray weathering. :teeth:
Tired of using your elepehnt trunk fingers to change out MTL axles toFox Valley Models? Try these modified bead crimpers from Michaels, made by Beadalon: The packages: Before the ends are ground down for clearance of the bolster pin: After it is ground down just to the edge of the notch. Round and taper the corners. There is a larger one (fairly normal size) and a slightly smaller one (maybe for kids/ladies?). Same crimp area on each, just the overall length. About $8.
Requests and aNew It's been a buZy weekend for me. Trying to clear some items from my 2DoList. I managed to grab two shots during assembly. My temporary workshop is a mess now. Almost finished!!! A few of the rollingstock I am assembling. Closer shot of the 195ton'ers. So much more to do though!!! So much more to do!!! Hobo Tim p.s. Jeff, the idea of modifying the pliers to easily handle the wheel axles is outstanding!!!
Tim, I was looking at your amazing rolling stock and saw something on your previous post that I hope you can clear up. The pre and post images on the pliers you have in post#2290 have different names and bar codes on the packaging behind them. I think you might have mixed up your photos?? So, I was hoping to know which one was the one you used for the wheelsets - the micro (JTCRIMP2/MZ) or the larger one (JTCRIMP5/MZ)? Thanks for very inspiring work :thumbs_up:, James
Actually it's Jeff. There are 2 versions of the pliers. The 5 is a larger handle, the 2 is a smaller. The black metal work is the same. In the images, I show an un-modified version as the 5, the ground down (what you need to do to it for Z) in the 2 version. For N, not so much is needed. For HO, none at all , right out of the package. .
Sorry Tim and Jeff, didn't mean to mix you up. Jeff, OK, I guess the Michael's I go to had two different larger handled pliers which had different jaws, so there's my confusion. Great idea though and perfect timed as I'm about to switch out several wheel sets. James
I keep looking at this thread and wondering if what's on my work bench is worth mentioning. Well, here goes. Locomotives, a bunch, needing those dreaded traction tire replacements. Three are back up and running due to "Bull Frog Snot". Running better then ever. Assortment of train cars both passenger and freight waiting for new trucks and Micro-Trains Knuckle Couplers. Equipment that found it's way to the floor needing an assortment of various parts, shells, horns, bells and whistles. Diesels waiting for the installation of DCC, Decoders. Some sound units in the mix. Buildings such as a Roundhouse, railroad out buildings, houses, stores and etc. waiting to be built or repaired. How about a new coat of paint and relocation on the layout. To much to go into here. Never a dull moment.
Those Dreaded Traction Tires. I have no idea what an AZL Traction Tire is. But, yes I've either worn out or the locomotives walked out of their "Good For Nothing, $@+ D@##'d traction tires. Any replacements that I purchased are either to thick, over sized or cause the locomotive to lope. Never mind that many are simply not available. Not the answer I'm looking for. And If I continue to rant I will end up saying: A poor man's excuse for a good pulling locomotive...Traction Tires. No love lost here. 49 Years of Model Railroading and I'm still having to put up with THEM! :tb-mad: :thumbs_down:
Ah, your in that 'other' scale AZL is the only Z scale manufacturer using a traction tire, on their diesels. .
