This is a project I dropped a few years ago, due to lack of long shank couplers in Z. I revisited it because Tim Buehring asked for them anyways. I put the regular assortment of brake gear. I like the see through hangers underneath. The ends are made of 4 layers. Most of the construction is peel and stick, but sealing with dilute white glue makes it stronger and gives a better paint finish. The current couplers don't extend far enough for use. The brake wheel was etched by Tim Buehring. I took photo's of a mile long string of these cars behind the Great Mall, and picked the CORP NSC built to make the decals for, because Loren Snyder and Joe D'Amato are always talking CORP, and there were several of them to photograph for decals. The model is relegated as a background model because of the lack of long shank couplers, and the fact that it's too light without a load to run. At 73' inside length and 78' overall, this model don't like Z-Bend Track's minimum turning radius at all.
Would body mount couplers work on this? And hows about stand up weight sandwiched into the ends? Great car, the real ones look light when they go by.
Really cool looking car. Can the CSX opera version be far behind. On th couplers, may I suggest a experiment. Use a body mounted coupler. I had good results with body mounted couplers in tight radius. I run Gunderson with body mounted coupler in tight radius with no problem. Just make sure to match it with a engine with body mounted coupler.
Robert, Joe will probably love you forever for this one Robert. Betcha he would trade the sisters for half a dozen built up center beams like these. Great job. Loren
Yeah, but the BAZ BoyZ don't run that mini radius stuff any way so keep that laser hot !!! So why not body mount on that long chassis? There will be less over swing than with a short car. Or can you you move the bolster pin over a few proto inches?
Captain Long Shanks Another solution is to create someting like our 1019 in N Scale. It's a long piece of thin plastic with tabs so it fits between the truck and the underframe. On the end is a mount for the coupler. We use this on our Autoracks and TOFC's. You could cut it out of styrene and raster/vector a small well that fits over the top of the center of the truck so it pivots with the direction of travel. You may need to make a small wire bend at the end of the car to cradle the base of the coupler. And, as for long shanks in Z, we may have something in the works... ) Cheers Joe Oh, Robert, all I got to trade is Loren...how many cars is he worth?
Ahh, that's the trick. I have some .010" acrylic that might fit. :shade: Back to the drawing board...
Right On!!! Robert, this is an outstanding piece of rollingstock you have created!! The response to this model is great although it seems to be one sided when it comes to the long shank coupler issue!!! I have heard, and it must be true, that the soon to be released AZL rollingstock all have METAL WHEELS!!! I also heard that AZL is having long shank coupler trucks w/METAL WHEELS made to accommodate their 89' Autoracks!!!!! I have played with some of MTL's Rollerbearing trucks and some of the couplers trying several possibilities to make the couplers extended. Wire, styrene, just a major pain!!! Gets me Mad enough I just want to slap somebody!!!! Joe D' are the sisters available??? :teeth: Robert, you have done one helluva great job on these centerbeams!!! Hobo Tim
Oh, Robert, all I got to trade is Loren...how many cars is he worth?[/QUOTE] Warning....... I eat a lot. You should know that better than anyone Joe. And I do put my elbows on the table. Loren
I love the fine looks of the center beams, The crossings looks round too like a rod/wire. Almost impossible to believe it was made with flat parts. Nice Work Kim
I still need to work on the coupler issue, and I have some ideas now, but need a bit of time to work it out. I also want to make decals for other roadnames.
