Lima? caboose trucks

qquake2k May 24, 2019

  1. qquake2k

    qquake2k TrainBoard Member

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    Are there any MTL trucks that will fit this car?
     

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  2. jtomstarr

    jtomstarr TrainBoard Member

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    qquake2k,
    I am not sure about truck replacement for the LIMA Cars, however I have used MTL 1128, 1129 and 1130 couplers instead of the standard Rapido coupler for my LIMA cars and Locomotives. As for your question using the MTL couplers I mentioned might be the simplest solution. Hope this helps.

    Tom
     
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  3. qquake2k

    qquake2k TrainBoard Member

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    Those would work, if they came assembled. I don't have the dexterity or eyesight for things like this. That's why I usually replace the trucks.
     
  4. SP-Wolf

    SP-Wolf TrainBoard Supporter

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    Another option -- a little costly -- but, it would work.

    Purchase either a Micro Trains 4 or 6 wheel passenger truck kit.

    As they come with a "bushing" meant to fit into the bolster hole of Con-Cor passenger cars. Con-Cor also utilized a split bolster pin.

    This is from the instruction sheet of kit # 003 02 061 (1018) -- this is a 6 wheel truck kit. The 4 wheel kits have the same bushings.
    upload_2019-5-24_6-34-22.png

    You will end up with trucks you may or may not need for other projects -- and, of course -- you can roll your own. Plug the hole --drill out the appropriate sized hole and insert a new bolster pin

    Have fun,
    Wolf
     
  5. bman

    bman TrainBoard Member

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    So somewhere around here I've one of those cabooses(I move too much). The plan was to dress it up with the Gold Medal Models etched details and replace the Lima truck with the Mictrotrains 1185 caboose truck w/o coupler. Then Athearn came out with their N bay window caboose and I shelved the project. It had the Microtrains 1027 body mount coupler and the coupler pockets trimmed from the Lima truck when I shelved it. But like the above mentioned Mictrotrains products, the 1027 comes unassembled. I wonder if a medium Bettendorf from Microtrains would work? Or would the caboose steps interfere with the coupler swing on curves. There is a small bushing that comes with Microtrains trucks and you'd have to install that in the existing hole that the original truck goes in. You may have to enlarge the hole or not depending on what you are working with.
    If you've one of those around you could try it. Other wise the body mount couplers from Microtrains that come assembled are the 1015 and 1016.
    You might be able install one of those and use the 1185 caboose truck together if there is enough room left between the coupler box and the truck. From the photos it looks to be close. It would not be the prettiest thing. But it might at least get you rolling so to speak. Hopefully someone will chime in later that has converted one of these to Microtrains trucks/couplers.
    Converting some of N scale's history can be a bit of a challenge to modify. I have to say I don't miss doing that these days.
     
  6. John Moore

    John Moore TrainBoard Supporter

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    Two options here. One is to body mount coulpers or the 2nd is the truck mount. The only thing is you will need to know the length of the coupler on the truck mounts since MT has them in long, medium, and short. Each set of trucks come with two different mounting pins, a adapter for filling in the original mounting hole and a set of spacers to adjust body height. For the first option is the correct set of MT trucks without couplers and then body mount MT 1015/1016s. The 1015/1016s come already assembled or in packs unassembled. A 3rd option would be to trim the coupler off the truck and just do a body mount
     
  7. BarstowRick

    BarstowRick TrainBoard Supporter

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    I've had the same problem finding the proper trucks for my cabooses.

    I once checked with Micro-Trains via an phone call. I was directed to their inventory as listed on the internet. I did find what I was looking for at the time. Just not able to pull that rabbit out of the hat, right now, for you.

    Not sure what you mean by Lima trucks?

    Here is the search results I got:
    "Your search for "Lima Caboose Trucks," returned no results."
    I'm sure it's just terminology.

    Do you have a picture of the 1:1 foot scale? The prototype?
    Right now I'm thinking you are wanting something like the trucks used under REA express reefers that operated in passenger consists.

    Odd, I can't get text size to go back to the original setting. Sorry about that.
     
    Last edited: May 24, 2019
  8. qquake2k

    qquake2k TrainBoard Member

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    Thanks guys for all the suggestions. I bought some 1128 couplers today, per jtomstarr's suggestion. I'll see if I can put them together. If not, I also bought some Fox Valley static couplers. That's what I have on it now, but they're too long, so I bought some shorter ones. The only problem with them is, they don't automatically couple with MTL couplers. I find I have to pick up the FVM coupler and put it over the MTL.
     
  9. qquake2k

    qquake2k TrainBoard Member

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    I meant the caboose is a Lima, I think.
     
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  10. BarstowRick

    BarstowRick TrainBoard Supporter

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    Yep, that happens. Compatibility can sometimes be a problem.
    Lima did put out cabooses as well as some of the finest steam engines.
     
  11. BNSF FAN

    BNSF FAN TrainBoard Supporter

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    Wolf has the right idea here even if you want to do body mount couplers and still put M/T trucks. Been a while since I had to buy any but if memory serves, those bushing Wolf shows/describes come in all the single pair or trucks packages. If you want to do truck mounted couplers, I think the medium shank is what you need.
     
  12. bman

    bman TrainBoard Member

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    So after a long searching safari, I found my Lima caboose. My earlier post was incorrect on what body mount couplers are on it sorry. It does have what looks to be a or 1016 medium shank body mount coupler with the original Lima trucks. Although it sticks out a bit. There is a bit of room to move the coupler box back a tiny bit. The 1015 has a shorter shank to it. You can get either the 1015 and 1016 already assembled. Then you could go with the Microtrains caboose trucks or keep the Lima ones. The only thing I see is that the screw will protrude through the walkway on the rear of the car. The person who body mounted the couplers did not use the screw provided from Microtrains. They used a shorter brass machine screw that just barely goes through the walkway. It's mostly hidden by the railings on the end. Now that I've got it out I'm thinking of installing the Gold Medal Models details and painting up for a home road caboose. Like I need another painting project atm.....

    [​IMG]
     
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  13. BarstowRick

    BarstowRick TrainBoard Supporter

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    On the model railroad side of things. I keep thinking you have a Rivarossi Caboose. Possibly built by Roco for Rivarossi. Are there any indicators on the caboose as to it's original manufacturer?

    My bad, lapse of memory perhaps. Yes, Lima before Model Power and Rivarossi did make N scale products. I have an early FP45 in Santa Fe Livery. Found it after some digging around. Pretty sure you are correct.

    On the 1:1 foot scale there was a Lima Locomotive works just north of Dayton, Ohio. They produced various steam locomotives and some train cars. Just not what we are talking about here.

    As far as the picture you posted, the last picture shows an altered caboose, minus the truck mounted couplers. I like what's been done to that and have done something similar with my cabooses.

    You've gotten some excellent advice and there's no need for me to add to it. Other then to say, you are headed in the right direction.
     
    Last edited: May 26, 2019
  14. BNSF FAN

    BNSF FAN TrainBoard Supporter

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    Is it just me Brian or is the underframe installed backwards from the body shell? :unsure:
     
  15. bman

    bman TrainBoard Member

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    Actually the body and under frame are not even attached at this point. I used the body to prop up the under frame. I had started to fill in the holes where the walkway attaches to the body but lost interest when the Athearn bay windows hit the street. It now resides a box of stuff to be revisited someday. I've all the CR bay windows I need. I could backdate it and put it in PC paint instead of a home road as well. Maybe someday. I've a work bench full o' projects atm.
     
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  16. marty coil

    marty coil TrainBoard Supporter

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    This is a Lima (Model Power) caboose I just completed. I removed the Rapido'ss with a and attached Jewelers saw and attached Mt 1022???? body mounted couplers. This has been mentioned above and works great. In the past I've attached MT BX Express trucks to a Lima body using the bushing contained in the MT Coupler packets. It also work well....
    IMG_2815.JPG
     
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