Well, some may consider this a no-no, but I have just converted a HOm BEMO Metal Collection track cleaner for use on my HOn3 tracks. I have had excellent results with such a HOm model that disguises its track cleaning part so well that it does not show. It looks like the Swiss version of a narrow gauge spreader for meter gauge. I was not happy with what I found for HOn3. Particularly, I had no idea how well these would clean (dry only). So when I found out there was also a gray version of this Swiss spreader, I decided to get one if possible, and to convert it as a stand-in for a D&RGW spreader, in a way. Switzerland has a rather extensive meter gauge rail net, mostly in the mountains. So snow removal equipment has been needed just like in the Rocky Mountains. I had to adjust wheel space, as HOm is 12 mm track and HOn3 is 10.8 mm. The Bemo spreader is built to be converted to HOe or 9 mm track. So HOn3 is conveniently within the range. Changing the coupler was easier than I had feared. Bemo still uses loop and hook coupler technology for its HO models. They have started an Om line recently, and they use Kadee couplers on those models. Fortunately, coupler height is pretty much the same. So I had to adapt Kadee #714 couplers to fit into the coupler pocket. That was only possible with a conversion to a fixed coupler. But that's no problem. The first picture shows the spreader that unobtrusively fits into the consist. At least in my opinion. If I'd add handrails, I would get closer to a D&RGW flanger. But the car would stand out more, and thus would also reveal its faulty origin just the more. The other pictures show first the brownish-reddish HOm RhB model next to the gray FO model used for HOn3, and the HOn3 model up close from below. Here the attached Kadee couplers are well visible (minus the major portion of the tripping hook), and the track cleaning felt strips can be seen as well. The central element is movable and has a spring pressing it on to the track. The all metal construction of the car provides a decent amount of weight. The central element can be substituted by a non-cleaning one that comes with the model as well. Finally, a detail shot of the converted model from above. Unfortunately, these spreaders are always produced as limited runs only. Though with some persistence, one should be able to find them even several years after they were released.
Looks pretty good. I'm not sure what a period flanger looks like but with the gray, it doesn't look like out of place rolling stock. Andy Tetsu Uma
Faulty sectional piece instead of dirty track! The actual reason for this conversion was that I had conducting problems on my simple layout that I built using Blackstone's new sectional tracks. However, these problems did not go away with the use of the new track cleaner. I have only now finally managed to solve these ongoing contact problems on my outer Blackstone oval. I run two concentric ovals, that are not connected, due to lack of suitable turnouts. But I had always been puzzled that I only had these contact problems on my outer oval. At some point, on the HOn3 yahoo forum, someone mentioned that the Kato unijoiners were made for slightly thicker rails (code 80) than what Blackstone uses (code 70). So today, I decided to take that outer oval apart and to try to tighten each unijoiner a bit. I did it in installments to allow leaving the train on the tracks. Then, when I reassembled the final tracks, I noticed a problem in the farthest and thus least accessible corner of my NG platform. And it was only then that I discovered the obvious main source of the problems. One curved piece of track had an outer rail that was too short. It is of the shorter type normally only used for the inner rail on the curved pieces. But as the short side is where the unijoiner of the next track is supposed to provide the connection, it was not immediately obvious unless one specifically looked for it. This piece had been in about the same inaccessible position before. In that area, I had simply assembled some sections of tracks beforehand, and then pushed them into position without exactly seeing whether everything was OK. This time, however, I controlled the smooth fit with my fingers. And that finally revealed the gap. I’m still puzzled why I did not have more problems with a click of the wheels or derailments when the train crossed the gap. I wonder whether such faulty tracks have shown up on other people's layouts as well. In my case, it is the only one in three starter sets. In the end then, this simple fault on a track piece cost me in the order of $300, as I don't think I would have bought that Bemo track cleaner and converted it if everything had run smoothly from the onset. :rats:
