04-02-2021, 05:33 PM
I did manage to make a start on a couple of cars. The first one was a car not even on my list, but while I was picking-out cars done some time ago, in order to match details on the current batch, I discovered several that lack some fairly basic stuff....I don't have the parts needed for doing them, but will order some when the current health situation returns to a more "normal" status.
Here's the car, originally a Rivarossi coach, which has been shortened by about 7'(HO), now as a wood-sided baggage car....
...which was lacking basic brake gear (the original moulded-on brake gear was there, but not really visible from trackside.
Here's a couple views of what I added to upgrade it a bit....
...and as seen from the side
This is the duplex sleeper, which has fairly deep sidesills. That would make most underbody detail visible only when the car derails and rolls-over. Because of that, added detail is minimal. Here's the main addition, a belt-driven generator, which, on the real cars runs the lighting and other electrical-operated amenities, in addition to keeping the underbody batteries fully charged...important when the car is not in motion.
The generator, on a real car, runs via a belt from the closest wheelset's axle, or, in some cases, via a driveshaft geared off the axle or near the journal box.
In addition to the generator (I mass-produced 15 or 20 of them some time ago), I added some vapour regulators (often called steam traps) made from suitably-sized finishing nails, and a couple of grabirons at the non-door sides near the ends of the car.
I hope to get a couple more cars to a point where they can at least get a coat of primer. However, I don't plan on doing paint jobs and lettering until all cars are completed.
Wayne
Here's the car, originally a Rivarossi coach, which has been shortened by about 7'(HO), now as a wood-sided baggage car....
...which was lacking basic brake gear (the original moulded-on brake gear was there, but not really visible from trackside.
Here's a couple views of what I added to upgrade it a bit....
...and as seen from the side
This is the duplex sleeper, which has fairly deep sidesills. That would make most underbody detail visible only when the car derails and rolls-over. Because of that, added detail is minimal. Here's the main addition, a belt-driven generator, which, on the real cars runs the lighting and other electrical-operated amenities, in addition to keeping the underbody batteries fully charged...important when the car is not in motion.
The generator, on a real car, runs via a belt from the closest wheelset's axle, or, in some cases, via a driveshaft geared off the axle or near the journal box.
In addition to the generator (I mass-produced 15 or 20 of them some time ago), I added some vapour regulators (often called steam traps) made from suitably-sized finishing nails, and a couple of grabirons at the non-door sides near the ends of the car.
I hope to get a couple more cars to a point where they can at least get a coat of primer. However, I don't plan on doing paint jobs and lettering until all cars are completed.
Wayne