07-29-2026, 10:22 PM
Good late evening.
It's almost tomorrow here. I worked on a couple of Athearn Blue Box 86 foot flat cars that I had put together but they would not track well and stiff turning. I found some advise about cutting the bolster hooks off the draw bar co the couplers and trucks could work independently. that was step one. I reamed the axle bearing holes with the axle reamer tool I got from some place a long time ago and changed the wheel sets to 33 inch. Then I found out the socket in the side bearing/frame cover was too small to fit the male part of the flat car so I used a moto tool and reamed it to fit. Then I discovered the side bearing/frame cover was too long toward the center frame so I had to notch it to fit. Now the trucks went on and swivel properly and the couple drawbar works fine.
Next project was installing Kadee's on a tank car, 5 minute job so I reamed the axle bearings and changed the wheels on it too.
Charlie
It's almost tomorrow here. I worked on a couple of Athearn Blue Box 86 foot flat cars that I had put together but they would not track well and stiff turning. I found some advise about cutting the bolster hooks off the draw bar co the couplers and trucks could work independently. that was step one. I reamed the axle bearing holes with the axle reamer tool I got from some place a long time ago and changed the wheel sets to 33 inch. Then I found out the socket in the side bearing/frame cover was too small to fit the male part of the flat car so I used a moto tool and reamed it to fit. Then I discovered the side bearing/frame cover was too long toward the center frame so I had to notch it to fit. Now the trucks went on and swivel properly and the couple drawbar works fine.
Next project was installing Kadee's on a tank car, 5 minute job so I reamed the axle bearings and changed the wheels on it too.
Charlie