https://bigbluetrains.com/ Fri, 17 Apr 2026 06:59:52 +0000 MyBB https://bigbluetrains.com/showthread.php?tid=9920 Tue, 30 Jul 2024 09:31:45 +0000 franckcombe]]> https://bigbluetrains.com/showthread.php?tid=9920
I have still not finished my mexican layout in on30 but I will start in parallel a french CFD VIVARAIS at HOm scale in the  1940/1950 era.

It's a typical rural line at metric gauge. When I was young ant today too I use to ride on this train that still exist as touristic line. It's mountainous train with small halt or railways station. I Will do 3 small scene in radio chassis of the years 1940 / 1950 and the radios will be link together.

s-l1600 by franck combe, sur Flickr

IMG_5688 by franck combe, sur Flickr

IMG_5687 by franck combe, sur Flickr

IMG_5685 by franck combe, sur Flickr]]>
I have still not finished my mexican layout in on30 but I will start in parallel a french CFD VIVARAIS at HOm scale in the  1940/1950 era.

It's a typical rural line at metric gauge. When I was young ant today too I use to ride on this train that still exist as touristic line. It's mountainous train with small halt or railways station. I Will do 3 small scene in radio chassis of the years 1940 / 1950 and the radios will be link together.

s-l1600 by franck combe, sur Flickr

IMG_5688 by franck combe, sur Flickr

IMG_5687 by franck combe, sur Flickr

IMG_5685 by franck combe, sur Flickr]]> https://bigbluetrains.com/showthread.php?tid=9860 Sat, 30 Mar 2024 05:58:33 +0000 cid]]> https://bigbluetrains.com/showthread.php?tid=9860 The old version is still available for $150  or so, depending where you look. Guess I'll get one, since I have questions...
Its reportedly a necessity if attempting that kit build.]]> The old version is still available for $150  or so, depending where you look. Guess I'll get one, since I have questions...
Its reportedly a necessity if attempting that kit build.]]> https://bigbluetrains.com/showthread.php?tid=9859 Sat, 30 Mar 2024 04:14:14 +0000 cid]]> https://bigbluetrains.com/showthread.php?tid=9859 Hello to all from Memphis! I'm looking at this on Ebay: 
HO/HOn3 ROUNDHOUSE 2 TRUCK SHAY KIT WITH STRAIGHT BOILER WOOD CAB WISEMAN MODELS. 
Has anyone attempted this kit? Maybe there are Youtubes regarding it. Just looking for opinions on feasability. 
I'm wanting to do HON3, not sure about the track/code yetAnd, is it doable to install DCC/Sound in this with an appropriate decoder?
And, is it doable to install DCC/Sound in this with an appropriate decoder?
I guess I'm really asking six questions, have not even researched it, just looking for ideas! 

Someone tell me I'm crazy...
Thanks!
Cid]]> Hello to all from Memphis! I'm looking at this on Ebay: 
HO/HOn3 ROUNDHOUSE 2 TRUCK SHAY KIT WITH STRAIGHT BOILER WOOD CAB WISEMAN MODELS. 
Has anyone attempted this kit? Maybe there are Youtubes regarding it. Just looking for opinions on feasability. 
I'm wanting to do HON3, not sure about the track/code yetAnd, is it doable to install DCC/Sound in this with an appropriate decoder?
And, is it doable to install DCC/Sound in this with an appropriate decoder?
I guess I'm really asking six questions, have not even researched it, just looking for ideas! 

Someone tell me I'm crazy...
Thanks!
Cid]]> https://bigbluetrains.com/showthread.php?tid=9776 Sun, 03 Sep 2023 21:30:15 +0000 Amalynn]]> https://bigbluetrains.com/showthread.php?tid=9776
The kit I’m building is a 3d printed resin kit made by Western Rails.]]>
The kit I’m building is a 3d printed resin kit made by Western Rails.]]> https://bigbluetrains.com/showthread.php?tid=9674 Thu, 08 Dec 2022 11:18:23 +0000 franckcombe]]> https://bigbluetrains.com/showthread.php?tid=9674
Because I made it for exhibition, I will use the same design in term of size as LUCKY LUKE.

Diapositive1 by franck combe, sur Flickr

plan blue print by franck combe, sur Flickr

I made the design of the building

This is the fort and the bank

IMG_0134 by franck combe, sur Flickr

This is the tequila factory and the church

IMG_0135 by franck combe, sur Flickr

This is the station

IMG_0136 by franck combe, sur Flickr]]>
Because I made it for exhibition, I will use the same design in term of size as LUCKY LUKE.

Diapositive1 by franck combe, sur Flickr

plan blue print by franck combe, sur Flickr

I made the design of the building

This is the fort and the bank

IMG_0134 by franck combe, sur Flickr

This is the tequila factory and the church

IMG_0135 by franck combe, sur Flickr

This is the station

IMG_0136 by franck combe, sur Flickr]]> https://bigbluetrains.com/showthread.php?tid=9504 Sat, 05 Feb 2022 12:06:04 +0000 Graffen]]> https://bigbluetrains.com/showthread.php?tid=9504 It sure eats up more real estate in On30 compared to HOn3...
]]> It sure eats up more real estate in On30 compared to HOn3...
]]> https://bigbluetrains.com/showthread.php?tid=9490 Fri, 28 Jan 2022 02:44:13 +0000 Graffen]]> https://bigbluetrains.com/showthread.php?tid=9490 This is the box art:

It's actually a very uncomplicated kit, but it has a lot of potential!

The contents of the kit, it seems to be made of ABS.


The walls are shiplap siding, but a bit plain and will be woodgrained.


I added some wood grain on the planks.


I used an Xacto blade to scribe the plastic.

I scribe with the side of the blade, and when it makes nice corkscrews of plastic, you got the right technique.


I added some nail holes and plank ends while I was at it....

Measure out an imagined framing on the surface, I did it with 2' centers.
I embossed the nails with a tool I made using a wooden handle with a sharp compass needle mounted in it.


I had to fill some joints after gluing the main structure together.
I used thin plastic cement to get a really good joint.

I primed the structure with grey spray primer before painting the walls with an old wood color, a mix of Vallejo cement and sand. That makes the walls ready for paint.


The walls were painted with old wood color, so I started with a layer of hairspray to prepare the topcoat for the weathering.
I mixed a light greyish green color with paints from AK.
I airbrushed the walls with a thin, but covering layer.


Then I chipped the paint to make it look like peeling paint by revealing the old wood underneath.
That's achieved by moistening the dry paint with water and then removing the paint with a toothpick.

The text was painted with a hand cut mask that I very lightly airbrushed with a light green paint, just enough to see the text.
The letters were then filled in by hand, adding the serifs and shadows.
I named it "The San Miguel Herald", the newspaper that gives the term SMH (Shaking My Head) a meaning! 

The next step was to paint the foundation, shingle the roof and add a fire platform.



I also added a tar paper roof on the porch.

]]> This is the box art:

It's actually a very uncomplicated kit, but it has a lot of potential!

The contents of the kit, it seems to be made of ABS.


The walls are shiplap siding, but a bit plain and will be woodgrained.


I added some wood grain on the planks.


I used an Xacto blade to scribe the plastic.

I scribe with the side of the blade, and when it makes nice corkscrews of plastic, you got the right technique.


I added some nail holes and plank ends while I was at it....

Measure out an imagined framing on the surface, I did it with 2' centers.
I embossed the nails with a tool I made using a wooden handle with a sharp compass needle mounted in it.


I had to fill some joints after gluing the main structure together.
I used thin plastic cement to get a really good joint.

I primed the structure with grey spray primer before painting the walls with an old wood color, a mix of Vallejo cement and sand. That makes the walls ready for paint.


The walls were painted with old wood color, so I started with a layer of hairspray to prepare the topcoat for the weathering.
I mixed a light greyish green color with paints from AK.
I airbrushed the walls with a thin, but covering layer.


Then I chipped the paint to make it look like peeling paint by revealing the old wood underneath.
That's achieved by moistening the dry paint with water and then removing the paint with a toothpick.

The text was painted with a hand cut mask that I very lightly airbrushed with a light green paint, just enough to see the text.
The letters were then filled in by hand, adding the serifs and shadows.
I named it "The San Miguel Herald", the newspaper that gives the term SMH (Shaking My Head) a meaning! 

The next step was to paint the foundation, shingle the roof and add a fire platform.



I also added a tar paper roof on the porch.

]]> https://bigbluetrains.com/showthread.php?tid=9400 Fri, 17 Sep 2021 20:45:31 +0000 Amalynn]]> https://bigbluetrains.com/showthread.php?tid=9400
So I figured I'd kick things off with two projects that I picked up via the Friends of the East Broad Top Company Store, an unpowered HOn3 model of the East Broad Top's unique M-3 track inspection motorcar, as well as a resin kit of the East Broad Top's sole surviving tank car. I'm gonna start off with a brief bit of history about both, as well as photos of the projects as they were received. I have a couple of photos of the prototypes that I found on the internet that I plan to post up (with photo credits if they are available). If that's a problem they can be removed or whatever, but I thought having a prototype photo might be helpful for those less familiar.

So, the East Broad Top M-3 was built in 1928 by the EBT Shops in Rockhill Furnace, PA. It was built from a Nash automobile and used as a track inspection car and occasionally used for MOW service. It is a gas-mechanical vehicle and reportedly had a trailer that it could tow, though I have no idea how frequently that was used and have no real plans to model it. There is a small lean-to shed in the Rockhill Furnace Shops complex with a track in to it that is currently used to store the M-1, though I'm not sure if that is where she was always stored or not. It would stand to reason that it would have been stored in a small shed where it was accessible instead of in the shops where a car or locomotive being worked on may be blocking it. That's just conjecture on my part, though. Nevertheless, it was on the railroad during the era I model (1937-1942), so I have acquired one to go on my layout. It was painted red with a white roof and had the letters "East Broad Top" on the side, with "M-3" written underneath. The railroad uses M-series numbers to number any of the large motorized equipment on the roster, such as the doodlebugs M-1 and M-2, and the M-4 through M-7 used on the modern Tourist era railroad.

The East Broad Top's sole surviving tank car is one of two known to exist, though it still has some mystery surrounding it. As with many narrow gauge tank cars, tank car #116 is a tank attached to a flat car, rather than having a frame (or no frame) to attach it to. The flatcar used was a standard East Broad Top steel flat car. A 6,000 gallon steel tank was permanently attached, and stabilization railings were added to either side. It was built sometime in the Great Depression, most likely in or just after 1936 from current records. Aaaaand that's where the known-for-sure bits stop. The East Broad Top had one other tank-on-flat-car, #102 (or maybe #103?), a wooden flat car with a tank made by Atlantic Refining Company (ARCo) mounted to it temporarily. Some identical tank bodies were used by the D&RGW narrow gauge, some on frames and some frameless, in GATX service. It's unknown whether that is the same tank currently on car #116, or if the tank is a copy. In any case, the tank car was utilized as a part of water trains that were run daily to Robertsdale at the end of the line during droughts. The tank car would carry potable water, while four "well-caulked" boxcars would carry non-potable water.

So, the M-3, as I said, is an unpowered 3D-printed model. I'm going to attempt to add windows to it, as well as paint and decal it. I'll be using .005" Evergreen clear styrene sheet and Microscale MI-9 Kristal Klear glue to put the windows in. To paint it I'll be using Tamiya fine surface primer, followed by a flat white on the roof, caboose red on the body, and a flat dark grey on the hood and frame. It'll get a small blast of some basic weathering, and that'll be that.
With the tank car, it'll be a bit more work. It is a kit made by Funaro & Camerlango. The couplers are Kadee scale HOn3 couplers, trucks are EBT Vulcan trucks from C&BT shops. Paints for the project will be an off-white for the body, and a dark grey or black for the body. I have a decal set from the FEBT as well.

Photos are posted as attachments rather than hosted and spliced in due to data limits at the current moment. Later I'll get them hosted and spliced in so it looks better, if desired.

  East Broad Top M-3 Tourist Era (Colour).jpg (Size: 10.66 KB / Downloads: 947)

  EBT M-3 Period Photo (Black & White).jpg (Size: 11.36 KB / Downloads: 910)

  EBT Tank Car - Modern Photo.jpg (Size: 11.6 KB / Downloads: 951)

  EBT Tank Car - Period Image.jpg (Size: 8.95 KB / Downloads: 954) ]]>
So I figured I'd kick things off with two projects that I picked up via the Friends of the East Broad Top Company Store, an unpowered HOn3 model of the East Broad Top's unique M-3 track inspection motorcar, as well as a resin kit of the East Broad Top's sole surviving tank car. I'm gonna start off with a brief bit of history about both, as well as photos of the projects as they were received. I have a couple of photos of the prototypes that I found on the internet that I plan to post up (with photo credits if they are available). If that's a problem they can be removed or whatever, but I thought having a prototype photo might be helpful for those less familiar.

So, the East Broad Top M-3 was built in 1928 by the EBT Shops in Rockhill Furnace, PA. It was built from a Nash automobile and used as a track inspection car and occasionally used for MOW service. It is a gas-mechanical vehicle and reportedly had a trailer that it could tow, though I have no idea how frequently that was used and have no real plans to model it. There is a small lean-to shed in the Rockhill Furnace Shops complex with a track in to it that is currently used to store the M-1, though I'm not sure if that is where she was always stored or not. It would stand to reason that it would have been stored in a small shed where it was accessible instead of in the shops where a car or locomotive being worked on may be blocking it. That's just conjecture on my part, though. Nevertheless, it was on the railroad during the era I model (1937-1942), so I have acquired one to go on my layout. It was painted red with a white roof and had the letters "East Broad Top" on the side, with "M-3" written underneath. The railroad uses M-series numbers to number any of the large motorized equipment on the roster, such as the doodlebugs M-1 and M-2, and the M-4 through M-7 used on the modern Tourist era railroad.

The East Broad Top's sole surviving tank car is one of two known to exist, though it still has some mystery surrounding it. As with many narrow gauge tank cars, tank car #116 is a tank attached to a flat car, rather than having a frame (or no frame) to attach it to. The flatcar used was a standard East Broad Top steel flat car. A 6,000 gallon steel tank was permanently attached, and stabilization railings were added to either side. It was built sometime in the Great Depression, most likely in or just after 1936 from current records. Aaaaand that's where the known-for-sure bits stop. The East Broad Top had one other tank-on-flat-car, #102 (or maybe #103?), a wooden flat car with a tank made by Atlantic Refining Company (ARCo) mounted to it temporarily. Some identical tank bodies were used by the D&RGW narrow gauge, some on frames and some frameless, in GATX service. It's unknown whether that is the same tank currently on car #116, or if the tank is a copy. In any case, the tank car was utilized as a part of water trains that were run daily to Robertsdale at the end of the line during droughts. The tank car would carry potable water, while four "well-caulked" boxcars would carry non-potable water.

So, the M-3, as I said, is an unpowered 3D-printed model. I'm going to attempt to add windows to it, as well as paint and decal it. I'll be using .005" Evergreen clear styrene sheet and Microscale MI-9 Kristal Klear glue to put the windows in. To paint it I'll be using Tamiya fine surface primer, followed by a flat white on the roof, caboose red on the body, and a flat dark grey on the hood and frame. It'll get a small blast of some basic weathering, and that'll be that.
With the tank car, it'll be a bit more work. It is a kit made by Funaro & Camerlango. The couplers are Kadee scale HOn3 couplers, trucks are EBT Vulcan trucks from C&BT shops. Paints for the project will be an off-white for the body, and a dark grey or black for the body. I have a decal set from the FEBT as well.

Photos are posted as attachments rather than hosted and spliced in due to data limits at the current moment. Later I'll get them hosted and spliced in so it looks better, if desired.

  East Broad Top M-3 Tourist Era (Colour).jpg (Size: 10.66 KB / Downloads: 947)

  EBT M-3 Period Photo (Black & White).jpg (Size: 11.36 KB / Downloads: 910)

  EBT Tank Car - Modern Photo.jpg (Size: 11.6 KB / Downloads: 951)

  EBT Tank Car - Period Image.jpg (Size: 8.95 KB / Downloads: 954) ]]> https://bigbluetrains.com/showthread.php?tid=9380 Tue, 27 Jul 2021 17:31:29 +0000 nachoman]]> https://bigbluetrains.com/showthread.php?tid=9380
My goal is to 3d print nearly everything except motor, axles, some brass wire, and wheels.

  2-6-0.jpg (Size: 161.83 KB / Downloads: 1165) ]]>
My goal is to 3d print nearly everything except motor, axles, some brass wire, and wheels.

  2-6-0.jpg (Size: 161.83 KB / Downloads: 1165) ]]> https://bigbluetrains.com/showthread.php?tid=9373 Sun, 11 Jul 2021 13:36:59 +0000 testone]]> https://bigbluetrains.com/showthread.php?tid=9373
it was in January 2021, an age of strictliest and darkest lockdown here.








When i found an unforeseeable offer. I puchased this little loco and it was like just a kind of late x-mas gift for me.


Lutz]]>
it was in January 2021, an age of strictliest and darkest lockdown here.








When i found an unforeseeable offer. I puchased this little loco and it was like just a kind of late x-mas gift for me.


Lutz]]> https://bigbluetrains.com/showthread.php?tid=9363 Sat, 19 Jun 2021 18:58:57 +0000 franckcombe]]> https://bigbluetrains.com/showthread.php?tid=9363 Finally I came back to the 7/8ths with the theme of archaeological exploration in Egypt with the railway. As is often the case in my networks, I always mix the real and the fictional. The narrow gauge railway was often used for exploration in Egypt with or without a locomotive. 
I chose to do it with typical English locomotives (colonial heritage). I have a lister, a ruston and a ransom and rapier. 
There will be a sand chute system between the ground and the first level.
On the left side of the layout, there will be a cross bridge. 
The layout of which you have a volume model is 70 cm by 100 cm plus the cross bridge.
Here are some real photos from Egypt which I will use as a basis

deir-el-bahari-1894-6 by franck combe, sur Flickr

egypte fouilles Isa 01 by franck combe, sur Flickr

B55_NS by franck combe, sur Flickr

A212_NS by franck combe, sur Flickr

IMG_6414 by franck combe, sur Flickr

IMG_6413 by franck combe, sur Flickr

IMG_6412 by franck combe, sur Flickr


IMG_6411 by franck combe, sur Flickr

IMG_6410 by franck combe, sur Flickr

IMG_6409 by franck combe, sur Flickr]]> Finally I came back to the 7/8ths with the theme of archaeological exploration in Egypt with the railway. As is often the case in my networks, I always mix the real and the fictional. The narrow gauge railway was often used for exploration in Egypt with or without a locomotive. 
I chose to do it with typical English locomotives (colonial heritage). I have a lister, a ruston and a ransom and rapier. 
There will be a sand chute system between the ground and the first level.
On the left side of the layout, there will be a cross bridge. 
The layout of which you have a volume model is 70 cm by 100 cm plus the cross bridge.
Here are some real photos from Egypt which I will use as a basis

deir-el-bahari-1894-6 by franck combe, sur Flickr

egypte fouilles Isa 01 by franck combe, sur Flickr

B55_NS by franck combe, sur Flickr

A212_NS by franck combe, sur Flickr

IMG_6414 by franck combe, sur Flickr

IMG_6413 by franck combe, sur Flickr

IMG_6412 by franck combe, sur Flickr


IMG_6411 by franck combe, sur Flickr

IMG_6410 by franck combe, sur Flickr

IMG_6409 by franck combe, sur Flickr]]> https://bigbluetrains.com/showthread.php?tid=9276 Thu, 11 Feb 2021 21:10:17 +0000 nachoman]]> https://bigbluetrains.com/showthread.php?tid=9276
  Caboose.jpg (Size: 190.26 KB / Downloads: 786) ]]>
  Caboose.jpg (Size: 190.26 KB / Downloads: 786) ]]> https://bigbluetrains.com/showthread.php?tid=9226 Mon, 23 Nov 2020 17:24:23 +0000 franckcombe]]> https://bigbluetrains.com/showthread.php?tid=9226 It's called Carl ARENDT, because Carl ARENDT was a remarkable man that I appreciated a lot. The second reason is that I add a specific constraint typical of  Carl ARENDT’s spirit. My layout will have only 10 cm deep (4 inches). The reason of this constraint was inspired me by a discussion with my friends Erwan Josset and François Fontana (editor-in-chief of a narrow gauge magazine) that proposes as a challenge to create a layout of 10 cm deep. I doodle a lot of and I find one solution by creating a cross-section of a mining network. There are also two advantages of this size: a quick realization and also it could easily store in my flat during the building.
I chose to do this at on30 for the atmosphere because if I do it at hoe scale it will be too small. It will be an US mine.

1 by franck combe, sur Flickr



This is the blue print (overall dimension 120 cm by  60 cm by 10 cm  (130 inches  by  24 inches by 4 inches) 

2 by franck combe, sur Flickr

And please find 2 photos that will inspire the layout. These photos doesn’t belonging to me but I'm not able to find the owner, so if you are the owner of these photos please contact me.


3 by franck combe, sur Flickr


4 by franck combe, sur Flickr]]> It's called Carl ARENDT, because Carl ARENDT was a remarkable man that I appreciated a lot. The second reason is that I add a specific constraint typical of  Carl ARENDT’s spirit. My layout will have only 10 cm deep (4 inches). The reason of this constraint was inspired me by a discussion with my friends Erwan Josset and François Fontana (editor-in-chief of a narrow gauge magazine) that proposes as a challenge to create a layout of 10 cm deep. I doodle a lot of and I find one solution by creating a cross-section of a mining network. There are also two advantages of this size: a quick realization and also it could easily store in my flat during the building.
I chose to do this at on30 for the atmosphere because if I do it at hoe scale it will be too small. It will be an US mine.

1 by franck combe, sur Flickr



This is the blue print (overall dimension 120 cm by  60 cm by 10 cm  (130 inches  by  24 inches by 4 inches) 

2 by franck combe, sur Flickr

And please find 2 photos that will inspire the layout. These photos doesn’t belonging to me but I'm not able to find the owner, so if you are the owner of these photos please contact me.


3 by franck combe, sur Flickr


4 by franck combe, sur Flickr]]> https://bigbluetrains.com/showthread.php?tid=9103 Thu, 02 Apr 2020 17:48:16 +0000 cnrglen]]> https://bigbluetrains.com/showthread.php?tid=9103 Since I finally go some decent trackwork on my logging branchline, and my MDC shay isn't complete, I need an engine to test it out.
I found several Athearn conversions for sale on Ebay for 75-100$ but I figured I could build one foe much cheaper.
I also found an article in the October 1980 MR that details re-gauging athearn trucks for HOn3. I used that and some of my own calculations to convert an Athearn F-7 to narrow gauge. The engine was free and if it worked okay I figure I'll try it on a smaller Athearn unit and see what I can kitbash out of it.



I started with an older-model Athearn F-unit. The ones that come with the cast-metal sideframes on the trucks. The newer trucks with the square axle bushings won't work.

This unit was well-used and needed some wheel cleaning and lubrication before it started moving.
I ran it for a few minutes before disassembling it.
 

I then disassembled both trucks and cleaned all the parts with Isopropyl alcohol and let them dry.
 

six parts have to be modified in each truck, the four wheels and the two axles. The wheels need to have their metal axles respaced and moved outward. I used a NWSL sensipress to do this. The modified wheel will have .14" of the axle on the inside


The plastic axle/gear will also need to be shortened, but equally on both sides. I found that shortening the axle from the gear to the end to .113"did the trick. I used a sanding disk in my Dremel to shave the plastic axle down, checking with my digital caliper and a kadee wheel gauge as I went.


I also checked the completed wheelsets on my test track and they roll just fine.


Now re-assembling the trucks is a bit more tricky. Since the metal axles in the wheels have been moved, the wheelsets no longer just drop into the trucks. The wheels have to go in first, then press the plastic axles onto them.

Then install the rest of the gears in the on side, add the wheels into the other side, then place the two side together, pressing the wheels into the plastic axles and re-gauging them.


The only problem now is that the bottom truck cover will now fit so it will have to be left off. The MR article gives a template to make a new styrene cover the is glued on with contact cement.
 

I re-assembled the chassis and ran it on my test track. It runs just as well as it did when it was standard gauge.]]> Since I finally go some decent trackwork on my logging branchline, and my MDC shay isn't complete, I need an engine to test it out.
I found several Athearn conversions for sale on Ebay for 75-100$ but I figured I could build one foe much cheaper.
I also found an article in the October 1980 MR that details re-gauging athearn trucks for HOn3. I used that and some of my own calculations to convert an Athearn F-7 to narrow gauge. The engine was free and if it worked okay I figure I'll try it on a smaller Athearn unit and see what I can kitbash out of it.



I started with an older-model Athearn F-unit. The ones that come with the cast-metal sideframes on the trucks. The newer trucks with the square axle bushings won't work.

This unit was well-used and needed some wheel cleaning and lubrication before it started moving.
I ran it for a few minutes before disassembling it.
 

I then disassembled both trucks and cleaned all the parts with Isopropyl alcohol and let them dry.
 

six parts have to be modified in each truck, the four wheels and the two axles. The wheels need to have their metal axles respaced and moved outward. I used a NWSL sensipress to do this. The modified wheel will have .14" of the axle on the inside


The plastic axle/gear will also need to be shortened, but equally on both sides. I found that shortening the axle from the gear to the end to .113"did the trick. I used a sanding disk in my Dremel to shave the plastic axle down, checking with my digital caliper and a kadee wheel gauge as I went.


I also checked the completed wheelsets on my test track and they roll just fine.


Now re-assembling the trucks is a bit more tricky. Since the metal axles in the wheels have been moved, the wheelsets no longer just drop into the trucks. The wheels have to go in first, then press the plastic axles onto them.

Then install the rest of the gears in the on side, add the wheels into the other side, then place the two side together, pressing the wheels into the plastic axles and re-gauging them.


The only problem now is that the bottom truck cover will now fit so it will have to be left off. The MR article gives a template to make a new styrene cover the is glued on with contact cement.
 

I re-assembled the chassis and ran it on my test track. It runs just as well as it did when it was standard gauge.]]> https://bigbluetrains.com/showthread.php?tid=9082 Thu, 20 Feb 2020 15:39:31 +0000 franckcombe]]> https://bigbluetrains.com/showthread.php?tid=9082
This is the mock-up. I will do a mix between a true  traditional layout and the strip cartoon. It's not so easy because the code and the rules are different.

IMG_3835 by franck combe, sur Flickr

I have to create the background for each building. The buildings come from Atlas collection and I have more than 50 figurines from the strip cartoon. They are more or less at the scale of 1/48. We'll get all the clichés of the cartoon strip.


IMG_3836 by franck combe, sur Flickr



IMG_3837 by franck combe, sur Flickr



IMG_3838 by franck combe, sur Flickr

IMG_3839 by franck combe, sur Flickr

IMG_3840 by franck combe, sur Flickr

IMG_3841 by franck combe, sur Flickr

IMG_3842 by franck combe, sur Flickr

IMG_3843 by franck combe, sur Flickr

IMG_3844 by franck combe, sur Flickr]]>
This is the mock-up. I will do a mix between a true  traditional layout and the strip cartoon. It's not so easy because the code and the rules are different.

IMG_3835 by franck combe, sur Flickr

I have to create the background for each building. The buildings come from Atlas collection and I have more than 50 figurines from the strip cartoon. They are more or less at the scale of 1/48. We'll get all the clichés of the cartoon strip.


IMG_3836 by franck combe, sur Flickr



IMG_3837 by franck combe, sur Flickr



IMG_3838 by franck combe, sur Flickr

IMG_3839 by franck combe, sur Flickr

IMG_3840 by franck combe, sur Flickr

IMG_3841 by franck combe, sur Flickr

IMG_3842 by franck combe, sur Flickr

IMG_3843 by franck combe, sur Flickr

IMG_3844 by franck combe, sur Flickr]]>