I heard from Rich Yoder today, of RY Models. He has just received a second batch of the Proto48 PRR 2D-F8 50 ton planked trucks. They are in stock again and available on his website at $48 per pair.
I picked up some of these trucks the first time he imported them. They sold out fast.
I’ve only seen this production in the photos he sent me today. They arrive with treads polished, trucks blackened ready to install.
I look forward to seeing them in person in a couple of weeks in Chicago.
Above is one of the locomotives I sold off through my For Sale Page. Since I’m not modeling the PRR as my primary road any more, it became surplus. Along with over 24 other steam locomotives, and unique PRR equipment. Happily most have new homes now.
I sold this locomotive to a guy I never meet, only corresponded with him by emails. He then shipped it up to Forsyth Rail Services to let Matt Forsyth do his magic.
Today, Matt sent me a link the this video and as he said, “It’s been extensively rebuilt and accurately re-detailed.” Matt also installed newest QSI Q3 sound for steam. He says he still has yet to install the headlight lens and the coal load for the tender, then it will be shipped to it’s new home.
Here is what it looked like when I sold it.
I’d say Matt did a really fine job on this locomotive.
I’ve been quiet lately here. I have been working on stuff, just not writing much. I’ve recently received and started to install the New Protocraft Symington-Gould “E” Type couplers some of my freight car models.
Most of the instalations have been easy. As simple as changing out the Kadee couple and box with the new Protocraft coupler box. Some have needed a little trimming of the coupler box.
They operate well, stay closed when they need to and open when you pass the magnetic wand over the top. They look fantastic!
The second photo shows them connected to a car with the Kadee couplers still. They did connect and stay coupled in my simple tests on the work bench.
The biggest issue I see so far is one that the prototype also has. They have to be manually aligned to couple properly. On a small switching layout where everything is easy to see, that will just add another layer of realism. On a larger layout with staging tracks in bad places that could prove to be a problem. Imagine backing into a staging yard with close overhead clearances. You have to pick up a string of cars on track three of six, all adjacent tracks filled with cars. You can barely fit a hand over the cars, let alone see over them. And your couplers need to be aligned, you can’t see to connect to the cars.
As pretty and well functioning as these new couplers are They do present some problems that the current bench mark of the Kadee coupler does not.
The issue of their cost is also something to consider. At $59.95 for five par of couplers, that is $11.99 per car for those that didn’t do the math. I can hear some of the guys with 200 cars on a model railroad saying they would not spend to $2398 to change out all the cars on their railroad. But for the modeler with 40 cars, it would come in at $479.60. That is not bad at all.
The jury is out for me on these couplers, they do operate well and look great. What is holding me back right now is coupling in spaces with bad access to the cars. Kadee couplers just work better in those places.
The new Sunset FP-7’s arrived today.
My first impression is good. I do see a couple of things that I will want to improve.
For now, I just want to look at them and enjoy them.
Side by side comparison of the new San Juan Type E Couplers and their existing Operating Type E Coupler. Gene Deimling photos
Gene Deimling posted about the new San Juan Couplers on his blog today. I recommend reading it. Here is an excerpt:
San Juan Car Company has been working on a new automatic coupler based upon the prototype Type-E coupler. Work was started on the standard gauge Evolution coupler shortly after finishing the narrow gauge Evolution automatic coupler. After several tries with their Chinese die maker, the coupler is done and in the country. The coupler is very similar to their working AAR Type-E coupler. The dimensions are nearly identical except for a scale inch and a half shorter in height. The shank has the same mounting hole and spring-plastic centering. It will fit in the same draft gear as the old San Juan coupler.
I can’t wait to try these out!
The new couplers look as good as the operating couplers and they do not have to be assembled. I also like the way they will remove the coupler slack if used in Kadee compatible coupler boxes.
Gene also mentions at the end of his post that there will be one more new assembled operating coupler in the states in the coming months. Coupler choices, that’s something to look forward to.
Tenax-7R back in the hobby shop
Seems like every few months we hear of another modeling product or company being discontinued or going out of business. It was nice to go into the hobby shop yesterday morning and see Tenax-7R back on the shelves. There were stories that the company had been sold last winter and the new company did not want to continue production, all I really know is the supply dried up.
Seeing it back on the shelf was like seeing an old friend at a train show. Can’t wait to use some of the new bottle today and kind of catch up on the time since I saw it last.
Page 8
There is always talk about what size rail should be used to model prototype rail of different weights. Some time back, I picked up a document published by the AT&SF Railroad which had different sizes of rail for different manufacturers listed. It contains the dimensions and sizes of rail made by Illinois Steel Company, Carnegie Steel Company, Pennsylvania Steel Company, Bethlehem Steel Company, Lackawanna Steel Company, Cambria Steel Company Colorado Fuel & Iron Company and Dominion Iron & Steel Company.
I scanned it last week.
Download the whole booklet – Table of Weights & Dimensions of Rail
In page 8 above, the sizes for rail from the Pennsylvania Steel Company are listed in the left hand table. There are eight different lines for 100 pound rail. The base width ranges from 5 inches to 5.5 inches, the height ranges from 5.5 inches to 6 inches and the tread width from 2.75 inches to 3 inches. The one listing for a 135 pound rail has it’s base at 6 inches, it’s height at 6 inches and it’s tread width at 3 5/32 inch.
So how is someone going to tell the difference between 100 pound rail and 135 pound rail when one sample has the same height (6 inches) only a quarter of an inch in base width difference, and 5/32 of an inch difference in tread width?
There was some talk on the Proto48 Yahoo board today about rail sizes and widths. I picked up a document put out by the AT&SF Railroad a while ago. I thought I’d scan it tonight and post it to add to the discussion. Above is page 2 of the document below is a link to the scan in a PDF file.
Table of Weights & Dimensions of Rail
It contains the dimensions and sizes of rail made by Illinois Steel Company, Carnegie Steel Company, Pennsylvania Steel Company, Bethlehem Steel Company, Lackawanna Steel Company, Cambria Steel Company Colorado Fuel & Iron Company and Dominion Iron & Steel Company. There is no date on this document.
One of the things I found interesting was that a number of the different manufacturers had different sizes to the rail even though they are the same weight.
Protocraft’s number 8 right hand prefab turnout – Photo from Protocraft website
Protocraft’s number 8 left hand prefab turnout – Photo from Protocraft website
I was on the Protocraft site last night and noticed a pair of new prefab turnouts have been added to their line. Protocraft is offering both a left and a right hand turnout built with Parts from John Pautz of American Swith and Signal. The description on the site explains what they are:
Prefabricated turnout ready to install. Compliments Protocraft’s Code 125 flex-track. Built by Brad Strong of Signature Switch Co for Protocraft. Right-O-Way Code 125 rail and highly detailed #8 frog and track parts cast in nickel silver from patterns by John Pautz. $99.95 each, plus shipping.
This is great news for those folks that have thought about modeling in Proto48 but did not want to build their own turnouts. One more excuse not to model in Proto48 removed.
I plan to build my own turnouts. I don’t find it difficult and I enjoy building track. So these turnouts are not a product that I’ve been waiting for. But as a Proto48 modeler, I’m very glad to see them produced.
Anybody who has ever spent any time South Jersey during the Summer months knows about the three “H’s” Hazy, Hot and Humid. That sums up our normal weather for June, July, August and part of September. Painting models in that kind of weather is not always a fun experience.
I try to limit my painting to the nicer days of the year which are usually found in the Spring and Fall. Sometimes that can interfere with other things I like to do on those kinds of days, like going out and doing some photography.
This Summer started out the same. July had a week or two in a row with no break of the H-H-H and 90°+ heat. But August has been a little different. I’ve been able to paint a few models, four hoppers two weekends ago and two gondolas this past weekend.
