Jordan or Plymouth Mad
Mid-Western Thunderer
P48 self-guarding frogs are available. 
7mm Richards P48 US Thread
- Thread starter richard carr
- Start date
richard carr
Western Thunderer
I do have some part made switches from O Scale Track, but I don't think they have self guarding frogs, I'll get some photos up when I'm back home tomorrow.
Richard
Richard
JasonD
Western Thunderer
richard carr
Western Thunderer
These are some of the switches I will be using by O Scale Turnouts.
They come ready assembled but require detailing. I think the detailing will take hours to be honest.
These are all 1 in 8 and are quite large.
They come ready assembled but require detailing. I think the detailing will take hours to be honest.
These are all 1 in 8 and are quite large.
JasonD
Western Thunderer
I was remembering a Blackadder episode the other night when Baldrick said, "I have a cunning plan. If you take a piece of wood and drill 4 very small holes in it, you could force 4 very slightly larger strong pins, not unlike Mrs Miggins' dressmakers pins in the holes. The pins would then mount the right distance apart to cope with pressing the 4 or more required spike holes for the gauge and location chosen plus half-ish the rail's flat-bottom width. They should protrude far enough to cope with the wood or whatever your sleepers (plus underlay?) will be made of, to a suitable depth to suit your spikes' strength. No sir, flat-bottom, FLAT-bottom."
Must watch the full episode again sometime....
Jason
Must watch the full episode again sometime....
Jason
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richard carr
Western Thunderer
Another little project I have been working on is to use the wheels from Right O Way to convert an Atlas loco to P48.
The wheels are really nice, they are machined on both sides and look better than any others I have seen, they are also very reasonably priced at $22.50 for a set of 8. The problem though is that the axle hole is 3mm in diameter and Atlas axles are about 4.6mm in diameter, so to make the axles fit the wheels requires a bit of time with the lathe. You can of course just buy the NWSL replacement wheelsets but they are not as nice and about 3 times the price.
Getting the original wheels off the axle takes a fair bit of force even with the arbour press, the gear comes off easily.
Turning the axle ends down to 3.05mm is a simple enough job in the lathe, it just takes a bit of care to keep measuring so that you don't over do it.
Putting them back together with the new wheels is a little bit trickier.
Here I have already put the gear back on the axle, the piece of cast iron to the left of the axle has been drilled out to 3.1mm in the lathe, so that the axle end is a nice fit in the hole, this really helps to get the wheels on without any wobble.
The axles are about 3mm over long at each end, so I machine that part of the axle to be 2.95mm in diameter so the wheel slides on easily.
As the axle pushes through it goes into the hole and everything stays square.
I'm now doing the same for the other wheel, I think doing this without an arbour press would be very difficult.
Here's the first test wheelset
You need to short out the gear side as only one side of the loco is insulated from the chassis.
You must also fit the plastic washers on the original axle on the insulated side of the wheel set.
So now the GP60 is converted to P48, it was an Atlas 2 rail Gold model from 2006, so it has a QSi sound decoder installed in it.
Here's a link to its first test run
The wheels are really nice, they are machined on both sides and look better than any others I have seen, they are also very reasonably priced at $22.50 for a set of 8. The problem though is that the axle hole is 3mm in diameter and Atlas axles are about 4.6mm in diameter, so to make the axles fit the wheels requires a bit of time with the lathe. You can of course just buy the NWSL replacement wheelsets but they are not as nice and about 3 times the price.
Getting the original wheels off the axle takes a fair bit of force even with the arbour press, the gear comes off easily.
Turning the axle ends down to 3.05mm is a simple enough job in the lathe, it just takes a bit of care to keep measuring so that you don't over do it.
Putting them back together with the new wheels is a little bit trickier.
Here I have already put the gear back on the axle, the piece of cast iron to the left of the axle has been drilled out to 3.1mm in the lathe, so that the axle end is a nice fit in the hole, this really helps to get the wheels on without any wobble.
The axles are about 3mm over long at each end, so I machine that part of the axle to be 2.95mm in diameter so the wheel slides on easily.
As the axle pushes through it goes into the hole and everything stays square.
I'm now doing the same for the other wheel, I think doing this without an arbour press would be very difficult.
Here's the first test wheelset
You need to short out the gear side as only one side of the loco is insulated from the chassis.
You must also fit the plastic washers on the original axle on the insulated side of the wheel set.
So now the GP60 is converted to P48, it was an Atlas 2 rail Gold model from 2006, so it has a QSi sound decoder installed in it.
Here's a link to its first test run
Yorkshire Dave
Western Thunderer
Nice loco - shame about the UP badge and patch re-numbering though.....
richard carr
Western Thunderer
Dave
Yes it is a little disappointing about the patches, but the other 2 when they arrive are pure Cotton Belt
Richard
Yes it is a little disappointing about the patches, but the other 2 when they arrive are pure Cotton Belt
Richard
richard carr
Western Thunderer
This is an Atlas boxcar that was released earlier this year.
It is a nice model but it only comes with theses
Not quite me.
Underneath it looks like this
A nice amount of detail but it needs a bolster and a coupling box.
So I got busy on CAD and sent Robin some files to print and here is the solution
I didn't have a drawing, so everything is a bit of guesswork from photos, there seems to be lots of different styles of coupling box but they are all the same length and all use the long shank coupler, so I have used the long shank Kadee coupler.
You can now add some protocraft 100-ton trucks to finish it off.
I also got the second crossover on the layout installed; I haven't fitted point motors yet but can run through them
Richard
It is a nice model but it only comes with theses
Not quite me.
Underneath it looks like this
A nice amount of detail but it needs a bolster and a coupling box.
So I got busy on CAD and sent Robin some files to print and here is the solution
I didn't have a drawing, so everything is a bit of guesswork from photos, there seems to be lots of different styles of coupling box but they are all the same length and all use the long shank coupler, so I have used the long shank Kadee coupler.
You can now add some protocraft 100-ton trucks to finish it off.
I also got the second crossover on the layout installed; I haven't fitted point motors yet but can run through them
Richard
Jordan or Plymouth Mad
Mid-Western Thunderer
Show off!!!This is an Atlas boxcar that was released earlier this year.
Urrgh!! Pass the sick bag!!It is a nice model but it only comes with theses
I can see the advantages of 3D printing though - need a new coupler box? Voila!!! :
Jay Criswell
Member
Jason, Richard, et al,
We actually have another self guarded frog. Produced with the help of Ian Watts, Terry Van Winkle, & David Sciacca (Valley Brass & Bronze). It's a newer style and I'm told more popular. Code 125 P48 #8. A few modelers have tried them and their reviews have been positive. Not on the website because every time I try to add, or even modify, anything to it I break the listing.
Jay
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Scale7JB
Western Thunderer
Welcome to the fold, Jay!
I met you briefly at the March meet earlier this year with Richard Carr.
JB.
Jay Criswell
Member
Yeppers! That was me. Actually, I've been a member of WT for quite a while now. I need to stop by more frequently.
Jay
Jordan or Plymouth Mad
Mid-Western Thunderer
I looked at Right-O-Way for self-guarding frogs when I ordered other parts for my layout, once I'd decided to hand spike all the track.
Of course, there isn't one made for standard 32mm "OW5", and I won't pollute this thread with photos of the ones I cobbled together for Code 100, #6 switches.
Scale7JB
Western Thunderer
richard carr
Western Thunderer
As I promised Dave the other week, here are couple of pure Cotton Belt GP60s.
Richard
Richard
Yorkshire Dave
Western Thunderer
The UP patch paint just doesn't look right .
When new and kept clean the bloody nose livery isn't too bad.
. When new and kept clean the bloody nose livery isn't too bad.
Jordan or Plymouth Mad
Mid-Western Thunderer
I can tell they're P:48 because the snowplows are so close to the floor!!!