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 Posted - September 11 2010 : 11:22:07 PM
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My junkbox buddy was able to hook me up with a sprung Caboose truck on Friday, so tonight I attached it to my M-K T 817 all-metal caboose, and it's rolling again on all 8's. Think I'm beginning to like some of the early-era stuff now, I will have to put together a 19th century freight sometime out of eclectic collection of old wooden billboard cars and get one of those Mantua steam engines going too.
Spent the better part of the afternoon and evening cleaning and organizing part of the basement , I redid my tool pegboard and got rid of junk and reorganized it so it's more useful. Also found more of my HO projects, and my stash of HO trucks, so I went through those, and low and behold, I found a pair of Marx-type push-on trucks. These actually had a plastic pin in each, but should work on the metal-pinned versions. So I can get that unusual Gilbert Bayola caboose back on 8's again, too. One problem, though, is that Marx used a special separate coupler arm, not attached to the trucks. So I do have trucks for it, but no couplers. The one Marx flatcar I bought Friday from my buddy has one truck and coupler, so I guess I could run it with a coupler up front only for now if I switch it out to the caboose. I kinda like the Marx flatcar, though, it's purplish in color. I don't think it's paint, either. I think its actually the plastic they used. I'll look thru my Kadee coupler stash, I have a big bin of them, see if there's any useful ones I can use on the Marx car.
I also worked on a Ribbonrail track cleaning car project I'd never completed, found a pair of sprung trucks for it in my collection, then added one missing Kadee coupler pocket and coupler, so now it's back on wheels again as well. Man, trying to tighten 1-48 screws and nuts is work! I couldn't find my tiny hex socket that small, so I used needlenose to tighten it down. Also making sure I didn't lose the nuts starting them on the tiny screws, trying to find those once they hit the floor, good luck! It's all together now, needs some loctite on the screw threads, but it should be ready to roll again, too.
Got a train club function I want to go to tomorrow, at the library, might make it for a few hours. Still need to do a few more honey-do's tomorrow, but I think I can manage that, too. Well, all for Saturday, I'm done with clean-up and train repairs. Time for the bed!
Jerry
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Posted - September 12 2010 : 01:04:20 AM
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hehe don't forget to post pics of the stuff you're doing 
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Posted - September 12 2010 : 02:14:06 AM
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At some of the gun shows the tool dealers sell Jewelers screwdriver kits for $2. They might have them at the trains shows also. Well worth the investment. They contain both philips amd slotted screwdrivers.
Edited by - AF Kid on September 12 2010 02:15:07 AM
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Posted - September 12 2010 : 11:19:50 AM
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quote:| hehe don't forget to post pics of the stuff you're doing |
quote:At some of the gun shows the tool dealers sell Jewelers screwdriver kits for $2.
Originally posted by AF Kid - September 12 2010 : 02:14:06 AM
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Yes, I have the screwdrivers, but I don't have a jewelers nutdriver set. This nut is every bit of 1/16th of an inch. I've seen the sets, just never bought any as I had no need. Now, I THINK I have a nutdriver set (Xcelite) that includes the micro sizes, smaller than 2-56, but I've never used them. And of course I couldn't find it RIGHT THEN when I needed it. My workbench is cluttered up again. Gotta sort out stuff once again. Sheesh. always something with me. Anlyway...per request, here's some Kitchen Kounter Kam photos of my 3 projects I worked on last night.
Here's the nice little caboose I got the sprung truck for. I didn't realize cabooses had specific trucks for them that were sprung. Live and learn. So, mine's been Tigger'ed properly now. 
Here's an unusual track cleaning car, I can't fint any reference to Ribbonrail on the 'net so far. Added two trucks and a coupler/pocket last night. ready to roll!
Here's a Marx flatcar I found in my buddie's junkbox....I should just BUY his whole lot from him and be done with it. :) I haven't begun to touch what he has yet. He's taken lots to the big Greenberg shows to sell off. I will ask what he wants for the kit and kaboodle today. At least get a price. Anyway, now I have to find couplers for Marx, I have these two trucks to fit the Bayola caboose, but rather unusable without couplers. Marx had to be different. More searching ahead, I see. :)
So, that was yesterday's progress. Wonder what I can get done today?
Jerry
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Helm
Little Six
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Posted - September 12 2010 : 5:05:46 PM
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I think "ribbonrail" was the trade name for the first welded that came in 100 foot long or longer pieces?
BTW - I have a couple marx cars with no trucks. How do you put trucks go on those button/post thingees?
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Posted - September 12 2010 : 9:37:59 PM
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| I typed ribbonrail into google, and found several references to a company in Pennsylvania that makes track cleaners and other accessories.
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Posted - September 12 2010 : 9:45:43 PM
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quote:
BTW - I have a couple marx cars with no trucks. How do you put trucks go on those button/post thingees?
Originally posted by Helm - September 12 2010 : 5:05:46 PM
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Ah, that's the sticking point, Helm. They are special trucks , if you look at the two loose ones in the photo with the flat car, you can see they're not a solid axle across, they're parallel axles. They actually bow apart to fit over the pin, the center ring that fits around the pivot isn't solid, it's two parts. The ones in the picture also have a plastic pin already in the center pivot point, to fit into the hole in the flatcar ( if there was one) I'm assuming later models did not have metal pins, they used a cheaper plastic pushpin mount like these, or these are of Model Power design for the Marx model which they acquired later. At any rate, you can do one of two things ; find original trucks (good luck ), or remove the pin from the chassis and replace with screws and nuts. Not sure how that would work, as there's no shoulder like on other rolling stock bases for the truck to pivot on. There's apparently also a special designed coupler arm with stiffeners to prevent it from swinging out too far when pushing the car instead of pulling, to prevent derailing. Another unique and successful contribution from Marx, but where do you get those coupler arms? My junkbox buddy who has most everything doesn't have those. So at this point, it's cannibalize other Marx cars for the parts, or luck onto some somewhere. I will probably take one truck with me to a Train show to look for some. OR...since Model Power acquired Marx molds...maybe???? they have them ? Hold on adangminute, I have some new MP work cabooses... checking...pulling flatcar back out....comparing...OohRah! BINGO! In da HOLE! Woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo daddy!  They're identical! Well, except for one thing...the new Model Power coupler has a Kadee knockoff, not the old hornhook type  And they use plastic pins, not the metal ones. But the coupler and truck should snap over the older metal peg and work. So I think I just solved BOTH our problems, Helm! We'll just have to order entire trucks from Model Power. Ok, so make that we can now do one of THREE things. The easiest being order spare trucks and coupler assemblies from Model power for the older Marx rolling stock. The only difference I see between the old and new trucks is that the Marx trucks seem to be a hair thicker plastic, and it's very smooth, the Model Power work caboose trucks have a more grainy appearance. I can live with that Wheels and axles look identical, too....straight and thick, not tapered in the middle like some axles. Wow, what do they call this thing, an epiphany? Sudden realization? yup! Anyway, so problem solved, just buy new Model power truck and coupler replacements, and we're all set. Now I gotta go online to find some. At least it's a GOOD feeling, when you suddenly realize there's a solution in front of your face. LOL.
Jerry
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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