Large Scale Central

Anyone tired of non working Glad Hands?

Modeling Rolling stock
#41

David Russell said:

J.D. Gallaway said:

Can anyone grab an equipped USA modern car and show how these look on a standard gauge car? I know they will be oversize, but I’m thinking of the 20.3 version for the trainline with the 32 version for the locomotive MU hoses.

6th post …

And as everything else, looks are in the eye of the beholder. What he might consider too large, I might be willing to live with. The difference between being hooked up between engines with three MU hoses for comparison might make all the difference… then again maybe not, hence my request for a picture. We’ll just have to wait.

#42

My pre-order arrived yesterday. I’m just now starting to convert some cars. I’ll post pictures and a review when I get enough one to run a test train.

#43

Jon,

Still waiting on my order. Jason emailed yesterday saying it would be a few days. Anxious to get them installed.

#44

I should have re-read this thread before I converted 11 cars today. It would have answered some questions that came up in installation and operation.

I have several “Wide” radius switches; some that form an S curve. In order to keep the hoses coupled through the tighter curves the hose needs to be left rather long. When cut long the hoses on an uncoupled car will drag on the track and the glad hand will get snagged in switch guard rails; the tubing will stretch as the car continues until the glue joint fails and the hose and glad hand launch to parts unknown! To solve this I cut a short length of steel piano wire and bent up a hook. The wire sticks to the magnet allowing the hose to be hung from a grab keeping it up and out of the track. These little hooks will be handy when shoving cars into a siding.

I’m still tweaking hose length and may eventually get them trimmed to where the hanger isn’t needed. I’m also experimenting with a short length of aluminum wire inside the hose near the angle cock to help hold the hose in a gentle curve up.

Once I’ve had a little more time to learn how to best install them I’ll write a short review and post the pictures I took today.

#45

Jon, I know you use Accu couplers. (Want some more?).

I use KD’s and fasten the magnet to the what’s left of the KD “air hose”. It has been cut off level with the bottom of the coupler. The magnet sticks to that to keep the last hose from dragging. I know all about that “dragging hose syndrome”

With the longer passenger cars, your S curves will only make the problem worse. My only S curve is the double track crossover on a bridge, and I’m going to remove it and build a simple “in and out” to get to the inner loop.

#46

I received the working glad hands from Jason today. Very nice! Work as advertised. Lots of detail. Just need to mount them on my AMS J&S coaches. Then some photos.

#47

I now have a web site: http://oldirondesigns.com/home.html

There is a page with mounting instructions for the ProtoHands and I will eventually be adding a page with mounting tips for specific rolling stock.

The pre-production 1/32 ProtoHands are also shown on the site.

Geoff

#48

I got my set of glad hands last week. They look great, can’t wait to get them on a car.

#49

Here is a quick tip for mounting ProtoHands on Bachmann 1:20.3 rolling stock.

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7327/9034945701_cb0d0af42b_c.jpg)

The nub on the anglecock for mounting the air hose is quite large.

(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5462/9037180278_561270bea1_c.jpg)

Cut the nub off and drill for a 1/16 inch diameter rod.

(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3677/9034955989_25522e4056_c.jpg)

The new hose mounts without bulging.

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7427/9034948105_5e5eb28449_c.jpg)

#50

Nice work as always Geoff!

#51

I installed some today on my LGB coaches and K-28. I’m using Ozark Miniatures anglecocks. They look great and operate as advertised. I know I know, photos. I’ll try to get some photos this week end.

They look great with 1:22.5 scale equipment.

#52

I like the Bachman mod. Much better looking than my attempt with extra tubing around the outside.

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Post3/ProtoHands-02.JPG)

I still need to get back to this and tweak all my hose lengths and make sure the ends are oriented correctly.

#53

The 1/32 ProtoHands are now available. Shown here on stock Accucraft rolling stock.

(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5520/9270216185_1dc17116c7_c.jpg)

(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3756/9270217007_4297409a86_c.jpg)

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7286/9273004250_c4671ea502_c.jpg)

#54

Geoff,

Is it possible to remove the magnet on the glad hands? A up close shot would be nice as well.

And you could provide the actual dimensions of both the 1.20.3 and the 1.32 glad hands. It would help those of us who are modeling in scales other than those two.

Or you could just release a 1.29 version.

Craig

#55

…winking…

#56

David Russell said:

:wink:

…^…

#57

Craig,

So I understand, please tell me why would you like to remove a magnet? Sure, it is possible.

In the photo below a 1:20.3 version and a 1/32 are positioned on a scale with 100th of an inch near side - 50 far side.

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7429/9278660164_77e3b18eb5_c.jpg)

Not sure about 1:29 scale, no one has actually said they would buy some.

Geoff

#58

Geoff Ringle said:

Craig,

So I understand, please tell me why would you like to remove a magnet? Sure, it is possible.

I personally would not be buying them for the magnet feature. I would instead would like to see the glad hand have an opening. If I don’t need it, I’m going to remove it. I want scale (1/29) glad hands, period! The ones from USAT, and Aristo look nothing like a scale glad hand. O scale glad hands work great for MU hoses, but the 1/32 glad hand is likely to be too small for a 1/29 glad hand. Here’s a comparative picture that shows the USAT train line glad hands, and MU hose glad hands. Then on the far right are O scale glad hands used as MU glad hands.

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7387/9249766783_6bbaef1c3b_c.jpg)

In the photo below a 1:20.3 version and a 1/32 are positioned on a scale with 100th of an inch near side - 50 far side.

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7429/9278660164_77e3b18eb5_c.jpg)

Thank you. Now myself and others can see the actual size, and decide what scale would be appropriate for their particular modeling needs.

Not sure about 1:29 scale, no one has actually said they would buy some.

I for one would be interested in glad hands. I could care less if they had magnets or not. Detail parts in 1/29 are lacking, and this is one additional detail that I personally would be interested in. That said, I believe that 1/29 has a much better market than 1/32. Yes 1/32 is the ‘correct’ scale for 45mm track, but 1/29 sales in railroad equipment by my glance seem much higher than 1/32. Added to this there are many skilled kitbashers, and scratch builders, including myself, that work in 1/29, not 1/32. Thus from those two areas I believe that you would have a better market sale in 1/29 than 1/32.
Geoff

#59

FOR REFERENCE: a tree of 1/32 Protohands on left - a 3-D print of a tree for 1:48 Protohands (O scale) on right

(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5350/9277190321_0761e351a8_c.jpg)

#60

Geoff,

One reason to not have the magnet will be that certain cars and locomotives get turned on my railroad. stock cars and tank cars are offten spotted at a wye track and can get picked up from either end. loco’s and cabooses as well get turned on my railroad. the indication i got from tvw was they could be made up with out the magnet like the protoype, and seperate the same. please advise.

Al P.