Large Scale Central

PRR MP-54

Modeling Rolling stock
#21

Lou Luczu said:

Pete, that’s what was in the Doodlebug? My problem was the motor truck was recessed up into the frame, which is why I could not use FA motor block truck.

Lou,

The two motor/gear axle units I linked are Spoerer’s drives.

This is an FA truck, similar to the one I took out of the Doodlebug, fitted with even larger 33" (41mm) wheels:

The truck in the Doodlebug has a flat grey plate with the pivot hole, and two perimeter holes on each side for the mounting screws. You can see the body holes on my first pic. It is only inside the body by the height of the pivot. With the baggage doors open, you can see right through.

My trailing truck wheels measure 35mm approx (34.75?) so they are 28" prototype wheels?

#22

Well, the latest problem has come before the nit-picking committee. It is not satisfied with the gaps left in the roof after piecing it together. I have been unsuccessful using white body putty. It seems to come out as soon as it is sanded. What could I use that is more liquid that would flow into the gaps?

#23

I’ve made styrene putty with plastic dissolved in MEK. More MEK gives a runnier mix. Too much MEK and you might loose your weld. Build it up a little at a time.

Another filler is gap filling CA, but it’s hard to sand smooth in softer plastic.

You might open the holes a tad…

John

#24

So I get ready to paint the car and I realize I put the seats and the windows in to get the proper spacing. Now, how do I NOT paint the windows?

Spread Vaseline on the windows!

We’ll see how that works out.

Now I have to figure out how to do the headlights. Of course they are not made in G Scale. So I found some scrap white some kind of plastic from Daktah John’s scraps that I got at York. It turned out to be a nice dense plastic and the thickness was the right width. Here’s the white one as a jig which is holding up one of the ones painted black. I will drill the front to get the extra light from the inside roof, and the sides of the light will get the car number, black background on white decal paper.

Here’s one end complete with the “Owl Eyes” and the grab bars.

So it’s starting to take shape!

With the blizzard forecast for this weekend, I ought to make good progress!

BTW, this is the unpowered car.

#25

Lou,

Looks like your making progress! The headlight fixture really looks like the real thing.

Hope you have enough supplies for a rough weekend.

Kevin

#26

Mask it off with painters tape and cut it with a fresh X-acto blade .

Pic’s or it didn’t happen!

#27

Edit: to space paragraphs

And to tell you to bring the car to York…(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

#28

Rooster - open your eyes, pics are above!

The whole intent is to get 2 done for the D&B.

#29

The pics had not loaded(for some reason) before I posted, in turn writing the edit and bring it to York comment

#30

Those MP-54’s were commonly referred to as “cattle cars” to us commuters that had to use them…(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

#31

I always remember seeing an an “Owl or two” at Princeton Junction, years ago…

Lou; I often thought that one of those Aristo coaches could have been the basis for one of the CN cars that ran North through the Mount Royal Tunnel, in Montreal…I always liked “Electrics”, but was chased away from modeling them because of the need for the overhead, that is a bitch to try to build and maintain in the great outdoors. Without the overhead; seeing pantagraphs reaching for the sky, without wires, just turns me off…having been around them, and street cars, at a young age; makes me a real nit-picker…but, without them, there is something VERY missing.

You are doing a nice job…

Fred

#32

…BTW, Lou…please body mount Kadee couplers on that car, to finish it off right pretty…truck mounted Aristos would ruin all the great work you are doing…

#33

Fred Mills, BSc, BS, SD (Hons) said:

I always remember seeing an an “Owl or two” at Princeton Junction, years ago…

Lou; I often thought that one of those Aristo coaches could have been the basis for one of the CN cars that ran North through the Mount Royal Tunnel, in Montreal…I always liked “Electrics”, but was chased away from modeling them because of the need for the overhead, that is a bitch to try to build and maintain in the great outdoors. Without the overhead; seeing pantagraphs reaching for the sky, without wires, just turns me off…having been around them, and street cars, at a young age; makes me a real nit-picker…but, without them, there is something VERY missing.

You are doing a nice job…

Fred

Fred, you could park one on a siding, with the pantagraph down. There was one parked near the freight house shops for years. It wasn’t on display, it was just parked there.

#34

I am going to tie the 2 units together with a drawbar of sorts. The couplers on the units look really small. Might be what one of the engineers on the Wilmington & Western called “trolley couplers”.

As for overhead wires: If I take my glasses off, I can’t see the wires, so I will run them with my glasses off!

#35

Lou,

Imagination is a wonderful thing! (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

#36

Joe it is. I run my streetcars without an overhead. It only bothers me a little, until my imagination kicks in.

#37

After I put the roof on (AGAIN) I realized I had people to put inside. Sigh.

I have to fasten the pantograph on and make “glass” for the headlights. Then stick a fork in this, it’s done!

#38

I don’t remember them being that shiny…(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

#39

Lou, great looking car… Nicely done…

#40

Ken Brunt said:

I don’t remember them being that shiny…(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

Ken, give it time, it just came out of the shop.