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Post by Mark R. on Apr 13, 2014 15:41:46 GMT -5
Looking at the Walthers site, there appears to be some slim pickings for Smokey Valley products. I need some stanchions for the later GP9's, but they are out of both the stanchions and the full kits.
Could I get a set for the SD9 or SD24 and get the stanchions I need ? I'm assuming, for the most part, the stanchions should be the same length. (?)
Mark.
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Post by antlorch on Apr 13, 2014 15:55:27 GMT -5
I wouldnt count on Walthers for much with detail parts lately. Look on Ebay and do a search for Smokey Valley, they usually have what your looking for on there. If not do a google search and you should come across something.
I am not sure about your second question on with the GP9 will work on the other engines,sorry.
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Post by iomalley on Apr 13, 2014 21:16:37 GMT -5
Precision scale makes them too. Doug's Trains might have a set in his shop...
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Post by Mark R. on Apr 14, 2014 0:55:02 GMT -5
Which are better quality ? - Smokey Valley or Precision Scale ? I've only ever used the Smokey Valley ones, and the last couple sets were getting kind of rough.
Edit - I see Walthers is out of stock on the Precision Scale ones. Trying to find something my local hobby shop could actually order in to save me on shipping and / or travel.
Mark.
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Post by iomalley on Apr 14, 2014 13:12:33 GMT -5
I'll keep my eyes peeled for you.
Personally, I prefer the PS ones because they fit in BB Athearn holes perfectly and put the handrail at the correct height. SVs need to be modified to get the L bracket cast on the inside edge of the stanchion to sit up on the deck proper, and SVs look to me to be 1"-2" too short. (never put a caliper to it though)
To widen your search you can also look for Pacific Fast Mail SD40-2 handrail kits. They are by far the best with even the different stanchions types, like the ones with the removeable top brackets, the end ones with the smooth stanchions and two styles of tall ones. I have 2 sets of them and can send you pics of what to look for...
Leave it with me...
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Post by Mark R. on Apr 14, 2014 19:09:23 GMT -5
I bit the bullet and ordered the SV set - only because it will be here by the middle of next week. I have a job that needs to get done and I don't have the time to wait up to two weeks to source a set out of the States.
With some additional time, I would like to search out some better ones for the next time I need them though. Does Doug's Trains carry the PS ones ?
Mark.
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Post by iomalley on Apr 14, 2014 19:59:26 GMT -5
Normally he does, but IIRC he only has the top deck mount styles, and the long style. I'll bug him to get some more...
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Post by Mark R. on Apr 15, 2014 22:24:39 GMT -5
Normally he does, but IIRC he only has the top deck mount styles, and the long style. I'll bug him to get some more... By an odd chain of events, I happened to be in London today and stopped in at Doug's .... you're right - not what I was after. But I did pick up a good handful of detail parts while I was there. Most unusual to see that many parts on the pegs these days ! Mark. |
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Post by iomalley on Apr 16, 2014 16:57:44 GMT -5
Yeah Doug's good at stocking up with parts that are still available.
Anyway, here's the part numbers to aid in your search,
Precision Scale
short EMD stanchions #3935
long EMD stanchions #39073
Pacific Fast Mail
EMD SD40-2 stanchions #158
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Post by Mark R. on Apr 17, 2014 0:37:13 GMT -5
Do the Precision Scale short stanchions have pins for mounting to the side sill ? What about the PFM ones ?
Doug had a few packages of 8 PS EMD stanchions, but they didn't have mounting pins, which I would prefer to have.
Mark.
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Post by iomalley on Apr 17, 2014 13:56:24 GMT -5
Yes, they mount just like Athearn stanchions. PFM is the same. I'm placing an order with PS direct as my stocks are low, lmk if you want a set. I use PS on all my EMD units...here they are on my CN SD40  |
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Post by Mark R. on Apr 17, 2014 21:08:07 GMT -5
Sending you a PM Sean ....
Mark.
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Post by ladderpipe on Apr 21, 2014 0:55:59 GMT -5
Glad I'm not the only one who believes that Smokey Valley stanchions are either too short (EMD) or too tall (GE), not to mention it is next to impossible to get ahold of them through either email or phone call. I called them once / twice a day for 2 weeks straight trying to order directly from them and never once did anyone answer the phone nor were my emails ever returned. I understand SV is not his full time job but darn. I have gotten to the point where I wonder if they are really in business anymore. I'll have to see if I can find some P-Scale stanchions but they seem to be more elusive than the SV stanchions.
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Post by iomalley on Apr 21, 2014 9:18:27 GMT -5
GE too tall? Crap, I just bought a set of Dash 8-40B handrails...  Just call Precision Scale direct, no problems. |
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Post by antlorch on Apr 21, 2014 9:30:45 GMT -5
Until someone comes out with a better product or you want to cut the stanchions off the plastic handrails and drill them out then your going to have to use what you got. I have been using the smokey wallet stanchions for 20 yrs now and they have held up just fine and look pretty darn good.
I would love someone to come out with a closer to scale stanchion but until that time comes you have to use what you got.i did an AC4400 with the smokey valley ones and it came out great.
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Post by iomalley on Apr 21, 2014 9:43:04 GMT -5
Who are you kidding, nobody's coming out with a revised brass stanchion. We superdetailers are a dying breed. I drill out alco stanchions, cuz there's no love for Alco detail parts, but I'll be damned if I drill out EMD stanchions. I'm with ya though, stick with what you know and like...  I use PFM stanchions as well, and they are too short but they have all the detail nuances found in EMD stanchions, and include all the different lengths. |
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Post by Mark R. on Apr 21, 2014 12:21:58 GMT -5
Railflyer was well on their way to having some really nice brass stanchions. I believe they had actually gotten to the point of some finished product before they went under. I was really hoping to have gotten some of those as they looked really good, having an almost scale cross-section.
Mark.
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Post by ladderpipe on Apr 23, 2014 0:30:36 GMT -5
Antlorch, can't say I disagree with you one bit but you know me and my OCD. I just wish SV would fine tune their stanchions a tad since they make good stuff and know that I have the whole soldering thing down relatively well, it makes them a lot better. And ionmalley, don't worry about the GE stanchions too much. They are only slightly taller than they should be so it's not really to hard a fix. When I first noticed it, I was rebuilding an Atlas -8 and installed SV stanchions and Tichy .015" wire for the handrails. The stanchions elevated the handrails about what I figured as 4 scale inches above the original hole where the handrail attached to the cab. I just filled the old hole and drilled a new one
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Post by antlorch on Apr 23, 2014 8:10:29 GMT -5
I was hoping for Railflyer for alot of stuff. Super great product not so super management. Those two dont work well together and now we have no Railflyer. Those stanchions where going to be awesome but we have to use what we got cause that is all we got.
I have never used the PFM except for the ones that come with the anti-climber kit and I liked those. A awesome modeler on Protomodeler made a jig to drill out the Athearn stanchions so thy would all be square and easy to do. I might have to do the same thing.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2014 11:09:23 GMT -5
You know if we were to do a collective effort, we could get stanchions. I can do the 3D drawings and have them printed. From that I can get the printings burned out and cast in dental steel for masters. From that we can get brass castings made.
- The drawing would be free.
- The 3D printed parts would cost about $500.00
- The burn out and cast of the masters would be free
- The cost of brass lost wax castings? depends on how many sets.
What I would need to do is figure out what all the Shrinkages would be so I can make the 3D drawing to correct size.
- Should be no shrinkage in the 3D part.
- Should be no shrinkage in the metal masters. Dental steel should not shrink since it has to fit the casting that was made of the tooth.
- Shrinkage would come with the brass castings.
If someone has the dimensions needed for stanchions, I can get to work on this when I get my shop setup again. Getting a quote would not cost anything. If there are enough people interested, I am game. We can make stanchions that do not require all the cleanup time like the one available now.
Keep in mind that there will have to be some compromises with wall thicknesses. I think though we can get the stanchions to look pretty good.
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