Post by CP_8530 on Sept 18, 2010 20:41:12 GMT -5
Since there's no freight car detailing forum, I figured this would fit in here.
Often I read online about people having derailment problems with their new Intermountain RTR cylindrical hoppers. I have a bunch and over time figured out how to work some of the kinks out of them to keep them from derailing.
The first step is to trim off part of the brake lines on the inside. You may have to do the next step first though.
Then, trim the bottoms free with an X-acto knife to allow them to move if the wheels happen to touch them going over rough track or around curves. Chisel off where they were glued on to the body smooth so the brake lines don't "catch".
You could cut the ends that curve in entirely off, but that might not look as good.
I cut sloping edges into the bostler pins and smoothed the top so the points on the trucks that contact them don't hang up on any rough paint that might be on them.
And below is a shot of the finished profile. You may want to also consider removing a pair at one end to allow your freight car to operate with a 3-point equalizing effect, if your track is really rough.
Often people blame the truck. The current solid plastic Intermountain truck is pretty good, however sometimes one needs to ream out the screw hole to allow more play. I've done it here on the bottom (and then top) by spinning an X-acto knife around in the hole.
You may also need to loosen the screws holding the trucks to the bostler, to allow more side-to-side play over rough track. If you loosen the screw but it's too loose in the hole, a dab of white glue can help keep it in.
That RTR cylindrical hopper I just did this to had about an hours' time in a consist on my rough Bachmann EZ test track and hasn't had any problems. Before it would derail on some of the more beat-up sections.
As a bonus, the old "equilizing" trucks aren't that bad either when you clean them up to ensure they work. They seem to like to derail the cylindrical hoppers, probably because there's less room for truck play. I've had no problems with this set I gave some P2K wheels and put on an old McKean hopper kit. You may need to ream out the holes a little to allow longer axles to fit, or else they will bind and cause derailments.
The CA'ed toothpick was the result of trimming a bit too much off one of the side mounts.
Often I read online about people having derailment problems with their new Intermountain RTR cylindrical hoppers. I have a bunch and over time figured out how to work some of the kinks out of them to keep them from derailing.
The first step is to trim off part of the brake lines on the inside. You may have to do the next step first though.
Then, trim the bottoms free with an X-acto knife to allow them to move if the wheels happen to touch them going over rough track or around curves. Chisel off where they were glued on to the body smooth so the brake lines don't "catch".
You could cut the ends that curve in entirely off, but that might not look as good.
I cut sloping edges into the bostler pins and smoothed the top so the points on the trucks that contact them don't hang up on any rough paint that might be on them.
And below is a shot of the finished profile. You may want to also consider removing a pair at one end to allow your freight car to operate with a 3-point equalizing effect, if your track is really rough.
Often people blame the truck. The current solid plastic Intermountain truck is pretty good, however sometimes one needs to ream out the screw hole to allow more play. I've done it here on the bottom (and then top) by spinning an X-acto knife around in the hole.
You may also need to loosen the screws holding the trucks to the bostler, to allow more side-to-side play over rough track. If you loosen the screw but it's too loose in the hole, a dab of white glue can help keep it in.
That RTR cylindrical hopper I just did this to had about an hours' time in a consist on my rough Bachmann EZ test track and hasn't had any problems. Before it would derail on some of the more beat-up sections.
As a bonus, the old "equilizing" trucks aren't that bad either when you clean them up to ensure they work. They seem to like to derail the cylindrical hoppers, probably because there's less room for truck play. I've had no problems with this set I gave some P2K wheels and put on an old McKean hopper kit. You may need to ream out the holes a little to allow longer axles to fit, or else they will bind and cause derailments.
The CA'ed toothpick was the result of trimming a bit too much off one of the side mounts.
