ESM 1958 GSC Well Car, second release, is in stock

[Chris333]

My car came today as well.

[peteski]

Mine also arrived today from BLW. Very well made car (in a rather large box).  I know, it is a standard ESM box. 

Funny how small those 28" wheels look in the truck frames.  I do like the very fine stirrups ,and the brake wheel also looks close to scale. I noticed that one of the couplers is not centering. I'll have to take a better look at it later at my workbench.

[bbussey]

Mine also arrived today from BLW. Very well made car (in a rather large box).  I know, it is a standard ESM box. 

Funny how small those 28" wheels look in the truck frames.  I do like the very fine stirrups ,and the brake wheel also looks close to scale. I noticed that one of the couplers is not centering. I'll have to take a better look at it later at my workbench.

Some advice to save on disassembly/reassembly frustration:

• Flip the car upside down on the clear box, with the brakewheel end hanging over so the brakewheel is clear.  Don't try removing the brakewheel, as the press-fit is very tight.
• Carefully spread one corner of the fishbelly side to free the diecast well, and remove the well without disturbing the couplers.
• Use the tip of an X-Acto blade to twist between the upper coupler pocket insert and the body.  The entire coupler/stirrup assembly should snap free of the body without exploding into its separate sub-components.
• Make any adjustments to the coupler while the assembly is separate from the body.  you can slightly lift the insert from the stirrup and get to the spring to adjust it with a small screwdriver or X-Acto blade, without removing the coupler knuckles.

If you do disassemble the couplers, this is the easiest method of reassembly:

• Hold the pocket insert in your secondary hand between your thumb and index finger, with the centering pin cutout facing the back of your hand.
• slide the MTL coupler knuckle and thumb upside-down onto the pivot post.
• Place the stirrups over the coupler but do not press it down on the pivot post.  hold the assembly from the back between your thumb (above) and index finger (below) so that the stirrups tilt up slightly
• insert the spring with a jewelers screwdriver or the tip of an X-Acto blade
• cover the spring with the screwdriver/X-Acto and press-fit the stirrups flat onto the pivot post
• Locate the coupler assembly to the body.  Press the center down first so that the inset locks in place.  Use the screwdriver to snap the stirrups in place.

That is the best procedure to keep the parts from exploding/projecting across the room while disassembling the model.

[peteski]

Thanks for the hints Bryan - those were very helpful. Interesting piece of engineering! Of course the affected coupler was on the brake-wheel end to make it more challenging. Yes, I ended us bending the brake-wheel staff, but it didn't break.

Problem is fixed.  But no matter what I did, the inside vertical space of the coupler pocket was too high so the coupler shanks were too floppy.  I ended up gluing a piece of 0.005" styrene to the top of the pocket insert. That took care of the problem. Now the coupler behaves as it is supposed to, with minimal vertical play.

Nice model.  I'm surprised thought that MT hasn't yet re-done these couplers to RDA couplers.

[bbussey]

Thanks Peter!  Glad you like it.

[chicken45]

My car came today as well.

I laughed. Need to order my PRR foob...speaking of which...what is "wrong" for it being a PRR car? It looks pretty close to my eye.

[crrcoal]

I laughed. Need to order my PRR foob...speaking of which...what is "wrong" for it being a PRR car? It looks pretty close to my eye.

Also curious as to why it is a foob?

[bbussey]

Because it is not an accurate representation of the prototype.  It's similar, but definitely a foob.

[chicken45]

Because it is not an accurate representation of the prototype.  It's similar, but definitely a foob.