Lowering MTL Passenger Cars

[bbussey]

Looks like I'm cutting off the truck loops for the three MTL heavyweights I currently own.

[altohorn25]

The first thing I do when working on one of these cars is cut the loops off the truck frames.  Then I replace the couplers with Z scale (905's I believe) ones to get the distance correct between cars.  The ride height has not bothered me as of yet.

Nate

[Frisco Larry]

here is a diagram that shows the loops, parts 29 and/or 38 (?) http://prr.railfan.net/passenger/GSPEAR/GSPEAR_Pullman_Truck3.htm   also better photo here http://prr.railfan.net/passenger/GSPEAR/GSPEAR_Pullman_Truck2410.htm , still not sure what they are.

[Kisatchie]

here is a diagram that shows the loops, parts 29 and/or 38 (?) http://prr.railfan.net/passenger/GSPEAR/GSPEAR_Pullman_Truck3.htm   also better photo here http://prr.railfan.net/passenger/GSPEAR/GSPEAR_Pullman_Truck2410.htm , still not sure what they are.

Whew, for a change I didn't do something rash and cut them off my MTL heavyweight.


Hmm... maybe they're
handles to lift up the
trucks and put them
back on the track if
they derail...

[Loren Perry]

here is a diagram that shows the loops, parts 29 and/or 38 (?) http://prr.railfan.net/passenger/GSPEAR/GSPEAR_Pullman_Truck3.htm   also better photo here http://prr.railfan.net/passenger/GSPEAR/GSPEAR_Pullman_Truck2410.htm , still not sure what they are.

Okay, they do exist on some trucks. What is their purpose?

[Cajonpassfan]

A brake release spring?

[sd45elect2000]

A brake release spring?

Yes, that keeps the brake shoes off the wheels. They prevent chatter and reduce brake shoe smell.

[jimmo]

Apparently one of those "great ideas" that get removed after a few years service? Or was it an option?

[Sokramiketes]

Nice find, Frisco Larry!

So yes, and early spring on the brake beams to help release the brakes.  I think most of us, except maybe Claus, can remove them without worry.

[Frisco Larry]

I looked in Dave Randall's "The Official Pullman Standard Library-Selected Heavyweight Cars"  (all official Pullman photos and the best photos of HW cars that I have).  The results are mixed.  Some cars clearly have these gizmos, and some clearly don't.  The chief problem is that the real thing looks to be about 1/4" thick, and the MTL model looks more like 1-2" thick, (obviously MTL could not have made them much thinner) thus the real thing doesn't stand out like the model does.  Also there are a lot more gadgets (steam traps, generator belts, drive shafts etc.) near the trucks, competing for your attention.  There are several 3/4 views of cars, and you can not see these things because of the vestibule steps, but if the car end does not have a vestibule, the end of the truck is quite clear.  On those, not one has these.  It appears that there is no way to tell if a car has them or not without a good photo of a specific car.  Thus I think I will leave mine on, it needs to be busier under there than the model is.

[bbussey]

Extending the centersill to remove the whitespace, adding the steam traps, and upgrading the roof hardware makes a huge difference without spending much time.

[CBQ Fan]

I just wished that MT would sell the silver trucks as a normal release.  I was able to buy a few for a custom project or two but when I emailed them seeking more I was referred to the 1017 & 1018 line of trucks.  Really, for their Pullman cars..........

[bbussey]

Email Joe.  They should have a small surplus from all the UP cars they've already released.

[CBQ Fan]

Email Joe.  They should have a small surplus from all the UP cars they've already released.

I have emailed him a couple times and a pm, then went straight to the customer service and had great service to my original request.  It was explained that because I needed a brown truck for my MR RPO they were able to make an exception with the silver trucks.  I am not picking on Joe as I know he is busy!  Just suggesting/hoping they offer silver to go with the black trucks.

[bbussey]

Here's what I did to one of the three MTL heavyweights I have that are operational.  I acquired one of the cars from the Pennsy 10-1-2 runner set because the cars in that set are the only Pennsy decorated cars that are 100% prototypical.  I had some time this morning to snap some photos of the model, now riding on loop-less truck frames.  This is the bedroom side:



And this is the hallway side:



The weight needs to be shortened about .040" at each end so that the vestibule inner ends sit properly.  Otherwise, the roof will not sit flush at the ends.  I figured this out after I cemented the weight in place, so I had to break away the ends using a jewelers screwdriver inserted through the diaphragms.



Decals were applied on the inside of the glass sections in the bathroom areas to simulate the etched patterns.  Someone here on Railwire gave me the pattern artwork but I don't remember who.  The artwork was printed onto decal paper in a laser printer.  It's easy to align them properly with the windows when the glass is in place.  Roscolux frost gel was then cut and tacked to the glass pieces in the bathroom areas. to finish the effect.



I dislike the color used for the Pennsy interiors (and the Pullman green interiors), so I swapped in a 10-1-2 interior from a Union Pacific model.  The vestibule inner ends properly fit with the weight shortened.



I was mistaken on the centersill extension.  Only the area between the bolster and coupler needs to be filled in.  There is room for more depth, and the centersill slope could be continued to the bolster and still clear the inner axle, but this small amount is enough to remove the whitespace and give the cars more visible heft.  New holes were drilled and tapped to move the 1015 couplers inward and secured with brass screws instead of plastic pins.  Fox Valley 36" wheels were used to upgrade the trucks.  The addition of steam traps also enhances the underbody appearance.  The underbody arrangement is correct for Lake Maitland, so there was no reason to alter it.



The trapezoidal shapes on the roof were carved/filed/sanded off and replaced with the well-defined vents from the RPO roof.



The rectangular shapes on the roof were carved/filed/sanded off and replaced with roof fans were fabricated from styrene and an etched face plate.  Rain drips made from .008" brass wire were added over the doors.  And American Limited heavyweight diaphragms replaced the standard ones.



Only a couple of hours work overall, and it looks much better.  I've also done similar work on a New Haven parlor and a Pennsy 12-1, but the underbody configuration on both was totally rearranged and the roof configuration on both was more extensive so they took longer to do.