Micro-Trains for August 2023

[up1950s]

My new 65 ft gon came today . Congrats to MTL . Metal low pros , body mounted couplers . As many 1950's schemes they make I will buy . Bravo .

[JoeD]

My new 65 ft gon came today . Congrats to MTL . Metal low pros , body mounted couplers . As many 1950's schemes they make I will buy . Bravo .

Glad you like it.   One of my favorite cars actually.

Joe

[OldEastRR]

My new 65 ft gon came today . Congrats to MTL . Metal low pros , body mounted couplers . As many 1950's schemes they make I will buy . Bravo .

MTL started N scale with metal wheels, now back again -- looks like things have come full circle (like a wheel going around)

[peteski]

MTL started N scale with metal wheels, now back again -- looks like things have come full circle (like a wheel going around)

But these aren't your father's metal wheels.   

[prr7161]

Another fan of the mill gons here - they are quite well done!

One note - the trucks are not symmetrical.  They need to be installed with the bolster towards the center of the car, or the wheel flanges can catch on the edges of the flange cutouts in the floor in sharper curves.  They may not arrive installed this way.

I had a heck of a time with this until I felt the catch when pivoting the truck - the cars were derailing in a #5 switch at an unusual location. Once I got the trucks turned around, no trouble.  The curved rail radius in a #5 is ~14"; I could also roll them through a Kato 12 3/8" radius curve, if  little grudgingly, though they certainly look better on the advertised15" minimum.

[thomasjmdavis]

My mill gon is "in the mail." Had a heck of a time finding even an online shop that had a gon in stock and had enough stuff I wanted in stock to make up a $100 order. But succeeded on the third try. Shipping info (although hasn't actually got to USPS yet) says it will deliver Thursday, so apparently everything really is in stock.

But these aren't your father's metal wheels.   

Thankfully,

Most of us here are old enough that our father's metal wheels were Lionel....or 33 actual inches in diameter. Unfortunately, what I read here indicates that MTL hasn't caught up with Fox Valley and ESM in the wheels department.

[SD452XR]

Glad you like it.   One of my favorite cars actually.

Joe

Well done. Hopefully a Northern Pacific gon is next 

[thomasjmdavis]

Glad you like it.   One of my favorite cars actually.

Joe

Joe,
 Hoping you come to appreciate a great many ATSF cars of that era.

[peteski]

Unfortunately, what I read here indicates that MTL hasn't caught up with Fox Valley and ESM in the wheels department.

Their most recent iteration of metal wheels (yes, a second version in last few years) are made the same way the FVM, ESM and others are made, but for some odd reason the wheel face has a flat (not concave) profile.

[sirenwerks]

What is the prototype for the forklift included in the Southern Pacific Supply Car 3-Pack?

[samusi01]

@sirenwerks

Appears to be some form of Ross, perhaps an earlier one... should be good for the early/mid '40s to late 1960s or 1970s.

Here's one I did a while back: https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=55199.msg757607#msg757607 which is based on some prototypes that were photographed in Montana in the mid/late 1960s. The larger ones are capable of lifting empty 20' containers.

[JMaurer1]

I didn't even notice that there were extra supplies and a fork lift included in the SP MW set...kind of a cool bonus (except the fork lift is too modern for me to use).

[sirenwerks]

@sirenwerks

Appears to be some form of Ross, perhaps an earlier one... should be good for the early/mid '40s to late 1960s or 1970s.

Here's one I did a while back: https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=55199.msg757607#msg757607 which is based on some prototypes that were photographed in Montana in the mid/late 1960s. The larger ones are capable of lifting empty 20' containers.

I like yours better! Did you print that yourself?

[JoeD]

What is the prototype for the forklift included in the Southern Pacific Supply Car 3-Pack?

i'LL need to find the photos again.  We have it out at the train park here in Medford. 

Joe

[samusi01]

@sirenwerks

Thank you. Designed and printed, yes, with cab variations and laser cut doors to match proto photos:

Bonner, Mont., 1960



Three Forks, Mont., 1969 (note differences in cab between this one, the Bonner one, and MTL's version)



Eventually I'll get around to painting and properly weathering them...



Another one that might be interesting is a Wagnermobile:



Although data on this one is relatively difficult to come by. Appears to be a variant of their "scoopmobile".