A shelf layout emerging from a turnout

[peteski]

OK, I decided to not yet give up the "chemical way" for the "soapy way".

Here goes.

After some intense googling I finally understood that what is called heptane in this country is what normally sells under a name that literally translates to "chemical gasoline". So if I go out and ask for heptane the latter is what I would get. Problem is that "chemical gasoline" is something with Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) number 64742-49-0. This while Bestine includes something else that is also called heptane but with CAS number 142-82-5. Turns out the stuff with that number is what is what "we" call n-Heptane (as in normal Heptane). But that stuff does not seem to be available in this country anymore. Found on some list of banned substances.

Whenever the subject of Bestine/Heptane availability comes up, I recommend using Naphtha as a substitute. Ronsonol lighter fluid (for the old-fashion Zippo lighters) is Naphtha.  Ronsonol lighter fluid should be available worldwide.

[svedblen]

Do you have a link to any larger images?  I'm only getting 480x321 which is hard to see the details.

Yes, here:

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV4sReO_KNWh9PTpZu2R7K3H9OQfAtd0fMRpM9BnO5i6nFn9IYXzx8hx6W8uDNbgLRmzylsbxX8k_N2K6Kbl2fcygl9zSHDPfU5GjJuqwyut1y-DsVUxliyOHh9J4vtQRaNUWqcd7-sYevVKEActLGtZaJFAA4qgSrEMYo_j0vHR6aAD0Q1VoOADwT/s16000/IMG_3803.JPG

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguzzQ1Gl1J1pSxRmUfj1PiS2s85v1I-LAw9fMBDM4zpiBD2MOGgAtrQ7Nmfid8RR-wO4vWCDjN5A-hF6nUJQi4YnzTgU9cQk2IZzl-ljU8dCqDF4_PDnYQbH-tF6thkfkbodn_H-5iLW1O-vBRIZEXhA5v3fzMcJmeg1i8ERu56nehT6P9ffsMhMZr/s16000/IMG_3811.JPG

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5sZHmFKfnuqjXlCjoNYsvR-u3yJHhsphOpGUPM2xBTBFPkC-OSRXLoflgVKuGiKhQvEyZwM2Xf4JkMTT10G2nQHuNZJbmmieN7iPaJFSylAdHEfrDkKIwomWnCxjUEyGkGqrYUVHT1Zn4la6nAwwB2pSW-i_9_U1mQJ-1QQyoU7qbfuOp8uaQevkJ/s16000/IMG_3812.JPG

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRK4YaUypnmKxEuORhBXlD64MqxtWMiISDuI4Y-m-MUrxuHA4jtAJ76bHFB03m9wOERNQBbtIWVqKqIJ0vTL0iASDJbzr0GZctZMg-rLNvf2nf2xNTxeJxaPFjWSQ7ZnbH_0oVSsSVk5hBUdYEVCBj2vS735zDJn8RGtmfduVfroQcgM5qqE-QOVBG/s16000/IMG_3804.JPG

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB7Mlw2Rpu4bQG4fZdQIAAtfdmbgYpR1gpxBxUzbuyzwXNZ_FdBJLweUr6eh3A--HnMB1hxQtNuaOix3yqKWdXRyGtMxjzBi2YoLmcY52TAjDwlxjV7efGqBenwN1eZUrWEqPit8sw9slMCCuqy6ep_T7i5aVPVsz_osPL5_S7UJH-36kP93WTVPCs/s16000/IMG_3808.JPG

Did the vinegar etching have any noticeable effect on the operating surfaces of the coupler, and do the pin & knuckle still operate smoothly?

No, they still operate smoothly. Here is a video (sorry, you see more of my fingers than of the coupler  )

https://vimeo.com/212368607

Ronsonol lighter fluid should be available worldwide.

Thanks for the tip. But Ronsonol seems not to be available here. Not easily anyway. For instance, a google search for "buy ronsonol", with "buy" in Swedish results in zero hits. How about that? I guess there are other brands of lighter fluid though. I'm not a smoker so I don't know.

Anyway, I ended up using White Spirits which I assume is a naphta like product. And that worked just fine.

[svedblen]

About vinegar: I first tried vinegar on a single coupler, the one shown in the pictures above. Once I saw that test turning out well I put the rest of them in vinegar as well. That was about a week ago, but when I checked on the couplers today its seems as if very little has happened. Strange 

One reason could be that the first one was soaking in ordinary household vinegar, the kind used when mixing a Vinaigrette for your salad. For the next, larger, batch I still use a household vinegar, but with a little more strength and mainly intended for  making pickles and such. I thought that would speed things up.

I can't explain why the second batch seems to be a failure. In both cases the active ingredient is acetic acid. Anyway, I have now moved the rest of the couplers to the first kind of vinegar. In a week or so I hope to be able to report if anything has started to happen or not.

[svedblen]

The coupler boxes have now been painted and installed on the cars. My local hobby shop did not carry any colors that were matches to the car ATSF and BN colors. I took some colors I think will do once the boxes have been weathered. Coupler box colors are not always the same as the car, and if they are tend to be rather rusty and dirty anyway. So I think I'm good 



Instead of starting on the weathering I could not resist first trying to create a cut lever and test it out. I bent some music wire according to the instructions that came with the Protocraft couplers. Here is a short video (the spike will eventually be cut shorter):

https://vimeo.com/212455960

[davefoxx]

Lennart,

That's awesome!  Seems like a lot of work, but I might consider something like those couplers for my On30 fleet.  Now, one might say they'd be oversized for a narrow gauge line, but the ET&WNC was known for using standard gauge couplers mounted at standard gauge height, so that the road could switch narrow gauge and standard gauge cars.

DFF

[svedblen]

Seems like a lot of work, but I might consider something like those couplers for my On30 fleet.

Thanks @davefoxx. Yes a lot of work, but I like it. Remember, this is a very small layout with a very limited number of cars. Otherwise, I wouldn't know...

...the ET&WNC was known for using standard gauge couplers mounted at standard gauge height, so that the road could switch narrow gauge and standard gauge cars.

Interesting! What did their dual gauge track look like? I assumed dual gauge track had one rail in common for both gauges, leaving a three-rail track. But if the same coupler was used for both gauges, that would not be possible, since the coupler would be offset from the center for one of them. Or did the ET&WNC use a four-rail track?

[davefoxx]

The ET&WNC's locomotives had special couplers that could pivot to each side to couple regardless of which side of the dual gauge track the locomotive was on.  Normal three-rail dual gauge track.

DFF

[svedblen]

Fascinating. Like this?



I'd love to see that feature modeled! 

[ednadolski]

Coupler box colors are not always the same as the car

The prototype doesn't really have a coupler box like our models do.  It's built in as part of the car's center sill.  For hoppers they usually are painted along with the rest of the carbody, bottom bays, bolsters, etc.  But yes, they often get so grimy that it is hard to tell the actual color:

http://www.mellowmike.com/Prototypes/2bay_axle.jpg
http://trainiax.net/photos/2012/2012-04-02-mma/photo-crdx20451-6-2012-04-02-mma.JPG

I could not resist first trying to create a cut lever and test it out. I bent some music wire according to the instructions that came with the Protocraft couplers. Here is a short video (the spike will eventually be cut shorter):

Wow, that looks (and works) fantastic!  Makes me want to pause my layout building and go do a few of my O scale cars (they are still waiting on the new P:48 trucks, which now look like they could be available by June/July).

How does it work with the coupler swing?   You won't actually need too much there, since your track is mostly tangent and you've got a prototypically-long turnout.

Ed

[GaryHinshaw]

Very cool Lennart!  I look forward to the video of your first switching session.   

[davefoxx]

Fascinating. Like this?



I'd love to see that feature modeled! 

That's it!  I'd like to figure it out in O scale, too!

DFF

[svedblen]

How does it work with the coupler swing?   You won't actually need too much there, since your track is mostly tangent and you've got a prototypically-long turnout.

No, I do not need much swing. I did as you said you had done  - not tightening the screw through the shank too much. Enough so that it does not swing by itself, but loose enough so that it can swing if forced by the coupler of another car.

I fished one more coupler out of the vinegar bath and fitted it on another car, just to make some coupling and uncoupling tests. Turned out that the swing caused by first coupling on tangent track and then uncoupling on the diverging route of the turnout was enough to make the cars not couple when rolled back to tangent track again without touching the couplers. The couplers need to be quite accuratly aligned for them to mate, at least if only one of them is open. They are not that forgiving as I had anticipated. It might perhaps help with some graphite where the knuckles meet. Or loosening the screws a bit. More testing and tuning required.

Another thing that is a bit surprising is that it is not necessarily good with a coupler pin that drops back by itself too easy, as it does for the coupler in the video in my earlier post. That coupler has a tendency to close by itself while the car is rolling, making it necessary to manually open it again before coupling. Surprises everywhere!

Very cool Lennart!  I look forward to the video of your first switching session.   

Thanks Gary. Actually, it did just happen, as described above.  But "sans video" 

[svedblen]

I have finished the coupler install for the hoppers, also adding a few details such as cut levers and air hoses, and wrapping it up with some weathering.





I have also begun thinking about how to install Clouser couplers on the engine. So far I have made some tests to figure out how to get the proper height.

[svedblen]

I built a front coupler box for my SD-40, from pieces of styrene. A little askew, but you get the idea 

[ednadolski]

That loco really looks a whole lot better with the oversized gap in the pilot filled in.   And I gotta say too, I really like to look of the proto-scale wheels -- another big improvement over the OOB.

Can't wait to see what this guy looks like after it's painted and weathered.  Have you decided on a paint scheme?

Ed