Changes to MT 50' PS-1

[Ike the BN Freak]

I have been lobbying for a cushioned under frame option going forward.  we just need time and tooling capacity to do it.  keep your fingers crossed.

Joe

And hopefully retrofit kits for older stock?

[cjm413]

I have been lobbying for a cushioned under frame option going forward.  we just need time and tooling capacity to do it.  keep your fingers crossed.

Joe

Extended draft gear for end-of-car cushioning units on cars with fixed sills would be a good compromise between the status quo and a completely new underframe.

[cjm413]

Looks like a copy of the X58 extended coupler pocket, but with a resin lid instead of an etched one. 

(Sound of frantic typing as I go to one of those online petition sites to demand a restock of ESM Hydra-Cushion underframes and the availability of ESM cushioned coupler pockets as separate parts) 

[wcfn100]

I have been lobbying for a cushioned under frame option going forward.  we just need time and tooling capacity to do it.  keep your fingers crossed.

Let's include in that lobby fixing the car sides.



Jason

[cjm413]

Let's include in that lobby fixing the car sides.



Jason

I'd rather see a new variety of cars that nobody else offers in N, possibly some ACF-built cars.

[nkalanaga]

Fixing the car sides would also require changing the door tooling, and probably the door tracks in the floor, so would be very expensive.  I'll go with CJM413, and ask that, if they do a new boxcar mold, they make an AAR-style car.  Intermountain's are nice, but availability is erratic, and if MT does one, we can probably expect a variety of door arrangements.  An AAR-style combination-door car would be very popular with Northwest and Midwest modelers, and a double-door version would sell well almost everywhere.

[Mark5]

I have been lobbying for a cushioned under frame option going forward.  we just need time and tooling capacity to do it.  keep your fingers crossed.

Joe

Awesome! I am hoping for a separate option not tied to a specific model - in other words a coupler "box" that can be applied to multiple models regardless of manufacturer. 

Mark

[wcfn100]

Fixing the car sides would also require changing the door tooling, and probably the door tracks in the floor, so would be very expensive.

Fixing the car side height would not require new door because the current door is the correct height as-is.  Even if it did, that wouldn't be a bad thing as neither the 6' or 8' door are the correct width.

And again, I would also prefer something brand new, but MTL seems determined to drag this tooling out with all its mistakes.  I'm just hoping they will correct the biggest one.


Jason

[nkalanaga]

Yes, the door would have to be redone, because, if the car is "correct", the floor is visible above the door track.  With the current door, the bottom door guide is at the bottom of the door, leaving no room for the floor.  IM raised it on their boxcars, allowing the floor to show when the door is open.

As you said, new doors would be nice, but that would add to the cost, and tooling isn't cheap.

As for the 8 ft door not being the right width, you're right.  But that worked to my advantage a while back, because the NP had some double-door cars with two 7.5 ft doors, making the MT door perfect for them.

[wcfn100]

Yes, the door would have to be redone, because, if the car is "correct", the floor is visible above the door track.

Right.  So lower the height of the car side and move the door track to it's correct position and the floor will show above the track like it's supposed to.  Door can stay the same.

Jason

[nkalanaga]

The problem is that, on the prototype, the floor extends INTO the door opening, with the door against the outer edge of the boards.  That can't be done with the current door, as the lower "tab" is at the bottom of the door.  It would have to be moved up a little, which would require retooling.  Take a look at the tab on the IM doors and you'll see the difference.  It's not a major change, and wouldn't affect the outside of the door, but any tooling change costs money.

Adding boards in the door opening, with a groove in the floor behind them, would work fine, as that's what IM did.  But it would still require changing the inside of the door.