Episode 92 17 60 Foot Coach Modifications

Discussion in 'The Collection' started by gormo, Nov 27, 2017.

  1. gormo

    gormo Staff Member Administrator

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    G`day Folks,

    Some of you will remember a few years back a new model railway magazine was launched and included with every edition were the parts required to build a small model railway and village.

    The first edition included a 60 foot MK1 coach of average to ordinary quality for about 1/5th the cost of an equivalent Bachmann model. First of all let me say that there is no real comparison in quality between the two. The magazine version is definitely the cheap as chips version made to a restrictive low budget in China.

    Well I bought 5 of these coaches with thoughts of re-build in mind and the original model was to be treated purely as a base to start work on.

    I struck problems straight away with them not running properly and derailments were common. The pin points on the axles were dull points and created some drag and none of the coaches could be classed as free running. There were fundamental faults in the design of the bogies and coupling anchors that needed some serious work to remedy.

    I started modifications early in the piece but quickly lost heart and felt that the coaches should be put in the too hard basket until I could muster up the enthusiasm to have a genuine crack at it.

    So this week I`ve pulled them out of storage determined to work out why these little suckers keep on derailing and running poorly.

    I feel I have found the answer, however I should stress it is a temporary solution until the bogies are switched over to Bachmann versions. It all comes down to quality I`m afraid, but isn`t that the way of things.????......" Ya gets what ya pays for !!!! "

    One thing I forgot to mention in the video is that the wheels have to be re-gauged when modified. They are secured to their axles with Super glue to keep them in gauge.

    60 Foot Coach Modifications



    http://www.click:tophat:Gormo

     
  2. Toto

    Toto I'm best ignored Staff Member Founder Administrator

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    Off to work but I'll get a look at the video later Gormo.

    Cheers

    Toto
     
  3. Dr Tony

    Dr Tony Full Member

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    That's a good redemption to an otherwise troublesome coach there, wonder how many people have got them to work as well as you have vs how many people have just given up on them.
    On the washer thing with the bogies, a client of ours at work (one of the up and coming rail freight companies) was interested in finding out what part the friction of the rotating of the bogie against the frame affected the rolling resistance and ultimately the fuel usage of the whole train.
    This was to be trialed by fitting one wagon with a teflon "bearing" between the bogie and the wagon. Not sure where they are up to with this now, but our noise and vibration guys who designed it were pretty sure of some worthwhile savings.
    I have wondered about applying this technique to models using nylon washers, the problem I can see is super-glue won't really work on nylon unlike your metal washer, but it may be ok for the free washer.
    I have been re-furbing a lot of old Tyco/Bachman units for my son's layout. Some of the old ones had really woeful bogies and wheels, made the ones to your Mark 1s seem well done.
    I have found that using a tiny nyloc nut on the bogie screw can save some headache later, hard to get in small sizes but I have found an online place in QLD who do a great range of small screws and nuts, metric and imperial, including nylocs. The nyloc makes it easy to do small adjustments and keep them there.
    Cheers
    Tony
     
  4. Toto

    Toto I'm best ignored Staff Member Founder Administrator

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    Hi Gormo another good video. Certainly made a big difference to the coaches free movement giving the bogies that bit flexibility and somewhere to go.

    Could be a few followers there I think.

    Cheers

    Toto
     
  5. gormo

    gormo Staff Member Administrator

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    Interesting stuff Tony,

    The nut can also be secured with a drop of thread locking liquid. I am also happy for a loose fit on a model so fine adjustment of the nut doesn`t bother me as long as it doesn`t come off.

    Friction is a big player in model railways and some of the models you`ve mentioned don`t address it very well at all unfortunately.

    http://www.click:tophat:Gormo
     

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