richard carr
Western Thunderer
Actually Jordan, only the UP patched one is P48, the other 2 are still 2 rail, I'm hoping to convert them over Christmas. Another one has appeared on ebay !
Richard
Richard
7mm Richards P48 US Thread
- Thread starter richard carr
- Start date
richard carr
Western Thunderer
The next thing on the list was to finish off one of the Gp35s as I now had the final version of the coupler box. The fixing screw for the GP35 is in a different position to the SD35 so the internals needed a switch around. I also decided to beef up the bolts at the back, the first version was done to scale as per the drawing Jim supplied, but they just looked so wimpy I decided to redo them double size.
The pilots also need a bit of work on them before fitting the coupler box as they are not flat as the real thing is, here's he boefore and after.
It does take a while to file everything back, a good 30 minutes.
Then they needed priming and spraying with Vallejo Violet Grey 71.128, this is a very good match for Atlas SP grey
After a cost of paint
And then back on the loco
Some of the handrails need a bit more force applying to them to get them back in their correct place.
The pilots also need a bit of work on them before fitting the coupler box as they are not flat as the real thing is, here's he boefore and after.
It does take a while to file everything back, a good 30 minutes.
Then they needed priming and spraying with Vallejo Violet Grey 71.128, this is a very good match for Atlas SP grey
After a cost of paint
And then back on the loco
Some of the handrails need a bit more force applying to them to get them back in their correct place.
Jordan
Mid-Western Thunderer
I like the coupler boxes. Could they be made with the same amount of sideways swing as the standard Kadee box? (thinking of my 36" radius curves!) I take it your coupler is a Protocraft one?
Just one thing - is the coupler cut bar on upside down?
Yorkshire Dave
Western Thunderer
Just one thing - is the coupler cut bar on upside down?
It's an Atlas attempt at a cut lever bar.....
They should really look like this....... with slight variations for different EMD locos. GE uncoupler lift bars are similar but have an almost complete loop.
And I made mine up in three sections.
SP modified their uncoupler lift bar by putting a loop at the top so they can be operated from the loco steps. Each road will have their own variation of this.
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Jordan
Mid-Western Thunderer
I know that!!It's an Atlas attempt at a cut lever bar.....
Making more up-to-date ones is also on my Round Tuit list
albeit rather low down the order 
In fact lots of things on my Round Tuit list get deferred, usually for the reason that it's much more fun actually
Overseer
Western Thunderer
Jordan
Mid-Western Thunderer
richard carr
Western Thunderer
Hi Jordan
Yes the coupler is a protocraft one, I'm planning to have a 5 foot radius curve, but it isn't laid yet so I can't test if mine will work with it.
You can certainly get a fair bit of swing in the box, but it won't be as much as a Kadee, the box opening isn't as wide, so it won't move as much.
Are those two locos Atlas ?
Richard
Yes the coupler is a protocraft one, I'm planning to have a 5 foot radius curve, but it isn't laid yet so I can't test if mine will work with it.
You can certainly get a fair bit of swing in the box, but it won't be as much as a Kadee, the box opening isn't as wide, so it won't move as much.
Are those two locos Atlas ?
Richard
Jordan
Mid-Western Thunderer
Yes, SD40 (755) & GP35 (724).
Jay Criswell
Member
Richard,
Protocraft makes another box that allows for more swing. They're not shown on the website but they were the, short lived, standard box just prior to the current version.
Jay
richard carr
Western Thunderer
Yesterday I was doing a bit more on the GP9, it has now got to the point where it is up and running, it just needs a few details completing to finish it off.
I did think I had made the front light leads long enough, but I hadn't so those had to be extended.
I also added some lead to the front and rear noses
There isn't a great deal of room inside, in reality it is all a bit of a tight fit.
I did think I had made the front light leads long enough, but I hadn't so those had to be extended.
I also added some lead to the front and rear noses
There isn't a great deal of room inside, in reality it is all a bit of a tight fit.
Jay Criswell
Member
Richard, et all,
I'm going to attempt in providing a link to my Photobucket Album, with examples of the current box and the previous version. The new couplers will fit in the older box and Norm Has them available, though they're not shown on the website. Will this link work? I don't know. If not I can post the photos here. I just didn't want to post a bunch of stuff many really don't care about.
photobucket.com
Jay
I'm going to attempt in providing a link to my Photobucket Album, with examples of the current box and the previous version. The new couplers will fit in the older box and Norm Has them available, though they're not shown on the website. Will this link work? I don't know. If not I can post the photos here. I just didn't want to post a bunch of stuff many really don't care about.
Photo Storage
Store your photos and videos online with secure storage from Photobucket. Available on iOS, Android and desktop. Securely backup your memories and sign up today!
Jay
Jay Criswell
Member
Oh yeah, if you click on the little arrow in the upper left hand corner the system will/should take you back to the opening page and you'll see even more photos that I've added over the years. No rhyme or reason to most.Richard, et all,
I'm going to attempt in providing a link to my Photobucket Album, with examples of the current box and the previous version. The new couplers will fit in the older box and Norm Has them available, though they're not shown on the website. Will this link work? I don't know. If not I can post the photos here. I just didn't want to post a bunch of stuff many really don't care about.
Photo Storage
Store your photos and videos online with secure storage from Photobucket. Available on iOS, Android and desktop. Securely backup your memories and sign up today!
Jay
Jay
richard carr
Western Thunderer
Hi Jay
Thanks for that link there are lots of very interesting photos.
There is one folder though, the Atlas GP60 , that it won't let me view and as I have a few GP60's I did wonder what was in there ?
Richard
Thanks for that link there are lots of very interesting photos.
There is one folder though, the Atlas GP60 , that it won't let me view and as I have a few GP60's I did wonder what was in there ?
Richard
Jay Criswell
Member
One of the issues I have with Photobucket (where the photos are stored) is the sudden disappearance of said photos. The GP60 is an extreme example. Everything just vanished. I went in this morning and reloaded many of the pictures I took back in late 2015 & early 2016. There are more photos and videos but I downloaded what I found in the first flush. Please let me know if you can see them now.
One of the items the owner wanted was rotating bearing caps. Because of the design of the Atlas drive there are no real journals in the truck side frames. I had to carefully determine where the center of the journal should be and bore out the side frames for ball bearings. Risky endeavor if you get it wrong the side frame is pretty much ruined. Luckily, we did okay. In the video you can see the ends of the axles protruding. They look like they are bent but they are not. It's just the ends, not perfectly squared up, reflecting the light. There were plastic caps slipped over the ends. I believe the owner 3D printed the caps and installed them himself.
Jay
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richard carr
Western Thunderer
Hi Jay
Yes I can now see the photos, that is a serious amount of work, I'm just planning to install a decoder and see how it goes from there, I may remove the front motor as non of my locos are likely to have to haul more than 10 freight cars.
Richard
Yes I can now see the photos, that is a serious amount of work, I'm just planning to install a decoder and see how it goes from there, I may remove the front motor as non of my locos are likely to have to haul more than 10 freight cars.
Richard
Jay Criswell
Member
Richard,
Yep, it was a lot of work, or play...depends on perspective. I enjoy doing projects like this. The challenge is most of the fun. Much prefer it over things like the Center Cab or SDL39 Projects. Doing 20 to 30 at a time just becomes work, or a job. No fun in that.
Jay