Jesse There are high impact grades of ACC. These are typically of medium viscosity and moderate setting time. Check out the local model aircraft supply source - they need the high impact strength in l

Bob CDS Dry Transfers and Robert Sloan Decals were the primary sources of WP&Y lettering. Both are now long gone, but they occasionally turn up on EBay. Republic Locomotive Works is the only source I

Jim The old MT 1025 coupler is actually a downsized Kadee 714. The newer MT 1015, 1016, 1019, and others, were successfully redesigned to eliminate the bounce when pulling, but the redesign has introd

Adding on Wayne's comments: Micro Trains #1015, 1016, 1019 couplers are the same size as the #1025, but much easier to couple than the old #1025 or the Kadee #714. The 1025 is just a downsized 714. Bo

Mike has pointed out an interesting supplier. I noted that they offer some of the Bierchwood Casey metal surfacers, including a brass blackener, which wiil probably substitute for the now lost A-West

John Syringes with rubber seals fail because the oil dissolvs the rubber. If you require a syringe, you will need to find one with a plastic seal. All of the precision oilers, that I recall, simply us

I have some Western Rails trucks, and they roll fairly well. Was looking over the 6' WB BRB&L pasenger trucks just now. These are the correct wheelbase for the Pullman cars used in Colorado, and for W

Bill If your panels can be moved slightly sideways when being dismounted, then you can add interlockng fingers to the back side of each panel at the joints. With panels set moderately deep groves, the

John My recollection matches Dave's. And his comments are the primary reason why I sold my Hassenger, since the problems are worse with the four truck engine. The powered truck needs to pivot to follo

Dale It is not gears that were at fault. Helical gears would have worked just as well in Grandt's drive, but he could mold and cast bevels, so used those. And bevel gears would have had the same probl

Bill I believe that the MDC boxcab Diesel drive is essentially identical to that used on their Shays, with different truck side frames. If they actually used the same truck frames, narrowing the drive

thanks Ric Some good ideas here, and I will see if I can adapt them to the later generation Athern drives with non-functional side frames. John Stutz

Ric A short description of your "really easy" conversion would be much appreciated. Or just a photo showing a converted truck's internal arrangement. John Stutz

David The LO&S vertical drive shaft, between body and truck, is rare because it is mechanically unsound: There is nothing between body and truck to sustain the drive's torque reaction, so the truck's

Brian Regarding other sources of EBT M-1 class doodlebugs: Some years ago I ran across a contemporary reference to the construction of several(?) McKeen Motor Cars for the 3'6" gauge Queensland Govern

Another question on CriCut Maker: What is the smallest inside radius these can cut? As in opening the top corners of a rounded or arched passenger car window. John Stutz On November

Dusty It looks like this was adapted from a version that used truck mounted couplers, and whoever did the adaption tried to duplicate that arrangement. Unless the coupler extension plates are rigidly

Brian There is an online video review of the Hornby/Rivarossi 2-truck Heisler. Google "Hornby HO Heisler Locomotive". Hornby supplied a traction tire equipped wheel set, and the reviewer does an insti

Kevin I intended to recommend a PCB retainer plate and wipers on the drivers, but several corespondents have already done so. The advantage of driver wipers is that they do not reduce tractive effort

Update On taking another look at the Shay drive parts, I realized that what I had taken for an open frame motor is actually a coreless motor in a with flywheel in a housing/truck frame. This suggests