How did you improve your rolling stock? (Worldwide Models)

[roadstar_na6]

Neither Japanese nor N scale, but I guess this is the best place for it. A guy from the club and I fit automatic couplers to my Roco E444. In this short clip I coupe some coaches, drive forward a few cm and then activate the coupling process.

 

 

[Nozomi329]

On 6/9/2021 at 6:24 PM, roadstar_na6 said:

A guy from the club and I fit automatic couplers to my Roco E444

Which automatic coupler product did you use and how did you fit it? I have a little DR BR 114 from Roco that I planned for automatic coupler installation, but didn't get any progress yet. Mine was also a factory DCC & sound version with probably preloaded coupler programs. I think they have the electric connection points reserved on the circuit board but really couldn't find more information about it.

[Nozomi329]

Some easy paints and figures in a SBB Panorama coach...

...and a US dorm-diner car.

[roadstar_na6]

1 hour ago, Nozomi329 said:

Which automatic coupler product did you use and how did you fit it?

Märklin E117993. There are a few instructions on the Zimo website on how to wire them up to work with a Roco loco 🙂

[shiniji]

in the last few years i have seen some models weather in TT. I only used brushes (make-up brushes) and colors from Games Workshop. Most recently, a DB BR140 in the faded paint was my last job.

This week I want to do the this with a DD51 or DE10 🤨

 

 

 

And a BR44 der DR at the End of the Era DR

 

 

 

Freight cars 😄

 

 

On the Last picture you can see the original Cars at the End.

[disturbman]

The wagons are really well made, the look incredibly real.

 

The problem with weathering, I find, is that if you start you have to weather everything as the gap between clean plastic and weathered rolling stock becomes too noticeable.

[gavino200]

Wow! Those are really well done! Nice job!!

[railsquid]

I guess this kind of belongs here - one of my on-going projects is to transfer my British locos and multiple units into more compact and accessible cases, i.e. modified Kato ones. Takes up much less room and is much less hassle to take the things out. Here an extreme case (hah):

 

EFE Class 17 "Clayton" (D8585) by Rail Squid, on Flickr

 

[ED75-775]

Back home from a heritage rail conference, I decided to finish a project I started a long time ago - putting interior lighting into the last of my Märklin ÖBB Eurofima coaches. Some years ago I brought all the bits, but came up short due to one coupler being ‘incomplete’. I never followed up, either I was too lazy or too busy to do so. Just last week though, I got the bits I need and as I post this the carriage is undergoing lighting installation with the help of one I did earlier to help guide wiring configuration. Get it wrong, you short out the whole layout - so much for getting to your destination on time.

 

[Welshbloke]

I've been doing the same thing with storage boxes:

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/ChHuGIeoTnX/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

 

Lengthy train of Peco fish vans into a Casco mini case. Much easier to get them all out and less storage space required!

[GeneW]

I've been working on one of the Kato RhB R-w flat cars.  I cut off the nubs and have started weathering the car.  The pic shows after a brown and black panel line application but before cleanup.  Some more weathering then I'll hand build a log load to go on top.  I'm not a huge fan of the plastic log loads for these cars.

 

Lastly, I saw a photo online of a Holcim tank container on a depressed flat. 

 

https://rhbstations.co.za/goods-wagons/s-class-wagons/sb-t/

 

I found a Fleischmann SBB flat car with these containers (very hard to find in the US right now), and I removed the nubs from the Kato car and glued the container in place.  I really like how this one turned out.  I have another Holcim tank container, so I think I'll get another container car and do a second mod.  I have looked at using other containers, but all the N scale containers I've found are really too small and don't look right since these cars are 1:150.

Cheers!

[GeneW]

Quick update - I added some more weathering with pigments for the flat car.  I'm working on my wood loads and will drop an update once I'm happy with the results.

 

Cheers!

[RS18U]

On 1/18/2025 at 2:01 PM, GeneW said:

Some more weathering then I'll hand build a log load to go on top.

I will be interested in seeing what you come up with, being a Canadian forester and having a fleet of over 60 west coast specific log cars in HO.  I am intrigued by the number of stakes the car has, here we generally go for 2, or occasionally 4 especially if they are moving poles.

[GeneW]

From photos, they do use this car for log loads, but the Kato car only has the fold down stakes.  I believe Pirata is making two flat cars with the double posts and the more solid single posts.  The Kato car has the pockets for these molded on to the sides as well as the strap anchor points which I am using.

 

Here's my work in progress - a wood load being secured with straps.  I am using 1/64" ChartPak tape to simulate the strapping.  The logs are glued together then each mini load is glued to the car deck.  This is my first attempt, so I will adjust as needed for at least two more cars.  The loads look high in the first photo, but the side on photo shows that the loads are closer to the tops of the fold down stakes.