First:
What is the shelf life of LaBelle 108? Mine is about 20 years old. Still good?
Second:
How do you ‘unsmooth’ the trucks of rolling stock? I have a few cars that roll WAY to freely. It is great until there is some play over a Kadee uncoupler resulting in an accidental uncouping or when the table isn’t perfectly level and the car just starts rolling. Any suggestions?
I already replace some magnetic wheels in my older Athearn kits. So at least that part of the issue is gone.
Thanks!
Can’t help the #1 but I recall about 2 weeks ago a discussion on controlling rolling stock speed in a hump yard situation. Someone mentioned they mounted a small spring on the bottom side of the truck so that one end of the spring applied slight pressure on the axle shaft. This became a constant parking brake but apparently did not apply enough pressure to slow the train or cause derailments.
I asked about the 108 last week. Aparrently, it lasts forever. If it is not lumpy and is of a good thickness, use it.
Some of my tenders have such a spring for electrical pickup. Just a piece of phosphor bronze running from the front axle to the rear with a hole midway for the truck mounting screw. Make sure spring piece is flat to begin with as a kink around the mounting hole could bind the swivelling.
i model in n scale and have the same problem because of the coupler springs. micro trains has a truck restraining spring #1953 that goes between the wheel and the truck sideframe to provide a little restraint to stop the herky jerky motion. you may try cutting a kaydee knuckle spring in half and place it on the axle cone between the wheel and sideframe. i wouldn’t do this on too many cars at first until you find out how much drag that you get from them. you could put them in cabooses if you run them and see if it helps out.
Thank you. I will experiment with a spring. I heard that in reference to N scale just the other day.
Anyone tried it with HO?
The cars I use on my Timesaver rolled so freely that the uncoupling magnets would attract the coupler trip pins, thus causing the cars to recouple. To put a little drag on the wheels, I placed a Kadee truck spring on the needlepoint bearing of one axle per car before installing the axle on the truck. This is enough to keep the car from rolling unintentionally.
Has anyone tried a few bristles fron a toothbrush?
Drill a small hole in a tie and insert the bristles with a spot of glue. It should be stiff enough to hold a car or 2.
CHUCK