42ft & 47ft Container flat wagons

[Junctionmad]

The FUD version looks amazing 

 

 

Dave 

[NoelG]

Hi Neil

Will you be doing a version like A-5 (i.e. with Buffers, pipes, coupling hook, brake wheel) with suitable mount for Bachmann Y25 bogies?

Thanks

Noel

[Nile]

Yes, I've been working on the LY version that will use the Bachmann Y25. I've also drawn the original round buffers these wagons had.

[killucan2]

Neil,

A little stretch and you have a 47ft!! any plans for?

[Nile]

I think I shall have to try.

[NoelG]

Yes, I've been working on the LY version that will use the Bachmann Y25. I've also drawn the original round buffers these wagons had.

 

Thanks for info Neil.  Please me know in when it becomes available on Shapeways.

[kirley]

 

Now I have a question for you lot. Is the correct designation for this wagon LY or LP ? And what's the difference?

 

42' wagons are referred to as LP's,and the 47' as LX's, 

[Nile]

More fun with magnets

 

To hold a single 20ft container in the middle of the wagon I've added 1mm magnets to the cross beams next to the vacuum cylinders. On the container the magnets need to be glued into holes flush with the underside. To work out where these need to be drilled I marked the underside using the wagon as a guide.

 

Mid-way between the pencil marks and the sides I made pilot holes for the drill. Just about visible at the bottom of the photo are the 1mm magnets that sit flush with the upper surface of the wagon.

 

The holes were drilled out to 2mm. 2mm magnets have been placed over those in the wagon, the container should fit perfectly over these.

 

The holes were filled with super glue gel, keeping any off the surface, and the container was placed over the magnets on the wagon and left to dry.

 

The same method works with the 20ft ones. This shows that the magnets have just enough force to hold the wagon to the container. A good shake and it will fall off.

 

This is a pile of 2mm magnets. On top is the reference one, the red paint indicates up. I use this to ensure all the magnets I fit are oriented the same way.

 

The wagon in these photos is the latest type, A-5.

[NoelG]

Where did you source the magnets?

[Nile]

ebay, these are the 2mm ones:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/50-1000PC-Tiny-neodymium-disc-magnets-2mm-3mm-4mm-5mm-6mm-N50-small-strong-craft/291736126923?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=590757781570&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

 

there are other sources. The 1mm ones came from a UK shop, I think they were £4 for 100.

[Nile]

Bogies and Wheels

 

While waiting for the next batch of test prints to arrive I've been looking at bogies and the wheels in them.

In the first lot of bogies I used Alan Gibson 10.5mm lowmac wheels (centre). As I have a bag of them, I've also tried some Kadee 36inch HO wheels (right). These are also 10.5mm but have slightly shorter axles. The bearings are a snug fit in the bogie sides, so adjusting them to suit the axles is not a problem (I drill out the holes to 2mm). Peter's Spares also sell replacement wheels for the Lowmac so I've used some of these as well (left).

 

 

For those wanting a wider gauge I've tried that with some AG wheels. I reckon 20.2mm is the most that can be reached with OO/EM profile wheels, ie EM+2 with 18.5mm back to backs. 21mm might be possible with P4 profile wheels but it would really need longer axles. This is with the Cambrian C72 bogie.

 

 

I bought a pack of Dapol couplings to try, these work out the cheapest per unit. An added bonus is the plastic they are made of works well with MEK, so they can easily be glued to bogies.

 

 

 

 

On these new bogies I'm building I've tried to make the bearings look more like the roller bearings on the real thing, using bits cut from plastic rod.

 

Edited November 14, 2022 by Nile

[Robert Shrives]

Nile,

Thanks again for the timely comments as about to fit up the cambrian bogies I bought at Stafford show.

 

Robert   

[kirley]

Thanks for your continuing Research & Development on this project Neil. 

[killucan2]

Have a look at kato bogies with the roller bearings,very cheap @$5 a pair.

Edited March 1, 2018 by killucan2

[Nile]

Do you mean the 31-601 / 31-602 ? They look interesting, shame I can't find anyone selling them this side of the Atlantic. One possible issue is their size, being HO scale. The ones used on these wagons have a 2m wheelbase (scale 26.3mm).

 

news

 

Some new test prints have arrived, here are some of them.

 

LY 42' wagon in FUD.

 

This has some detail improvements that will appear on other versions as well. I've added the vacuum pipe that runs along the centre, it's offset and changes side at one end (in the photo). Improvements to the headstock, including boltheads on the rear. It needs cleaning and priming to bring out the detail, the cold weather may hold that up for a while.

 

LY 42' wagon with original round buffers, in WSF-P. This is less detailed than the FUD version above.

 

LX 47' wagon in WSF-P. The first prototype of this version, I haven't drawn a high detail version yet.

 

These models have a modified mount for the Bachmann Y25 bogie, it will need some adjusting before it's ready.

These bogies have come from a Bachmann container wagon, note that they have brake shoes fitted. The ones they sell separately don't have these brake shoes.

 

[Robert Shrives]

Hi 

good work on the 47 footer - will follow the R&D with interest thanks 

Robert 

[kirley]

Looking forward to the next update.

[Nile]

The different length wagons need the couplings mounted in different ways. These are the Dapol couplings, glued using MEK. The hooks are packed separately their own bag.

 

The extended mount for the LX wagon uses various bits of 40thou plastic card. The screw that comes with the couplings can be used in the bogie mount.

 

To create extra clearance for these bogies I've thinned part of the framework here. If it still gets in the way it should be easier to remove than before.

 

At maximum rotation the flange is right in the corner there. I might have to thin the cross member too, or move the mount slightly. RTR flanges have a lot to answer for.

[Nile]

Before all the excitement of yesterday I did some on-track testing of the LY and LX wagons with Bachmann bogies. These curved points are the equivalent of Hornby/Peco first radius.

 

LY

 

 

All seems to be ok, they roll freely and the buffers don't lock on the reverse curve.

 

LX

 

As the extra length is at the ends, their performance round the curve is the same as the LY.

 

With buffers fitted to both wagons, the couplings are just about long enough.

 

No buffer lock.

[kirley]

They look good to go Neil.

[Nile]

Thanks Kieran, I've added a few models to the Shapeways shop including the basic (WSF) version of the 47ft one as seen above. The more detailed (FUD) version will take a bit longer. I can't do much more to the models I have here until the weekend.

[Nile]

Warp Factor 1

 

So far nearly all of the prints have come out perfectly straight, but this can happen even if it is rare. This is in FUD.

I have a theory of what happened here, and a possible solution (see later).

 

The warping is at the ends, the central section is rigid enough to stay straight. FUD is far less flexible than WSF, but it does have some flexibility and can be bent back into shape with a lot of care. Too much force and it will snap. To fix this one I supported the ends on blocks and placed weights in the middle, just enough to bend it back into shape.

 

This will take some time, I left this overnight. It may take a few attempts to get it right. This was the result, much straighter.

 

 

As this one was printed upside down I think that may be the root cause of the warping. A lot of support material is used, at the end of the printing process this is melted away by heating it up. This heat makes the model softer and more likely to warp. To combat this I have added a column to the middle of the deck. This will provide support if it is upside down.

This will be easy to remove and file flat.

[kirley]

Hope this works for you Neil, it would be a shame to falter after all your earlier success.

[pat141]

Do you print these yourself ? or do shapeways print them ?

Did this happen before ?

If you have the weights on the middle try a bit of heat from a hair dryer or blow heater, but watch it's not too close.

[Robert Shrives]

Hi well looking good, yes warping does occur seen a few N gauge ones but solution is a sound one and if  printed otherway up its not a problem.

 

Thanks for all the work done and I will be buying two of the  47 footers in top wack spec !

 

Next , if mojo battery full might be a  rail or timber carrier - same chassis at ends looks just to have more middle ! and the ends look like BR VDA ends - but no drawing to check... In our jesting over IRM A and C class given you kindly made the gods smile on the 42 footer with your work it might be worth starting the A  ( joking ! as time would be a loss  if IRM does the honest thing ... )

regards

Robert