Engine Service Cradle

Hey Kevin,

I've made one using scraps and foam I found. Just sorta winged it. I also have one made by Bowser. I prefer the Bowser. Heck, it's on sale too! here is link.

 

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/6-24

 

I remember seeing another manufactured mentioned here a while ago. Maybe someone can provide who makes it. 

 

I know this doesn't help you if your still set on making one. 

 

I consider a cradle a "must have".

 

I actually use a surplus miter box lined with a folded up towel.

It is pretty much perfect.

Why re-invent the wheel?

(Just my .02 worth....)

 

Rod

I bought one made of foam rubber, it works great for me.  Nice and soft and I don't damage stuff working on it.  I do line mine with a rag so that the grease and oil don't eat the foam rubber.

I saw one at York similiar to the Bowser one but it was twice as long. I shoulda bought it but it was just something else to carry on the plane. I have the Bowser cradle and you can't beat it for the price.

we have a place that is called upholstery fabric outlet. 

 

they have blocks of foam rubber not very expensive.

 

maybe there is a place like this near some of you.

I'll be down in SD next month and gonna run some trains at the club, I'll have to check that place out in National City.

Collectors Choice Trains has foam ones from 12 to 36 inches in length.

Nice product.

Scotie

Those look a lot like the ones I saw at York, except the ones I saw, had an insert so you could sit your equipment at a 45 degree angle. Comes in handy when you're working on detail parts, touch up painting, and especially weathering.  

I also use an old miter box, actually two of them, lined with half inch foam.  Perfect width.

.....

Dennis

Collectors Choice Trains that Scotie mentioned is the one that I have.  I couldn't remember the name of the place I got it.   I have the 24" one, it's been sufficient for the stuff I do.  I seldom need to have both the locomotive and the tender in the cradle at the same time.

 

ive found U shaped foam someplace long ago and cut it into sections and have used it for my cradles.  the smaller well used set are 15+ years old the larger pair is over 5.   if I did it again I might consider the Bowser type cradle and slice it to pieces...

Here's a link to older thread showing one I made

 

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/t...04#17479526136913704

I have this one as well, it's a really nice, well thought out design. If you ever need to add the tender you could just get the 12" one and add it on to your 24" cradle. Listed below the cradles is a thin, oil absorbing cloth to protect the foam.

They also have great oil bottles. They are the "Needle Oil Bottle with stainless steel tip and scabbard. (empty)" also listed below the engine cradles. I use them for both oil & smoke fluid. Smaller and longer needle droppers than the bottles the oil comes in.

 

They have some real nice stuff here!

 

Do you remember where you saw these?  I'm sorry I missed them!  Thanks for any info.

 

- Mike

Mike, other than the Orange Hall, I don't remember exactly where. There was a big stack of them, and it was a smaller vendor. That's all I remember.

I remember those as well, but I didn't take note of the vendor as I wasn't in the market for them.

 

I also have the Collector's Choice Trains cradle.  I have the 36" but he will cut the foam for you at 24" so you can use either of the two foam pieces independently or combined depending on the locomotive you're working on.  It is very nice!

I have the same one as Bluegill1. Works fine.... Bought it AT Bowser MFG.

KevinE,

 

Here is a photo of an engine service tray which I made.  The overall dimension is 30" x 15", with a double foam cradle of 22" x 15".  The remaining 15" x 8" on the right side provides space for tools and compartments, for screws and small parts, removed from the locomotive I am working on.  Having two cradles allows me to have both the engine and tender open together, which helps when adding Cruise Commander and Railsounds to older engines.  It is also handy to be able to have 2 similar engines open side by side when troubleshooting.  It is made of 1/2" fiberboard, which I had available, that allows me to pick up and move the whole the whole tray with an engine(s) on it.      

 

George

Thanks everyone for your input, I did not think this topic would bring out so many replies.

I made two, out of fancy breakfast in bed trays. Removed the fold down legs, put two rows of foam down middle and one side. Now I have room on one side for the screws and parts I removed and shell goes in middle . If I have to put a project away(waiting for parts) I can store it all together.

Looks like GNK's

Here is my cradle I built. It can hold anything from a big boy to an A-B-A F-units and 2E units. The cradle parts are movable so I can place them where there are no details. I also used a 40" piece of Atlas track and added banana jacks at the end. It makes it easier to hook up power and it's nice to be able to lay the shell right over next to the chassis and still keep everything conected.

 

Ralph

My Grandfather used the wood U, much like a wood miter box, with a diapers slung across it forming hammocks, held it place by cloth covered upholstery nails. It was about 4 inches longer than a Hudson and oil tender together. 

I tried a bath towel, but kept getting small parts hung up on the threads when I tried lifting the engine.  I took some triangle-shaped foam rubber from a packing box and used Gorilla tape to tape a flat strip of foam in between them to form a cradle.

 

You don't have to spend $20+ to get what you need.

This cradle is easy to make and I find it works very well for locomotives and rolling stock.

Anybody know if Collector's Choice will be in York? I didn't find their name on the vendor list. I assume not. Maybe looking for a new cradle. 

Thanks

I got my foam cradle from a dealer in the Purple Hall at York some years ago, but I don't recall the dealer's name.  He had a huge stock of various hobby tools and supplies.  It is a great engine servicing cradle.  I lay down a section of old t-shirt over the cradle to keep oil, etc. from having any direct contact with the foam.

Thanks Allan

 

I will check out the purple hall. 

This subject comes up many times throughout the year. There is one variable that we all face. What works for one person may not work for the next . Still, one is often amazed at the level of creativity held by all.

I bought the one pictured below from a German vendor at the train show that I went to a couple of weeks ago. He was selling then in O, HO and N gauge sizes. The 'O' version was €7 ($10). It is made from a semi-soft blue foam, and is strong enough to support a heavy locomotive, yet flexible enough to avoid any damage to either the locomotive or the cradle. 

 

Kevin E - Mine is made just like you propose in your original post.  If you go that way, I suggest that you just size it according to your equipment to be worked on, as others have mentioned.

 

My cradle has been perfectly satisfactory, I might add.