Cradle for Train Repairs

I use the Bowser cradle.  They sent it free with a trolley purchase several years ago.

https://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/bow/bow24.htm

Perfect. I will look for something like that at the next show.

Collectors Choice train shop out of Overland Park KS has a great foam caddy.

Paul

I got a foam cradle last Christmas, it's helpful to free up my hands... when removing the screws that secure the shell in place.

My cradle looks like the version Drew posted, here.

Prior to getting a cradle, I either rested a locomotive on my leg or held it with one hand, resting on a towel. Obviously, it's harder to work using only one hand...

NOTE: If the locomotive I am working on has winged sun visors, there is the potential for a visor to break off, when the locomotive is placed upside down, in the cradle.

* Be careful with the downward pressure being placed on the locomotive. *

Once the shell has been removed, I don't see a cradle being of much use.

lowen

That Bowser cradle is listed as out of stock, due date unknown.    I'm looking for one of these too.

I use an old computer stand lined with bubble wrap and paper towels.  OK so far.

Make sure you get the #24 Foam Cradle for O model, #22 & #23 are for HO and N scale.

They are currently available on Amazon and Ebay.

Jim

I have two of these.  One stays by the layout and one by the test stand/work area.  The two can be put end to end, for larger steam locomotives.

Just to let you know one is big enough to hold a Williams E7 diesel...only the cab hangs over the end.

I just fold up one or two old, clean, short napped towels. The weight of the engine makes a cradle. I have yet to have an engine roll over on me.

I have a cradle that I purchased quite a few years ago. I think I use it once every few years.

I have one that looks like the ones above except it doesn't have the middle piece. I use it every time I service a loco or rolling stock. The only problem I have with it is it just looks like a piece of packing foam and when my kids were in the basement doing their 4-H craft work it almost go used for something it wasn't intended to be! 

I use both the O gauge and large-scale blue foam cradles, manufacturer unknown. I purchased these at a local shop in Charlotte, NC in the 1990's.

I do line my cradles with a white kitchen garbage bag to avoid any interaction between the foam and the paint finish on my engines. Any lubricant spills also do not stain the foam cradle.

i made my own from plywood and soft foam (auto roof/headliner backing) works awsome. 

Same here, made mine out of pine 1x 6s and lined it with foam.  Works great.

I made two of my own out of old miter boxes.  Just line them with foam.

.....

Dennis

I've used an old bath towel, folded over several times, for years.  It certainly isn't high tech, but the price is right and it makes it easy to rotate the position of the engine.

Curt

Same here, I fold up a couple of bath towles and it has worked fine for years now.  Bill B.

Those crazy shaped foam pillows for your head to rest in and support your neck.  Looks like a "Fat short U".  Covered with cloth so no interaction.

I have always had good luck with a wooden miter box lined with a folded up cloth towel. Works great and the price is right.

Rod

Walthers has those Bowser foam cradles on sale this month for$16.98.  The Walthers # is #6-24.  It's on page 77 of the February issue of Walthers Flyer.

Update:  I just ordered 2 of these and they are out.  Backordered until 26 of Feb., 2012.  I put them on backorder so I will still get them at the sale price of $16.98 each.

Rod,

Seems like you and I are on the same "track"!! One more thing though, is to use some of that "weaved" drawer liner in place of the towel. That sutff "grips" those small, fragile

items securely for these almost 70 year old hands.

Rufus

Be careful of the drawer liner material. I wrapped an engine to take to the club and I took it off much later( very very long time) and it raised the paint .

In case anyone is interested, here is the link to Collectors Choice Trains:

http://collectorschoicetrains.com/

I use the Collectors Choice one myself.  The cradle -- as well as the roller base -- made by Norman Hussey at Collectors Choice, is top quality.

I had to learn the hard way to put a folded paper towel underneath the exhaust stack of an upside down engine with a smoke unit.

I have one caveat for those that call Collectors Choice Trains...   Don't be in a hurry!   Mr. Hussey is a nice guy and really likes to talk!

The collector's choice cradles are fantastic.  I am the forumite that bought Mike McGuire's....THANKS MIKE!!

Alan

Just ordered one of the Collectors Choice ones, my homemade one is falling apart and I haven't scored any more foam to make a new one

CandO, how many inches long is the cradle you purchased from HOBBYLINC?

I guess I am cheap. I use the inserts from the Atlas-O track boxes. Both the 40-inch straight and the curved section boxes have nice inserts that can accommodate almost any engine with just minor shaving of the edges. I have worked on several steam engines, tenders, and large diesels and turbines. Here are a couple of examples:

No. 80 Steam Turbine 

Vision Challenger tender. The block on the side of the tender (plain side up) was just right to rest the tender frame when disassembled (but I did not take a picture!)

Alex

I was at a show today and came across this service cradle. It is suitable for anything from N to O gauge, and looks to be very well made and extremely versatile.

Here's a link to their website/shop. http://proses.com/a1hobbyshop/...th/38/products_id/69 They also sell some interesting illuminated buffer/bumper stops and a neat looking ballast spreader. 

I made my own with scrap wood, line it with bubble-wrap or foam to suit different items.

We have them in stock.

PATRICK'S TRAINS

WWW.PATSTRAINS.COM

I USE THESE EVERYDAY.

THANKS

PAT

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Nicole,

That service cradle is awesome! The hobby shop is located in Turkey!

Charles

Found it in the U.S.A.

http://www.reynaulds.com/products/Proses/LB-901.aspx

I made two using dark grey foam (like the commercial ones), that I got from packing in a computer box.  It was easy, I cut the foam with a Hot knife and used super glue to attach the side pieces.  I'll post pictures tonight.

I have one of their ballast spreaders and it works pretty well on Atlas and Gargraves track. ScaleTrax is a bit low for it. They have a new rotating cradle available. They're on eBay and like you said, have some pretty interesting stuff.

Check out Collector's Choice Trains.  They have several different cradles to choose from.  Here's the link their page with the cradles:  http://collectorschoicetrains.com/lococradle.htm