What Have You 3-Rail Scaled Lately?? Please Contribute to this Thread!!

3RS a MTH rail king geep.

Here is an ongoing project. I fixed the pilot using Mario's parts. It still needs more detailing and weathering to be considered finished. I will be more focused on cutting trucks next time as this was a learning experience. The last pic is on a 48" curve so plenty of swing.

Best

Ray

Ben Snyder posted:

Not quite finished yet but here's my current project. MTH SD50. I took some ideas from others as far as a "plate" to fill the pilot gap, but my own idea for the end sheets. I grind off all molded details then put thin plastic sheet over the face and add all the details such as the coupler pocket and rivets. Then add PSC MU hoses. I also redid the main electrical jumper from wire as the factory piece was just too small and this was a prominent feature on these. The rear is finished, the front just needs the 2 railings redone, then for a light weathering as these units were very new in the Chessie era. 

Can we get more pictures of this unit please? I am curious about the end handrail mods. One of the reasons I stay away from MTH products is the hand rails. But this looks to be nicely done and would love to see more. I am also a closet Chessie fan so can never go wrong with more pictures

TJ, I'll post some more pics when I finish this unit, and I'll include a few more detailed shots. I remove the short handrails at the last stanchion and cut the existing portion back into stanchion half way so I have a small hole to insert the new extended railing. I use the piece I cut off to get the bends correct at the top and then I bend the rest to shape by eye and pictures. They are super glued in at the stanchion but not at the bottom to ease disassembly. They're close to correct in most instances but I have learned not to sweat extreme perfection or things won't get done. I'm happy with this unit so far. Just need to weather it a bit when time allows later this week. 

Thanks for the compliments!

And here's some more Chessie equipment. This was the first locomotive I converted to 3RS. MTH Railking SW1. The pilots and steps were completely scratch built, something I hope not to do again. Way too much time. 

Ben, really nice job on that switcher.

Custom diesels, custom steam and custom track.

One of my favorite F units, these Atlas GM&Os come with a scale pilot and coupler that can be added. I also used the spacers given to me by Mario to lower the fuel tanks that really gave these a nice look.

Next project will be some K-Line NP F3s that will receive a new scale pilot to get rid of that Lionel PW look.

As requested a few detailed shots of the new railings, now complete. You can also see that I mounted the snow plow as close as possible. I should be able to weather this unit in a few days. 

Ben Snyder posted:

As requested a few detailed shots of the new railings, now complete. You can also see that I mounted the snow plow as close as possible. I should be able to weather this unit in a few days. 

Thanks for posting the handrail photos, Ben.  What type/size of wire did you use?  I'm assuming the pilots/steps are metal.  What type of drill (and what size bit) did you use to make the new holes for the extended railings?

Sorry for all the questions!  I haven't attempted to make/install full-length handrails yet, but looking forward to trying it.

Oldie but goodie...

Joe, I use Tichy #1103 .020 phosphor bronze wire, it bends easy and takes brushed paint well. As for the drill I don't know what size, but it is slightly larger than the wire so that once the holes and the rails are painted there is some resistance to keep them in place. The pilot/steps are the original swinging piece from the model, with a spacer plate in between. Bending the new rails is challenging and tedious but to me worth the effort. I'll try to take more detailed photos of the next one I do like this. I need to order some more MU sets from PSC then I think my red/white WM SD35 will be the next one. Aside from that I do have a U30C that has the front end done and just prepped for the back end. 

I've started a new 3RS project this week.  Although I've 3RS'd several freight cars so far, this will only be my 2nd locomotive.

I've been searching for a Lehigh Valley switcher for a while and came across an MTH Premier PS3 Baldwin VO-1000 at the "Big E" train show in Springfield, MA last month.  Needless to say, I brought it home!

MTH included Kadee mounting pads with this loco, but I want to give it the "full 3RS treatment", not just scale couplers.  It will receive fixed pilots, full-length handrails (my first try at those!), pilot grab irons, brake hoses, etc.

Oh yeah, it was missing one of the coupler cut levers, so I hand made a replacement and the 4 mounting "brackets" out of .032" diameter piano wire...an exact match to the size wire used by MTH.

Here are a few photos as the project gets underway...

As it looked BEFORE work began...

Missing coupler cut lever on rear pilot and hand-made replacement and brackets, primed and ready for paint...

Pilot shims made from .125" styrene sheet.  The one on the left is the final version, the one one the right is a "practice" piece...

That's it for now.  I'll post some more photos as progress is made!

 Joe, going to follow this project. Looking at the new FM H10 NYC that's due to ship soon. These smaller MTH diesels are really nice runners. Love the fact they feature 4 pickup rollers. The method of fixing the pilots and adding Kadee's should be somewhat similar. The aluminum spacers I made for the RS1's were tedious to make. I have my share of practice pieces still sitting on the bench.

CentralFan1976 posted:

Looking at the two above photos, the first thing that I noticed was the lack of the hand brake bell crank and chain, the addition of which would vastly improve the car's scale appearance. This type of hand brake can't work without it.

Big Jim posted:

CentralFan1976 posted:

Looking at the two above photos, the first thing that I noticed was the lack of the hand brake bell crank and chain, the addition of which would vastly improve the car's scale appearance. This type of hand brake can't work without it.

I've been monitoring the lack of this detail for a while, do you know who makes these bell crank and part number?

I haven't had much train time since before the holidays but my last few conversions only made it through the coupler process. Haven't weathered a thing but it's been cold and raining here, yes even in sunny southern California.

Lionel Legacy got the fixed pilot Kadee conversion

Atlas Geeps

Atlas GP60M & Bs, ABBA..... prolly wont do all the handrails unless I can buy them from Atlas

Legacy GS4 got Kadees front and rear, along with some steam & air lines, a lot of detail painting

Full custom MTH caboose rebuilt from the frame up

Sunset 3rd Rail's SD7 Tigers, these just need weathered now

CentralFan1976 posted:

Big Jim posted:

CentralFan1976 posted:

Looking at the two above photos, the first thing that I noticed was the lack of the hand brake bell crank and chain, the addition of which would vastly improve the car's scale appearance. This type of hand brake can't work without it.

I've been monitoring the lack of this detail for a while, do you know who makes these bell crank and part number?

http://www.choochenterprises.com/Oparts.html

http://www.choochenterprises.com/211.html

http://www.grandtline.com/prod...isc_car_details.html

http://www.grandtline.com/prod...es/quarter_inch/3000's/3049.jpg

Trying to help out an anemic Williams E7 that I upgraded to ERR TMCC, cruise and Railsounds. Took a cue from installing the fixed pilot that came with my Atlas F7's. Cut the pilot off the truck and used it as a pattern to make up a spacer. Attached the spacer to the chassis  and then the KD to the spacer. Also closed down the coupler pocket with thin styrene. I also removed the cab steps from the front truck and mounted them to the chassis (no swing). Lastly, I ground down the inside of the truck side frames and slotted the mounting holes. This closed up the large gap between the face of the wheels and the sideframe thus narrowing the overall width of the truck assembly. The rear KD was bolted to the boss that originally held the lobster claw. The rear KD swings with the truck.

Cape Cod Northern posted:

That looks awesome.