Milwaukee Bi-Polar

[bob turner]

I captured what I think is a really nice body for this model, and am considering making my own trucks. From what I have seen so far, it may be a very expensive project - 12 axles of 45” spoked, 28 journal boxes and dummy springs, eight gearboxes (which I may have in my CLW stash) and a lot of hand carving of brass.

My PSC catalog is about 30 years old and lists the spoked wheels at $5.75. If I use an inflation counter, twelve of them today would be around $120. Doable , but PSC’s website is not responding. Looking for ideas.

Time frame on this project is maybe five years, but I like to “block out” my projects - get them standing on wheels.

I have the Noel Holley book, and stand ready to buy better drawings of the trucks. The mounting of the center cab is not 100% clear yet, although I can sort of see what is going on.

[R.K. Maroon]

How about looking for a junker Custom Brass model. Sadly, I sold one a few years back:





I would think that one could be found, perhaps with a want-ad on O Scale Yard Sale or other social media sites.

On a related topic, I have a very nice Custom Brass model that has a custom drive that uses CLW gearboxes:



When and if you get that far, I can provide measurements if they would be of help.
Jim

[Rufus T. Firefly]

PSC -- best to use Mr. Bell's marvelous modern invention....

[bob turner]

Thanks. I like to have part numbers when I call them. Last time I had to fumble to get to minimum order status.

Custom Brass seemed pretty flimsoid to me. That might be a possibility for side frames.

[Jay Criswell]

Bob, et al,

I think I'm supposed to be doing a few of these, down the road. Because at least one of them will be a P:48 model, I may use my own wheel castings. If so the originals will probably become available.

I'll be using a gear head motor and my 1:1 gearboxes so the remainder of the original drive will probably be available too.

Jay

[bob turner]

Okay. I can wait. I could attempt a master sideframe - I think one piece with six pedestals could be used for main and lead trucks. You would need six per locomotive.

Obviously my skill set will not be the same as a "pro" - but I have gotten better as the years go by. I have enough dummy springs to do a master.

Would you be doing coil sprung/no equalization, or solid? If equalization, you are way beyond my skill set.

Eight axle drive? Or 12?

Oops - re-read your post. You are just doing the re-power on the Custom brass models. They really need it, plus a lot of re-soldering.

[Jay Criswell]

Bob,

Truthfully, I don't have too many answers, just yet. I'll know more, or at least I should, once I dig into it. I'll let you know.

Jay

[bob turner]

Do you know if Valley Brass does shell casting (unrelated to trains)? A friend has a wood hood ornament he wants converted to brass.

[Jay Criswell]

Bob,

No, he doesn't. I asked him about this technique and he said they studied it in college but that's the last time he did any. Shoot, when was the last time any college had classes on investment casting. David is younger than me but it's probably been nearly 40 years for him.

I wonder if Rio Grande (the supplier to many foundries would know). I'll ask Terry Van Winkle too.

Sorry I couldn't be of any more help,

Jay

[E7]

If you know someone in the golf club industry, many of their iron heads were investment cast.

Rich

[bob turner]

One of my co-pilots had a side business - the "Ping-Zinger" golf clubs. I know zero about golf.

I had a conceptual problem - even shell casting requires wax or plastic that can be burnt out. I suppose my buddy's hood ornament could be scanned and printed in plastic. I am way out of my depth here. Maybe I should suggest the "bronzing" that was done on baby shoes?

[E7]

One of my co-pilots had a side business - the "Ping-Zinger" golf clubs. I know zero about golf.

Do you recall the guys name?

[bob turner]

I still have my logbook. I can check. Nice guy, good pilot, and so far to the political right he made Limbaugh look like a liberal.

[E7]

I still have my logbook. I can check. Nice guy, good pilot, and so far to the political right he made Limbaugh look like a liberal.

Please do.....I have some stuff, and the name might make a connection.

[R.K. Maroon]

Bob asked a question about the quality of NJ Custom Brass models on the thread of the same name, but as my response only regards their Bipolar I thought it would be best to respond here. Here is a photo of my NJCB Bipolar:



I have owned three of these. The big knock on them is the lack of tractive effort. Part of the problem is that from the factory only eight of the fourteen driving axles are powered:



I don't consider the model flimsy but it is certainly not a brute either. NJCB provided three lead weights - one for each body section, that were shipped uninstalled to prevent damage to the model. Not all modelers install these, so the model will seem (will be) too light in this condition and won't pull diddly without wheel slip. Even with the weights installed the model is not a great puller. The model in the first photo has the CLW-based all-wheel drive described earlier in this thread. With the new all-wheel drive it weighs in at just under six pounds. I have not (yet) tried to drag a ten-car Walthers Hiawatha up the grades on the local Virginian layout but I have run it on the (no grades) club layout and not surprisingly the performance is much improved over the baseline (and this is without the extra weights installed). This model now approaches brute status, in that I believe it would pull all I ask of it, and even if I have to install a little extra weight for it to do so, the total weight won't be disproportionate to the size of the model.

Two other complaints about the generic model: First, there is a mistake in the body design. On the model, the two end cabs are identical. On the prototype, they are not -- the cab extension on the engineers side (a battery box, I think) is only on one cab. I have been told by two modelers that somebody etched a replacement piece to fix the problem and made it available to friends and acquaintances, but I have not seen one.

The other not-so-great features is that the drivers are chrome plated brass, and one often finds the chrome flaking off.

One complaint about my model in particular: By the time the railroad painted these in the post-war orange and maroon, they had installed sanding boxes on the pilot beam of both ends. NJCB did not provide these as options to install, but they would not be that hard to fabricate. I may do that someday, or I may not.

Flaws and complaints aside, I am very happy with this model. Watching it articulate all those axles around the curves and through the turnouts is pretty cool. Ironically, I favor the later version with the rounded ends. The Lionel version has this body style:



If one dropped into my lap I would consider tackling the conversion to 2-rail, but I am so unexcited about the prospect that I am not actively seeking one.

Jim