New Haven car

Modelsof1800

Very nice model. I dabble in the NH, but do not remember anything about that model. I watched your video and it runs well too. It looks finished. Do you have more to do?

                                                                                    Ray

Ray, yes, model is looking

Ray,

yes, model is looking fairly completed. But I would like to add lighted classification lights, a better running performance, window glasses, adding an interior and inner lighting, passengers - and a driver. And at last are to add small details - truck chains. However until today only the first two points are realized. All this are small things but they will need some of time.
Nevertheless the model should run on week end on a bigger modular layout and I hope for a good success and some new shots.

The original model was not so good ...

The original model was not so good how it did look from first impression! I purchased it by Ebay and it was unmodified and in original condition.

Not a bad soldering work, well detailed and a very large motor block in front - in full length before the front truck!

The underside - not very good but usable, however the rear power truck fixing ...

... a really disaster! This is the original construction of rear truck fixing and so the truck could not spin, it was too close fixed in a small cutout of frame. You see that the small Tenshodo power truck did not have additional electric wire connections and that should give great problems for a solid performance in use with a digitalization.

That what I would like to receive was a small self-propelled rail car that could pull also one or two freight cars from station to next one as a very short local.

So I fixed a coupler at rear end of body as first step of changing. This to do as first step was a simple need, because now the rear truck must be moved 2 or 3 millimeters to center of car and so the frame cutoff must widened and lengthened for a free swiveling truck.

I think that this view shows a well usable result.

Modifications

Bernhard

 Nice work. 

I hope you show pictures of the finished model

                                                          Ray

Next steps ...

Next step was to change the frame at rear end for a free swiveling truck.

And I removed all the small detailing parts of frame at the same time. The details were not in that condition how I would like to have them.

Right the widened cutout for rear truck, a new positioned air tank and completed by a new frame bridge for fixing the power truck.

The reworked underbody - in most cases with the old parts which I overhauled and added by a new brake gear, a few small pipes and new truss rods. And a lot of holes for sound!

Next I changed the prepared but not working flexibility of truck side frames at front truck in order to receive a full balanced truck and an all time four wheel power pickup. The four axle pickup of rear power truck is simple too less for a digitalized model!

Already in next step I soldered safety chains onto the truck sides. However how should I make test runs with many times of fixing trucks onto frame and removing them with these chains?
No, this was not a good idea in this time ...

... and at the latest after checking the pickup wipers I removed the chains again.

Painting now? In fact in wrong moment!

Unfortunately I chose again a wrong time point in sequence of rebuilding steps. However I would like to receive a fast success and so I have given the model to a friend for painting.

He painted the model after my ideas - because I did not found other and maybe more correct sources.

Again a picture with mounted front truck, full equalized and with pickup feeders on all four wheels. Maybe that you say that I could reduce the axle feeders and that should solder a wire only onto the truck bolster but that all was too unstable for me so that I chose these two axle feeders.

After a picture of an different rail car of NH I sketched the decals for my model - here in picture the crispy letters and digits. The more blurred lettering is the that from a photo of prototype car.

Now, after painting of model I added all the electronic stuff into model. And here you can see the consequences, small color damages also on outside of model. However this is a picture that I shot after most work was done and so the model must receive an additional color finish before a last-time assembling.

All the electronic stuff has got its place under the roof and only the green wrapped capacity block must find its place as package parts in baggage compartment.

(Click on pictures for an enlarged view.)

This is the result of first remodeling of this rail car while a few test runs on a greater modular US-arrangement three or four years ago. And also the video in opening article was taken while this session.

In this moment I was very lucky with the result! But that is not the end of this story!

A second step in digitalizing ...

... and a bit more.

How I have written before I had added a coupler on rear end of model.

However what, if I would like to switch one or two freight cars with this model?
Ok, a coupler at front  should be added likewise, however please without to destroy the brass pilot with its original coupler pocket.

This is the result and here two pictures how I implemented this.

The coupler is a modified Kadee #158 where I drilled a hole in shank and I drilled also a hole in coupler pocket. There I inserted a short wire with a fine head (like a very fine nail) as simple pivot point and so the coupler can swing sideward.

On backside of coupler I lengthened the shank by a wire that I bent like an eye bolt. It is fixed into the shank in a pre-drilled hole with a diameter that is a bit larger as the wire diameter of eye bolt. Again I "hammered" a small head onto the wire end and so I glued the head with a drop of CA-glue into hole of shank. The "eye bolt" is absolutely solid fixed after hardening of glue and a fine spring hold the coupler in its straight but movable position.
(However, never before a car or other part of rolling stock was hooked to the front coupler until today. However maybe that I need the front coupler while next train session?)

A second step in digitalization was started after I found an answer on the question "What is that for a lamp on front" of rail coach? Answer was come from an old book, that this is a back-up lamp and I thought that it should receive a red led as rear end light if running in reverse direction.
A further idea was to add leds into the classification lamps for additional lighting! Lighting of brass parts which have been soldered onto the model!

The pictures of all my electrification work.

Running forward as an Extra train with white classification lights.

   Reverse running as an ordinary train?

No, also here as an Extra and with a red rear-end light, of course!

That, what not is visible, is the possibility of use of a switching lights where the rear lamp is dimmed while the forward lamp shines with full light. All that was (more or less) simple done by the electronic.
I used here a decoder by ZIMO, an Austrian decoder maker, but I'm not absolutely lucky with the sound that is installed.

As last three pictures of the last train weekend held together with my friends of AMREG group (American Model Railroaders of Eastern Germany) in my home city Dresden, in end of November. I think that this model has given there a good impression as a rarely seen rail equipment on a large modular layout.

A short stop in Narrow Village Junction - however maybe that passengers drive with their automobiles today?

Running on a branch line through the green Eastern States.

On a siding! Thanks to Sven!

How I have written before - a few less steps for finishing must be done yet, however I think that I can find time for it in next weeks. I will like to present the result here.