The new magazine is the product of Glenn Guerra (of Mullet River Modelworks) and Dan Dawdy. They plan to publish six issues a year. It is FREE to the reading public, they make their money off the advertisers in the issue.
Their first issue is up and worth a look. It reads more like a traditional magazine than an ezine. So readers should be able to navigate inside it without any issues.
Good luck gentleman, I wish you well on this new venture.
In my last post “What is Proto48?” I made the following comment:
My modeling belief has always been that no mater what width the gauge, the model should be detailed as accurately as time, prototype information, modeling skills and money permits.
We can all see the improvement of our modeling skills just by looking at some of our old models. While looking at your earlier models can be a nice trip down memory lane, now that the models are to be placed on the layout together with your newer work, some of the warts on the older models might start to show.
I conducted an experiment one night at the club, I placed eight cars in a train. Five of the cars had full brake detail and separate grabs, one car had no brake detail and molded on grabs, the other two were older USH hoppers with their end exposing that they only had the three brake appliances with no piping between them. They were all nicely painted and weathered. I ran them on the layout for a while, everybody who saw the train run thought all the cars were super-detailed. So what does this mean? Most people don’t look carefully enough? Does it mean we don’t need to model these features? It means you need to model to the level that makes you happy and not worry if it’s up to someone else’s standards.
Realize these are my standards that I’m shooting for, not anybody else’s, just mine. Not a Proto48 standard, just a George Standard. For new models, it will set the bench mark for the level of accuracy and detail required. For the older ones, some upgrades might be in order. Of coarse this is a changing list as new products development can bring new levels of detail or realism.
Here is what I have so far:
Prototype of model included in my January 1952 ORER
Painted as the car would have looked in the Summer of 1952
Weathering applied to car for the Summer of 1952
Models to be detailed for the Summer of 1952
Reweigh Dates to comply with Rule 11 AAR Code of Car Service Rules
Brake Equipment and Rigging
Wheels and trucks to comply with NMRA Proto48 specs
Polished tire treads
Weight standards
Kadee couplers, correct height, without trip pins
Prototype of model included in my January 1952 ORER My modeling is set in the Summer of 1952. I arrived at this date because of a couple of reasons. First the major classes of Steam locomotives I wanted to model, K1, N1 and T-1’s were all still running at this time. Also, this was the last Summer that the Reading G-3’s ran on passenger trains in Pennsylvania. At a point in the early Fall they were all shipped over to the PRSL in South Jersey to finish out their service lives. They were replaced with the new GP-7’s that arrived that Summer. Since I acquired a nice SGL G-3 in my trades of surplus PRR models, I’d like to see it pulling my passenger trains.
Painted as the car would have looked in the Summer of 1952 Rather self explanatory but it has meant the selling of some finished models which were painted in paint schemes from 1954. I know I could have stripped the cars and repainted, but it has been easier to sell off the finished cars and buy new unpainted cars. Besides I hate stripping paint off cars.
Weathering applied to car for 1952 Again, a simple idea but think if a car was built in 1952, it’s going to be very clean. Most often we weather the cars too heavy because that’s how we remember them last in the 70’s ready for scrap. On locomotives, the AS-16’s are less than a year old and the DB equipped AS-16’s started arriving in June 1952, they are less than a moth old.
Models to be detailed for 1952 These types of dated details weather they are paint details or appliance details for the equipment help set the time period. Some examples are, the safety grabs on the noses of the EMD F-units. They were changing throughout the 1950’s. They went from not there at first to some there and painted black, more applied and painted yellow.
Reweigh Dates to comply with Rule 11 AAR Code of Car Service Rules These can be found in the ORER’s. I’ve been modeling these since before my club days. They govern how often a cars light weight had to be weighed. Tony Thompson wrote an article in the April 2011 issue of Railroad Model Craftsman (RMC) which he talks about on his blog. He explains the rules well in the article.
Since my modeling efforts prior to this had been set in 1956, this has required the changing of almost all the reweigh dates on my cars.
Brake Equipment and Rigging With my first models, I was happy just to have something under the car. The major appliances were enough. Then I saw what could be done. Full brake piping with equipment positioned as per the prototype. It really does not take too long to build and really sets off the models.
Wheels and Trucks to comply with NMRA Proto48 specs Good running equipment is the difference between having fun operating on the layout or having to force yourself to work on the layout. Good running equipment requires that all specifications for wheels and track are within the NMRA standards.
Polished Tire Treads I always liked the look when I saw other modelers do this. Once I did this to a few of the trucks, I wanted to do this to all of them. I’m not sure if I will have any issue of the treads rusting in the South Jersey humidity. If they start then maybe they just need to be rolled on the layout more.
Weight Standards I’ve always thought the NMRA weight standards were a little on the heavy side. Since I’m running some very heavy diecast hoppers. I can’t have the cars too underweight and still expect them to operate without trouble.
Kadee Couplers, Correct Height, Without Trip Pins The Kadee 700 series couplers are my standard. Most of my models are equipped with the older version with the spring on the outside. A little paint and the spring disappears. When I work on an existing car, I am changing them out for the new couplers. I’ve tried Protocraft couplers, they are beautiful and work nicely. They just aren’t for me.
Air Hoses Air Hoses are on the standards list since all the prototype cars had them and not all the models that have been made over the years have had them.
I tried the magnetic working air hoses that Ben Brown wrote an article about in the Jan/Feb 20009 issue of O Scale Trains explaining how he made working air hoses. I got the air lines to work but I found it to just be an extra point of frustration. They are nice when they work.
All that being said, these are MY standards. They are not meant to be anybody else’s standards. Nor are anybody else’s standards meant to be mine. We are all supposed to be having fun after all.
What is Proto48? That question has been a topic of debate with Proto48 modelers for a number of years. Basically there are two schools of thought on the matter. The one thought is that it is just a set of standards to correct the gauge mistake in O scale and also make the wheels close to the prototype in size. The other side of the debate thinks it’s more than just gauge, it’s really about finescale modeling throughout the model. Usually when one of these debates rise up it ends up in some foul words being exchanged, some hurt feelings and a few PO folks. None of this is good for anybody.
Lets step back and take a look at the history of Proto48. It has it’s origins in trying to make the gauge and wheel width more accurately depict the prototype. A very nice history of Proto48 is presented well on the Proto48.org website. But one could also argue that it was understood that these guys were modeling to finescale standards with the rest of their models, they just got tired of placing out of scale trucks on their models.
Some of my Reading open hoppers that I displayed at the RPM meet.
My Experience with Proto48 I am proud to be called a rivet counter. I actually have counted rivets on my models and on the prototype drawings I have done for RMC. When I first converted to 1/4 inch modeling, the realization that my models had trucks with the incorrect gauge bothered me. Then I heard about Proto48, and I had to be a part of it.
After more than ten years of happy Proto48 modeling, I made the well meaning mistake of joining a local model railroad club. Their pushing and prodding convinced me to “just change out my trucks” on my proto48 models and “I could run my models on their layout.”
My model railroad club experience has given me a lot of things (not all good). For this conversation, let’s just say it made me realize that I was not happy with my same models when they had O scale trucks under them. Even though my models had the same level of detail (because they were actually the same models). I was not satisfied with their appearance. I responded better to them with Proto48 trucks under them. After leaving the club, it did take me a few years to figure this out.
Modeling in regular O scale is much easier than modeling Proto48.Open the box and place the model on the rails. Instant gratification at it’s best. You don’t have to convert, upgrade or do anything to your models. Or do you?
I started measuring and comparing the models being produced against the NMRA Standards. I found out that not every manufacturer builds their models to the same set of standards. Once I began to see that almost none of the models were within all the NMRA Standards and that they needed to be modified anyway, it made even more sense to model in Proto48 again.
Matt Forsyth’s SFRD RR-21 Steel Reefer as displayed at an RPM in Malvern, PA.
Which Proto48 Camp Am I In? I always believed I fell close to gauge side of the debate. I guess that had more to do with hearing guys quote Proto48 standards for one thing or another to manufacturers. None of these “quoted standards” existed. Only the “Gauge and Wheel Standards” exist. So I took more of the stand that Proto48 is just a wheel and track standard and a lot of ego thrown in also.
As I continue to focus my efforts to model the Reading, I’m finding that I’m beginning to lean to the finescale side of the fence. My modeling belief has always been that no mater what the width the gauge, the model should be detailed as accurately as time, prototype information, modeling skills and money permits.
The NMRA Proto48 standards are just a set of track and wheel standards. Modeling in Proto48 has opened my eyes to what I thought O Scale could and should be when I first converted to the scale. It has to do with making every detail as accurate and well as you can. That means research of the prototype, mastering new modeling techniques and generally just pushing your modeling skills beyond their current limits.
A wonderful scene on Warner Clark’s layout.
Is Proto48 Just a Set of Track Standards or Is Proto48 Finescale Modeling? I don’t think the modelers on either side of the debate are wrong. What we have are just different approaches to modeling. The choices a modeler makes about the detail level of their models does have an effect on choices available for their layout. But these modeling choices are personal choices, and not a mandate of Proto48.
For me, I can model in Proto48 without modeling to finescale standards. I have found out that I can’t model to finescale standards without modeling in Proto48.
Two Intermountain/Protocraft and one Red Caboose/NWSL trucks
Protocraft and RY Models have imported some great Proto48 trucks. I like them a lot and I use them under a lot of my freight cars. We need a lot more types of trucks to start to get close to the variety of trucks the prototype had.
I can’t afford to place them under all my cars, maybe if I hit the lottery. I have been using two different manufacturers types of O scale trucks converted to Proto48 under a number of my cars.
Intermountain/Protocraft truck with 33″ wheelsets.
Intermountain/Protocraft Truck What a great truck! When you combine the Intermountain truck with their metal wheelsets, it is one of the best rolling O Scale trucks available. But what about Proto48?
The protocraft wheelset with the tips of the axels filed. You can hardly see it.Intermountain/Protocraft truck combination with 33″ Rib-back wheelsets.
I have also tried the 33″ double-insulated rib-back wheelset in the IM truck. They fit and roll nicely but have a little side-to-side play. I’m not totally sold on them yet. I am testing them under a model currently.
Caboose/NWSL trucks
Red Caboose/NWSL Truck Many O Scale modelers will complain to you, these trucks don’t have the same axle length as the IM trucks. That is actually better for the Proto48 conversion, the NWSL Proto48 wheelsets drop right in and roll great with their pointed axle on Delrin truck side frames. Red Caboose had a Bettendorf and a T-section Bettendorf truck available.
NMRA Proto48 Specification I measured the wheelsets and find the Protocraft wheelsets are within NMRA spec. Here are the measurements and the measurements are displayed on the NMRA S-4.1 Proto48 Wheel Standards page.
Check Gauge
Back to Back
Wheel Width
Flange Width
Flange Depth
Specification Range
1.124 1.134
1.100 1.112
0.115 0.120
0.024 0.028
0.022 0.026
NWSL 33″ Freight Wheelsets (no backside wheel detail)
Protocraft 33″ 50-ton ARA “D” rated axle double insulated, one wear tread
1.129
1.106
0.115
0.025
0.024
Plus and Minus… Opinions On the plus-side:
The biggest PLUS I can say about these is they are inexpensive.
The trucks roll great!
The trucks do look very nice even without all the brake detail.
Both have casting marks on the trucks side frames.
I already had these trucks on the shelf.
There is no issue with shorting on metal cars because the trucks are plastic.
On the minus-side:
The NWSL wheelsets are not always 100% within NMRA spec.
The NWSL wheelsets do not have backside detail on the wheels.
Both the IM/PC and the RC/NWSL have very little back of journal detail.
I hate assembling the Red Caboose trucks. I have never been good at inserting them damn springs.
The Protocraft Rib-Back wheelset does have a little side to side play when installed in an IM Truck.
Some Protocraft wheelsets need a small point (not really a point as much as knocking off the blunt end of the axle) filed onto the axle.
A small pile of Intermountain trucks waiting for me to order more Protocraft wheelsets.
Overall: The minuses have not held me back from using these trucks for my Proto48 conversions. The cost savings can be even higher if you find some NWSL wheelsets at very low prices at the train shows, since a lot of Proto48 guys dismiss the NWSL wheelsets.
The Red Caboose/NWSL is my standard truck under my converted Lionel Offsets Twins, which currently numbers about 35 cars. The trucks do not have any brake detail at all and the NWSL wheelsets do not have backside of wheel detail either. But they are an inexpensive way to have a great rolling truck. And I feel that is more important under such a heavy car as the Lionel Offset Twin.
The Intermountain Truck was included in every kit they produced. So most O scale modelers should have a good supply on hand from that alone. I was also able to buy 50 pair of trucks for a special price from a local vendor. When combined with the Protocraft Bulk Wheelset Price, it puts the price per truck under $17 each. Compare that to the $52 dollar price for imported trucks. That kind of savings adds up quickly if your freight car fleet is larger than a dozen cars.
Don’t get me wrong, the current imported Proto48 trucks are great! We need more varieties of them. I try to support our Proto48 truck suppliers with my purchases almost every train show I attend. These two truck options help keep the costs of modeling in Proto48 down some. They also provide an easy way for new Proto48 modelers to try proto48 out and see if it is for them.
Machining the two new bolsters which have been soldered together
I was able to line up a trade of some surplus PRR equipment for a SGL Reading G3 Pacific. These models came out in 2002. They are nice models but rather lightly detailed. The Reading Modeler dose not have a lot of choices in mass produced steam locomotive models like some other roads have.
I had earlier taken apart the tender trucks to check out their design. It used a flat brass stamping as the bolster attached by screws into cast brass truck side frames. I test fit a set of Protocraft 36 inch wheel sets into the side frames to see if the axle ends would fit into the journal tubes on the side frames. They fit nicely into the side frame but not while the stock bolsters were in place. I measured the distance between the side frames without a bolster in place to get the length of the new bolsters that had to be made.
I purchased some K&S stock at my LHS which was just about the correct width and the same thickness of the old bolster.
I started by cutting two pieces of brass from the stock a little longer than the old bolsters. I soldered them together so that they could be machined at the same time. I placed the two pieces now soldered together into my milling vise. First I squared up the sides and ends. Then I machined them to the correct width. I marked the location of the holes based on the old bolster locations. The holes were drilled and tapped for 2-56 screws.
After the conversion, the old bolster and one O scale wheelsets in front of the two trucks.
Here we see the trucks reassembled. As I first stated these are a basic design. If a similar truck is ever produced in Proto48, I would love to an upgrade these trucks. Until then these will do.
Here is the Tender for the G3 after the conversion
The reassembled trucks were placed back under the tender using the original screws. Not that bad looking after they are placed under the tender. All in all not too rough to convert, next comes the locomotive.
Will we miss the bottle of Fluquil and Polyscale on the left? Maybe not I’ve been testing P-B-L Star Brand, Scalecoat II, and Tru-Color. But the Greg Komar Dry Transfers in front, will be missed!.
Back around the end of May there was a panic go through the model railroad boards and blogs. Testors announced it was ceasing production of Floquil, Pollyscale, Model Masters and other hobby related paints. Now this in itself is not great news for the hobby, but it’s just a small part of the changing of the hobby. I read on a number of other blogs that some guys ran out and bought their favorite colors out at their local hobby shops. That’s great! Only if they had been doing that all along Testors would have seen enough sales to keep the products alive.
Some blamed it on the hobby changing from kit building to buying R-T-R models, or that we have less hobby time in our busy lives. The focus of the model rail press now is towards more realistic operations and layouts. While realistic models are now not talked about how to kitbash a certain type of model, there is more talk about what proportions of different R-T-R models should be bought.
The hobby has changed since I built my first kit back in grade school. For me, building models, is still one of my favorite parts of the hobby. Part of building them is painting them. So this news should have really sent me into a panic, but it didn’t. It just means I’ll have to look for other paint alternatives. Truth is, I have a lot of Floquil and Pollyscale on hand. I don’t really like it. I end up using it more for weathering as it goes on so flat.
What really has bothered me is that Greg Komar announced he is only taking orders for his fantastic dry transfers until the end of the June. I really do like his dry transfers, I’ve used them on a number of projects. The hobby is loosing another quality manufacturer! I placed a final order with Greg this weekend. It was tough to look at his catalog and think what projects might I want to do in the future and how many more sets do I need for the rest of my modeling life.
Joe Giannovario and Larry Kline talking at the 2012 RPM Meet in Malvern, PA.
I got a call today from a friend who told me that Joe Giannovario had lost his battle with Lung Cancer. As I went onto my computer to read more about this, an email from the P48 board from Gene Deimling arrived with the same sad news. My thoughts and prayers go out to Joe’s family.
Today has brought back memories of the first time I met Joe just before he released his magazine. We had a small group of local modelers that got together every couple of months to show each other our current projects. John Dunn brought Joe to one of those gatherings. Joe fit right in showing us all a recent scratch built N&W hopper car project.
Most people will remember Joe from the shows, he went to almost all of them promoting O scale 2-rail and his magazine. I’ll remember the smile he always had for you when he greeted at those shows.
Description:
The PRR’s 2D-F8 50 ton truck began production in the 1920’s. It was placed under many of the road’s signature freight cars like the FM, GLa, and X29. PRR documents have the truck listed on the following classes: FM, GLa, GLb, GLc, GLe, GLf, GLg, GP, GPa, GR, GRa, GS, GSa, GSc, GSd, H22, K7, K8, U6, XL, XLa, XLc, X23, X23a, X23b, X24, X25, X25a, X25b, X25c, X25d, X28a, X29, X29a, X30.
The truck design did evolve over the years, the original design from the 1920’s had a riveted bolster. As casting improved in the 1930’s this was replaced with a cast bolster on new trucks. I have not seen any numbers for how many of each existed, or if the cast bolster was used as a replacement for the riveted bolster. Only that 2D-F8 trucks produced later in the 1930’s used a cast bolster. The trucks lasted in revenue service for more than fifty years.
PRR 2D-F8 50 ton truck photo from the RY Models website
The Proto48/O scale market has been asking for the PRR 2D-F8 trucks for a very long time. Other manufactures have promised to produce the 2D-F8 for a long time and nothing is on the market. I remember seeing early test shots from one manufacturer over 10 years ago. They still have not released a product to the public.
RY Models did produce the truck and the Proto48/O Scale market responded by selling out the first run of the trucks. If you didn’t pre-order you most likely missed this one.
The RY Models truck has is of the original riveted bolster. It scales very close to the PRR diagrams. The trucks have full brake detail.
The trucks were available from RY Models for $48.00 per pair. They are taking reservations for the next run of trucks.
RY Models New PRR 2D-F8 50 ton truck
NMRA Proto48 Specification:
I measured the trucks and find that they are within NMRA spec. Here are the measurements and I’ve added their measurements to the NMRA S-4.1 Proto48 Wheel Standards
Check Gauge
Back to Back
Wheel Width
Flange Width
Flange Depth
Specification Range
1.124
1.134
1.100
1.112
0.115
0.120
0.024
0.028
0.022
0.026
RY Models
50-ton PRR 2D-F8
double insulated axles
1.131
1.110
0.115
0.027
0.025
Plus and Minus… Opinions:
On the plus-side:
The biggest PLUS I can say about the RY Models 2D-F8 trucks is that they are here!
And I am placing them under my freight cars TODAY!
The trucks measured up fine against the NMRA Specification.
To say they roll well is a bit of an understatement. They gave me fits when trying to photograph them.
The trucks do look very nice, they capture the look of the prototype based on the photos and drawings I’ve seen.
On the minus-side:
An issue with most RY Models trucks is that they do not have any casting information on the side frames. I’ve mentioned this before.
The plastic insulators between the axle and the wheel are a little large sticking out the back of the wheels. (I plan to trim mine a little)
Overall: The minuses have not held me back from purchasing these trucks. I look forward to their use under my PRR freight cars for many years to come.
I’m very glad to see more new freight car trucks on the Proto48/O scale market.
On Saturday, I attended this Spring’s Strasburg O Scale show.
John Dunn and Rich Yoder did a fine job of putting on this show. The attendance was crowded enough to make you think the isles were smaller this year. I was glad to see it. Plenty of new and second hand O scale models were on the tables.
Carl Jackson made the trip from Indianapolis, IN and Norm Pullen from Norm’s O Scale Trains made it down from Maine. Nice to see these vendors making the trip to Strasburg.
There were some new products at the show. Tom Thorpe was showing more examples of the turnouts he is promoting. They looked very nice. I was told of a couple of pilot models being in the room, but I was running my mouth too much to get to see them or get any images.
Rich Yoder did have his long awaited PRR 2D-F8 trucks at his table. The first run of these are sold out. I will have a post on them in the next couple of days.
This year I actually took the time to find the model contest room. I’m glad I did.
I’ve seen photos of Lee Turner’s LV RS-3 online before. Seeing the model in real life was even better then seeing the photos.
The modeling displayed in the room was fantastic! Because of the contest the names were not displayed with the models. In some cases I knew the models and who built them.
I would have liked to known who did some of the work. I guess I’m spoiled by the RPM-Meets were the modelers show their work with their names displayed and are there to talk about the models also.
Details on Lee Turner’s RS-3
Lucus Bartig’s Scratchbuilt Frisco 2-10-0
Scratchbuilt car float
Car float close-up
Close up of the car float details
First of a couple of snow plows
Second snow plow in a more natural setting
Jim Zwerneman’s MKT 77889 Scratchbuilt from Styrene, sides are individual boards with built up “z” Braces.Ends are from Southern Car & Foundry. Center sill, bolsters and draft gear are leftover parts form a Chooch Kit. Trucks are Yoder Proto48. Protocraft and Blalock decals were used.
Jim Zwerneman’s MKT 77889, good view of the scratchbuilt Hutchins dry lading roof.
David Friedlander’s NYC Transfer caboose built from a Russ Briggs Kit.
