Well Rich I should be working on fixing the pilots to my AC6000 powered dummy project. Instead my wheels came in from NWSL so I started with these trucks. I found taking off the 3r coupler, turning the truck around, and a little cutting to clear new kd coupler box:

Ok, now which looks better?:

now a lot more work to do, Joe

The answer to that one is obvious Joe...

Good Job!

Bob

Great job, Joe. I'm lookin' for one of those in Rio Grande.

nice job joe! Those Lionel cars are great looking!!

Joe , Thanks for the nice pics on doing the job but I have a few questions, one, this is the Aluminum hopper with the metal cut walks? What is the NWSL part number for the wheels replacement? How did you lower the hopper for 2 rail. Did you cut something off the truck or the car or is it just the 3rd rail wheel flange gone? Does the coupler have a mounting screw hole or is it glued on. And lastly what model number lionel is it so one can order it if it is able to be found. I haven't seen one available in a few years. .
Phill

Originally posted by phill:
Joe , Thanks for the nice pics on doing the job but I have a few questions, one, this is the Aluminum hopper with the metal cut walks? yes
What is the NWSL part number for the wheels replacement? 8292-4
How did you lower the hopper for 2 rail. Did you cut something off the truck or the car or is it just the 3rd rail wheel flange gone? just the flange gone.
Does the coupler have a mounting screw hole or is it glued on. KD #805 dilled hole tried to tap but broke. used screw with nut on back hole front hole used existing one
And lastly what model number lionel is it so one can order it if it is able to be found. I haven't seen one available in a few years. . 6-27416 got them from a forum member.
Phill

Ok, I guess I'll learn the hard way. MTH and ATlas appear to insulate both wheels from the axles. The NWSL wheels are only insulated on one side. Of course I just installed them at random and tripped the breaker untill I traced the short back to the new rolling stock. I'm turning the wheel sets in the same direction on each car. That should fix it? Will that be a problem running across switches? That means I'll need #804 couplers on plastic boxes for insulation between cars. If I grab two cars that happen to have reversed wheels I'll probably get Zapped!?! I run AC current. Oh boy, Joe

quote:

Originally posted by Enginear-Joe:
That means I'll need #804 couplers on plastic boxes for insulation between cars. If I grab two cars that happen to have reversed wheels I'll probably get Zapped!?!

Yeah use the plastic couplers, you can use the plastic coupler boxes with metal couplers then use the plastic couplers in metal boxes if you want to mix and match them. The only cars that need the insulated couplers are cars with metal underframes, anything with plastic frame just needs the insulated wheels on one side of the car, can be either side as long as all the axels are installed the same direction. Lionel makes some nice hoppers for conversion and I think their trucks look pretty realistic for 3 rail cars. Here's one I did a few years ago....dave

Dave,do you have an end view of the converted P48 lionel trucks? And a part number from NWSL?
Thanks!
Patrick Welch

quote:

Originally posted by Trickcooley:
Dave,do you have an end view of the converted P48 lionel trucks? And a part number from NWSL?
Thanks!
Patrick Welch

Hi Patrick, I put a couple of end view shots of the lionel car and a similiar real car in a folder in the photo section. Look for an album called "Lionel trucks end view".
Looks like the NWSL part number was 8393-4 but I'd measure your car and then call with the axle length and diameter at the bearing and the spinner end shoulder diameter before ordering cause mine didn't fit so I had to drill out the truck sideframe bearings( the spinner shoulder diameter was ok). apparently there are two diameters of Lionel axles? This was an early lionel spinner bearing car so maybe the later ones have the larger diameter bearings? ....dave

Thanks for the pics Dave B!

looks very nice

How did you get the lionel truck to ride closer to the body? I have one of these cars that I am working on converting right now and looking for input.

-Joe

"How did you get the lionel truck to ride closer to the body? I have one of these cars that I am working on converting right now and looking for input."

-Joe
If you were referring to the first Lionel car posted, I did nothing to lower it. The change of the wheelsets to NWSL gives the appearance that the car is lowered. The car does sit down (load) on it's springs pretty far. I'm not sure if it's even close to the prototypical height. It looks good enough for me, Joe

Looks good enough for me too.

When enough folks write to Kadee, maybe they will supply metal couplers and plastic boxes. That is the way I like to model, but they won't even answer my query.

very nice! is it just me or do those stirrup steps on the end of those hoppers look too thick?

Lucas, When you look straight at them they appear correct. You're right, it's when you look at the end of the car they are thick. I think converting these Lionel trucks with the NWSL wheelsets and the cutting for coupler clearance is easy. Drilling and tapping for the couplers is a pain. I wish Lionel had tapped the holes with the correct placement for KDs. Joe

quote:

Originally posted by Lucas Liska:
very nice! is it just me or do those stirrup steps on the end of those hoppers look too thick?

They look fine to me. Remember they use strap steel for them. Having ridden many a stirrup step, the wider they are the more comfortable they are on the arch of your foot.

Greg

quote:

Originally posted by bob2:


When enough folks write to Kadee, maybe they will supply metal couplers and plastic boxes. That is the way I like to model, but they won't even answer my query.

Why wait??????????????????????????

Just drill the metal body for the mounting screw, debur the hole, CA a bit of paper the size of the box, and mount with Nylon Screws.

Insulated!

Wheels can rub on the boxes, the boxes are insulated. Metal couplers and metal boxes.

Improvise

Ed R

Ed R