Lots of questions on 7 1/2" gauge railroad

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Glenn Brooks
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Re: Lots of questions on 7 1/2" gauge railroad

Post by Glenn Brooks »

"All the wires are red." No doubt, to help you see them better!

Glenn
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Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
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Steggy
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Re: Lots of questions on 7 1/2" gauge railroad

Post by Steggy »

Glenn Brooks wrote:"All the wires are red." No doubt, to help you see them better!
As long as they don't glow red when you apply the juice. :D
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Music isn’t at all difficult.  All you gotta do is play the right notes at the right time!  :D
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makinsmoke
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Re: Lots of questions on 7 1/2" gauge railroad

Post by makinsmoke »

Several folks around here have them that big and pull with Suburbans and other trucks up to 1 ton, single rear axle.

You might check the bearings and make sure the tires are aired up correctly.

It should pull well that length.
Glenn Brooks
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Re: Lots of questions on 7 1/2" gauge railroad

Post by Glenn Brooks »

And maybe look for rusted up brakes.

Back in my old commercial fishing days in Alaska I had a 30' three axle boat trailer for storing my gillneter. It was made from heavy ibeam steel. It was heavy but pulled easily with an old 1ton Ford F-350 flat bed truck. Because the trailer went in and out of salt water several times each summer, I ended up replacing and repacking the bearings and races once a year. New bearings and races every spring basically.

Glenn
Moderator - Grand Scale Forum

Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
rkcarguy
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Re: Lots of questions on 7 1/2" gauge railroad

Post by rkcarguy »

That's quite the machine shop there, I'm envious!
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dnevil
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Re: Lots of questions on 7 1/2" gauge railroad

Post by dnevil »

There are some tips on grinding welds, priming, spray painting with shaker cans, etc in the article that might be of help to you.

http://ibls.org/mediawiki/index.php?tit ... ap_Caboose

Best of luck!

Daris
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dash9
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Re: Lots of questions on 7 1/2" gauge railroad

Post by dash9 »

Now wonder the trailer was heavy.... When i went to pick it up i never did look inside. There was a big old rusted lock on it and the side door was locked inside. I did ask him if there was anything inside. He said he did not think so it was sitting for 18 years in the barn. I cut the lock off back at my shop. WOW it was loaded to the top with old oak boards. Rotted oak boards. Bonn fire tonight..
Got it unloaded 5 hrs later the floor in the front 2'X 6' is bad I cut it out. Side door is bad took it off and have to replace wood under the skins. Now it should weigh 7 tons less.
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makinsmoke
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Re: Lots of questions on 7 1/2" gauge railroad

Post by makinsmoke »

Now that's funny right there, I don't care who you are...


Shame it wasn't loaded to the top with old machine tools!
dash9
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Re: Lots of questions on 7 1/2" gauge railroad

Post by dash9 »

Well plugged it in and the old florescent lights still work. Got the wood frame on the side door done and my son is putting in the floor that is bad. Getting there.
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Mr Ron
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Re: Lots of questions on 7 1/2" gauge railroad

Post by Mr Ron »

When I worked at the shipyard, they used a hand cranked machine that printed a number every 6 to 12 inches on white single conductor wire. I don't know who made it, but a search for "wire printing machine" or similar wording may come up with a suitable machine. I would suspect that a company like Allied Electronics may carry them.
Mr.Ron from South Mississippi
dash9
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Re: Lots of questions on 7 1/2" gauge railroad

Post by dash9 »

This winter I am going to rewire the train completely. As for the trailer, it is getting there. Replaced all back turn and stop lights with LED. Took off all the marker lights and replaced all the screws they were way to rusted to make a good ground. Replaced the tires, Brakes, Magnets, and bearings last week. Put 16 ply tires on it. Used it last Saturday to haul the train to Pisgah Central Railroad.240 mile round trip and the tires still have the nubs on them so it is tracking nice. My son was hollering when I hit 90 with the trailer. Had a blast. My grandson is working on a video for youtube. Really nice Private Railroad with some great grades. up to 5%. It drops 97ft from the station to the lowest point. There was lots for Steam engines there. Met a lot of really nice people.

I painted the trailer with a paint roller it came out better than I could have sprayed it. It has a metal roof that was rusty. I went to Home depot and found Henrys Tropi-Cool Liquid silicon trailer and Rv roof coating. Now it looks like new again and it drys in a few hours. Put track in the trailer used 1/4" x1" flat aluminum and used Hex head counter screws so I dont trip in the screw heads and used e track between the rails. Dont really like it between the rails so I got more and going to put it outside the rails also. Dont want to take it up since i drilled all the way thru the floor and bolted it down with 1/4" bolts and plates under the trailer. I rewired the trailer front to back too.
Rob Gardner
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Re: Lots of questions on 7 1/2" gauge railroad

Post by Rob Gardner »

Dash9,

There are any number of solid guys at PLS, among them:

Pat Murphy
Eric Peffel
Ron Shupard
Dave Sclavi
John Geib
Bruce Saylor

Some may immediately start talking you into getting a steam engine, but other than that, there are really some good guys there. Don't let one bad experience run you off. Most clubs have at least one curmudgeon who really should not be allowed to talk to any newcomers, lol. "Get off my lawn!"

Rob Gardner
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