Just looking in for my daily (or less) hour of e-mail time.I've experimented with a dozen or more AF conversions in the less than three years I've dabbled in S scale,generally satisfied with the results, although the novelty is wearing thin by this point (I didn't get into S scaleto spend lots of time building, as my primary interest remains O scale--where I have LOTS and lots of projects). The twin hoppers are among the easier and more gratifying conversions, as they are pretty close to the AARoffset side prototype. I think I browsed through an S Guagian issue six months or so ago with an article by Rusty Rustermeieron various conversions; a good dozen years ago Bill Wade had an extended article in the S scale magazine heowned at the time on detailing and converting a twin hopper to a woodchip car that looked very nice (he mayhave used an AM twin, but the detailing would still apply). I use Ace bolsters and trucks, a few extra wiregrabirons (one of the weaknesses of the AF casting is the heavy corner grabs and stanchions for the toy trainmarket, but apart from a bit of thinning, to replace them is more trouble than I find it worth, although perhapsone could use AM ladders, available from Ron Bashista), and a bit of styrene sheet to extend the brakestep, whichin unconvincingly shallow (I do that for the same reason on some of the AM twins, too). I've replaced the brakelever low-relief with AM brakewheels on some of them and am considering installing the AB gear under the slopesheet when I have time to develop a drilling jig for the center sill. Diagonal bracing at the ends would be nice,but, again, more trouble than I want to invest in the conversion, since I have plenty of much-nicer SHS hoppers.Converting AF three-bays would be much the same, although, of course, the brakewheel installation is mandatory.So far as I can tell, the three-bays, being a later addition to the line, are less easy to find (and often more expensive)than the two-bay; someone a number of years ago reportedly bought lots of three-bay bodies directly from AF andresold them for some time with Ace bolsters--I bought two at S Fest where Jeff Madden was selling the Chuck Portercollection. Obviously the later hoppers with holes for their trucks will need coal loads to conceal them.Paint and reletter with CDS sets. The new owner of the Downs line offers a conversion package with just abouteverything one would need. Next easiest, in my experience, are the 40' gondolas, even though prototypes are more elusive. Grind off hideoustruck mounts and either fabricate replacement bolsters from styrene or use the Ace flat bolsters, add trucks andbrake gear, possibly replace the brake lever. Rebuilding the underframe is optional. I generally plug the oversizeAF coupler cutout under the endsills with styrene. Next are the flatcars: grind off the truck mounts and cover the deck (and all the holes) with Evergreen scribedsheathing, notching for the stake pockets. Probably the underframe needs replacing; someone provided a hotlinkto the OGR S scale forum a few weeks ago, and one of the members there posted images of a scratchbuilt flatcarwith a styrene underframe that would work equally well for an AF conversion. Brakewheel of your choice on wire staff. I've done a couple of the older yellow AF boxcars, which are a decent representation of the 1932 ARA prototype. Ace trucksand cast replacement floor with brakegear, brakewheel, corner stirrups (I used AM's), repaint and letter. I am currently (stillsitting on the workbench, as I've not done any modeling in weeks) trying to see how that works with a working door boxcar,but that has turned out to be more work than I can justify for a conversion, what with replacing the stamped steel door guides).I doubt I shall do any others. The plug door refrigerator cars, which used essentially the same dies with some replacements,don't look bad; I started one and the hardest part was trying to figure out a convincing prototype--so far best possibility isBREX. Probably won't do any more of those, either. Tankcars are the least worthwhile conversions, as the proportions of the tank are wrong and the frames are clunky; otherlist members reported recently that they shortened the tank and rebuilt the frames, even replaced the dome, but, again, that seems like a lot of work for a sow's ear. Jace Kahn
General Manager Ceres & Canisteo RR Co./Champlain County Traction Co. > To: [email protected] > From: [email protected] > Date: Fri, 6 Jan 2012 18:10:22 +0000 > Subject: {S-Scale List} A Few Photos... > > I just downloaded a couple of snaps of a project I've been playing around > with. > > It's my intention to convert a bunch of AF rolling stock I have to as "scale" > as possible. My reasons are thus: > > I already have a fair bit of Flyer on hand, and although the die work is not > a good as the newer, scale stuff, I think it'll do for the time being, as I > gather more of the scale offerings that are now available. > > As a relative newcomer to 'S', it seems that this "new age" equipment is > fairly expensive, and, as I have lots of other interests, I'd like to keep my > costs as low as possible. Plus, for the most part, the more common Flyer > stuff can be had for next to nothing, so what the heck? > > My first step is to get them "road worthy"; new trucks, (frames as necessary) > and Kadee couplers. Then I'll start in with the detailing; handrails, brake > systems, etc. > > I hope this is "scale" enough to be worthy of this group, as I know the focus > of this forum is not American Flyer....... > > Mark in Oregon > > > > ------------------------------------ > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > >
