I'm modeling late steam flatcars (SP 540028 and ATSF 90861); naturally, the supplied brake equipment is all wrong. I've bought decent-looking brake parts (Cal-Scale BW-351) but unfortunately, these seem to be made for boxes, reefers, hoppers -- almost anything except flats.
The problem is that on most car types, the bw is mounted directly to the gear housing; the housing mounts to the side of the car. The bw itself is vertical -- that is, the axis of the bw is parallel to the long axis of the car. On these old flats, though, the bw is horizontal and the axis of the bw should be vertical -- straight up and down.
On a related note, it's not clear just how long the bw shaft should be, between wheel and housing. On still another note, the entire nature of the housing on a flat is unclear to me. On other cars, a short chain drops from the bottom of the housing to a rod that engages the fulcrum at the edge of the undercarriage. Yet again, I have "brake rod with clevis" (Grandt Line 5184) and I can't figure out how this figures in.
How does all this go on a flat? Devilishly difficult to get a clear prototype photo of late steam era flatcar brake equipment.
The problem is that on most car types, the bw is mounted directly to the gear housing; the housing mounts to the side of the car. The bw itself is vertical -- that is, the axis of the bw is parallel to the long axis of the car. On these old flats, though, the bw is horizontal and the axis of the bw should be vertical -- straight up and down.
On a related note, it's not clear just how long the bw shaft should be, between wheel and housing. On still another note, the entire nature of the housing on a flat is unclear to me. On other cars, a short chain drops from the bottom of the housing to a rod that engages the fulcrum at the edge of the undercarriage. Yet again, I have "brake rod with clevis" (Grandt Line 5184) and I can't figure out how this figures in.
How does all this go on a flat? Devilishly difficult to get a clear prototype photo of late steam era flatcar brake equipment.