Flyer aluminum passenger car link coupler truck measurement

The distance from the center of the rivit to the center of the pin is 1 1/2".

Ray

@Rayin"S" posted:

The distance from the center of the rivit to the center of the pin is 1 1/2".

Ray

Awesome - thanks for helping out!

I have converted to S trucks a number of times.  The thing I do is drill new holes in the chassis of the car closer to the ends where I install the S gauge trucks.

The cars would look bad with a passenger car truck anyway.

The prewar diecast caboose is in very nice condition and we didn't want to modify it if at all possible - no sense making permanent changes as the car is for a static display. Some Union Pacific cabeese rode on trucks that bore more than a passing resemblance to a passenger car truck:

https://utahrails.net/images/u..._peter-elmendorf.jpg

https://www.prc68.com/I/UP25496.html

Some Milwaukee Road cabeese rode on passenger car trucks:

https://www.midcontinent.org/e...ilwaukee-road-01855/

Flyer's stamped steel frame link coupler freight car trucks aren't exactly realistic with their shiny journal boxes and less than detailed frame stamping - beauty in the eye of the beholder applies here.  

How about making a new mounting hole in the S gauge truck itself, further from the coupler? If it clears the caboose steps, you are home free.

Or... if it is for static display, why do you care if the coupler does not protrude far enough?

@RoyBoy posted:

How about making a new mounting hole in the S gauge truck itself, further from the coupler? If it clears the caboose steps, you are home free.

Or... if it is for static display, why do you care if the coupler does not protrude far enough?

 

A main component of the display is a 342 AC I scored on Ebay - it was super clean and I could have left it as found, but ended up giving it a thorough mechanism cleaning/lubing/wiring touch-ups so that it runs like a champ but won't move an inch under its own power on the display - my friend and I like things to do what they're supposed to do - OCD at work can be an irritating thing...

I think the trucks from the 660 series passenger cars should look fine, especially if they are painted grimy black. You picked a nice engine in the 342AC for the display. What kind of track are you using? Mine use the SHS/MTH track with the somewhat realistic roadbed.

@AmFlyer posted:

I think the trucks from the 660 series passenger cars should look fine, especially if they are painted grimy black. You picked a nice engine in the 342AC for the display. What kind of track are you using? Mine use the SHS/MTH track with the somewhat realistic roadbed.

Stock Gilbert - the whole display is showcasing AC Gilbert made items. Next step is black/wide tie roadbed - I'm aware of the Rick Johnson S gauge roadbed but my buddy Art is going to stick with Gilbert-made products as much as possible.

Here's a link which shows Art's progression within the world of Gilbert:

https://web.archive.org/web/20.../History/history.htm

The black rubber roadbed IS stock Gilbert, as is the gray rubber roadbed. Rick Johnson just made reproductions of the original Gilbert product.

@AmFlyer posted:

The black rubber roadbed IS stock Gilbert, as is the gray rubber roadbed. Rick Johnson just made reproductions of the original Gilbert product.

Yep, I/we are aware of the gray and black (as well as narrow and wide tie variations) of Gilbert roadbed, and I made Art aware of Johnson's repro black roadbed. Art would like to use the Gilbert-made product as that's what he had as a kid; if he is able to avoid non-Gilbert items then that's how he'll choose items for his display.