Intermountain Wheels on Lionel Milk Car

For the OLDER MILK CARS I've seen articles that have you drill out the rivets holding the truck side frames together and then re-riveting them back together. Are these articles for real? Just carefully spread the truck apart letting the Lionel wheelset fall out and then carefully insert the O scale wheelset of your choice. I use a tack puller to bend the metal flange, that holds the coupler shaft, out of the way after I remove the C retainer. To remove that tab so it doesn't interfere with the coupler/wheel swing, use aviation shears. A Dremel motor tool takes forever and makes a mess. One snip with the sheers and you are neatly done. Take a swipe with a metal file where the tab was removed and the wheel conversion is done. What really makes the conversion a snap is Gandyman & Son Trains coupler pockets found in Shapeways. Its been a while since I've done one but as I recall you unscrew the screw that's in the way of the coupler pocket, drill another hole for the second coupler pocket hole and secure the pocket with two screws. Assemble the Kadee coupler, check with the Kadee coupler gauge and you are done easily in under 15 minutes. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srz8qs4JhBo for a nice how-to video for the OLDER MILK CARS. Thank you, Mario!

Hi Lar!

Thank you for the details, I haven’t done an older one, yet. These new ones are much easier as the side frames are held on with a screw. A little less detailed but roll really well.

good to hear from you!

thanks,

-Mario

PS- did you notice they moved the SKU number and “Built by Lionel” from the side of the car to the under frame?

thanks!

@CentralFan1976 posted:

PS- did you notice they moved the SKU number and “Built by Lionel” from the side of the car to the under frame?

thanks!

OLD run...

That’s one thing about the new cars, never liked that built by Lionel on the side of the cars.

Finished car, after hinge paint touch up.

thanks!

- Mario

Want to send my a small bottle of that paint

@superwarp1 posted:

Want to send my a small bottle of that paint

I would, except that I took blue spray paint and a Testor's yellow paint pen mixed them together to make a custom color just for this project.  I sprayed the blue paint into a plastic baggie and then added the yellow slowly until the color was perfect.  I used a clear plastic bag so I could hold it against the car for the color match.

Thanks!

- Mario

As far as the "Built By Lionel" black "notice board" on the older cars, I am planning to paint black over the white printing and maybe apply a white "chaulk" scribble decal over it. I have about 45 milk cars that I will be 2 railing, weathering and eventually selling. A quick check of the NYC Historical Society's photo archive showed no NYC or private milk cars with a "notice board". Most of my milk cars are either NYC or Hoods so it might pay to attempt to match the paint color and paint over the black board. Has anyone ever taken a car to a paint store to have the color scanned in, analyzed and then received the "matching" paint?

@BigBrotherLar posted:

As far as the "Built By Lionel" black "notice board" on the older cars, I am planning to paint black over the white printing and maybe apply a white "chalk" scribble decal over it. I have about 45 milk cars that I will be 2 railing, weathering and eventually selling. A quick check of the NYC Historical Society's photo archive showed no NYC or private milk cars with a "notice board". Most of my milk cars are either NYC or Hoods so it might pay to attempt to match the paint color and paint over the blackboard. Has anyone ever taken a car to a paint store to have the color scanned in, analyzed and then received the "matching" paint?

Hey, Lar!

You bet I have matched paint, though an automotive paint distributor that can put it in touch up bottles or spray cans.

Details here: https://ogrforum.com/...ustom-paint-matching

As you know most of mine are NYC & Hood as well, as well as a Borden for good measure.

Good luck!

@CentralFan1976 Nice work! What couplers are those? Do you have any information on where to get them or who makes them?

@TrainDane3768 posted:

@CentralFan1976 Nice work! What couplers are those? Do you have any information on where to get them or who makes them?

Well, they’re readily available. They’re Kadee #740 that I sprayed with Krylon Ultra-Flat dark brown then squirted with light brown primer from a distance.

Thanks!

- Mario