Beautiful train!

Nice video!, and that track has never seen anything better running on it!

Naveen

Great train!  Well done on the conversations.

Mike

Naveen,

Always love to see a long string of stack cars.  Great job!  Keep that intermodal stuff coming.

Scott K.

Austin, TX

"I was worried about using metal Kadee couplers & boxes on the die-cast cars"...

What is the issue I think, is when the wheels are only insulated on one side. If the KD pins hit a frog for example, (or you touch them!) they can short out or cause sparks.

 So what wheels are U using? (I did read your posts and have forgotten)

 I think it would be a great option and benefit the hobby, for MTH to make realtrax in a two rail version. It could be included in starter sets and be a great way to get new people into two rail. Some parents might buy a train set for their kids and not want to get too deeply involved into the hobby to start. Kids need a easy way to run trains in their bedroom, right? Just brainstorming!

 + I missed the video link!!

I find it useful to use Kadee plastic coupler boxes with metal couplers on metal cars. I have a Golden Gate Empire State set and had the same problem as you describe with metal coupler boxes. They are available as separate packs for O scale, Kadee #817.  A low cost solution compared to changing wheelsets, too. 

the new KD #s 743, 745,746, etc, are metal couplers with plastic boxes.

 How do you like those protocraft trucks?

I had always meant to order a set and never did. I don't see any 100T on the site. Maybe they will get more?

I have several Atlas 3rl Trinity Hoppers that need conversion.

I wonder if they would work easily?

I'll probably need to order the new Atlas ones for the hoppers.

 Are you using the 70t for the stacks?

http://protocraft.com/category...54&Categoryid=34

Joe,

I learnt that 70-ton Protocraft trucks were the appropriate trucks for this Husky car from another forum member after I documented the conversion with the 100-ton trucks on this 2-rail forum. I bought the 100-ton Protocraft trucks to use on MTH coalporters but after I decided to narrow my interests to modern intermodal I sold the coalporters (& other cars) & had to find another use for the trucks that I had.

I have the Trinity cars but they were bought as 2-rail & I didn’t look at the truck mounting scheme. But if it is similar to the other Atlas Masterline & Trainman cars that I owned, then there must be a cast-in pilot with screw threads on the underside of the cars which needs an oversize hole in the truck bolster. Atlas trucks are just right for this design. You might need to modify the Protocraft trucks to enlarge the hole to go around this pivot.

Since the Protocraft truck was almost as expensive as the car, I set a requirement to not modify the trucks during my conversion since I wanted the option to sell the trucks separately if my interests ever changed & I also wanted the option to reuse the trucks on another 100-ton car.

I did notice that Protocraft has run out of the100-ton 2-rail roller bearing trucks when I was thinking about buying more of these Husky cars a few months ago. Since the trucks were unavailable, I did not buy any more Husky cars.

But these trucks are the smoothest trucks I have ever experienced. The car rolls very smoothly. I didn’t even realize I had a slight sag in the middle of my computer table until my Husky cars with Protocraft trucks started rolling unassisted on a section of track.

These are just my opinion,

Thanks,

Naveen Rajan

" I didn’t even realize I had a slight sag in the middle of my computer table until my Husky cars with Protocraft trucks started rolling unassisted on a section of track."

 WOW!

First off, I'd like to say that the OP's original thread detailing the conversion was really great modelling and how-to sharing.  Too bad its gone.

I also really miss that massive "Intermodal Primer" thread.  It was many pages of awesome intermodal info and modeling.  Very sad.

Here is a good prototype photo of what Naveen is modeling.  You can see that even back in 1999, these had already been re-badged for BNSF.  (Well, at least on his original thread he had the (non-Sealand) Maersk containers loaded in the husky cars.)

I created an XPS file of the Lionel Husky 2-rail thread. I have attached it to this post.

I wish I would have done this for a few pages of the Intermodal Primer. There was a lot of good information in that thread also.

Regards,