If you have seen some previous posts of mine, you know that I took an AtlasO SW9 and modeled it to be an SMS SW1200 #104 switcher.
I added a lot of little custom items to get the model as close as I could to the prototype. But the side frames on the Atlas model were wrong. Just recently I was able to get the correct side frames... well sort of. Atlas only makes these in friction bearing and the SMS railroad has modern roller bearing trucks.
So I had an idea....
Grind down the side frame where the friction bearing is.
Drill an 11/64th hole.
I initially cut a screw, ground the top, put three dots of CA glue on the top and glued the piece in place. It looked OK, but I was not 100% happy.
Then I found out Atlas sold the roller bearings from their parts department. I called them up placed the order and two days later they showed up.
I like these a whole lot more. Just glues them in place, painted the truck and added some weathering powder.
One down... three more to go.
Have Fun!
Ron
