Opening up MTH Bombardier Bi-Level Coaches? Help!

Hi Kevin,

I didn't know you also did O Gauge.

Stuart

Yup, O, N (+ HO on and off, currently off) 

Giving this thread a new title and hoping to get some traction. Putting the old title back to the thread (10.17.19).  All the OGR'ers out there with customized commuter or transit passenger car interiors with folks reading the paper, on their smart phones, etc., let's see your handiwork 

https://youtu.be/GF47t-lZH4U

Heres a link to my 4pk Long Island 18” aluminum cars. I painted the interiors, cut the seat sections in 1/2 and flipped them to sho prototypical push-pull seating. I also added the vestibule steps and painted the blue stripe on the ends of each car. 

The powered engine is an uncataloged mp15 with trolly stops. The FA is for cab control when the train is in push mode

Have you disassembled a Bombardier car, yet?

If not, I suggest you start a thread with that "how to" topic asking for help.

I have wanted to do some work with my Atlas Comet II cars, but can't figure out how to get them apart for the life of me.  Granted the interior color isn't that far off (a tad too bright), but it would be nice to add commuters, get the floor color correct and generally upgrade them.  Tried to take a Horizon coach apart and failed miserably. 

Kevin, interior shots of a OK Engines, metal Hollywood Beach, Seaboard Cost Lines, Silver Meteor.  These come as a empty shell.  You must build everything else to make it an actual coach.  Thes shots were taken as I was building the car.  I just recently finished it, and haven't taken finished photos yet.  I will and then repost for you'..

Pingman posted:

Have you disassembled a Bombardier car, yet?

If not, I suggest you start a thread with that "how to" topic asking for help.

No, I haven't yet, and something is telling me to wait until the warranty expires before trying.  Be that as it may, what you're suggesting is what my original intent in the thread was in May, however, the motion died for lack of a second .  Thus after 3 months of no responses, I figured I would re-title it and get the answer that way.  But, upon second thought, the thread might become one of posts of passenger car interiors (which I very much want to see everyone's work) and the original question gets lost in the shuffle.  I might have to ask the mods if they could split the thread and have the gallery thread continue separately so that I can get the best of both worlds.

DJ - Very nice work and video!  I always love night shots with illuminated interiors.

Jonathan – I will be intently watching what you do.  I have a 5-car NJ Transit set which I just ran for the first time at the club over the weekend.  Working on the video so that I can post it on YouTube.  I’ve taken interior photos of NJT Comets with the intention of painting the floor gray and the seats burgundy like in this photo. 

https://newprovidencedailyphot...is_line_interior.jpg

QG48 – Very nice work so far.  What is the name of the company that you purchased the shells from?  They wouldn’t be adverse to making an Amtrak Viewliner shell, would they? (long a sore spot for me and others)

Kevin, I'll email you the particulars on the company.  However, I would call Ted the owner, and ask him what you have in mind as he is semi retired.  He has some great stuff...

Sorry you haven't had a lot of responses; I only stumbled on this thread by accident and the original title was a little specialized. Let me add my 2 cents worth on the two main things you have mentioned.

First, if you are interested in passenger interior detailing refits, over the years there have been a lot of them on this Forum. My own particular interest is in dining cars and these have generated a number of very detailed postings. You might start with this more recent one and move on to the others I will link: https://ogrforum.com/...04#85902432192860304

Going back a few years there were others including:

https://ogrforum.com/...69#18746738004673469

https://ogrforum.com/...62#24659873190920562

https://ogrforum.com/...-3-dinning-car-lamps

https://ogrforum.com/...57#21562329671225557

Hi Level/Double Decker/Dome cars offer a lot of scope for interior details. My latest effort is on the 21" UP Excursion Dome-Lounge-Observation City of San Francisco car, a work still in progress:

This also has a themed bar area in the belly of the car under the dome:

Now this is hardly the sort of everyday commuter/transit interior you are trying to replicate but this is 3rail O Gauge after all.

Second, I have always admired the TriRail cars but never gone in for a set. So I have no direct experience of taking them apart but with other two-level cars it almost always a matter of reverse engineering how the car was assembled in the first place. One complicating thing is usually the lighting wiring, especially if the car has lights on the ends (as appears from one of your first photos above). Most of the MTH cars I have DON'T have removable end caps (unlike older Lionel/K-Line/GGD cars); the interior assemblies are fixed to the metal frame, which can be detached from the body shell by unscrewing the body mount screws underneath the car. The frame and interior should then drop down from inside of the shell but beware of where the lightning is connected.

Good luck!

Hancock52 posted:

Sorry you haven't had a lot of responses; I only stumbled on this thread by accident and the original title was a little specialized. Let me add my 2 cents worth on the two main things you have mentioned.

First, if you are interested in passenger interior detailing refits, over the years there have been a lot of them on this Forum. My own particular interest is in dining cars and these have generated a number of very detailed postings. You might start with this more recent one and move on to the others I will link: https://ogrforum.com/...04#85902432192860304

Going back a few years there were others including:

https://ogrforum.com/...69#18746738004673469

https://ogrforum.com/...62#24659873190920562

https://ogrforum.com/...-3-dinning-car-lamps

https://ogrforum.com/...57#21562329671225557

 

Now this is hardly the sort of everyday commuter/transit interior you are trying to replicate but this is 3rail O Gauge after all.

Second, I have always admired the TriRail cars but never gone in for a set. So I have no direct experience of taking them apart but with other two-level cars it almost always a matter of reverse engineering how the car was assembled in the first place. One complicating thing is usually the lighting wiring, especially if the car has lights on the ends (as appears from one of your first photos above). Most of the MTH cars I have DON'T have removable end caps (unlike older Lionel/K-Line/GGD cars); the interior assemblies are fixed to the metal frame, which can be detached from the body shell by unscrewing the body mount screws underneath the car. The frame and interior should then drop down from inside of the shell but beware of where the lightning is connected.

Good luck!

Thanks and that is some great looking work that you've done.

H52, THANK YOU for the photos of your UP dome--wonderful work.

And THANK YOU again for the compilation of prior threads on interior detailing--your selections are exceptional.