Passenger Car Diaphragms

They look good. Do they couple this close from the factory or did you modify them somehow?

Pete

Pete,

  They rest just how they are in the pic but do not fasten.  They have striker plates.  You can pull out or push in the accordian type material to suite your needs.  On O72 track they do open on the outside in curves.  I think these could be fastened in some way and work but have not experimented yet.

Scott

which part number did you use?

It would be cool of somebody would make those with magnets in the outside flange so that they connect but you don't have to fool around with trying to attach them to the next car.

48-225 O Scale Passenger Car Diaphragm & Striker

Link to their website, I found mine through Ebay. 

http://www.scalecitydesigns.com/

I am thinking of adding Diaphragms to some cars.  There are two styles that I can see from scale city

48-225 is just the bellows and strikers

48-024 has a bunch of other parts that look kind of fun.  except I have no idea what they are.

Does some one by any chance have a copy of the directions that come with that kit they could either post or send me?

So I can figure out which I want to buy, and how the parts go on.  An explanation of what the parts do on a real train would be swell also, or a diagram or something that shows it.  My google fu is being troublesome I am having a hard time finding anything useful

BWRR, I did not use the more detailed version.   Try messaging Scale City, they are good about replying to questions at least through my experience on their Ebay page.

OK I will try that as well

The long bars called anti rattle bars. I can only guess that they help keep the diaphrams together. Not sure where the leaf spring goes. Searching for pics of heavyweight passenger cars might provide more clues. Since about 2004 MTH has been adding this detail to their Premier passenger cars.

Pete

The leaf spring goes on top of the diaphram [depending on the model used]. Just look at this HO model breakdown of diaphragm parts:

http://www.hitechdetails.com/realdeal.html

Gunnrunnerjohn, I remember years ago someone did make them with magnets. Don

It would be cool of somebody would make those with magnets in the outside flange so that they connect
but you don't have to fool around with trying to attach them to the next car.

You REALLY Don't want magnets. The striker plates are supposed to move freely so the cars can negotiate sharp turns. If you add magnets, then the diaphrams are not as flexible and can create  a counterforce to the cars when turning on a tight radius track eventually leading to derailing issues. 

FWIW, I am happy with rubber diaphragms and metal striker plates!

Depending on the car length and minimum radius, the striker plates could move far enough laterally that the edges catch and cause the car(s) to derail when resuming straight track. Ask me how I know....

Has anyone ever attempted to keep the diaphragms closed using narrow strips of black hook-and-loop (aka Velcro) material on the mating surfaces? Or would that create the same derailing problems as magnets? 

This is why you don't want to try and keep the striker plates mated to each other. 

Pete

You did a great job installing those diaphragms! Thanks for sharing!

We are working on updating instructions, but here is an old version that should help. It just doesn't show the spring which others have said mounts at the top.

They fold 'em up for you, now?  The ones I bought had a piece of ribbon in the package, there were no instructions and I couldn't get the little pleats to stay pleated.  I gave up and am using the face plates on rubber, factory equipment diaphragms and the ribbons for window shades.  Harrumph!

These are of relatively ancient provenance.  My first pair was supplied with an F-7 in 1957, and was simply black construction paper and a tinplate striker.  Worked really well.  You can fold your own by making a "zee" out of the paper with the middle part of the zee the width of the top of the diaphragm, then fold away.  Use contact cement to attach to both car and striker plate.

bob2 posted:

These are of relatively ancient provenance.  My first pair was supplied with an F-7 in 1957, and was simply black construction paper and a tinplate striker.  Worked really well.  You can fold your own by making a "zee" out of the paper with the middle part of the zee the width of the top of the diaphragm, then fold away.  Use contact cement to attach to both car and striker plate.

Bob,

Your right anyone can make anything. I could scratchbuild a B&O EM1, but sometimes its easier and better looking to buy something already done. The original post model looks great and I am sure he saved a lot of time and spent that enjoying his model rather than learning origami. One thing I want to point out, these are not "construction paper" from the local walmart. Its a special paper that has a pattern built in to resemble the real thing. We have to buy a large qty at a time in order to have these available. We are also working on different striker plates with the help of a premier passenger car model builder in order to give a closer look to more specific railroads, we hope to have them out later this year. Hopefully you will give them a try one day and see how they have improved from the old construction paper of 1957! Have a great day!