Questions on "How to modify a Lionel pedestrial walk over".

Hi Roger, for plastic models, I use “Same Stuff” from Micro-Mark, which is similar to Tanex 7R,  or ACC, like Zap-a-Gap. If I don’t want an instant bond, I use Testor’s.
Artie

@Artie-DL&W posted:

Hi Roger, for plastic models, I use “Same Stuff” from Micro-Mark, which is similar to Tanex 7R,  or ACC, like Zap-a-Gap. If I don’t want an instant bond, I use Testor’s.
Artie

Are the Lionel walk overs made of Styrene?

Do Tanex 7R,  or ACC, like Zap-a-Gap provide an instant bond?

I believe that Testor's is what I referred to as airplane glue.
The type of glue that welds styrene parts together.
Is that correct?

Yes, the thin liquid cements form a fast bond on almost all plastics. When I hear “airplane glue”, I think of the older, thick cement that comes in a tube. The Testor’s that I mentioned is a clear thin cement, just not as fast-acting. I like to use that to assemble building walls that can be clamped together with clamps, weights, or rubber bands until dry. The others just require a touch of a small brush to the parts held together, and the glue penetrates the joint, and “welds” them by partially melting the plastic.

@Artie-DL&W posted:

Yes, the thin liquid cements form a fast bond on almost all plastics. When I hear “airplane glue”, I think of the older, thick cement that comes in a tube. The Testor’s that I mentioned is a clear thin cement, just not as fast-acting. I like to use that to assemble building walls that can be clamped together with clamps, weights, or rubber bands until dry. The others just require a touch of a small brush to the parts held together, and the glue penetrates the joint, and “welds” them by partially melting the plastic.

Thanks for the clarification.

I cut two of them down to work on my depot. We have a 4 track main and needed to span two sets of tracks each. I cut the one side off as it was too big to have both sides of the stairs. I had an Atlas O pedestrian walkover that had warped so I was able to cut out fence pieces from it to block the open side. I also notched them out so I can fit the two together using just one center staircase.

I want to paint them but I can't decide on rusty red or green.

Still might use the Atlas pieces to put legs under the middle landings.

Here are some pics so you can see what I am talking about better.

@Texas Eagle 77 posted:

I cut two of them down to work on my depot. We have a 4 track main and needed to span two sets of tracks each. I cut the one side off as it was too big to have both sides of the stairs. I had an Atlas O pedestrian walkover that had warped so I was able to cut out fence pieces from it to block the open side. I also notched them out so I can fit the two together using just one center staircase.

I want to paint them but I can't decide on rusty red or green.

Still might use the Atlas pieces to put legs under the middle landings.

Here are some pics so you can see what I am talking about better.

Very clever way to get those in and across all of those tracks.
That looks awesome.

I would laser cut the stairways and bridge. or just the bridge  and attach the stairways at the ends.

I'd use white acrylic or whatever color you want.

@AlanRail posted:

I would laser cut the stairways and bridge. or just the bridge  and attach the stairways at the ends.

I'd use white acrylic or whatever color you want.

Can you elaborate on what you mean by "laser cut"?
What kind of tool would be used to do that?

By white acrylic, are you referring to glue or paint?

My Glowforge 45w laser cutter.

Acrylic is nice because the color is uniform and it does not need painting. OR IT COULD be cut in MDF like material but that would require painting.

The stairs could be laser cut  as well but a lot of work making the treads so the stairs  would be done on a 3D laser printer.

Need dimensions,  no cost to you.  You would be building them.

here are some stairs I 3D printed for another OGRRer.

@AlanRail posted:

here are some stairs I 3D printed for another OGRRer.

That is very cool but the author of the post was asking how to modify the existing Lionel walkovers he already owns. Not create new ones from scratch.

Not that he needs my defense but, first, I think that AlanNH was simply showing examples of how the walkway could be modified using laser printed stairways and to show the OP examples of the quality of his work, if the OP was interested.

Second, have we got to the point on the Forum where, when someone posts a question, that alternative (and potentially better) solutions can't be mentioned ?

Modifications, scratch build, chopping up existing .. not in my vocabulary !

Everything I design and build is custom,  built to actually fit in the space required while conforming to actual structural design ( I was an S.E.)

So why settle for less!

Still looking for pointers on the actual cutting and gluing, for making these mods.

I was not saying other options are bad. I was just trying to steer things back to the original question asked by the author of the post. It seemed to me that his basic questions had gotten lost in the weeds.

Design and build from scratch are great but sometimes you have to work with what ya got.

So...

I did mine about 10 years ago so just going from memory.

I used a dremel for cutting the base. I used a fine tooth coping saw to cut the fence sections out and then a fine file for smoothing things out.

I then used CA glue to glue in the sections used from the Atlas crossover.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

Happy Railroading! Trains are supposed to be fun!

I found my Dremel to be a bit aggressive, and in some tight areas it was too cumbersome....worked great for wide open 90 degree cuts however.  
  An Exacto fine tooth razor saw cut through the railings & even the steps like butter.  

Alan- your escalator is really neat!  Would look great on my upcoming subway extension.  

Tom

@Texas Eagle 77 posted:

I was not saying other options are bad. I was just trying to steer things back to the original question asked by the author of the post. It seemed to me that his basic questions had gotten lost in the weeds.

Design and build from scratch are great but sometimes you have to work with what ya got.

So...

I did mine about 10 years ago so just going from memory.

I used a dremel for cutting the base. I used a fine tooth coping saw to cut the fence sections out and then a fine file for smoothing things out.

I then used CA glue to glue in the sections used from the Atlas crossover.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

Happy Railroading! Trains are supposed to be fun!

Thanks, that is very helpful.

Tom

give me some dimensions and I'll make you the escalator(s) {you need at least two; one up and one down]

I will  lasercut the clear sides, the black hand rail and 3D resin print the stairs.; I need floor to floor dimensions and the overall stair opening width.

The parts for each stair; 2- sides, 2-handrails and the stair; The stair with have grooves for sides to fit; paint the stair silver before assembly, remove the protective paper after gluing; snap on the handrails; insert in to stair opening.

let me know by email.

Alan

@AlanRail posted:

Tom

give me some dimensions and I'll make you the escalator(s) {you need at least two; one up and one down]

I will  lasercut the clear sides, the black hand rail and 3D resin print the stairs.; I need floor to floor dimensions and the overall stair opening width.

The parts for each stair; 2- sides, 2-handrails and the stair; The stair with have grooves for sides to fit; paint the stair silver before assembly, remove the protective paper after gluing; snap on the handrails; insert in to stair opening.

let me know by email.

Alan

Thank you very much for the offer, but I already have a cross over that I am going to modify.

Sorry Tom  wrong TOM.

I used a razor saw to cut mine, an Exacto knife to clean up the cuts and CA glue.  The posts at the top of the stairway are dowels.

@Lehigh74 posted:

I used a razor saw to cut mine, an Exacto knife to clean up the cuts and CA glue.  The posts at the top of the stairway are dowels.

Now that is a very clever mod to this stairway.
I really like that.
Very nice job.
Also, thanks very much for the straight forward tips on cutting and gluing.
Again; Nice job