flyboy2610
Loveably weird
I have what I have discovered, via internet sleuthing, to be a Model Power 36 foot covered hopper. https://www.ebay.com/itm/123045080594?rmvSB=true
Nothing unusual about that, but it has a truck mounted coupler of a configuration I've not seen before.
I know the knuckle coupler is not original. A previous owner installed that. What is unusual, at least to me, is that the truck mounted coupler box is not integral with the truck. They are separate pieces. The coupler box sits on top of the truck, and two small plastic bars sit in the grooves of the truck frame. I couldn't figure out how to get the truck off the plastic center pin, so I pried it off with a screwdriver!
That's when I discovered how the coupler mounts. The small plastic ring has a collar on the top. This sits in the coupler mounting boss, and it all fits over the plastic pin in the coupler box. There is not enough room between the collar and the bottom of the car for that ring to come out of the coupler mounting boss. The whole thing then sits on top of the truck, and the truck is snapped into place.
Like I said, I've not seen this particular arrangement before. The car is a Jack Frost cane sugar hopper. Most people are unaware of this, but cane sugar is an important ingredient in Rust-Eze Medicated Bumper Ointment. Since I will have one of their plants on my layout, this car is needed to service it.
I will replace the coupler and box, give it metal wheels, and do some weathering to it. I will probably cut the original coupler box off its mount and glue (as best acetal plastic CAN be glued) the mount to the top of the truck. This will maintain the original truck height.
I plan to use this type of gear box:
The reason for that is that the post is in the lid, not the box. The box can be installed, the coupler slid through the frame of the car, and the lid and post installed over the coupler. Otherwise it might be kind of difficult to work the mounting boss of the coupler over a post that is in the box. There is also only about .050" of plastic for the mounting screw to bit into. I have some thin 2-56 hex nuts that might be employed to help mount the coupler, but they would be on the end of the car behind the ladders. Some paint would help disguise them, but they would still be visible.
This car is also an ounce too light. It appears to be glued together, so any attempts at opening it up would destroy the car. I could cut and shape some weight material to go along the back of the chute housings, behind the wheels. See the first pic to see what I mean. This could be a fun project!
Nothing unusual about that, but it has a truck mounted coupler of a configuration I've not seen before.
I know the knuckle coupler is not original. A previous owner installed that. What is unusual, at least to me, is that the truck mounted coupler box is not integral with the truck. They are separate pieces. The coupler box sits on top of the truck, and two small plastic bars sit in the grooves of the truck frame. I couldn't figure out how to get the truck off the plastic center pin, so I pried it off with a screwdriver!
That's when I discovered how the coupler mounts. The small plastic ring has a collar on the top. This sits in the coupler mounting boss, and it all fits over the plastic pin in the coupler box. There is not enough room between the collar and the bottom of the car for that ring to come out of the coupler mounting boss. The whole thing then sits on top of the truck, and the truck is snapped into place.
Like I said, I've not seen this particular arrangement before. The car is a Jack Frost cane sugar hopper. Most people are unaware of this, but cane sugar is an important ingredient in Rust-Eze Medicated Bumper Ointment. Since I will have one of their plants on my layout, this car is needed to service it.
I will replace the coupler and box, give it metal wheels, and do some weathering to it. I will probably cut the original coupler box off its mount and glue (as best acetal plastic CAN be glued) the mount to the top of the truck. This will maintain the original truck height.
I plan to use this type of gear box:
The reason for that is that the post is in the lid, not the box. The box can be installed, the coupler slid through the frame of the car, and the lid and post installed over the coupler. Otherwise it might be kind of difficult to work the mounting boss of the coupler over a post that is in the box. There is also only about .050" of plastic for the mounting screw to bit into. I have some thin 2-56 hex nuts that might be employed to help mount the coupler, but they would be on the end of the car behind the ladders. Some paint would help disguise them, but they would still be visible.
This car is also an ounce too light. It appears to be glued together, so any attempts at opening it up would destroy the car. I could cut and shape some weight material to go along the back of the chute housings, behind the wheels. See the first pic to see what I mean. This could be a fun project!