Richg: You mentioned that the readings between your expensive meter and the harbor freight(which I use)is very close. Does the readings always go to the high or low side, and can you give a estimate on how much to allow for if they are consistent. Thanks Bill

Hi all; When I have a coupler height problem, I first try to shim up the coupler by gluing styrene shims to the bottom cover of the box until the coupler starts to bind. Then try to file the shank a bit. If all this fails, the last resort is to use shims. If too high I machine the bolster down using a drill press with a cutter in the chuck. I use different thickness of styrene and bond paper under the supporting block, as there is no adjustments on this type of milling operation. Have discovered that there is a difference in truck bolster heights between trucks of even the same brand. In other words, if you get every thing prefect, then remove trucks to paint the car and switch them , nothing lines up any more with the gauge. This will drive you nuts!!!!! until you mark the truck on the B end of the car so you get the same truck on the same end you originally set it to align with the gauge. Spent many hours in total pulling my hair out trying to figure this out, till I discovered this. Yes I'm now bald and not because I'm 70. Bill

Sorry guys, I meant a I-12. Been spending  so much time on a old Trains Inc junker(albeit a some what close representation of the early I-5 wagontops) that I'm a little caboose goofy. Finally settled on I-5BA C 2507 and stretched it to 19' WB and narrowed steps after adding roof grabs,side grabs and stack guy wires. Having decals made and waiting on the 36" herald he missed. Also redid a Trains Inc I 5 cupola type, which is a better represention of its class. Took Tichy trucks and drilled out the springs so a set of Branchline springs from a pass truck would slide in, and am pleased with the results.  Bill

How about a good B&O I-5 caboose for all those EM-1's out there? Bill

Jonathan : Squadron Products makes a filler that model airplane guys use. Green putty (green tube) is a little hard and have noticed it shrinks a little, even after long periods of time. They also have a product that's very soft (white tube) and is easy to sand. Both products are in most hobby shops. Tamiya makes a product I have read wonderfull reviews about, but haven't seen any yet. The spackle is water based and wont stick, The material I discussed is a solvet base but is made for plastic. bill

Jonathan: Don't use a filler much harder than the boiler plastic or you are asking for trouble. Many times when I run into this situation with plastic, I use a paint that has started to thicken a bit and paint the seam. When dry, redo if needed. Have found that fillers in such a small crack pulls lose when sanded down to cover. Paint adheres tighter. Probably the best approach for the boiler band is to remove the remaining cast on segments and replace it with a strip cut from .005 styrene and epoxy it down. Don't use a Keytone based glue , as the .005 styrene will melt do to the thickness of the styrene. Another approach I use is to lightly paint lacquer thinner to the seam. Be carefull not to overdue this, as it is a Keytone and must evaporate before you reapply. Great idea an really looks like it will be successful. Best wishes . Bill

Johnathan: When I run into a problem like this, I first take a number of thickness's of masking tape to cover the hole. When I feel it is stiff enough I cover the opening, being carefull not to touch the opening after application as in an area as large as you're trying to fill, the tape will sag a bit, hence the need for layers. Then fill the hole with a tooling epoxy. You have to work slowly as air bubbles get trapped. Don't make the first layer to thick as you can hold it up to a light to check for bubbles. If you find any close to the surface, open them up and patch. then you can make it as thick as you need. When set, 4 to 8 hours or when you can confirm the epoxy has set (not dry) you can remove the tape which may need a little plastic filler to match the contour. I use a product called Devcon Epoxy , the slow set ,not the fast set. It has one tube that is black and one that is ivory in color. Mix 1 to 1, so its idiot proof. Have been using there plastic steel epoxy to cast cars and parts from my own masters since the late sixty's. The only things Ive found to wreck the stuff is apple cider vinegar and denatured alcohol. Lacquer thinner doesn't seem to bother it when wiping it to remove oils, pr yer to painting. You can drill and tap the stuff. I use the epoxy all the time for projects on the bench. Bill

Thanks Jonathan: And its already sold. The A added to the class I-5B, means it was stretched from the info I have found. Done almost as soon as they were built           ( C2502-C2507 BLT 1936-40 ). The picture I found of the C2506 shows they just torched out the steps to clear the trucks. Don't know why they wouldn't have done that to all of them. Have decided to take that approach with my Dremel. So far it looks like I might be able to get a 18' 6" wheel base without the steps looking to narrow. The steps on the brass model are narrower than the torched ones in the photo. If the steps originally were almost 3' wide, it looks like maybe up to 9" are missing at the bottom, as when thy cut them they left an arc rather than a straight side. Model looks like maybe close to afoot is removed Sure would like to compare the steps on C2506 to the rest of the group. Bill

Thanks Jonathan; Purrused that article many times, and the cab I have fits these dimensions, but the pics I have look like a extended platform and roof to accommodate the new 19' base. Also, the paint looked to be a different circa than when new, as the logo doesn't fit the time frame. will have to try to re do the steps and modify the trucks (Tichy USRA with Branchline pass truck springs installed) to get a 1945 caboose. Didn't want to wreck the original car, but if no options exist, whats the difference. Theres a pic of the C2506 with modified 19' WB, and steps at http:// NORTHEAST.RAILFAN.NET/bo5.html  Also, there is a book on line on eBay from 2008 that has a few pages as a inticement to buy. It has some info and a roster time line of invaluable info if you don't own this book. Bill

Needing a caboose for my EM-1, I dug out some old brass cabooses I've had for about 35+ years. The wagon top seems to be a I-5B as built. Although from the info I have found it only lasted with the 15' wheel base for a year or so. After looking at the possability of stretching the base to19', it just won't work, even by cutting down the steps as the protype C 2506 had done to it, as there is no room for the trucks to swing behind whats left of the steps. There is a book out there on B&O cabooses out of print with plans for a I-5B with dimensions. Can any one tell me how wide the end platforms were after the widened the wheel base to 19' (I-5BA?) and what color were the cabooses in 1940, brown or red? Seems the I-12 wagon top would be a good candidate for a quality offering for a Spectrum line of equipment. Bill

YES, YES; Thank you Tony and Jonathan. I knew the info had to be out there somewhere. Bill

 Thanks Len; think likewise about circa and location. There was no date on the cover of the book sent to me and mention of this possibility was mentioned. the drawings used for the passenger car end was a light weight design. Have most of the videos and CD's from Herron on the N&W and can not tell, except that all sides of lanterns appear very dark and the same color when not lit. That's why I assumed the model pictures were correct, though even common sense dictates it isn't. Bill

Thanks every one for the input to this question. Here is what I have learned so far. B&O; one red three green, C&O one red three amber ( just received a response from the C&O society, And MR.Thomas Dixon Jr. responded with a copy of pages from the C&O hand book, Chesapeake Division showing the different positions for different applications for freight and pass operations) and the Kohs & company, makers of exquisite 0 gauge scale equipment, show red on all four sides of the lighted markers on there N&W cabooses for the old removable type. I tend to believe they know what they are doing, as there models are unbelievable. Check there site out to see what I mean. Bill

HI Jim: Don't know how to post photos but will describe item. Sounds like it is a 0 ohm devise, but don't understand its function if soldered in line to the bulb. When the devise is by passed, the bulb lights at the same consistency at all times regardless of eng operation unless killed with F-0. Item is about 3/16" long and a #4 shrink tube just slides over it (about .060 in dia), medium blue in color with bumps on both ends. Three black bands in middle (0 value ?) with black bands on each end, one narrower than the other. Wire extends out about 3/16" on each end. Do you think the different widths of bands on end make it a directional devise. If it's a bad fuse, would it still light on forward movement. Might have connected backwards for a time, but switching direction didn't make a difference. Lights worked fine untill I inserted a re programed chip. Had all three bells changed. Replaced chip with a original with no change. Decorders all work fine on the other two engines. When I was a inspector with IHC, bad ground connections played havoc with the light operation in the trucks. But there isn't a ground to deal with after coming out of a decoder is there? Maybe a bad pickup creating resistance. Bill

Jim: Hoped someone like you would respond to this problem. The device I described is in line with the wire going to the headlight,and is in the locomotive by the gearbox with shrink tubing over it.  Removed it to see what it was. Looks like it is directional due to the different thickness of black bands on the ends. Thought it might act like a resester to change current flow to the bulb. Sorry I'm a electrical Dunce with this new stuff. Have re soldered all connections already. Wired around the object and the headlight lights up but doesn't respond to the dim and bright functions from the decoder except F-0. Is there a source for this type of devise for hobbyists in the electronics field? Does the color coding have any meaning like on a resister? Still don't know what it is to even try to replace it. I'm stumped. Thanks for the input. Bill