1. Using those old “blue Box” kits to complete your roster
ROLLING STOCK TUNE UP
Using those old “blue Box” kits to complete your roster

2. DO YOU HAVE SHELVES LIKE THIS ONE?
USING OLD CARS
DO YOU HAVE SHELVES LIKE THIS ONE?

3. OR BOXES LIKE THIS?

4. A 50 YEAR OLD AHM BOX CAR Note large flanged plastic wheels
Truck mounted couplers; old horn hook type
Cast on grab irons, ladders, etc.
Bought it used for about a buck
Color and graphics are pretty nice
So, Let’s get started!

5. TWO MORE OLDIES BUT GOODIES
A Varney and an old Athearn “Blue Box” kit

6. SO, WHAT’S THE SECRET? There is no secret
The key to a good running car is
Couplers
Wheels
Weight
All you need to know about these three important ingredients to a good running car will be found in the standards and recommended practices of the National Model Railroad Association

7. NMRA.ORG NMRA STANDARD S2 The coupler standard
HO Scale; the coupler height measured from the top of the rail to the knuckle center should be inches or 9.93 millimeters. The standard sets coupler heights for all scales.
KADEE makes a coupler height gauge which is available in most hobby shops.
Proper coupler height and operation is critical.

8. GOOD TOOLS ARE A MUST
A good assortment of quality tools such as good screwdrivers, needle nose pliers, wire cutters and plastic nippers make life much easier

9. SOME SPECIALITY TOOLS

10. GIZMOS

11. DON’T FORGET THE GLUE!

12. COUPLERS ARE CRITICAL
I only use KADEE couplers; good old #5s or the newer metal “whisker” type
No car goes on my layout without quality metal wheels which have been checked on a standard gauge. Good metal wheels are also critical

13. PREPARING THE CAR
Older Athearn coupler boxes have a little tab which was used in early horn hook couplers to hold a little spring. Remove this tab so that the KADEE brass spring plate will lie flat in the box.

14. INSTALL THE COUPLERS Follow the manufacturer’s direction
Athearn cars have the metal clip to hold the coupler in place. A LINE has a new kit out which will convert the Athearn draft gear so that the plate can be screwed on. The ACCURAIL car on the left has a cover with a pin that fits into the draft gear.

15. Check proper height

16. WHEELS
After you have checked your wheels for proper gauge and being perpendicular to the axle you might wish to prepare the journal box with the truck tuner. If you are going to weather the sideframes or wheels do so before this step

17. CAR WEIGHT
The NMRA Recommended Practice for car weight is RP Properly weighted cars will run much better and derail less frequently
The weight for HO Scale is one ounce plus one half ounce for each actual inch of body length
The recommended weight has been found to be ideal. Making the car super heavy will not add to performance.

18. WHAT TO USE

19. WHAT ABOUT OPEN TOP AND FLAT CARS?

20. WEIGH WITH ALL PARTS

21. GOT WOBBLES?

22. THREE POINT SUSPENSION

23. LIST PRICE $3.98

24. ENJOY YOUR FLEET OF OLDIES
Dan Mulhearn; PIPESTEM WV
Modeling N&W and NS eras 1968 and 2000