Welcome To

P.O. Box 470, Willits, CA 95490-0470, USA
(707) 459-5587, 9am to 5pm (Pacific Time, GMT-8), Mon. - Sat.
info@foothillmodelworks.com

Welcome to Foothill Model Works’ new home on the net! This set of web pages is designed to provide our customers and friends with an online reference to our company and our products. Always a work in progress, please check back here from time to time. We now have our entire catalog of currently shipping products presented online. Drop me a line and tell me what you think or what other information you would like presented here.

See the “” link button on the left for information on ordering from FMW and how to contact us.

---

New Products!

Extended Knuckles for Kadee® #5 Head, McHenry™ HO Couplers, or Bachmann® E-Z Mate® Mark II HO Couplers

Introduction:

Extended knuckle coupler installed in link & pin draw head on the Robert Dollar shay, Roots of Motive Power, Willits, CA, 5/20/2005. Yes, the draw head IS mounted upside down; No, I don’t know why. It was that way in service.

A common complaint we hear from our customers is the fact that they have trouble finding cars whose coupler height matches very low coupler height of Bachmann’s On30 locomotives and freight cars. (It’s the Bachmann cars that are off, by the way. They’re set to NMRA HO standard gauge height, which quite low for O scale.) While this problem can be somewhat alleviated using couplers with offset heads, real railroads found a solution to this problem ages ago: extended knuckles. Oddly enough, there is no “standard” coupler height in prototype railroading in the United States. The F.R.A. rule-book only specifies that there has to be less than a 4″ mismatch in relative coupler height. Remember, prototype cars can have new/old wheels, different trucks, different draft gear, different couplers, and can be empty or fully loaded. All which effect where a coupler ends up relative to the top of the rails. Coupler mismatches were far more common before WWII on standard gauge railroads and was fairly common throughout the history of narrow gauge and industrial railroading; particularly in the logging industry.

Bachmann 2-6-6-2 Tender w/Kadee® #27, Medium Shank Underset coupler and FMW-4008 Extended Knuckle installed; coupled to a completed, On3, FMW-2211, Proto-Freelance, 2400 Gal. Tank Car Kit (equipped w/factory Kadee® #26, Long Shank Centerset coupler). The tender is near completion on conversion to an On3, Oahu Railway #85 style, oil burning locomotive.

Completed, FMW-2219, On3 Coal Car Kit w/Kadee® #26, Long Shank Centerset coupler; coupled to a Wiseman Model Services, On3 Vertical Boiler Shay C.N. #21 (equipped w/factory Kadee® #5, Medium Shank Centerset coupler with FMW-4008 Extended Knuckle and slotted shank modification installed).

The patterns for this part were made by Dave Squire, an accomplished pattern maker who has done work for PSC and The Back Shop. In fact, if you’ve been around narrow gauge modeling long enough, you probably own some of his excellent work already and don’t even know it! Foothill Model Works is proud to add this incredibly useful part to our line of detail parts. Orignially designed for the old, “whisker spring” McHenry™ HO couplers, they also work in Kadee®’s line of HO couplers that use the #5 head (i.e. #3, 5, 9-11, 16, 21-29, 31-39, 41-47, & 49), Bachmann® E-Z Mate® HO couplers, and in McHenry™’s current line of coil spring HO couplers. (The pivot area of the knuckle may have to be thinned on modern McHenry™ HO couplers.) These lost wax castings, were cast in “white bronze” (a material similar to brass) that is strong, long wearing, and has a silver color which will allow the exposed areas of the part to look like steel (rather than yellow color of brass). When properly installed, these castings retain all practical benefits of a fully functional Kadee® coupler while offering a simple and prototypical solution to the coupler mismatch problem!

Installation Instructions:

While the prospect of disassembling and reassembling an HO coupler may seem daunting at first; in reality, it really isn’t as hard as it looks. All of these couplers operate in exactly the same way as Kadee®’s #5 style head, so the instructions are essentially the same for all of them. Mostly, it’s the shanks that are different.

For Factory Draft Gear (Unmodified Shank):

1. Remove the coiled spring from the side of the knuckle with a pair of tweezers and put it in a safe place.

2. Remove the iron trip pin wire. While this can be done with a pair of needle nose pliers, the easiest way is using a wheel puller.

   
   Trip pin being removed using wheel puller. Be sure to fully support the head using a plate with a small hole in it. We used an old screw with the pin ground down to about the same diameter as the trip pin wire.

3. Measure your trip pin wire and the drill pivot point hole one drill bit size larger. Kadee® uses a 0.040″ iron wire trip pin, so use a #59 drill bit. McHenry™ uses a 0.039″ iron wire for a trip pin, so use a #60 drill bit. Bachmann® uses a 0.038″ iron wire for a trip pin, so use a #61 drill bit. Always double check your particular trip pin wire, or, if in doubt, start a couple sizes smaller and work your way up.

   
   Drill pivot point hole here.

4. Test fit knuckle in shank housing. The pivot portion of the knuckle should fit as cast, but might require thinning on some non-Kadee® couplers. The best way to test fit the knuckle in place is to use a scrap piece of brass wire the same size as your trip pin wire to temporarily hold the knuckle in place. Using an unmodified coupler as a guide, check to make sure the knuckle closes all the way. The side of coupler shank housing may need to be shaved with a razor blade or the casting filed down to allow the knuckle to close all the way.

   
   The edge(s) that will need to be modified so knuckle closes all the way.

5. The iron wire trip pin you removed in Step 2 has two ears mashed out of its sides where it attaches to knuckle. These will need to be filed down until they are slightly fatter than the rest of the wire, but NOT down to the same size. These ears will be what holds the knuckle to the trip pin. Supporting the head of the coupler and using an unmodified coupler as a guide as the rotation of the trip pin relative to the knuckle, reinstall the knuckle and press trip pin back in place. You will be forcing the fat part of the trip pin into a hole that is too small for it, so some force will be required. Grip the trip pin just outside of the shank housing and press it in a little bit at a time. Never grab the free end of the trip pin and press from there. (You’ll bend the wire and send the coupler flying!)

   Trip pin “ears” that will need filing.

   Pliers being used to insert trip pin wire a little bit at a time.

6. Replace coiled spring with a pair of tweezers.

For Slotted, Link & Pin Draw Head (Modified Shank. Only Use with Centerset Shank Couplers.):

1. Follow Steps 1-5 as above.

2. File or shave using a razor blade, the fillet in the inside corner, between the back of the head and the top of the shank square.

   
   File this inside corner square.

3. Drill a #77 hole through the shank, centered on the shank, up against the back of the head.

   
   Drill here.

4. Measure the pin used in your slotted, link & pin draw head. Drill one drill bit size larger, through the detent cast into the slotted shank extension casting. Be careful to keep the drill bit square to the part.
5. Remove the extension casting from the sprue and file the end to match the curve cast into it.

6. Press the extension into the hole drilled through the shank in Step 3. Using the same drill used in Step 4, drill through the center of the shank, through the hole drilled through the extension.

   
   Drill like this.

7. Trim the coupler shank to match the length and shaper of the extension casting.

   
   Shank trimmed and rounded.

8. Replace coiled spring with a pair of tweezers.

Extended Knuckle Replacement Castings for Kadee® #5 Head, McHenry™ HO Couplers, or Bachmann® E-Z Mate® Mark II HO Couplers:

Includes one pair of lost wax, “white bronze,” extended knuckle castings that can used to convert Kadee® #5 Head, McHenry™ HO Couplers, or Bachmann® E-Z Mate® Mark II HO Couplers. Also included is an optional pair of lost wax, “white bronze” castings to convert a pair of Kadee® style coupler shanks into scale, slotted shanks suitable for mounting in a locomotive, link & pin draw head.

Stock No.	Description	Price
FMW-4008	Pair of extended knuckle replacement castings for Kadee® #5 Head, McHenry™ HO couplers, or Bachmann® E-Z Mate® Mark II HO couplers.	$6.50

---

New Additions!

Zimo DCC!

We’re now proud to be Zimo DCC delears! Check out the link on the sidebar to learn more about this superb line of DCC sound decoders!

New MacLeod Western Parts!

Doug’s added some new parts to his line of styrene detail parts. Three new tank car tank ends, three new NBW castings, one new queen post, and three new trucks! Head on over to our MacLeod Western Parts List to learn more.

New Pages Added to: Getting it Right - The Bachmann On30 Climax

We’ve added three more pages to our comprehensive, illustrated guide to rebuild a Bachmann On30 Climax into a true, On3 Oil Burner!

• Page 3: Re-building the Water Bunker & Oil Tank. (rev. 8/16/2011)
• Page 4: Adding a Rear Ladder & Water Tank Filling Hatch. (rev. 8/17/2011)
• Page 5: Oil Tank Details 101 & Oil Filling Hatch Body. (rev. 8/21/2011)

---

Featured Product of the “Week” (more or less)

MacLeod Western Truck Bearing Inserts

Introduction:

We have long been huge fans of MacLeod Western’s line of trucks and detail parts. Without them, we would be stuck in a world of really expensive, brass trucks and/or an unending supply of “yet another pair of Delrin™ D&RGW arch bar trucks.” Great if you’re a D&RGW or RGS modeler, but a pain for everyone else. Especially us, “West Coast” modelers! But, being made from styrene they have both good and bad qualities. The Good: They hold paint extremely well and you can easily modify them and add additional details (like our Brake Beams, FMW-4000, and the additional side bearings on our 26′ Connected Truck Log Car kits, FMW-2215). The Bad: Styrene isn’t a very good bearing material. You’ve probably noticed a squeal after long periods of running or under heavy loads. Not to mention the drag this puts on the car’s rolling resistance. With problem getting steadily worse as powdered styrene builds up in the journals.

The quick and dirty fix: lubricating the journals. A good, plastic compatible oil can help, but the oil can effect the paint. Packing the journals with graphite works well too. Unfortunately, neither solution is permanent and will have to be redone from time to time.

The more permanent solution: a bearing insert. Those of you who remember Russ Simpon’s West Side Lumber Co. trucks (which were also styrene) will remember that he used half of a brass rivet as a bearing insert. This worked well, but still needed oil for the brass-on-brass wearing surface and finding a reliable supply in the days of Chinese manufacturing is, well, “problematic.” So, we decided to make our own bearing inserts cast out of the same long wearing, Celcon® material we make our wheels out of.

The result: Beautifully free-rolling truck without squeaks or the need for oil!

A friendly word of warning: While modifying MacLeod Western’s trucks for these bearing inserts is not especially difficult, it does require some specialized tools and does have the risk of breaking the sideframes. Proceed at your own risk as we will not replace parts damaged while following these instructions!

Tools Required:

• A 7/64″ (0.1094″) Drill Bit. A good one (aka NOT from Wal•Mart or Harbor Freight). Unfortunately, most drill bits are made for drilling into steel or wood, and are, therefore, WAY too aggressive. The helical angles and rake angles are too high for plastic. In short, they will snag in the first 1/4 turn and rip the sideframe apart. If you have a good 7/64″ drill bit that cuts a straight, true hole, you can grind the rake angle on the tip to a flat, 0°. So the tip will scrape, rather than cut like a chisel. I started off with a D-bit cutter I ground myself with the same rake angle. If your name isn't Scott Kitts, the simplest solution is to just buy a good straight-flute drill bit. McMaster-Carr has one for $11.19 (part No. 8944A14).

  Standard twist drill with hand-ground, zero-degree rake angle (along edge indicated by arrow) for scraping. Courtesy a machinist friend. Commercial, straight-flute drill bit.

  Hand made, D-Bit drill bit.

• A Drill Press. One with a good chuck and that you can control the speed of. One of those contraptions that converts a Dremel Tool into a drill press would NOT be a good idea here (its 5,000 to 35,000rpms WILL turn your sideframe into a puddle of goo). You’re looking for around 200-300rpm. We use a Cameron Micro Drill Press Series 164 with a speed control (Variable Speed Control Model 2A), an Albrecht chuck (0-1/8″), and a dial indicator depth gauge (we used one from Harbor Freight). A small milling machine like a Sherline or a Unimat would also work. I can’t see a pin vise working well here.

• A Jig or Clamp. A jig can be something as simple as a plate with a hole in it. Basically, you’re looking to hold the sideframe flat, securely.

  Random junk plate with holes in it as a jig. With “ultra-safe” finger clamp.

  Sideframe held in Sherline vise. Sideframe may need to be shimmed to get secure hold.

Drilling Notes:

Drilling dimensions.	Use the slowest RPM possible (around 200-300rpm) and peck at hole. Plastic and heat don't mix! Drill so that the full diameter of the hole is at least 0.070″ deep. Use the stop on your drill press or a drill bit collar. Test drill in a scrap piece of plastic first and check the fit of the bearing insert. If the insert is loose in the hole, try rotating your drill bit 90° relative to the chuck (which may be out of round; especially if it’s a cheap, Jacobs chuck). You can also try a 2.75mm instead of a 7/64″ drill bit. Cyanoacrylate adhesive will also work on a good, but not press, fit. Note: the part is designed to be 0.0005″ larger in diameter than the hole for a light press fit and has a slight taper on the end to help start it in the hole. The taper on the inside is meant to help the axle pivot as the truck equalizes. Mock up your wheel sets in the sideframes with the truck bolster in place before you drill out the journals. Note the clearance between the journal back and the face of your wheel casting. Some MacLeod trucks will require the thinning of the journal back to accommodate the back flange of the bearing insert. This flange is 0.015″ thick. T-16s are OK, but T-12s and T-17 will require thinning, for example. Not all axle holes are cast perfectly centered on their journals and the journals on some trucks are very narrow (as they are suppose to be). Be careful!
1. Side Frame as Cast. In this case, a MacLeod Western T-2 sideframe.	2. Journal Back Machined Down 0.015″.
3. Hole Drilled Out Using 7/64″ Drill.	4. Bearing Insert Installed. The back flange is only meant to keep the bearing insert from going into the hole too far and to give the wheel casting something to rub against, if necessary. A pretty trim job isn’t necessary.

MacLeod Western Truck Bearing Inserts:

Detail part set includes a set 8, Celcon® bearing inserts, enough to do one car with four, 1/16″ (0.0625″) axles (trucks, wheel sets, and drill bit not included). If you really want to use these inserts, but are affraid to do it yourself, we can do it for you for the prices listed below. This is for new truck kits only.

Stock No.	Description	Price
FMW-4007	Set of 8, Celcon® Bearing Inserts	$3.00
FMW-4007a	Installation of 8 bearing inserts into new MacLeod Western truck kit, supplied by customer. Price includes bearings, but does not include price of trucks or return shipping costs.	$8.00
FMW-4007b	Installation of 8 bearing inserts into new MacLeod Western truck kit, supplied by FMW. Price includes bearings and price of trucks, but does not include shipping.	$16.50

---

General Information About Our Company:

• Contacting Foothill Model Works
  Our phone and FAX numbers, mailing and street addresses, and our e-mail address.
• Ordering from Foothill Model Works
  Everything you need to know about placing an order with us.
  We accept:

Online Product Listings:

• FMW’s Detail Parts Catalog
  Our illustrated detail parts catalog.
• FMW’s Rolling Stock Catalog
  Our illustrated rolling stock kit catalog.
• FMW’s Structure Catalog
  Our illustrated structure kit catalog.
• FMW’s Catalog Reprints
  New series of period, prototype, catalog reprints.
• The Industrial Series in Classic Brass
  Industrial locomotives and rolling stock, custom built in brass by FMW.
• MacLeod Western Detail Parts
  Our current listing of prices and availability of these legendary detail parts.
• Lenz DCC Product Price List
  FMW’s going DCC! Our online listing of this superb line of DCC products.
• Zimo DCC Product Price List
  FMW’s went DCC! Our online listing of this superb line of DCC motor and motor/sound decoders.

All text, images, and drawings ©2011, Foothill Model Works. Zimo logo is property of ZIMO ELEKTRONIK. Best viewed with standards compliant, cross-platform, CSS3 capable browser (Firefox, Safari, Chrome are good, FREE examples; Internet Explorer before v9 - not so much.).

Rev. 1/17/2012.