Shaker Heights Lightweight car HO scale

 

MTL replacement trucks for Lousiville & Nashville coaches

 

Modular dining room layout

 

Replacement trucks for MTL heavyweight cars (2)

Replacement trucks for MTL heavyweight cars

Replacement trucks for MTL heavyweight cars

 
Replacement trucks for MTL heavyweight cars

Long Island MP54

Long Island MP54, N scale 

On the workbench March 15, 2025

 On the workbench

Chicago & Eastern IllinoisiHeavyweight car

Chicago & Eastern Illinois Heavyweight car, N scale

 

Lineup of Osgood-Bradley Electromobiles

A lineup of Osgood-Bradley Electromobiles: Altoona (orange), Scranton (blue), New Bedford (green)

 

HO scale Electromobile, Scranton

Electromobile" as built by Osgood-Bradley for the Scranton Railway Co / Scranton Transit Co. Full color printed HO model designed for Bowser drives. 

https://interurban-models.myshopify.com/products/87-1401

Making Tomytec TM19 or TM21 drives DCC ready [part 1]

Tomytec drives are the basic motorisation set for the N scale Traction modeler. They are good running, inexpensive and available in several dimensions, there is one single downside: they are not DCC ready. 

But making them ready for a decoder is not as complicated. It basically consists in separating the wheel contact strips from the motor. We show here how it works for a Tomytec TM19 or 21 drive, both are technical identical, they have only different truck centre bases. The best decoders are wired decoders, you can directly solder the wires to the contact stripes and the motor. 

First of all, take some tools: tweezers, a small screwdriver, some wooden toothpicks. Do the work on a place where parts can not "run away". Do not force, all parts are held by clipping noses, you have mostly to widen the part opposite to the noses. Its starts with removing the white two metal weights.

Then pull out the truck opposite to the flywheel, spacing the frame a little. Remove the small transverse bar - on the side opposite to the flywheel -  spacing the frame again. Then remove the motor cradle. Don't lose the cardan shaft. At every step, keep in mind how the drive is assembled, don't hesitate to make photos to remember. 

The motor cradle holds the contact stripes. When you open the motor cradle, two contact stripes will fall out.

Of the contact stripes, you have to cut the small parts going up to the motor contacts. Cut following the red lines. Now, the direct contact between wheels and motor will be interrupted. 

 

Next part is wiring. Before soldering, you must decide where to locate the decoder. We place them usually over the metal weights, or over the trucks. Take care to cut the wires the right length - not too short, not too long (if you doubt, a little bit longer). Now, solder the black and red wires of the decoder to the wheel contact stripes. Red is usually on the "right" side. Do not solder to the end of the contact stripes, and make only small dots of soldering wire.

Then you can solder the grey and the orange wire to the motor. Don't care about + or - , you can invert the motor direction later with CV programming. But before soldering, look how to take the wires out of the motor cradle. 

Then you can start remounting of the drive. There is one small part you can set aside, before, it was used to press the contact strip firmly to the motor contact, under the motor cradle. But since this connection is cut, you can forget the small black part below:

Remounting order is 1/ putting the wired motor into the cradle, clipping the cradle together 2/ place the contact stripes in the floor 3/ insert the little transverse bar 4/ clip the full motor cradle into the floor. Then you can mount the cardan shaft and push the truck back in the floor. Your drive is basically assembled. 

Before mounting the metal weights, check if they can touch contact stripes, or any bare wire, this would make a "short". We place some tape on sensible parts, to avoid it. 

Usually, you won't use the rectangular metal weight on the top, as the cables pass there. Now you can fix the wires and the decoder with some tape. and the drive is ready for testing.

Next episode is about modifying some CV values, as Tomytec drives have 6V motors. When testing, don't go full throttle, but you can already run DCC now. 

The INTERURBAN MODELS marketplaces (there are three of them ...)

 Currently, there are three marketplaces to buy INTERURBAN MODELS

1/ The INTERURBAN MODELS Facebook Shop https://www.facebook.com/InterurbanModels 

- You don’t need to have a Facebook account to access! 

2/ The INTERURBAN MODELS section on Shapeways  https://www.shapeways.com/shops/interurban 

3/ The INTERURBAN MODELS section on iMaterialise  https://i.materialise.com/en/shop/designer/interurban 

Why this? Eight years ago, we started our production with two prominent 3D-Providers, iMaterialise and Shapeways. Both have their ups and downs, and the production was split on the two stores. Most of the early production, the CSL Sedan and the big wooden Combines, is located at the iMaterialise Shop. The later products are on Shapeways. Understandable, 3D providers only sell products that are made in their own factories, and no 3rd party items. Both providers ships worldwide, the shipping price is calculated when checking out. 

Two years ago, we started printing with our own machines, and selling also laser cut products; these items are on the Facebook Shop. We ship worldwide too, and as today ALL sendings arrived well, even if it took sometimes a week more than usual last months. The shipping price is calculated when checking out, before payment. Clients are protected by the PayPal Buyer protection. 

We acknowledge that this can be confusing: the HO scale CSL Sedan is available at iMaterialise, the N scale car body in the Interurban Models Facebook Shop. 

We will try to simplify this inherited structure in the future. All new items are produced in-house, and therefore will show up in the Facebook Shop, and some older ones will be changed to in-house printing and move the Facebook Shop also. Next weeks, we will establish a PDF catalogue that will listen all models and the place where to buy.

For any request, you can contact us by mail at volkmar.meier@wanadoo.fr , orders can be established by mail. 

3D-printed O-scale SnapTrack

Some free stuff for O-scalers:

• Straight street track: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4255849
• Curved street track: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4585395 

https://www.facebook.com/InterurbanModels/posts/729063004323976

Mounting the Cincinnati Wooden Combine on a Tomytec TM-21 drive

This Interurban baggage-passenger Combine was delivered in 1908 by the Cincinnati Car Co. to the Oneonta & Mohawk Valley Interurban Line in Upstate New York. Some cars were later sold to Iowa.

N scale resin printed car body with additional parts: a fine pilot, rear doorsteps and 2 dummy trolley poles. The car is designed for motorization with a Tomytec TM-21 drive (truck centers 56.6 mm).

This Tomytec drive is nearly symmetrical, but it goes better into the carbody with the flywheel in front. The flywheel is hidden under a ballast block, but still visible

The rear platform and the pilot plug into the Tomytec frame, into the small holes in front and back.

Sometimes, the two holes in the Tomytec drive are to small, due to production tolerances, do not force them in. It is better to widen the holes with a 1.5 or 1.6 mm drill, and fix the pilot and the rear steps with a dot of glue.

There are several truck frames coming with Tomytec drive, two types are going very well for this car. On the rear truck, small parts of the truck side frame must be cut away on one side, to allow free swing of trucks under the door steps







Once the frame completed, the body will snap over the drive, and you can plug the two trolley poles into the holes. You can bend the rear pole up.














Painting: The cars were originally probably painted dark green, later some were painted orange. The roof were dark grey or brown, the under body parts black.

We recommend Valejo acrylic paints.

Tomytec Drive for Cincinnati Curved Side Cars

How to adapt a Tomytec TM-TR04 drive for Cincinnati Curved Side cars ( Speedrail, Dayton & Troy, ...)

Available here: https://interurban-models.myshopify.com/collections/n-scale-interurban-cars

1/ Modify the elongation of the drive to the maximum of 49 mm truck centers

2/ Select the short platform (S) extensions from the Tomytec add-ons

3/ Glue the pilot to one platform, put a weight in the second platform

4/ Clip the platforms into the drive, motor truck on rear.

5/ Choose truck frames KS45L or Brill (none is prototypical, but you wont detect it ...)

6/ Bend the dummy trolley pole up and plug it into the hole in the roof (diameter 1.2 mm)

7/ Clip the body over the drive.

When transporting, hold your hand under the car, the drive can sometimes fall out

Protect from heat and excessive sunlight

THE "L" - Elevated Open Station 186 mm #160-0151

The system is based on Kato Unitrack/Unitram standards. The standard track centre distance is 25 mm, and the standard length of a sections is 186 mm.

The structures are made basically of three components, the spans , the cross bents, and the station decks. They are designed to be erected over standard Unitram sections.

Elevated sections can be connected directly with Unitrack/Unitram sections.

The construction requires some additional parts: Kato Flex track 21-000 and Kato UniJoiners 24-815.

You need also the following tools: Allen key, Plastic cement or AC glue, tools for cutting the flex rail, sandpaper, file

Before glueing parts, become familiar with the kit. Don't hesitate to ask questions.









Station cross bents:
The station cross bent is made of 5 parts: the top of the bent, two halves of the column gantry, and two column bases.

Assembling the cross bents:
The bents on the end of the station are made of one half bent with guards (blue) and another half of a standard station bent. There are also two types of bent tops: Type C25 for middle bents, Type D25 for end or connecting bents.

The center bents are made of two half standard station bents glued back to back.

Start with glueing the halves back to back. Sand the top of the column assembly and than insert and glue a Top of bent. Then plug the column bases onto the bottom of the columns. You can glue them, or keep them removable. The bents are now ready.

The spans
The standard span is single track 186 mm long, made of two twinned 93mm sections, with plate girder. Each span has two channels for the flex rails. Optional, you can add dummy 3rd rail.

Assembling the spans
The plastic part present small edges on top, this is inherent to the production process. We recommend to sand the top end of the spans a little. Then cut the rails 186 mm, or 372 if you want to join two station kits. Slightly sand the bottom ends of the rail profile, to avoid sharp edges. Push the tracks carefully into the channel of the spans, and plug one Kato UniJoiner on each track end, left side.

Station decks

The decks are made of 3 plastic parts and 2 laser cut wooden decks. Glue the inside girder frame, the central deck frame and the outside girder with its cast-in guards

The central frame is not symmetric, the wider spaces must be placed OUTSIDE, next to the girder with guards. Do not yet glue the wooden decks.






Staircases:

The staircases are made of three parts: the stairway with right guard cast in, the left guard, and small squares (red) to enclose the staircase on deck.

Once glued, the staircase and the guards and handrails form a solid unit. Sand the top sides of this assembly a little.








Assembling the Elevated sections
Plug the track spans into cross bents. Return the assembly and fix the bent to the spans with M1.6 screws. 2 screws for one bent are more than adequate. Tighten the screws with care, otherwise you destroy the thread in the plastic bloc. Then you can insert the station decks

Fixing the wooden decks:
The wooden decks are made of half sections, each is mirrored. There are several positions of the stairways possible. The unused hole in the deck is to be covered by the small cover plate, with or without glueing.

Inserting the Staircase: 
Glide the staircase assembly into the deck. The middle of the stairway sits on small arms of the bents. You can remove unused arms later with a cutting knife, if you have decided how the staircases are mounted.

Adding 3rd Rail
Test the position of the 3rd rail before gluing, the small squares plug into the space between the sleepers on the the ends of a 93 mm sections. Choose the good distance to the track, my preferred value is 4 mm, inside rail to inside 3rd rail

Fixing to pavement or Unitram sections
You can fix the Elevated sections to your pavement or to Unitram sections with 1.6mm screws. The holes on the cross bents are 54 mm apart in width, the columns are spaced 93 mm in length.

Electromobile HO motor frame

THE "L" - Elevated railway kit - Curved sections #160-0136 and #160-0118

The system is based on Kato Unitrack/Unitram standards. The standard track centre distance is 25 mm, and the length of the sections is a multiple of 31 mm.

The structures are made basically of two components, the spans and the cross bents. They are designed to be erected over standard Unitram curved sections. Elevated sections can be connected directly with Unitrack/Unitram sections.

Bents and spans are fixed with screws, the assembly is modular and can be constructed / deconstructed.

Parts & Tools:
The construction requires some additional parts: Kato Flex track 21-000 and Kato UniJoiners 24-815.

You need the following tools: Allen key, plastic and/or AC glue, tools for cutting the flex rail, sandpaper, file.

We recommend to build only one 90° section a time, and to take care not to mix the parts unless you are familiar with the structure.

Assembling the spans for one 90° section
Both curved tracks use the same radius of 204.5 mm, the outer track has two straight sections of 25 mm on each end.

The inner curve is made of two 45° standard curved sections (yellow).

The outer track is made of one special 22.5° left section with 25 mm straight integrated (red), one 45° standard section (yellow) and a special 22.5° right section, mirror of the first one (red).

The plastic parts present small edges on top, this is inherent to the production process. We recommend to sand the top end of the spans a little. Glue the two 45° section together, and then the three parts of the outer track.

Take a length of Kato Flex track 21-000, file slightly the bottom ends of the rail profile, to avoid sharp edges. Push the tracks carefully into the channel of the spans, and plug one Kato UniJoiner on each track end, left side. We recommend to bend the track approximately to the radius without kinking the track.

Flex rail length for a 90° section (approx.)

• Inner track, inner rail: 314 mm
• Inner track, outer rail: 329 mm
• Outer track, inner rail: 364 mm
• Outer track, outer rail: 379 mm 

Once the track adjusted, cut it to exact length. To finish, plug one Kato UniJoiner on each track end, left side. The spans are ready now.

Assembling the cross bents
There are 3 types of cross bents. The bents at position 0° and 90° are standard bents, same as on straight sections. The triangular bent at 22.5° has three columns and is the most complex one. The 45° bent is close to the 0° standard bents, but wider. The bent at 67.5° is a mirrored version of the 22.5° bent.

Standard bents:

The standard cross bent is made of 5 parts: the top of the bent, two halves of the column gantry, and two column footers.

There are two types of bent tops: Type A for middle bents, Type B for end or connecting bents. You can use end bents "B" in place of middle bents "A", but not inverse.

Start with glueing the halves back to back. Sand the flat upside of the column assembly and glue it under the top. Then plug the column footers onto the bottom of the columns. You can glue them, or keep them removable. The bents are now ready.

22.5° Bent:
Glue the half gantries back to back, sand the flat upside.

Start fixing the full arch under the top, the small "nose" pointing inside the triangle. This bent fills a gap in the triangular top part. Then test the position of the single column bent, pointing towards a "nose" in the first bent.

Sand the end pointing to the "nose" a little, and glue the parts together. Plug the column footers onto the bottom of the three columns.

45° Bent:
Proceed similar to a standard 0° bent.

67.5° Bent: This part is a full mirror of a 22.5° bent, proceed alike.

Once all spans and bents assembled, return the parts and fix the bent to the spans with M1.6 screws. 2 screws for one bent are more than adequate. Tighten the screws with care, otherwise you destroy the thread in the plastic bloc.

Adding 3rd Rail:
All curved 3rd rails are mounted outside the track. The shorter rails are for the inner track, the longer ones for the outer. The straight sections point outwards to the 0° / 90° ends (silver marking) Test the position of the 3rd rail before gluing, the small squares plug into the space between the sleepers on the the ends of a section. Chose the good distance to the track, my preferred value is 4 mm, inside rail to inside 3rd rail. Some sanding maybe required for adjustment.