[Severn]

So this thing must be ancient cause I can't find it exactly on the web. It's a SP #340653 gondola. Once again this is either new or new but opened and fingered. I don't think it's used. Local HS for $30. It has the same problems or similar to the other one which was UP. On one side the "cut release" (?) is loose in the box. And now there are 2 half mooned shaped items the size of ants as well floating in the box. I have no idea where these go.

Finally along the top, either side are these wavy metal strips -- they are loose.

Other than this I think it's pretty nice overall. (finally found a pic)

 

[Old_Hobo]

Superglue......

Exact Rail Gondolas

 

[Severn]

Definitely but I can hardly see the pieces and attachment points. I have no idea where the little half moon items go. I do have a magnifier with some alligator clips attached to metal stand... Which might help overall.
I think I need a better solution.

 

[Old_Hobo]

A pic of those half moon pieces may help identify where they may go....

 

[cid]

A pic of those half moon pieces may help identify where they may go....

Ya think?

 

[Severn]

Hey there's a picture there. Look more closely. In all semi-seriousness.... They are so tiny my camera can't pic them up with any fidelity to be useful. Maybe I can take a pic through a magnifying glass.

 

[Severn]

Best I could get. Magnified 10000 times.

 

[cid]

well, heck, those are brake shoes.
(I've been wrong before...) 😅

 

[Severn]

I thought that but don't see an obvious mount pt on the trucks or chassis.

 

[LateStarter]

They almost look like re-rail frogs.

 

[Old_Hobo]

Those appear to be pipe chocks, to prevent a long, large diameter pipe load from rolling side to side......similar to airplane wheel chocks to keep the plane from rolling......

Google "pipe chock" to see more examples....

 

[cid]

I think we should ask ExactRail

 

[LateStarter]

Those appear to be pipe chocks, to prevent a long, large diameter pipe load from rolling side to side......

They weren't included with my model, and there's no place to insert them.

 

[Old_Hobo]

My Walthers Mainline gondola (50ft), came with a continuous chock/cradle to keep the pipes from rolling back and forth....

 

[LateStarter]

Walthers Mainline is on the ball.
Good on them.

 

[Severn]

I've some new exactrail on the way, maybe it's changed but there's no diagram in these boxes. That'd be nice. I'll look more closely at them again tomorrow...

 

[Severn]

And we have a winner, Cid is right -- brake shoes. It took me a long time to realize that there are these behind each wheel on each truck -- and two are missing. They are on the inside of each wheel. I'm not sure I can get these pieces back on without popping a wheel unit off. No pic, very hard to see.... maybe with the magnifier again later.

 

[cid]

Haha, it's amazing that they are separately applied detail parts!!
I don't own any, but I'm kind of impressed by ExactRail...

 

[Severn]

That's why i wanted to try them. i had heard about them and just happened to notice the local hobby store had a few (on their website since they are not open for walk in). Anyway just wanted to try it & send a little business to them. But then ordered 3 direct as the local store is not a regular stocker of such items -- coming i think by trained worm from wherever they source them out of -- which appears to be Utah.

What i see is a lot of small detail even in places you cannot see very well (one might argue -- what's the pt of that?!). The shoes appear as one piece on the bottom of the trucks but that's the paint doing that. Apparently they are placed by hand & separate -- or at least on this generation release which I think may be a little old.

I'll check the new ones when they arrive -- it's a small detail. Kind of interesting really but I have no sense at all about whether this is common on all types. To me some kind of hydraulic disc brake in the axle center would be a little more intuitive & easy to get to and service.

Another brand I'd like to see up close is Tangent. The Scaletrains rolling stock may be another.

 

[Old_Hobo]

Tangent is indeed a very nice product, especially their tank cars, outstanding detail!

I like Tangent cars better that Exactrail, but both are great.....