Walthers NJT Comet II

That's OK. Just trying to see what you did.
Have you tested how the step will clear a platform?(or a platform mockup?)

Part is now available on Shapeways if you want to try it yourself:

www.shapeways.com/product/FYYEPZUNS/walthers-njt-septa-m-n-comet-ii-replacement-steps

It's been on the back burner for the last month or two while I work on the Jersey Builder. Next steps are to fabricate a pilot for the cab car and make any end detail changes that stand out in photos. But the underframes are almost ready for priming and painting.

Because I wanted a better finish on the shells, they'll get stripped and repainted with Alclad. I'll also blank one window that doesn't belong on the NJT shells, along with a myriad of grab irons and other bling. The cab car will get functional marker lights and head lights, probably powered off the track with a keep-alive system. One of the last things I'll need to do is design etchings for the windows on the cab car doors.

Still in the wings is my Comet I shell, which I haven't given up on, and the U34CH.

I'm spending some time this week working on the Comet I coach again, or at least planning.

Since the IMW underframe is worthless, I wanted to replace it with a Comet underframe. I didn't want to waste a good Comet car for this, so I considered myself lucky when I found an undecorated Horizon coach on the clearance pile at a hobby shop.

My current thinking is to use the entire underframe minus step wells, and modify the suspension detail slightly to more closely represent the Comet I suspension. I think it's going to be a bit of a stretch, but compared to the IMW non-detail it will look pretty OK. This means the car will probably end up a 75% model instead of the 95% models I'll get out of the Comet II cars.

If we revisit this photo



you can see where I need to add height to the car. In measuring the Walthers underframe, I can trim it down to where mounting it to the bottom of the IMW shell will get me the extra 6" I need to add. I will have to remake the lower-side fillet and then I can then rebuild the step wells and doors. I'm considering making the fillet using body putty and a template to form it.

Since the Walthers frame is a bit narrower than the cast body, I think I could even taper the lower sides inward like they're supposed to be.

I had originally thought about designing some upgrade parts for this kit on Shapeways, but now it looks like I can dodge that bullet.

I believe you're right...Comet I's were ordered for EL service. Guess this means I'm building a Port Jervis train. IIRC, the U34CHs also stayed largely on the Port Jervis run. I got to ride it earlier this year starting from Port Jervis. It's long, but a nice ride.

I prime everything before painting. Typically I use grey primer, but certain colors benefit from using white or silver primer. For these, I'll probably airbrush Floquil grey primer if the bottles are still good.

It was built from a C&NW U33C, who very quickly decided it didn't like few it bought.

Not sure why 575 VAC was considered over 480, so I did a little digging. I found this explanation on practicalmachinist.com's forum:

"575 vs 600V is just semantics. 575V is the "Utilization voltage" for motors, while 600V is in reference to the "Distribution voltage" supplied by the utility, and is the "standard" in most of Canada. In the US we have 480V as the Distibution voltage and 460V as the utilization voltage, 240V distibution vs 230V utilization etc. etc. This is because the motor mfgrs use a lower rating in order to compensate for some expected voltage drop without sacrificing performance and to provide a compromize for older systems still in use that were 550V or 440V. All new motors are 230/460V or 575V now.

As mentioned by others there are pockets of 600V distibution throughout the US such as many Southeast textile milss, but for the most part it is rare here."

So it kind of makes sense that GO Transit standardized on 575 VAC HEP, as the 600V equipment is probably easy to find in Canada. Since locomotives are 600VDC machines, using 600V equipment makes some sense. But HEP was no longer new and novel by the 70s and had standardized on CNW/Pullman's original 480VAC system, so why E-L would have messed around with it in the beginning is a little beyond me. And I would expect Pullman suggested it because it's easy to get off-the-shelf a/c systems and readily-maintained Cummins generators.

Which car are you referring to and what are you trying to create?