Back At It- the DT&I Thread

[ogauge47]

Here is a nice over-saturated photo with a busy background of an engine with fully-upgraded handrails

[Roy]

Why brass, Lucas? I would tend to think in terms of steel wire, for it's resistance to bending, while being handled.

[ogauge47]

Brass was what I had on hand. It is easy to use, the correct diameter and best of all, I didn't have to buy any materials (always the preferable option if at all possible)

[ogauge47]

Starting to add brass full-length handrails to my Ann Arbor GP35

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Brass was what I had on hand. It is easy to use, the correct diameter and best of all, I didn't have to buy any materials (always the preferable option if at all possible)

All good reasons. Also, that same resistance to bending in the steel is the same resistance encountered in making complex curves in handrails - can be a total PITA,

[chuck]

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Also, that same resistance to bending in the steel is the same resistance encountered in making complex curves in handrails - can be a total PITA,

I did use piano wire on my version of the earlier version of this same kit because it was what I had and it fit the stanchions better. It was a royal PITA to get right, especially in 3 space. I think I wound up making three railings to get the one that I would actually wind up using. About the only nice thing I can say for piano wire is it's cheap.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

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Also, that same resistance to bending in the steel is the same resistance encountered in making complex curves in handrails - can be a total PITA,

I did use piano wire on my version of the earlier version of this same kit because it was what I had and it fit the stanchions better. It was a royal PITA to get right, especially in 3 space. I think I wound up making three railings to get the one that I would actually wind up using. About the only nice thing I can say for piano wire is it's cheap.

It's also useful for those moments when cutting it with nippers and you want to get a short sharp bit of steel wire impaled in your hand,

[Roy]

I dig. It's not like you can get the kink of previous bends satisfactorily out of work-hardened steel wire, because you can't unbend and rebend it too many times, before it breaks. Not to mention what happens to any plating it may have. Lucas, I don't know if you have a roll of brass wire lying around, but I consider the K&S stuff expensive.

[chuck]

K&S stuff is expensive but tends to be the correct combination of hardness and malleability. I've got some brass wire that's so soft you can bend it by looking at it too long. This is the stuff the craft stores sell for sculpture armatures or jewelry. The K&S stuff at hardware and hobby shops is usually "stiffer" for model plane/boat/car use.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

K&S stuff is expensive ......

I use brass wire from Detail Associates and/or phosphorbronze from Tichy.

[Roy]

K&S stuff is expensive but tends to be the correct combination of hardness and malleability. I've got some brass wire that's so soft you can bend it by looking at it too long. This is the stuff the craft stores sell for sculpture armatures or jewelry. The K&S stuff at hardware and hobby shops is usually "stiffer" for model plane/boat/car use.

Agreed, about that color-anodized craft stuff. I also would agree about the hardness of K&S, if you're talking about using it for piping soldered to a boiler. I'm clumsy enough, that I still appreciate the stiffness of work-hardened steel wire handrails and grabirons, though.

[ogauge47]

I finally got these done. After initial reassembly of the powered unit I discovered a pretty serious short from one of the trucks so I disassembled it, rebuilt both trucks and while I was inside I pulled the smoke unit and all related hardware.

[ogauge47]

Another DT&I engine, this time a (fictional) GP15. Lettered as GTW 6150. When GTW purchased the DT&I they renumbered all the locomotives by adding a 6 in front of the 3-digit number. The 'original' number would have been 150, fitting in with the DT&I numbering practice. (350s = GP35s, 400s = GP40s)



I also finished the full-length handrails on Ann Arbor 391

[rogruth]

Very nice, Lucas.
Waiting to see the finished loco.

[ogauge47]

Spruced up DT&I 982 and 985 with replacement lift rings, grab irons and new windshield wipers. 985 also received new number boards and cab numbers