# Jax J&S Coaches



## Big65Dude (Jan 2, 2008)

Those of you who were at ECLSTS last month saw these coaches make their â€œdebutâ€� on the _Warrior Run Loco Works_ modular layout. I had finished bashing them with two days to spare. I thought that, now, the rest of you might appreciate seeing my â€œvarnishâ€� here in the new _Dulles & Reston Garden Weeds R.R._ livery. 



First, as usual, the official builderâ€™s photos:












Both together













No. 47, â€œSan Joaquinâ€�













No. 29, â€œSan Joseâ€�





A couple of quarter shots:


























I replaced the individual clear plastic window castings (which looked too much like cast plastic) with a single sheet of clear ABS on each side.













As you can see, Ken the traveling salesman has changed trains again. (He does get around a lot.)













Hereâ€™s a shot of some of the passengers taken before the bodies were put on. I removed the armrests on the wall-side of the seats, leaving only the aisle-side ones.













Power for the lighting comes from rechargeable 7.4 volt lithium-ion battery packs hidden in the heads (pardon me for talking like a marine.) No. 47 â€" shown here â€" has a three-way switch that turns on all the lights or just the rear marker lamps only.













I was inspired by Bruce Chandler (â€œThe Joatâ€�) to use magnets to make the gladhands connect realistically. I have since converted all of my rolling stock this way - it really makes a big difference and was relatively easy to do.













The bolsters on the trucks were lowered about an eighth of an inch and safety chains were added.












I used my masking tape method to simulate tarpaper roofs (see http://4largescale.com/Thompson/49.htm) and modified the smoke stacks a bit just to make them a little different from everyone elseâ€™s.












I put frosted glass in the clerestory windows, as well as the bathrooms to help hide the battery packs. They also have an â€œetched glassâ€� railroad logo in them to add a touch of class.












I kept the original lighting in place but used the aforementioned battery packs to power them.




As much as I like my Carter Brothers â€œduckbillâ€� coaches, I like these even better. They admirably fill a long-neglected void in the Fn3 range of options. Their method of construction readily lends itself to modification and allows for a lot of potential variety on everyonesâ€™ pike.




I look forward to seeing more bashs of these models here. Thanks for looking at mine. As usual, your questions and comments are welcome.


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## jimtyp (Jan 2, 2008)

You've outdone yourself! Can't say enough good things so I won't even start, but WOW! 

Questions: 

1. What magnets did you use for the air hoses and where did you get them? How did you attach them, just CA glue? 
2. What did you use for the frosted glass? 
3. How did you etch the glass? Unbelievable! 
3. What figures did you use? I see some from Fine Folk but can't recognize the others? 
4. Is that real material on the seats or just painted? 

Love 'em!


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## David Buckingham (Jan 2, 2008)

*RE: Jax J&S Coaches*

Hi Jack 
Superb as usual 
Dave


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## Great Western (Jan 2, 2008)

Greetings Jack, 

These cars are beautiful to look at: almost real. It makes me want to make my Big Hauler J&S coaches look more models than big toys. The figures and the light weathering certainly has brought them to life.


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## Rich Schiffman (Jan 2, 2008)

Jack, 

I am truly impressed. These are the best looking J&S cars I have seen. They look "right". Not top heavy, but lower and sleek. Your normal workmanship shines through. How about a little secret on how you lowered the truck bolster? 

Many thanks for sharing your work with us. 

Rich Schiffman


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## Big65Dude (Jan 2, 2008)

Whew! Okay, Jim, I'll try to answer your questions in order: 


1. *What magnets did you use for the air hoses and where did you get them? How did you attach them, just CA glue?* 


I used neodymium disc magnets that I got from *K&J Magnetics, Inc.* Just a couple of bucks for fifty of 'em.



Website: http://www.kjmagnetics.com/














1/8" dia. x 1/16" thick



Grade N48 - Nickel Plated



Axially Magnetized



This size is also available in grade N50 with black nickel plating as part number *D21B*.



I drilled a 1/8" hole in *Evergreen* .060" strip styrene, CA'ed the disc magnet in so it was flush on both sides, then used a razor saw to cut tapered long and short ends, then rounded them off. I glued the long end into the hose made of very flexible surgical rubber in a vertical orientation (see below.)














Because of the disc magnet's polarity, you need to make sure that your gladhands at one end of a car are mounted up-side-down relative to the other end, and that all your cars are done the same way. This means that you'll always have to couple "A" ends to "B" ends (which I usually do anyway.) Once you've coupled up, push the hoses towards each other and they'll snap together. The magnets are very strong and hold well, but when you uncouple, they shear off and disconnect very realistically.



2. *What did you use for the frosted glass?*



I sprayed an even layer of *Testor's DullCote* on the back of the clear ABS - sometimes two coats. 


3. *How did you etch the glass? Unbelievable!*



That's just a white decal (from Stan Cedarleaf) applied in reverse to the back of the "frosted" glass.



4. *What figures did you use? I see some from Fine Folk but can't recognize the others?
* 
Some are from *Railroad Avenue* (a few modified a bit) and the rest I picked up here 'n' there.



5. *Is that real material on the seats or just painted?*



Just paint, weathered a bit.



Hope I've answered your questions to your satisfaction. If not, just let me know.


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## jimtyp (Jan 2, 2008)

*RE: Jax J&S Coaches*

You are all Class Jack and not many in your League  Thanks!


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## cabforward (Feb 18, 2008)

*RE: Jax J&S Coaches*

Jack 
Great job 
What was the paint that you used and what was the aplication method 
matt


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## Big65Dude (Jan 2, 2008)

Matt, 

I used *Badger* _ModelFlex_ paint - "Pennsy Maroon" - applied with an airbrush on the bodies, "Grimy Black" on the trucks.


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## FH&PB (Jan 2, 2008)

*RE: Jax J&S Coaches*

Beautiful mods, Jack. Thanks for sharing your work with us - I will definitely steal an idea or two from you when I detail mine.


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

*RE: Jax J&S Coaches*

Cool, cool, cool! I just got my coach and business cars' exteriors primed over the weekend, and have to wait for this next snowstorm to pass before I can think about breaking out the airbrush to do the top coat. Gotta love spring in the Rockies. 

Later, 

K


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## Tom Bowdler (Jan 3, 2008)

*RE: Jax J&S Coaches*

Jack, 
The pictures are great and they look even better in person! Not bad for an ex-Orleans County guy. 
I hope mine come out half as nice. 
Have fun, 
Tom


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## docwatsonva (Jan 2, 2008)

Jack, 

I was one of the few 'lucky ones' to see your coaches in person at the ECLSTS. Pictures don't do them justice. I'll say again, they are spectacular. Your weathering and the roof covering certainly gives the coaches a more realistic appearance. 

Doc


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Jack, a study of superb modelling skills. Absolutely fabulous. and all other positive adjectives...... Just beautiful.


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## Don Howard (Jan 2, 2008)

*RE: Jax J&S Coaches*

I admired these cars, too. 
Here is pic of the end car at 2008 ECLSTS-unfortunately the passenger closed his eyes for the flash. 










You can see the end of the air hose, with the tiny magnets. 

Jack knows no bounds in detailing! 

He took apart a Bachmann box car becasue the roof came off easily. 








and added trusses INSIDE the car. 









Jack, maybe you can tell us more details on the boxcar, or give a link, if I have forgotten you've already done that. 

Thanks for bringing your craftsmanship to the show(and the Narrow Gauge convention).


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## Big65Dude (Jan 2, 2008)

Don (and everyone else) - 


Thank you for the nice comments and for posting your photos from ECLSTS. What you see in your first pic (of Ken on the platform) is my first attempt to make the airhoses connect with magnets. I used thinner ones I got from the same source cited above - 1/8" dia. x 1/32" thick - glued directly to the gladhand casting. I encountered two problems with this approach however: the first was getting the magnetic polarity right - sometimes they would repel each other or connect on the sides rather than face to face; and second, even when they did connect correctly, the thinner magnets weren't strong enough to stay connected, they kept coming apart.



I suppose I could have used the thicker discs, but that makes the gladhands look distorted and I'd still have the polarity problem anyway. That's why I came up with the "omni-directional" scratchbuilt ones. They may not look as good as the stock castings, but they work great and _do_ look good when connected.



I did have a posting here last year on the B'mann boxcar, it's entitled *"Bachmann Fn3 Boxcar"* and you can find it in the archives at:



http://archive.mylargescale.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=45598



Thanks again, all...


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