# Running long freight trains



## du-bousquetaire (Feb 14, 2011)

Hi there garden railroaders : To illustrate what I was talking about in the 232 U1 post without poluting it as it doesn't relate to that magnificent steamer, I decided to roll out my MTH PRR F3 in an A-B-A lash up (the B is dummy) and do a real long freight with almost all of my cars. This layout was designed for this as my prior one (designed for French railways) didn't have a siding which could accomodate such a long train, this one does as that is the function of the four track section, which was basically designed so that I could model those very long US freights. Which are so astounding for us Europeans where the screw couplings limits the charge of a train to somewhere around 3000 tons. I tried to make a video with my Lumix but it has such a bad definition that it wasnt worth posting.










This photo shows the whole 51 car freight wrapped around the far end curve with its spectacular viaduct and bridge.
I had to step back very far to get a wide enough angle to capture the whole train, so here is a close up of the front end crossing the Panhandle bridge (designed after one on the PRR in Pittsburgh):










I hope you enjoy! Cheers, 
Simon


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## boilingwater (Jan 27, 2010)

Simon,

Very nice—some work, time and money to put that together.

I was also interested in how you latch up J&M cars without using Kadees to protect against inadvertent coach separation…Most of my blood pressure events occurred when the U1 was free to make like a bird…unfortunately Aster did not fit optional wings…their only unfortunate omission in the engineering…🥺

Sam


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## du-bousquetaire (Feb 14, 2011)

Hi Sam: I intend to make a post about that as I have a few new ones to make, the principle is this:
I get some rectangular steel bar 2mm X 6mm and file out a coupler hook out of it and shank (it takes about 15 minutes) and drill a hole for the cotter pin and one for the chain links. I recuperate the original J&M chain link and screw system and place it in the new steel hook, redo the rivet with a punch. Install in lieu of the original J&M coupler. To save time I do one side only as on the other side I use the chain only and that will not break the J&M coupler. I admit being lazy or having so many other better things to do. 
But right now I am going to take care of family business and don't have time to do that, as I intend to make photos of the operation to help others solve this problem. Brass stock would probably work also, but you would want to brown it. I leave mine fairly shiny steel colour as under the belows I can see which side is steel and which is plastic. Or you could install some other make of couplings.


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## boilingwater (Jan 27, 2010)

Simon,

Thanks. Sounds like a project for a rainy day. i need to do since I’ve seen the results from deflecting to fix that weakness in the J&M cars.

Sam


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