Passenger Car Diaphragms

[Screwy Nick]

Many years ago I bought rubber diaphragms and found them to be just too stiff causing more problems than the addition of the look.

    This month's Issue of Steam in the Garden has a great article on how to make them using paper.  The author is Simon Duhamel and he said he also made them in HO.  

    I don't think I can quote due to copywrite laws, but if you know someone who has the issue, would be something to try.

    SITE ADMINISTRATOR: if this is in any way against any rules, please delete it,   thank you   

[Rayman4449]

I know Simon and just sent him a message so maybe he will reply here

[Screwy Nick]

Ray,  I looked all over the article for a way to contact him.    If you do hear from him, please ask him what he thinks about 'magnetizing' the metal ends so they stick together, but will still pull apart without possibly tearing the paper,   thank you.      

[Rayman4449]

Hi Nick,  Will do.  I actually linked him to the post here so hopefully he will reply soon.

[Screwy Nick]

I will anxiously await his response,  thank you.          

[Jerry B44]

You can always get the issue from Steam in the Garden. I have the issue.

[du-bousquetaire]

Hi there everybody: I am the Simon who wrote the article on diaphragms, I am hapy to get feedback already, I don't see any reasons why using a magnetic face plates wouldnt work, although you would need to be carefull when uncoupling. However I find them unnecessary at least on the 11' minimum radius curves, which  I use as the face plates act like central buffers and keep the train tight. I must mention that I use only the  921  (now the 1917) versions of the kadee couplers that do not have slack, slack would create a gap. As I said in the article I added another fold to the bellows and it does the trick. they now keep in contact , even when I have a three fold on one car and a four fold on the other. Of course this is all for close coupled equipment, and is possible when you use wide radius curves. But then, when you think about it, why use short radius curves outdoors? It is my opinioon that it is usefull that the faceplates slide sideways going through the reverse curves of switchwork and yard throats. My trains leave two different tracks from my indoor terminal each time I run (including one three way N°8 switch!) and return in reverse every day and I never have trouble with diaphragms locking, or creating derailments.

 

Since the article I have, as an experiment to make the diaphragms water proof: I have put one coat of silastic (this coupound is used  in the theater and film and TV costume business) which is like putting a coat of liquid latex on my bellows to try to waterproof them. This stiffened the diaphragms so much that I didn't try to put a second coat on them. they work fine this way still but are a bit stiffer. As we have had terific outdoor railroading weather this spring, I still cannot report on how well this works in case of a downpour. I will as soon as it happens and that I am cought with my varnish outdoors during a spring fresshet. Don't forget I didn't invent anything, this was in a 1960's Model railroader article by Canadian Gib Kenedy. take care, du-bousquetaire or Simon

[Chuck]

Hmm, Magnetized face plates..That is interesting 

[Screwy Nick]

Simon,  thank you for your response.  This is certainly going to be something I try.   I'm going to resin cast the face plates and imbed a very small round magnet in the top, like the kind used to activate reed switches.   I'll have to make sure the like poles are on the same end of each car so the ends attract and not repel.  Can always just turn it around before glueing it in place.  

    Great article Simon, and thank you for sharing.       

[Jerry B44]

My Pioneer Zephyer has some folded bellows. Material seems to be like camera bellows material.  Fabric base with some shiny rubberized coating on the outside. Some thin plastic ends are glued on, part of the bellows folds over the top edge. The edges fit into small channels on the ends of the cars. I have 20' curves and sometimes they still pop out. I don't bother with them very much.

 

[Screwy Nick]

Jerry,   THANK YOU VERY MUCH,  those pics are beautiful   AND very informative.  Your pics add a whole new dimension to what I am attempting.   So I don't have to struggle with the whole rectangle.  

    I am surprised that the 20' curves still cause them to pop out, they sure do look nice.  I'm going to look for that material, or try to duplicate it some how.     Thank you again,       

[Rayman4449]

The more I see of those Zephyer units the more impressed I am with them.  That set is REALLY nice!

[Jerry B44]

Regular bellows paper is available here, 10" squares. Probably what my diaphrams are made from.

Fargo Enterprises ( 800 359 2878) and they have the above mentioned material. He says it is light proof. Normally sold in 10" squares, it's called shutter material cloth
 

[Screwy Nick]

Jerry, thanks for the contact info.  I'll give them a call AFTER I attempt to do it with just paper,  don't want to mess up what could be fairly expensive material.         

[du-bousquetaire]

Jerry, thanks for the info; I too have been looking for proper camera bellows material, it seems that in Europe you can't find it any more. Now I don't know how it folds or if there is a special technique to fold it, but it should make a sturdier bellow than paper and the receipe for folding should be the same. 10" square is more than enough to make standard bellows. However paper bellows work very well especially since I treated them with silastic, whioch should keep them out of trouble in rain.

Boy that Zephyr train is nice! Brings back memories of when as a teenager I used to climb all over the minuteman at Edaville RR. Museum. the folding doors could be opened and I used to visit it inside, there were some nice murals if I recall correctly. It seems that an association down east is trying to restore it.

[Jerry B44]

Here's the Zephyer, no bellows installed though!

[rbrown7713]

Here is how I made some diaphrams for my 1:32 Pullman Standard cars.  I used jigs as seen in the picture.  I used light oil cloth that I bought at Joann's fabrics.  I fed the fabric through the jig, it takes two and glued with super glue.  I then cut to size after it dried.  Then took the frames, one on each side and also glued with super glue.  Did the same to the other side, trimmed.  The tops are done the same way.  They are flexible and operational.  They can be then painted. Black or any color you want.  When new the prototypes were white just like the material that I used.  After a few years they look black, dirt I suspect.  Here are some pics.

[Rayman4449]

Very impressive work Robert  You have more pics of the cars you have there?

[Screwy Nick]

After seeing the pics of the postings of rbrown773 I realize the mistake I made in my first castings.   I have adjusted them and will attempt to make other castings.  I really have no intention to go as far as he as in detail with the upper spring, but I do appreciate the effort and talent it took to do so.   Any further input that he has will be greatly appreciated.   

[rbrown7713]

I must be doing something wrong, my post disappeared, so I will try again.  My theme is ATSF and Pullman Standard cars, EMD locos.  When I am done, if that is possible, I will have a complete consist with F3 locos and complete consist and also an E8 a and b with complete consist.  I have all molds for this endeavor.  I will attempt to post some pics.  Thanks for the positive input and kudos, Bob.

[rbrown7713]

Here is a Pullman standard smoothie in Union Pacific colors.  The windows are glass.

[aethereus]

I'm in the process of making a hard mold to cast the bellows in silicone.  The plan is to have a complete two car female mold so I can coat the interior and then dump the extra out so it will be thin and flexible.  I'm trying to get the smooth curve on the shoulders without any pleating at that point.  Has anyone tried this and what should I look out for?

[rbrown7713]

I am in the process of making some diaphragms that I have made in the past.  I use cloth for the soft part with the aid of some jigs.  I will post pictures of the entire procedure in the near future.  I am making these for the stretched Pullman Standard cars.  I have made a spring movable diaphragm, but I am going back to the cloth version for looks, although the spring system works.  We shall see how these turn out.    How did your efforts turn out?--Bob.

[rbrown7713]

Sorry, posted in the wrong place, can't delete, Bob.

[rbrown7713]

For what it is worth, I will relate my experience with the diaphragms that I used on the Superliners and also the diaphragms that I am using on my Pullmans.  What I have found is that when rounding curves, they need to slide back and forth, so I, myself would not think of magnets, better to let them slide back and forth.  In fact, the smoother the diaphragm plates the better.  I am also, for that reason, the plates that contact one another, I am making them a solid plate to limit hangups in the curves.  When the cars are coupled, you won't be able to see that they are solid and not an open door. Bob.