Talgo Upgrade

[Jhanecker2]

Have to admit the most comfortable and safest floors for a shop were standing wood blocks .  These were made of wood with the grain running vertically , and were  around  8" x 4" x 2" and usually black in color . If you dropped anything it dinged the blocks but was not usually damaged . Only problem was you could lose small parts in the gap between blocks. Since they were not glued down they could be removed .

[Robertj668]

Bob
I wanted to say thanks for the advice on doing this upgrade. I decided to try one out and it came out great! Now I have now done about 10 so far I have had very good luck.  I may want to make a little Youtube video on it one day.  Thanks again! Next are some older engines that I would love to make them "new" again.
Robert

[Yampa Bob]

Dear Robert,
I'm glad you found the tutorial helpful. How time flies, hard to believe the thread is over a year old and still active.

Some of the details aren't too clear, but guess you got the idea. I think a video would be a great idea.   

[jbrock27]

I like almost everything in this tutorial, but would not reuse/modify the Talgo trucks that employ this kind of molded friction pin.  Instead, I would just bite the bullet and get new trucks that take a screw in the middle.  Just my 2 cents.

[electrical whiz kid]

J Hanecker;
The "Blocks" are a great idea, and is as old as the hills.  Pratt & Whitney, Hamilton Standard, Sikorsky, Chandler/Evans,
etc.; had those floors throughout their shop areas.  When I first got out of the Air Force and entered the work force in Connecticut and saw those floors for the first time in a "Civilian" setting, I thought they were a really neat way to go; I asked one of the maintenance people why they used it, and he told me that if they dropped an assemblage, particularly an intricate weighty one, chances are it wouldn't get too damaged.  I was also surprised at just how 'long' those blocks were!  As an aside, I was also surprised as to how many motors were in these shops...

Rich C.

[Jhanecker2]

I remember installing those blocks in my  "old mans " shop  back in the late Sixties .  He got them from a former employer  who had removed  them when they remodeled  their  shops .    If  I was designing  a shop I would be tempted   to use that type of blocks to  cut down  on noise  &  damage  to dropped  tools .
It would also  make standing  much more comfortable .   John2.

[electrical whiz kid]

John;
Scaling it down to 87:1, that would be a dandy floor for an exposed shop area...  By the way-What is that god-awful smell with those floors?  After about 15 minutes of that, I would be heading for the door.

On subject:  Athearn passenger trucks are set up Talgo-style.  It is an interesting proposition re-modelling those cars.  I, instead, bought some 6-wheel "really sprung" trucks.  Boy, you should see these puppies-just like in the old days!
I have been toying with the idea of taking some of those Athearn paxngr cars and cutting them down to 60 or 61 scale feet.  Have you done any of that stuff?  The biggest reason is on my (present) design, I have this killer curve (and that is exactly what it is called...) that not only is about an R-24", but it goes from one level to another; hence the reason.   I also have a section of topography called the "Devil's Cut" (now where did I get that name from?)...

Rich C.

[Jhanecker2]

To  E.W.K.      To the best of my recollection  those Blocks were  Black with some  kind of  tar  like substance .  They were usually fastened to the floor with the same substance .   When removed they were mechanically  scraped off  .  Have to admit the recycled blocks  POP got had been  out  in the  Field for quite a while and had been literally  been  weathered for  some time and did not have any extreme bouquet .  They were still in the shop  when  POP sold the building . I was under the impression that they were some type of  OAK .   John2.

[on30gn15]

I've often wondered, but not researched, whether, and when, talgo trucks for model trains got their name from the Spanish company Talgo which started making real trains in the 1940s. http://www.talgo.com/index.php/en/tecnologia.php

"Talgo Technology

The Talgo key success factors are innovation, technology, sustainability, security, quality and competitiveness, with a clear focus on customer orientation in all of its projects.

Because of its proven, unique and highly efficient technology, Talgo trains are internationally recognized as the best in their class in terms of safety, energy efficiency, lightness, accessibility and comfort.

Talgo trains have a series of technological principles that characterize them and differ from other manufacturer trains:

Variable Gauge
Natural tilting system
Guided axles and independent Wheels
Articulated union between coaches
Lightweight construction
Accessibility"

Where's Flash Gordon? "Talgo Series 1 (1942)"
http://web.talgoamerica.com/historic-milestones;