I'm involved with an organization that is in need of controller parts. We are looking for new K-35, K-12, B-54 controller segments, fingers, and burn tips. We are toying with the idea of having a local machine shop here make the parts either through 3-D printing or otherwise. The cost to us would be high, but would drop if the order was larger. The question I have, is there anyone else out there that is in need of these same parts? If so, please let me know.

Thanks

Premature for us right now, but my research on these suggests that Gales Creek and McKinney Avenue have already built this bridge to the past. Have you been in touch with them?

dave

I think it's safe to say that he's already been in touch with McKinney Avenue Transit for a looong time now!

Thanks Dave for your input. I have to admit that I'm actually representing McKinney Avenue in the endeavor. So if that bridge was built to the past we've either dismantled it since then or lost the map. We've found parts for the k35 controllers, but the B54 and the k12 parts are what we are really looking into having made at this point. We just can't seem to find anyone who carries the parts that we need. So we're hoping that we can either find enough people that need parts to get a run of them made at a cheaper cost, or that we can find someone that knows where we can get some. Any help would be appreciated.

Mike S.

You guys were way ahead of the curve on this stuff when I was training there in 198something. I'm working on long term sourcing of various things and trying to find out what things I will probably need long term right now. Everything is now up in the air with the startup. Pleased to help if you drop me a PM and fill me in with more particulars about what and when.

dave

I thought landrum had put together some fingers and segments. Maybe from Eureka(?)Is he still there?

He did, but Eureka has almost switched to making K35 parts exclusively. We've asked for B54 parts and they won't make them, and they are reluctant to make K12 parts as well.

Mike S.

I have tried to get Eureka to make B54 parts in the past. They do not have the drawings and probably do not have the extrusions. Apparently these are parts they have never made in the past. The B54 drum is larger than most K drums, so it is something they are just not set up to do. For segments, the power utilities use copper pipe as bus bars in substations. I have bought 4 inch copper pipe ( exactly 4" in diameter, not a nominal size) with 1/4" wall made from c-110. Very clearly a electrical part, not for use as pipe. If you could get this same material in six inch ( I think this is the B-54 drum diameter), with a milling machine, indexing head and some specialized tooling, you could make the B-54 segments. I do not recall what the fingers look like, but Eureka has been willing to sell forged finger tips in the past. If you can find the appropriate tip, most of the rest is not to complicated these days with some of the more modern cutting and forming methods. Probably not too expensive if you can keep the quantities up. On the K-12, I am sure Eureka can make these in you can get the quantities up and get them interested, which can take some effort some times. Sometimes a personal visit is just what in needed.

In addition to Eureka Electrical Products, there are a few others that supply K controller parts. You'll have to check with them to see if they can produce B-54 parts. It occurs to me that GCE has dealt with B-54 controllers fairly recently. A few places will reverse engineer if you have good samples.

Gales Creek Enterprises
Hoyt Corporation
Ohio Carbon Industries
Dixie Industries
Swiger Coil Systems

Gord McOuat

I'm now in correspondence with a source in China who is interested in perhaps supplying new or rebuilt obsolete streetcar hardware. Please PM me with a list of any specific items including part numbers and drawings if at all possible and I will send the information on for a quote. I've sent single truck Birney truck drawings, and photos of Brill and MCB style trucks for double truck cars but I lack drawings for these types of trucks, so if anybody has some good representative ones please forward them as well. What traction motors do we all want? What controllers? Compressors? Other hardware?

dave

I have been collecting drum controller components for years. I probably have some of the parts you need. If you have some photos of these controllers I can tell you for sure.

I'm exploring a new source for streetcar hardware, and I need drawings and materials specs for these parts (and any other small consumables desired) to pass along for quotes. If you have any and can scan them, drop me a PM and I'll get it in the works. Also, streetcar size walkover seat drawings would be very helpful........

dave