Re: Weekend Update 5/10/26

[up1950s]

https://www.nationalparks.org/connect/blog/trains-thought

https://tenor.com/search/train-gifs

https://www.timeout.com/usa/travel/luxury-train-rides-usa

https://photos.com/collections/trains/photographs?srsltid=AfmBOorrpl5pgdJDCdVnNz5XFgx-xJhkn8qxoIGiZKV7xaT2rFrV4_om

https://pixabay.com/images/search/train/

https://www.skunktrain.com/

https://leweschamber.com/event/national-train-day-celebration/

[Sumner]

Ed is in the process of learning how to build handlaid turnouts but before that painted the smaller truck stop.



He painted the vehicles above in the past and then got the smaller truck stop painted. One could use these buildings separately.



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Thanks Ed for the paint work on the vehicles and buildings.

You can find the print files for these buildings on my thingiverse account ( HERE ).

You can find a couple hundred other items that you can print on my website ( HERE ).

Sumner

[Jim Starbuck]

Another experiment using ai to produce a 3d model from a photo.
Ai isn’t the end-all for developing models but it’s a good start on one-offs like Milwaukee’s 1954 Ford rail detector.

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Here’s my finished model.

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And a B&W to mimic the original.
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Edit: Not sure why that last photo insists on being a thumbnail.

[pmpexpress]

And a B&W to mimic the original.

Edit: Not sure why that last photo insists on being a thumbnail.

Jim,

Fixed that for you.

[Jim Starbuck]

Jim,

Fixed that for you.

Thank you!

[peteski]

Edit: Not sure why that last photo insists on being a thumbnail.

When you attached the images to your post (instead of posting them in TRW gallery), you likely chose "End-of-post expandable thumbnail" option, which happens to be the default choice, instead of "Inline full-size image"

[Dave V]

It's good to be modeling Pennsy in N scale again...!

[Kentuckian]

I’ve been behind in posting. About a month ago @GM50 4164 installed sound in a 44 tonner for me. This will be lettered KES (Kentucky Electric Steel) #4. YouTube and I aren’t getting along this morning so you will just have to take my word for it. He does great work.




Also, @Lemosteam, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.



This is the start of the Ashland Coal and Iron fleet for the micro layout.

Edited for a typo.

[chessie system fan]

Here is the double-tracked helix from that HO layout I visited last week.  Again, the craftsmanship is impeccable. The owner said he "thew it together with leftovers." I bet you've never seen a helix made out of oak before. And the curves are superelevated and the superelevation is built into the plywood, not by shimming the track. That meant cutting the notches for the plywood at just the right angle. And of course, it all fit perfectly.

It's also enormous.



Here is the opposite end.



Here is the exterior.  Did I mention how big this thing is? 



I have several takeaways from this.

1. Given how much space this takes up, is the second level really worth it compared to what could have been done with all that space? If it were me, I might have not added the second level.

2. Having a helix track go outside the helix and be part of a scene is clever, though I might want to model the Rio Grande in the Rockies if I do (or hide the mountain another way so it's not so vertical).

3. Planning for the future matters. This layout was constructed in the early 2000s. The owner is probably about 80 years old now. I'm not exactly young, but I was the only person in the group spry enough to crawl on the floor to get inside the helix.  If the owner has a derailment in the helix, he can't get in there now.

[Jesse6669]

A friend wanted some Z scale APC/APL domestic container decals, so I made them.  Then realized nobody makes Z scale 48' sheet-post containers like these.  And none on Thingiverse.  So...

I thought it would be easy but there's always more than meets the eye with these projects;  After a few iterations I think I have it pretty well dialed in.  Here's a primered test print on an AZL 50' corrugated container to check the fit of the pins.

[Sumner]

Beautiful layout and the construction of the helix is very impressive.

.....1. Given how much space this takes up, is the second level really worth it compared to what could have been done with all that space? .....

I wanted a second level and glad that it is finally starting to come together.  I studied a lot of helix ideas and finally went with a track elevator.  Probably isn't saving that much space but I felt I'd tire of the long time interval going between levels and felt an elevator would eliminated a lot of that time and track needed.

So far I'm happy with what I have with lift & lowering times of 5-6 seconds.  Hope to get this and the rest of the upper level track down by mid to late fall.  Still have one 12 foot section......



.... of scenery to Spackle and paint before I can finish the track work.

Sumner

[jpwisc]

Well, that was an interesting day. @Jim Starbuck mentioned that he had @Ed Kapuscinski working down on the Iowa Division and that Ed would be available to come up and work on the White Pine Sub. We always welcome the company. Follow with as we looked for the right job for Ed.
He arrived on the L044 (Eastbound job from Marengo Jct to White Pine)
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Before heading into the Copper Refinery he stopped in at the White Pine Electric power plant office to check on openings.
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They had one clerical job, but I don’t think he liked being called “Ed-o-Rama”, “the Ed Meister”…
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Next stop, White Pine Security office… no one in… or the guards were sleeping again
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After that, we were able to stop by Global Wood sticks. The leading maker of tongue depressors and popsicle sticks in the Upper Peninsula. It was a slow day so he got a full plant tour. No job openings though…
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[jpwisc]

So Ed toured on…
He toured the copper refinery, getting to see the scrap loadout and the acid building
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From there he headed out of the plant and checked out the pulpwood loadout.
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After a quick discussion with the WC track foreman in the yard, I think we might have found a spot. They are always looking for hard working guys…
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Thanks for visiting tiny Ed!

[davefoxx]

Just finished gutting the electronics from this nine-year-old Atlas SD35 to add a LokSound V5.0 decoder and LED lights.  Before disposing of the Atlas motherboard, I used it as a template to make an 0.060” styrene mount over the motor for the Decoder Buddy Mini and ESU 58429 decoder, securing that mount with the motherboard’s four screws.  The light over the cab (between the numberboards) is a Gyra Light, and the low light in the nose are the front headlights.



I found both the complete Penn Central (PC) SD35 locomotive (produced by Atlas in 2017) and the Seaboard Coast Line (SCL) SD35 shell (produced by Atlas in 2003!) on eBay within the last week and received both pieces today.  The SCL shell lacked front and rear handrails that I purloined from the PC shell.  I bought the complete PC locomotive with the intent to steal those pre-painted parts, figuring that the black and yellow handrail paint should be real close or possibly a perfect match for the SCL paint.  I also got the cab sunshades with the PC unit, but I think I need to keep them off of this ex-Atlantic Coast Line SD.  I’ll look back through my books to double-check what the SCL did post-merger.



I need to install the shell (it’s a tight fit ) and add Sergent Engineering couplers before calling this project finished for the night.

DFF

[davefoxx]

They had one clerical job, but I don’t think he liked being called “Ed-o-Rama”, “the Ed Meister”…

BWAHAHAHAHA!!!

DFF