TheRailwire
General Discussion => N and Z Scales => Topic started by: John on July 19, 2009, 07:51:57 AM
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Well, July is rolling along pretty fast .. my yard is brown, so I won't need to worry about cutting grass.
For me, wiring up the rest of the block detectors ... and mapping them into my JMRI Panel .. (which I had to redo)
Otherwise, it was a short week for me, coming back from Maine, and getting ready for my next trip ..
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Beaver Logging Co 150 , 155 , 160
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_aKjYmQBQOVM/SmIyBe9HmjI/AAAAAAAAJjU/dVZTywtEM38/s800/BLCO%20150.jpg)
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_aKjYmQBQOVM/SmIyBslq4uI/AAAAAAAAJjY/zqAzYldlBAo/s800/BLCO%20155.jpg)
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_aKjYmQBQOVM/SmIyCXnA8dI/AAAAAAAAJjc/cZMi7gBC-M0/s800/BLCO%20160.jpg)
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Made a lot of progress on the layout this week. :)
(http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/2078/P7160036.jpg) (http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showphoto.php/photo/112602)
(http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/2078/P7190015.jpg) (http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showphoto.php/photo/112810)
First, I built this creek scene and documented it step by step here:http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/showthread.php?t=108638&page=9 (http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/showthread.php?t=108638&page=9)
Also started on the roads. I think this came out to light, so some weathering is needed for sure..
(http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/2078/P7190020.jpg) (http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showphoto.php/photo/112813)
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Finished up a few resin vehicle kits. 84 Escort and a 94 Jeep Grand Cherokee.
(http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/500/car_039.jpg)
(http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/500/car_042.jpg)
The silver car is a Wiking VW Golf for size comparison.
(http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/500/car_053.jpg)
(http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/500/car_059.jpg)
(http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/500/car_056.jpg)
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Dan do you have a link to that company ? How do we buy them ? How much ?
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No website yet, James will can be contacted at willmodels@gmail.com or on e-bay.
The kits range from $5-7, about the same as GHQ.
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Made a lot of progress on the layout this week. :
Also started on the roads. I think this came out to light, so some weathering is needed for sure..
(http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/2078/P7190020.jpg) (http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showphoto.php/photo/112813)
Fantastic work .. I need you to come over and do my scenery .. actually, I am learning a lot from you
for your roads, try a little black and white chalk, then work it in ...
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I figured out that I CAN do a layout, and I started acquisition of benchwork materials. Nothing to show yet.
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I figured out that I CAN do a layout, and I started acquisition of benchwork materials. Nothing to show yet.
Somehow I think it will be in the shape of a row boat . ::)
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In progress shots of my mods to Kato's SD70M cabs - following a lot of slicing, sanding and drilling (32x #80 holes per cab, don't ask why one has two extra ???):
(http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll3/Costellis/Models%202009/Cabs01.jpg)
(http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll3/Costellis/Models%202009/Cabs02.jpg)
This week I'll plug the holes to relocate the handrails and move onto installing lift rings on the long hood and detailing the pilots and maybe install the new front door. I had another go to try and get the door window slightly more round in appearance, but couldn't get real close.... so I'm hoping it won't look too bad when installed - unless I try and get one etched.....
This project has been on the workbench for years, so it's good to see it moving forward again!
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Andy and I collaborated on this non-train project this week...
(http://www.wmrywesternlines.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/Andys_Truck_006web.jpg)
It's a 1:24 Chevy Cameo, 1955. According to the box, this was only available in red or white, but Andy wanted something a little more "vintage" looking, so we mixed up some Aquamarine Blue and two toned it with some Almond spray paint below the belt line. Andy did a lot of the assembly, some of the masking and airbrushing, and most of the detail painting.
(http://www.wmrywesternlines.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/Andys_Truck_003web.jpg)
Up in the train room, I got the gumption to do some airbrush weathering (and a few bucks from a client!)
(http://www.wmrywesternlines.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/Decoders_004.jpg)
I think it turned out pretty good... Might try blending a few colors next time. I used the David Popp trick of building a painting jig so the drivers would spin during the airbrushing for a good even coat of road grime on the drivers and rods.
I also got a big box from my guy in Minnesota, so I'm headed up to Decoder land for the rest of the evening...
Lee
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Enviro- I can't believe you did that by hand - I thought you made a static
application unit or use the Noch Staticmaster - This rocks a$$.
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Nice photos, everybody!
For me this week,
As the webmaster for the NMRA Pacific Coast Region, I updated the Coast Division June 2009
Meet Recap, Model Contest, Show and Tell, and Photo Contest web pages
at:
http://www.pcrnmra.org/coast/contest/Contest_June_2009.shtml
Check out the photos, hope you enjoy what you see.
Especially, this N scale super-detailed SD40-2 by Alvin Ho:
(http://www.pcrnmra.org/coast/contest/2009_June_Images/June_2009_Show_and_Tell_Alvin_Ho_N_SD40-2_2.jpg)
And this is a diorama that won 1st place:
(http://www.pcrnmra.org/coast/contest/2009_June_Images/June_2009_Model_Contest_Diorama_1st_Place_Frank_Markovich.jpg)
By the way, our next Coast Division Meet in Santa Clara, CA, is on
Sunday, Sept 13, 2009.
Guests are always welcome at our Coast Division
Meets, you don't have to be a NMRA member to come and check
us out, and *guests* are welcome to come to our clinics
as well.
The Coast Division clinics for the Sept 2009 Quarterly Meets
are as follows, there are many
live links in the web page below to more info about the
clinicians and their topics (very interesting reading):
http://www.pcrnmra.org/coast/meet_clinics.shtml
And of course, if you come by, look me up, I'll be running the
Show and Tell / Model Contest table as always.
You can see Coast Division Meet Reports to see what
goes on at the NMRA Pacific Coast Division, Coast Division
Meets, going all the way back to December 2005 at:
http://www.pcrnmra.org/coast/contest.shtml
If you live in the Northern Calif San Francisco Bay area, feel free to drop by.
See how to get there, info, addresses, at the Coast Division
home page:
http://www.pcrnmra.org/coast/index.shtml
Thx,
John Sing
Coast Division Model Contest and Webmaster Chair-flunkie :-)
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I spent the better part of last week finishing these foobie cars for a client on the East Coast. He likes the colors, what can I say... ::)
(http://www.briansnscale.com/imagehosting/BNSF%20Hopper%201.JPG)
(http://www.briansnscale.com/imagehosting/GN%2033K%202.JPG)
(http://www.briansnscale.com/imagehosting/GN%20Blue%2033K.JPG)
(http://www.briansnscale.com/imagehosting/GN%20Green%2033K.JPG)
(http://www.briansnscale.com/imagehosting/GN%20Red%2033K%201.JPG)
(http://www.briansnscale.com/imagehosting/MRL%2033K%202.JPG)
(http://www.briansnscale.com/imagehosting/SF%2033K.JPG)
And finally, I finished both of these about mid week for the same gentlemen. The engines are both the same color, except the sun was out and the shade open with the U30C. Amazing how much lighter it came out. I really need to find some better lighting...
(http://www.briansnscale.com/imagehosting/MRL%20369%20Cond%20Side.JPG)
(http://www.briansnscale.com/imagehosting/MRL%20524%20Cond%20Side%20(2).JPG)
It's been busy, but I need a drink now.....
Brian
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Just one shot of a project I have been working on this weekend. What started as an article on how to create electrically live drawbars for the new Bachmann tenders turned into a full blown detailing session. Still a few grabs and small things to detail but it is close enough to show. Hopefully paint sometime this week.
(http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/2106/FiremanFrontQuarterSmall.jpg)
This was the first chance I have gotten to work with the Archer rivet decals, they are incredible. I stripped the tender of all verticle rivet lines to rearrange them to match the photo's better. I guess I am a true rivet counter now.
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Finally finished up one of the N Scale Kits 53' spine sets and took some shots under my new basement lighting:
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_t_cm3oU0yFU/SmQZXvGFjQI/AAAAAAAABbY/J_FsSkMX4w8/s800/DSCN9437.JPG)
(still need to work on depth of field...) Same set loaded up:
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_t_cm3oU0yFU/SmQZBfzm0qI/AAAAAAAABbQ/hHBh47C2OXo/s800/DSCN9451.JPG)
and a detail shot of the B unit:
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_t_cm3oU0yFU/SmQZNT-LkeI/AAAAAAAABbU/oz5WUWs5eKM/s800/DSCN9412.JPG)
(taken earlier under poor lighting). Those are the (great) MLE hitches (http://www.mlescalemodels.com/services.html) BTW. I also added a few other details and lowered the ride height.
-Gary
P.S. Still need to add the details to the end platforms (brakewheels / stirrups / hand grabs) but the stock method seems too fragile, so I'm experimenting with (and soliciting) some alternative ideas.
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Smokin' hot Gary! Where's the drool smiley?
Love the conspicuity stripes around the weathering too. Nice.
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(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_t_cm3oU0yFU/SmQZBfzm0qI/AAAAAAAABbQ/hHBh47C2OXo/s800/DSCN9451.JPG)
-Gary
Got some more pics of the layout Gary I'm digging the scenery!
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Made a lot of progress on the layout this week. :)
(http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/2078/P7190015.jpg) (http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showphoto.php/photo/112810)
ooh.. tell me about your dirt roads :) How'd you do the brush down the middle??
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Gary,
Let's see more photos of those trailers!
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Thanks for the comments guys. I'll try to take some closer trailer shots tonight and post them, maybe to a weathering thread.
Tim, you'll laugh when you see what went into this Hollywood back-lot scenery. These pictures were taken on the module that is the test bed for my Tehachapi pike. It's mostly pink foam beyond the trackbed and access road, and there is a lot of crap stored on it now, so I literally took a few Silflor mats and layed one flat in the foreground and draped one over all the crap in the background to hide. it. But it is actually pretty close to the look I'm going for! ;D
-Gary
P.S. edude, you continue to amaze with your eye for scenery.
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That spine looks great, Gary! :o You did a great job on everything including the piping and weathering! Hitches look great too! ;)
For attaching the end grabs and brake wheel stand, I found that just using ACC works quite well. I have not had either fall off my 48' spine thus far but I don't think they would survive a significant bump. I did solder a set of end grabs on my 53' spine which came out strong but I don't like the resulting solder "blobs" (I don't think stainless steel is very conducive to soldering). Plus, I wouldn't let a soldering iron anywhre near the cast portion of the car as it would easily melt (I put the grabs on before attaching the end platforms).
Russ
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One thought on fragile details... I would hold off on them until you have enough layout built that you don't have to be handling the equipment much. Even storage could threaten them, because there will be times when you want to sit there in a dimly lit room taking them out of their jewel boxes and fondling them... A sure way to snap off critical parts!
Lee
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Thanks guys. :D
ooh.. tell me about your dirt roads :) How'd you do the brush down the middle??
The roads are Highball products "Fine light earth" glued over a plaster base. The grass on the road was made by brushing a line of white glue down the center and then static grass was dabbed on. The excess was vacuumed up after it dried.
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That spine looks great, Gary! :o You did a great job on everything including the piping and weathering! Hitches look great too! ;)
For attaching the end grabs and brake wheel stand, I found that just using ACC works quite well.
Russ
Thanks Russ. Of course you blazed this trail for me. ;) Re the end details, I've been thinking about an etched overlay that would wrap around the end platform and provide the lip that is missing from the current model, like in this shot (http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1397505). It would also have the brakestand and side hand grabs as part of the piece (and .008 holes for end grab irons). And I know just the guy to make it for me. :D (Might be a good excuse to teach myself the trade too.)
Lee, I completely agree about having a layout to minimize car handling. As they say in the satellite business, the safest place for this bird is in orbit, where no one can get their grubby hands on it. I need to work on my layout some more.
-Gary
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Thanks for the comments guys. I'll try to take some closer trailer shots tonight and post them, maybe to a weathering thread.
Tim, you'll laugh when you see what went into this Hollywood back-lot scenery. These pictures were taken on the module that is the test bed for my Tehachapi pike. It's mostly pink foam beyond the trackbed and access road, and there is a lot of crap stored on it now, so I literally took a few Silflor mats and layed one flat in the foreground and draped one over all the crap in the background to hide. it. But it is actually pretty close to the look I'm going for! ;D
-Gary
P.S. edude, you continue to amaze with your eye for scenery.
The ballastwork looks great and that dirt road, really looks good what did you use? I'm still waiting on my S&S order...they cashed the check 3 weeks ago.
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I literally took a few Silflor mats and layed one flat in the foreground and draped one over all the crap in the background to hide. it.
Looks great Gary. Which kind of Silflor is that?
Thx,
Ed
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I figured out that I CAN do a layout, and I started acquisition of benchwork materials. Nothing to show yet.
Somehow I think it will be in the shape of a row boat . ::)
Dude...
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The S - for the road I used the Smith & Son fine soil (http://www.sceneryexpress.com/prodinfo.asp?number=SE0403), which is available from Scenic Express, though it now seems to be sold under their own house label, rather than the Smith & Son label. To apply it, I made a paste of plaster, dirt and water (to a spreadable but not wet consistency) and "paved" the road with that. I was hoping that would look like a parched worn summer season dirt road, but not quite, so I misted it a bit and sifted some loose dirt over it and pressed it in. It darkened a bit more than I hoped, so I'm still seeking the perfect method, but it's not too bad. lashedup and envirodude (among others) have some very nice roads that have been described here too.
BTW, the Smith & Son ballast is also now available from Scenic Express under a house label, "Express Scale". It has the same stock number as the Smith & Son, but it's not listed on their web site right now. I picked up a quart in Timonium a while back. The Penn-Ohio #50 grade (http://www.sceneryexpress.com/prodinfo.asp?number=SS1450-3) is showing as out of stock on their web site right now, but if you hit the Buy Now button on the linked page it gives you some special instructions for ordering items that are not yet listed (if you get tired of waiting for S&S). I'm not sure what, if any, relation this has to the Smith & Son business, but the product is definitely the same...
Ed - the Silflor mats in the pictures are the short (http://www.sceneryexpress.com/prodinfo.asp?number=SF71024) and medium (http://www.sceneryexpress.com/prodinfo.asp?number=SF71124) length autumn mats. However, I don't like them for two reasons: first they are too green for California grass, especially the medium one; second, I was never happy with my ability to apply the mats to a large area (like Caliente) without the seams being obvious. I've been much happier with static grass applied with a Grass Master (or equivalent). No seams, subtle color variations are possible with blends, etc.
Cheers
Gary
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That spine looks great, Gary! :o You did a great job on everything including the piping and weathering! Hitches look great too! ;)
For attaching the end grabs and brake wheel stand, I found that just using ACC works quite well.
Russ
Thanks Russ. Of course you blazed this trail for me. ;) Re the end details, I've been thinking about an etched overlay that would wrap around the end platform and provide the lip that is missing from the current model, like in this shot (http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1397505). It would also have the brakestand and side hand grabs as part of the piece (and .008 holes for end grab irons). And I know just the guy to make it for me. :D (Might be a good excuse to teach myself the trade too.)
Lee, I completely agree about having a layout to minimize car handling. As they say in the satellite business, the safest place for this bird is in orbit, where no one can get their grubby hands on it. I need to work on my layout some more.
-Gary
I've actually pondered making the very piece you speak of. Not sure if there would be enough of a market to justify the couple hundred that would be produced per batch though. Honestly, I think there's you, me and maybe one or two other guys that are into detailing spine cars to that level. ;)
Russ
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I think there's you, me and maybe one or two other guys that are into detailing spine cars to that level
Hey, this is model railroading, where people still have unbuilt kits from the 70's.
They might not build them, but with good enough exposure, they'll buy 'em. Just call it a limit run. ;)
Jason
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I've actually pondered making the very piece you speak of. Not sure if there would be enough of a market to justify the couple hundred that would be produced per batch though. Honestly, I think there's you, me and maybe one or two other guys that are into detailing spine cars to that level. ;)
Russ
Are you suggesting that we're somewhat odd? :P Of course if the 4 of us each need 50, we're all set!
-gfh
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I've actually pondered making the very piece you speak of. Not sure if there would be enough of a market to justify the couple hundred that would be produced per batch though. Honestly, I think there's you, me and maybe one or two other guys that are into detailing spine cars to that level. ;)
Russ
Are you suggesting that we're somewhat odd? :P Of course if the 4 of us each need 50, we're all set!
-gfh
Maybe not 50, but a few.... I've been holding off on the NSK 53' spines in the hope that the DeLuxe gets theirs to market before I have a chance to build some up. But as there are no 48'ers RTR, I'm working my way through a couple of those kits.... with a MLE detailing kit of course! ;)
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Got some stuff done...about 82' of benchwork worth...
More in depth
http://www.amoskeagnorthern.com/v2/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=109
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_nAmtu1n1UKs/SmiIM--z7fI/AAAAAAAAZUU/7tYEMksQoWE/s800/IMG_4444.JPG)
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_nAmtu1n1UKs/SmiIQg7-11I/AAAAAAAAZUY/5zMFITRXEt4/s800/IMG_4439.JPG)
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Holy hell Ian, that looks awesome.
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dont worry Ed, its probably not his layout.
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dont worry Ed, its probably not his layout.
Ouch!!!! :o
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Don't get to attached ed, won't be long before he tears it out. ;)
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Such hurt feelings I have...I am now tearing it all out!