Weekend Update 11-8-09

[Dave V]

Dave, I find it quite odd that the cars have tracking problems.  I've got a few from the original run, they were the kit form, and I don't have a stitch of trouble with them.

I wonder if they redesigned the way the coupler swings under the sill...

Lee

Don't know, Lee...  There are stirrup steps that obstruct the swivel of the coupler shank beyond about a 14-15" radius or so.  I was surprised at how little play there was.

[sirenwerks]

Ahh Lee, never place a shiftable load next to the locomotive. That'll be two demerits. 

70-tonners had a manual transmission?

[SkipGear]

I made some more headway on the expansion project... only none of it was in the layout room.  I managed to get the garage cleaned up (somewhat) to have access to the work table.  I also dug out the L-girder frame I'll be using under the yard... it needs a LOT of work.  But I've got a ton of material in the garage, so getting it fit for service shouldn't be a big deal.

I also successfully resuscitated an Athearn Challenger that's been in my care for a month or two.  The original MRC sound board crapped out, so the guy sent it to a DCC dealer to upgrade to a Tsunami, but the thing never worked right, so he sent it to me.  After working through a couple of kinks, here it is in all it's glory...

Lee

Lee,
 Is the chuff timing on the Challenger slow? I only heard 3-4 chuffs in the video. Is it a factor of the video or are you still fine tuning the programing? It should have 8 chuffs per revolution of the drivers.

[womblenz]

Over the past few weeks we've been taking advantage of the great exchange rate

So far
2 traincat kits 1 caboose and 1 hopper
some tie stock from Kappler lumber
A brunch of stuff from RSlaser kits. Bridge kit, new store,wreck train set from tichy
 
Finally got round to down loading the camera

First up some progress on yard mod




Started another Module for a trestle



this will be my first attempt at scenery

Also made some progress on sawmill complex I started the planing shed




Cheers Warren


   

[central.vermont]

Nice work Warren, but that yard doesn't look big enough to hold 70 ore cars!! ;D ;D

Jon

[eric220]

Eric, your site says that GE and Baldwin merged.  Would that not have led to more BLW influence in GE products?

Quite probably, and I think that would be all to the good.  I'm a little put off by the darth-vader-look of their current stuff.  Unfortunately, I'm stuck with available models of real locomotives, unless I want to get far deeper into bashing than I'm currently comfortable doing.  In my history, the PRR and GE jointly purchased Baldwin, so I'll just say that the PRR got the intellectual property, and GE just got the physical plant.  </copout>

I always liked Baldwin's styling, so that's why I decided that the PRR would standardize on them; it lets me run what I like in the '50's era.  The GE/Baldwin merger was a means for me to advance the storyline to what the PRR would be running today.  It didn't seem to make much sense to me that they would suddenly go over to EMD after partnering with Baldwin, and Baldwin's collapse came at almost the same time as GE's rise.  It just seemed to make sense.

[Philip H]

Zero modeling this weekend, but I put in enough time with friends and at brucnh to earn some points toward a certain Pennsylvania open house in two weeks. 

[asciibaron]

So Dave, are you now a fully out-of-the-closet Conrail Queen too? ;D

the question is, how many SD40-2's do you have - that's the mark of a true Conrail Queen.

good stuff Dave

[wm3798]

Yeah.  The chuff was off a little.  My job was to get the train to move and for sound to come out.  Why shouldn't Geoff have some of the fun of synchronizing everything?

For some reason, adding momentum and changing the speed table caused that to happen.  I did not install a mechanical synchronizer, which would be one option.  The other would be to reset the momentum and speed tables to the factory setting.  It worked fine like that, except the engine took off like a rocket at 001, and had the top speed of a nuclear accelerator.  I'm still learning my way around the world of sound decoders.

Lee

[SkipGear]

Lee,
 I'm no help with a Tsunami yet. I have figured out the LokSound but it still takes an hour or two to get the chuff rate where I want it. I have a Tsunami to install for myself eventually. I can't decide if I want to put it in my 2-10-2 or a GS-4. My only complaint with the LokSound units is the abrupt shift from yard speed chuff sounds to main line chuff sounds. There isn't really a transition, it just happens about speed step 10 or so.

[seusscaboose]

I finally got some modeling done this week!  Other things have been taking up my time recently...

Anyway, I give you the PRR G32DM (GE AC3200BW-DM).  These were part of the PRR's massive power upgrade of the mid 1980's.  With large stretches of electrified territory in three different parts of the country, the PRR wanted a medium-power locomotive capable of moving between catenary and conventional diesel power.  Using the GE Dash-832BW as a starting point, the locomotive was upgraded with AC traction motors, a pantograph, and transformers, creating the AC3200BW-DM!

You are a lot closer than you ever thought...  Actually three 4 axle trucks. Electrically a beefed up 10K HP SD-40 (more or less).  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMD_GM10B The British Columbia purchased a number of GF6C for use on their Tumbler Ridge line.  Since dismantled. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:BC_Rail_electric_locomotive_dismantling.jpg
 
from a historical point of view... and for all you CONRAIL QUEENS ...  you might be interested in this...

"Where do you think the concept for the push-pull modification to the MARC AEM-7's came from?  The ASEA engineers were reminded in 1985 that in 1976 they built a pair of prototype electric freight engines that could MU with diesels.  Never very successful because in 1976, CR lost "ownership" of the corridor and thus the electrical infrastructure.  Instead of charging AMTRAK for part of the upkeep of the wire, Amtrak was now charging them!  The didn't have that many electric freight locomotives left - some GG-1s and some E33s and E44s.  There was an upgraded E44 at GE in Erie that never left the plant, after testing. Anyway, CR thought it more economical to park the electrics and tell Amtrak "Thank you, don't need the wire." Have a nice electrified railroad...."

always fun to talk trains...

EP

[AlkemScaleModels]

I need to recalibrate my eyeballs. I am so used to working in N Scale that this weekend when I was building a bridge for my O scale layout, I thought I was building a lattice for the garden shed. Here is a shot on the workbench.

The whole story in sordid detail is on my blog at http://usmrr.blogspot.com/.

[conrail98]

Interesting notes on the GF6C. Here's a 1:25 drawing of the related GM6C, http://paintshop.railfan.net/images/moldover/gm6c.html. According to that wikipedia article, the GF was similar, except with a wide nose cab and carbody.

Phil

[Mark5]

Finally got Milwaukee 44 tonner #992 through the paint shop and ready for service.
It has Z scale MTs, a Detail Associates bell mounted on the hood, BLMA trainline hoses and modified BLMA cab shades.
Under the hood there's a TCS Z2 hardwired decoder and SM LEDs.

Very nice paint job!

This weekend I fixed some of things that the roofing "professionals" screwed up on my 1:1 roof.

Mark

[womblenz]

I know Jon  lol
but the plan is for it to hold about 200 when full.

Here's the yard plan


it is 8ft x 2ft


cheers Warren

your ore car addict   ;D ;D