Weekend Update 8/8/2010

[NorfolkSouthern9708]

Ordered four Shinohara Code 70 turnouts for $12 over the price of one. Used. Still a good price though.

[up1950s]

Life-Like PA1 with Microscale decals... This is a 4-image Helicon composite plus a proto background and headlight.

Holy cow Rich , that looks so real .

[eric220]

Been busy with the airbrush, but obviously not on these guys. My wife bought me a few DPM kits for my birthday, and I finally got around to building two of them. I haven't decided exactly how I'm going to paint them yet, but that's next.





I should have something interesting for next week.

[71jeep]

Just finished putting these two models together from my etchings. The first is a PRR ND cabin second is a PRR GLca now I need to get the off to the paint and decal department.

And Rich that photo of the LV PA is absolutely beautiful outstanding 

[MichaelT]

I painted some of the white plaster on the door layout...and figured out where all the loose wiring finally went. Last night and some this afternoon I've been watching my Mopac GP15 pull five 40' loaded coal hoppers around the layout. Nothing too exciting, but I've enjoyed watching a train run!

[asciibaron]

worked some more on the benchwork - nice weather meant family fun over model railroads.  i'll post some pictures of what i have later this week.

[tom mann]

I finished a fieldstone path from my house to the shed area.  Of course, I saw Craig Martyn snooping around my backyard so he'll probably announce his path before I can post photos of my own.

[GaryHinshaw]

Since you mention Craig...  Ever since he came out with those primo 100T trucks, I've been struggling to come up with a body-mount coupler solution that was worth the trouble.  Here is a snap of the work-in-progress:



;D  [My "workbench" is the end of our dining room table.  My wife is a saint to put up with this mess!]

The latest experiment is to cannibalize the Full Throttle couplers from the Z scale Bowser Buckler trucks.  The results are very promising!  Photos later when the dust settles.

Plenty of gorgeous work on display tonight.

-gfh

[seusscaboose]

laid some track (C55 in the yard), replaced some wheelsets (Atlas to FVM), ran some trains (N Scale and O Scale).

[jsoflo]

Since you mention Craig...  Ever since he came out with those primo 100T trucks, I've been struggling to come up with a body-mount coupler solution that was worth the trouble.  Here is a snap of the work-in-progress:



;D  [My "workbench" is the end of our dining room table.  My wife is a saint to put up with this mess!]

The latest experiment is to cannibalize the Full Throttle couplers from the Z scale Bowser Buckler trucks.  The results are very promising!  Photos later when the dust settles.

Plenty of gorgeous work on display tonight.

-gfh

Gary,
I eagerly await your results, I have a trio of MT Ortner hoppers I just put BLMA trucks on and I am stymied by what coupler might fit in that little space. I was thinking of going to a Z scale coupler for the first time but it sounds as though a standard Z coupler may not fit either? Maybe these just aren't gonna work on the Ortners....
my best,
Jan

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Did a bunch of railfanning yesterday (thanks to a visit by GonzoCRFan and CSX's uncorking of their own self-inflicted bottleneck).

We started up on the east side having lunch at Chapps (http://www.chapspitbeef.com/), then swung by CSX's Bayview yard (just seeing a C40-8 switching, but not anywhere worth shooting). Then we headed west. Cruised through the city and went to Bush St. (it was logical, considering the way that the traffic was working out.

Here are our few from there:

Then we heard a Q398 which "disappeared" into a black hole, but we went over to Race St & Fort Ave, hoping to catch something along this awesome stretch of railroad: http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=qjbspc8mfrks&scene=47339034&lvl=1&sty=b&where1=Race%20St%20%26%20W%20Fort%20Ave%2C%20Baltimore%2C%20MD%2021230

I've always wanted to see something there, and thought it was going to happen. But no luck, because the DAMN TRAIN DISAPPEARED!

Anyway, so as we were waiting we finally heard that Q216 was coming east and went to catch him at Bailey Wye.

While we were waiting for him, we heard that there was a crossing gate malfunction at Bayard St (between Bush St and Bailey's Wye). CSX can't seem to catch a break. Oh wait, no, it's because they place dividends above drainage, so get what's coming to them. At least it's amusing to watch...

At this point it was pretty hot out, so we headed to the shelter of the Russell St. overpass. While over scouting out Bayard St. (on the way, kinda), we heard someone coming out of Riverside Yard on the Locust Point Sub (and through the trackage I wanted to see a train on). Of course we missed him there. We got to the overpass just in time (we thought) to watch him come out. But in grand CSX fashion, he took his damn time, and we caught an eastbound coal train headed for Consol Coal (over on the east side) with a pair of SD40-2 helpers.

Eventually the Riverside train got rolling west (slowly). He got through Bailey's Wye and then just stopped here in front of us. He waited for about 30 minutes (much to the chagrin of the Ravens fans walking to the parking lot from the public practice day) and when he finally got rolling a bunch of alarm bells were going off in the trailing C40-8W (like I said, dividends before drainage, and I guess maintenance). When he finally DID get rolling again, it was just enough to move up and block yet ANOTHER crossing. Sheesh.

While he was sitting there with his thumb, well, somewhere, Q740 (the Juice Train) rolled through heading east for NYC.

That was the last thing I videoed. After that we headed south down Washington Boulevard, but all the spots seemed pretty empty, and we decided it was time for the east side again. We drove around Dundalk (checking out the marine terminal), and Sparrows Point (while Gonzo spun his head around trying to shoot the congons on BOTH sides of this public road).

http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=qj41hv8mskvr&scene=7171899&lvl=1&sty=b&where1=Sparrows%20Point%2C%20MD

We also got to see some of the slab hauling trucks at work. REALLY cool stuff. And yeah, it seems like it's all public (we didn't see a single no trespassing sign, and there were gatehouses on BOTH sides of the road (to what was the private property). Pretty damn cool.

And finally, we ended up at Magerks (http://www.magerks.com/) where Gonzo collected his free cheeesesteak (+1 more), AND found that I'm actually only about 10 minutes away from a Wawa.

Today I went back to Dave Vaughn's awesome O Scale NKP layout. Pics and videos soon.

[lock4244]

I managed to finish the ground cover and ballasting at Cascade - the foot of Eastbound pushers ops - and messed around with single-handed pusher operations (see Youtube link if you are interested).

Mark, you have such a remarkable layout, always appreciate when you share it with us. Ironically, I decided to read 'The Crow and the Kettle' this weekend for the umteenth time.

[wm3798]

Not a shred of progress for me, on the layout at least.  I did manage to point up the mortar in the basement wall, and replace the sump pump.  Hopefully no more late night treks to the dungeon during a down pour.

Ed, you mean to tell me that you went down Washington Blvd with Sean, and you failed to stop at Polock Johnny's?  Clearly you have become a little light in the loafers.  At least you hit Chapps.

Rich, you need to build a layout that runs.  The photos are nice, but I miss the layout shots.

Lee

[ArtinCA]

Lots of great pics! I spent the week working all nighters and cleaning up a spot to set my LAJ Vernon section on so I can work on the roads and buildings a bit better. Hopefully, a few progress pics shortly. ;D

[asciibaron]

Ed - we were around the corner when 216 came thru.  you can see my car next to the bunker when the Consol train comes thru and when the Riverside train came out and stopped, we left. that's pretty funny that you were up next to Paradox.