Weekend Update 10/2/11

[up1950s]

 
UP 7869 progress
 

 

[Puddington]

It was a very productive week for the Puddington Valley backshops; we went from the "penthouse" to the "outhouse" with additions....

The "penthouse"....





"Glengarry" is a ten compartment Canadian Pacific Sleepers. It was built using a Riverrosi coach. On the compartment side I removed the window stantions and filed them flat. The prototype had slightly smaller re-fit windows and as such the last window on the far right side for the washroom was a larger two pane version but I'll live with that slight deviation. On the passage side I filled one side of the double windows to create the smaller passage side windows. The frame was modified with correct batery boxes and the like and the a/c vents were added to the compartment side roof.

The "Glen" series of ten compartment sleepers were a "must" for my CPR Dominion consist and now I have but to make an "R" series HW 8-1-2 with the re-fit windows and I will have completed a 15 car consist for that historic train...

The "outhouse".....




The mtce super of the Division was complaining he needed a new tool car... he really should have been specific about what constitutes "new"...

This is a Geoff Gooderham resin model kit of a CPR 36' Dominion boxcar. I built the kit and used dry brush hand paint techniques to try and achive a weathered look to the wooden sides. The car is a neat addition to the local MOW fleet; even if the local super is a wee bit miffed with me (LOL)

Finally; while waiting for paint and putty to dry I built an old IM kit I found in a box....



The CNW cement hopper was a nice diversion while working on these two other projects....

All in all, a good train week...........

[BCR 570]

My first six axle unit has entered service - MLW C-630M BCR 701:








I would like to acknowledge the assistance of my friends Jeff Briggs who applied the paint and weathering, and Dave Mackinnon who installed the decoder and lighting.


Tim

[lock4244]

Looks sharp Tim 

How does she run? How are the Briggs trucks? I've heard a few folks have had some trouble with them (binding).

[BCR 570]

How does she run? How are the Briggs trucks? I've heard a few folks have had some trouble with them (binding).

Thank you.  The engine is running well.  I ran in the mechanism prior to the DCC work.  The trucks were designed for a tight initial fit as the resin will wear in with running; if they were engineered to fit right away they would end up too loose.  For a mechanism with aftermarket trucks, the slow speed operation is very good now, and seems to be improving with further running in.

Tim

[lock4244]

Thanks Tim, and good to hear they wear in nice. I've a box of those Briggs trucks and another of those shells that cost quite a bit!

[Puddington]

Thanks Tim, and good to hear they wear in nice. I've a box of those Briggs trucks and another of those shells that cost quite a bit!

Me too.........

[BCRail_FSJ]

Speaking of 6 axle units..   You should see what CN is running over Tim's bridge these days.   4 axle restriction on the Dawson Creek sub is apparently a thing of the past.  Caught these monsters at the Pine Creek bridge on Sept 21st.

[BCR 570]

Speaking of 6 axle units..   You should see what CN is running over Tim's bridge these days.   4 axle restriction on the Dawson Creek sub is apparently a thing of the past.  Caught these monsters at the Pine Creek bridge on Sept 21st.

That just doesn't seem right - can you imagine those crossing the wood Howe truss span over the Kiskatinaw River?  Thanks for posting - at 34 cars the branch seems to be doing well in 2011.

Tim

[rogergperkins]

[eric220]

After a few quality hours with my soldering iron, I finished the wiring on the lower staging yard. Here's a video of the inaugural run.

I did have some problems with longer equipment on track 6, where the switch machines from track 5 back up. The other tracks all worked fine, so track 6 will just have to be restricted to shorter equipment.

[ArtinCA]

After a week of not much, I did get my mainline track finished. Now to just wire it up. 

[BCRail_FSJ]

Helix construction is progressing much faster than I planned.  My strategy of building the whole thing in place and sliding all the parts in from the front seems to be working. Towers 1A, 2B, 3A and 4A will not be permanently glued until the very end.  Using Peco 14 inch set track curves for all but the final loop (3 soldered Pieces of Atlas code 80 flex) was an expensive option, but has made the whole thing easier.



Plan was to have this done by Halloween.  With just the final flex track loop to go I am on track for completion by Canadian Thanksgiving.  Next Obstacle..exiting the helix and crossing the Alaska Highway.

Helix is an Ashlin Design kit at 14 inch radius.  I am only climbing for 4.5 turns for a height gain of the 10 inches I need.  It passes the test for my power and train lengths (3 units and 15 to 18 cars).   Drag levels from the grade and tight curves are very high so use a broader radius kit if you have the space, will be using steam locomotives, or are modelling a main line with longer trains.

[lock4244]

Speaking of 6 axle units..   You should see what CN is running over Tim's bridge these days.   4 axle restriction on the Dawson Creek sub is apparently a thing of the past.  Caught these monsters at the Pine Creek bridge on Sept 21st.

It's CN... if the bridge collapses, they were wrong and will reinstate the 4 axle only restriction 

[chuck geiger]

Working on El Centro on SD&AE HCD.