Weekend Update 3/11/12

[Ntrainz1]

painted and decaled SW shell


Bob.

[seusscaboose]

Lee,
nice station, can't wait to see it.

John,
PM me for a work session this week in the evening, we can get some sorting done on the cards.

For me, trackwork... phase I.  Westbound expansion past Wobegon and Eastbound into Virginia City and Sunnyside.

EP

[keystonecrossings]

Although I switched to HO over two years ago, I continue to visit this forum for SPF every week. Fantastic modeling all around!

Lee, that station is looking fantastic!

[rogergperkins]

Lee, congratulations on the model station!    I stand or sit in awe!!
What motivated you to create such a detailed n-scale model?  Hope there is a magazine story there for us to look forward to.

[John]

we can get some sorting done on the cards.

I finally got tired of playing with Dave Hussmans' Car Cards program since it hasn't been updated in a few years, and wasn't too thrilled with the operations program in JMRI .. while it's good, it requires too much work to keep track of the trains as they move over the layout .. so I purchased the MiTrains inventory and car cards package from http://www.shenware.com/ .. it's a pretty good program ... it comes with prototype industry database to send / receive stuff from staging .. and the printing of the cards and waybills is pretty easy ...

[keystonecrossings]

I finally got tired of playing with Dave Hussmans' Car Cards program since it hasn't been updated in a few years, and wasn't too thrilled with the operations program in JMRI .. while it's good, it requires too much work to keep track of the trains as they move over the layout .. so I purchased the MiTrains inventory and car cards package from http://www.shenware.com/ .. it's a pretty good program ... it comes with prototype industry database to send / receive stuff from staging .. and the printing of the cards and waybills is pretty easy ...

I've had Shenware for years. Excellent products.

[jnevis]

Moved ved most of the rolling stock and power upstairs.  May be ale to start designing a shelf layout soon  .

[rogergperkins]

Bachmann Doodlebug with DCC address changed to 6031 = engine number.
Sitting in DCC mode after rewiring the layout power input to accomodate Digitrax Zephyr Xtra.
The inner and outer loops of the mainline can be operated DCC.
Power can also come from one of powerpack for DC mode operation of the inner loop of the layout.
 
I said rewire because I had the inner and outer loops wired to operate in DC mode as well as DCC, but the outer loop started malfunctioning in DC mode, so I disconnected that powerpack from the track.  Still using it to operate the Kato turnout controllers on the outer loop.   Actually I enjoy the complexity and economy of running the turnout controls with the powerpacks.

[NS-CRE]

I finally got tired of playing with Dave Hussmans' Car Cards program since it hasn't been updated in a few years, and wasn't too thrilled with the operations program in JMRI .. while it's good, it requires too much work to keep track of the trains as they move over the layout .. so I purchased the MiTrains inventory and car cards package from http://www.shenware.com/ .. it's a pretty good program ... it comes with prototype industry database to send / receive stuff from staging .. and the printing of the cards and waybills is pretty easy ...

I've been using Shenandoah Software's system since 1996.  At different times I've toyed with going to a different system, including recently starting on the JMRI operations package.  However, I'm still pretty convinced that the Shenandoah Software system is among the best out there.  I continue to use it 16 years later. 

[rswinnerton]

Got a little more done on the layout. Finished the coal loop roadbed and got a couple lengths of track down. Also picked up an X58 and some other rolling stock. Next weekend I'll be in Ohio at the Kirtland NMRA show but I hope to have a working loop by the end of the month.

[James Costello]

Nearly finished an article on 85' flat cars for the Model:160 site, with a focus on the F85B. Hope to finalise it this week.

Here's something to wet your appetite - TTX473416 being loaded with CBQ trailers in the early 60s:
http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=ttx473416_2&o=ttx
http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=ttx473416_3&o=ttx

Also, some 1979 intermodal shots that caught my attention:
TTX477449, a F85B with a PC 40' Fruehauf Z Van   
http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=ttx477449&o=ttx
XTTX154120 and XTTX153651, a later F89F with ICG piggies and a caboose:
http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=xttx154120&o=ttx
http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=xttx153651&o=ttx

[BobS]

Notice in that first photo the spotters are driving with the fifth wheel facing forward.
Could modify a CMW IH R190 into one.

[sizemore]

I'm in the process of wrapping up my test run of upgrading the Bachmann NE caboose. It's pretty simple:

Renumber, add FVM wheels, add MT smoke jack, add MU hose, add Gary Hinshaws coupler pocket with FT coupler and lightly weather.

Originally I had a 905 mounted but after checking the height and revisiting material posted here as well as my personal library it was apparent to experiment. Big thanks to Gary!






The S.

[Dave Schneider]

This might be the lamest contribution ever to the weekend update, but I wanted to show off my new benchwork. 

Actually, this is a big deal for me as I finally have a dedicated place (portable outbuilding) to start constructing a permanant railroad. I am in the process of evaluating rail height and I will probably go for something like 50-52 inches. Benchwork will be modular, but I will lay the rail across the joints. That will make it easier to move in the future if needed.



Now where did I put those Christmas lights?   

Best wishes, Dave

[wm3798]

The second shelf bracket is unnecessarily redundant.  You should just think about support, not actually build it.  That's what they EXPECT you to do...