Weekend Update 1/20/13

[PAL_Houston]

Admittedly not much of an improvement, but this temporary track will at least let me continue to run trains until all the track I have ordered arrives and is installed.  This temporary loop on the Flag Center module has 15-inch expanding to 18.75-inch radii curves, compared to the 11-inch on the earlier temporary return loop.



Getting over, getting by.  (This is how I "Deal with it!!")

[Lemosteam]

Added full extension drawer slides to my LIRR IS UHB  (Used Head Board ) layout so I can work on the back side.  Hopefully will add the right hand extension and put down some foam tomorrow.  Layout thread: https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=28266.0



First layout in over 20 years!

[M.C. Fujiwara]

After a show I have little desire to work on the modules more, so I've decided to finally get around to building the 6-7 kits of turn-of-the-century and pre-1900 cars I've had stashed in my drawers (that's cabinets, lads).
In typical O. Henry fashion, I've already thrown away my turn-of-the-century Mt. Coffin & Columbia River layout ["D'oh!"].
No problem, my boxcab or Climax can tootle around with them on the Free-moN layout next to the big diesels.

Almost done with the first two: a Mark Watson / CG N Scale Ventilated Boxcar and a Fine-N-Scale 36' boxcar lettered for the now-departed Mt. Coffin Cannery Co.



The boxcar was the first time I made (& applied  ) my own decals, make on an inkjet.
The first couple were not so pretty, as I dunked 'em before sliding them off so the ink ran.
But dabbing the back of the paper (a trick I learned here, though I'm sorry I can't remember from whom) it worked out.
Just wondering how to get rid of the decal "border" which I thought weathering would blend in (oops).
More micro sol?
Dulcote?
That clear "frame" around the decals kind bugs.



The ventilated boxcar is a very cool kit from Mark W (I think here's around here sometimes)
http://www.shapeways.com/model/395098/n-scale-ventilated-boxcar-2-pack.html?gid=sg88137
Lots o' good details abound:



I scratched a wood load around some lead weights as the car is verrrrry light.

On both cars are trucks from Panamint (Eric Cox).
Ventilated box has the "Allen" / California archbars (http://www.shapeways.com/model/368320/t82b-n-archbar-truck-allen-california-v-amp-t-for-ba.html?li=productBox-search)
And the Mt. Coffin Cannery Co. has the wooden beam trucks.
Both work well (though fragile!) and maybe metal wheels will help.

Got a couple more ventilated boxcars, a flat with two-stagecoach load, a flat with a steam donkey load, and a couple of RLW early boxcars in the pipeline.
Now if that Atlas 4-4-0 ever shows up... 

Groovy weekend, all.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

So why did you toss Mt Coffin? I missed that story.

[M.C. Fujiwara]

So why did you toss Mt Coffin? I missed that story.

'Twas a learning layout, a chainsaw.
And to make the track really work reliably would have taken more effort and time than I wanted to put into it.
(Plus I needed the space in my garage for another Free-moN module  )
But lessons were learned, structures were saved, trees replanted.
It's the Circle of Life.

The final days are documented here: https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=24413.75

But you can always re-live all the glory that was Mt. Coffin & Columbia River on YouTube:

But now, Rest In Pieces
(Mostly on various Free-moN modules  )

[Chris333]

The boxcar was the first time I made (& applied  ) my own decals, make on an inkjet.
The first couple were not so pretty, as I dunked 'em before sliding them off so the ink ran.
But dabbing the back of the paper (a trick I learned here, though I'm sorry I can't remember from whom) it worked out.
Just wondering how to get rid of the decal "border" which I thought weathering would blend in (oops).
More micro sol?
Dulcote?
That clear "frame" around the decals kind bugs.

I'm certainly no decal pro, but if you put a few coats of Dullcote on the decal sheet before you soak then, it should fix the ink. If you spray too heavy it might run though.

Love the olde cars!

[peteski]

I scratch-built some bumper cars and started a separate post about that.

[brokemoto]

Just wondering how to get rid of the decal "border" which I thought weathering would blend in (oops).
More micro sol?
Dulcote?
That clear "frame" around the decals kind bugs.

One thing that worked for me was to spray the piece with Glosscote or some other glossy finish after applying the base coat of paint.  If the piece were already painted but unlettered, I would simply apply the glossy finish.  Once the glossy finish dried, I apply the decal.  When it dries, apply the setting solution.  When the setting solution dries, punch out the airholes with a pin, then apply a small amount of setting solution.  After that dries, apply the Dullbomb or flat finish of your choice.  That gets rid of most, if not all, of the decal film.  If you are giong to weather, apply it before applying the flat finish.

[CodyO]

In a combo effort of my dad and I we went over the whole yard with fine ballast right over the medium ballast
then weathered all the tracks then sanded them then vacuumed the yard!
(I had to go way back to find a shot of the yard empty and freshly ballasted amazing how long ago it was )
BEFORE

AFTER


BEFORE

AFTER


BEFORE

AFTER

Couldn`t find before shots for these






This whole section of track was out of gauge so My dad ripped it out and installed a new piece I`m going to ballast over it tomorrow


put an erie badge on the 2-10-2 the decals where sealed with many layers of dullcote so I left the numbers on and just removed the C&O lettering



And my dad has finished the 2-8-0 DCC install

[John]

No modeling per se by me, but finished up the industry cards for the last section of layout (track was completed a couple of weeks ago). 

Ron .. whats the dice for?

[Flagler]

Hi Roger what are those kits names & mfg.Great job

[cv_acr]

I finally cleaned some of the junk off my switching layout and spiked down about 3 feet of track on the interchange track. Not much, but construction on the layout's been dormant since sometime before December...

[dnhouston]

Built the control panel for the upper level staging yard

[rogergperkins]

Sorry to  report that the foreground structure in the photo are scratch built using clapboard siding sheets.  It was built several years ago when etch brass doors and windows were available; a second model was built after I found the original 1880 estimate for the general store that I was attempting to model.
Here is a photo of the actual building:

I used guestimation* for measurements. I also back dated the store entrance to the time when
there was a double screen door entrance.
The house is one of the Atlas built up ones.
By guestimation, I mean I used a photo of the building and measured an item of known dimensions then
used it to determine the dimensions for the building.  In 1880, the original building was built for the husband of my first cousin 3 times removed, then my maternal grandfather purchased the business in 1934 and my mother inherited it from my grandfather and my father purchased my uncle's portion.  The model was built as well because it was my first home in 1939 in the upstairs apartment.

More recent photo of the model(s).

[kelticsylk]

How`d you blacken the running gear?
 I have another one to build and I`m hoping to add more of the piping and handrails to it this time
I don`t think you did bad all good work!

Thanks for the compliment. The photos always reveal the boo-boo's and I always get the feeling I can do better.

The running gear is painted. I've been using DGLE (Floquil Brunswick Green) for the boilers and cabs. Anything below the running boards is painted with Floquil Grimy Black.