Weekend Update 2/24/13

[Packer]

Nothing really noteworthy of pictures, so far. Putting DCC harnesses in a few locos I sold, trying to fix or replace a motor (if atlas had motors without flywheels available, I'd be good) in a P1K F3, trying to get the flywheels of of an Athearn SD40-2 motor, fixing an axle rub in some frieght cars, experimenting with swapping the sideframes on my BLI C30-7s for Atlas ones from a U30C (looks like the atlas ones can be glued to, so I can make some mounts from .06 x .15 styerene strip; provided BLI doesn't have the correct types in stock).

However I'm about to start an endevour that may be worth of pics. I got some step risers cut (Thanks a bunch Dave) for my P2K GPs from prototype plans for BN/GN GPs with the extra step in the well. I'm working on bending some Cannon steps and going to mount them to it and try them out. The plans might be scalable to N-scale if anyone can come up with etched GP steps.

Dave, I love those warehouses. About how tall are they? They seem to dominate the trains like real buildings.

[Ian MacMillan]

Spent most of my time working on the interior of my Lincoln Warehouse, on the beginning or the end of the Beer Line (depending on your perspective). The warehouse is modeled as a flat against the backdrop, and the interior loading dock was built on a removable shelf to maintain access to my circuit breaker panel.

Here is the view of the warehouse flat without the loading tracks.



The interior loading tracks. This is a simple box built out of masonite, covered with brick sheet, and mounted on 3/4 inch plywood. Only one side of the box is shown below.



The finished track installed in the track opening. I will add some lighting to help see inside the loading bay.



Best wishes, Dave

Much like! Very nice Dave.

[Dave Schneider]

Vincent,

Sound like you got the package with the step risers. Now we need to see those in action! I am curious whether the top step bracket will be usable, as it is such a small piece. As for the warehouse, it was constructed from plans retrieved from the city engineers office by a Beer Line friend, Richard Robinson. It is true to scale, in height (72 ft), but I had to get rid of one vertical brick curtain section (to the left of where the RR tracks enter). There are still some details I need to add.

Ian, glad you like the warehouse. I am really impressed with your new "unnamed building" in your layout report. It looks great built into the hill like that.

Best wishes, Dave

[Hornwrecker]

Nice warehouse, Dave.  Really captures it from what I've seen of the photos of the real thing.

The only thing slightly photo worthy I've done all week is ballasting the tracks around the Scheissewasser Brewery complex.





Now to figure out how to make these building look more like a brewery.

Mostly I've been tinkering with DCC settings and tuning trackwork, plus soldering in a few more feeders into the yard for smoother ops.

[chicken45]

Hornwrecker,
John and I were in you zip code yesterday! We almost decided to crash your Saturday afternoon!

[Hornwrecker]

Hornwrecker,
John and I were in you zip code yesterday! We almost decided to crash your Saturday afternoon!

You should have.  I was just here by myself, goofing around with my new NCE DCC.  Even had an overabundance of beer, since my usual workcrew didn't show.  That NW2 is an amazing engine: not much pulling power, but will creep along with the best of them, although a tad more gear noise than expected.

[kc9jts]

No pictures here but I spent a good part of Saturday afternoon dropping electrical feeders, adding ground throw switch stands to switches, and replacing a bunch of wheels on Micro-Trains cars.

NBT

[chicken45]

You should have.  I was just here by myself, goofing around with my new NCE DCC.  Even had an overabundance of beer, since my usual workcrew didn't show.  That NW2 is an amazing engine: not much pulling power, but will creep along with the best of them, although a tad more gear noise than expected.

That NW2 sure is amazing! The Bachmann 44 Tonner ain't too shabby either.
I'm gonna shoot you a PM.

[RWCJr]

This update is for all that have scratchbuilt any structure with truss framing. Have scratchbuilt a half dozen roundhouses, plenty of finicky trimming and fitting, but for me the part of the project that requires the most effort is joining that first pair of trusses. If they are off the rest of the structure doesn't have a chance. After that first pair, one has a fairly stable platform to add the rest. Fairly sure this will be the last RH for me, at 64, the stiffness in the neck really limits time spent in a workbench setting.

[davefoxx]

This weekend, I finished decaling my Seaboard Coast Line 10-6 sleeper, "Richmond," which started life as a Pennsy sleeper in SCL colors (stainless with a black roof).  I had to make new letterboards after I stripped the PRR lettering, because the Walthers boards were too small.  I used 0.005 styrene for that.  Some Testor's Silver Metallic in a spray bomb on the new letterboards actually matched the car's factory paint well.

I also laid down a first coat of tinted joint compound for the road that runs lengthwise along my HCD layout.  I added some black paint to the joint compound to create a medium gray "asphalt" road.  This way, if the road ever chips, there won't be bright white joint compound exposed.  On one rail crossing, I used my NMRA gauge as a screed after paving right over the track.  On another crossing, I used a Blair Line laser-cut wood crossing that I had left over from a previous layout.  I made the crossings different, because one track is the Seaboard System, and the other is the Aberdeen & Rockfish.  I thought it would be cool to try to detail these roads' tracks differently to highlight the different owners.

DFF

[Kisatchie]

Hmm... Kiz spent the
weekend making arrangements
to sell a kidney so he can buy
95 more ore cars from MB Klein...

[Mark W]

Tonight I spent a few hours switching... with a 4-4-0 locomotive... on DCC.  GREAT time to be in N scale!

[superturbine]

This update is for all that have scratchbuilt any structure with truss framing. Have scratchbuilt a half dozen roundhouses, plenty of finicky trimming and fitting, but for me the part of the project that requires the most effort is joining that first pair of trusses. If they are off the rest of the structure doesn't have a chance. After that first pair, one has a fairly stable platform to add the rest. Fairly sure this will be the last RH for me, at 64, the stiffness in the neck really limits time spent in a workbench setting.

Wow Robert those trusses look awesome and it's obvious they are a lot of work.  Definately making a good home for 3771 and 3772!!

[Packer]

Vincent,

Sound like you got the package with the step risers. Now we need to see those in action! I am curious whether the top step bracket will be usable, as it is such a small piece. As for the warehouse, it was constructed from plans retrieved from the city engineers office by a Beer Line friend, Richard Robinson. It is true to scale, in height (72 ft), but I had to get rid of one vertical brick curtain section (to the left of where the RR tracks enter). There are still some details I need to add.

The top bracket is really just for alignment. I have to line it up with the edge of the deck to get the correct placement.

They work as far as getting a step in, as long as I can bend them straight (still working on that). The trouble I'm having is that I can get 1 step attached to 1 riser, but them it gets tricky to attach the second riser to the steps. I'm thinking it'd be easier if I attached the risers to the shell, then added the steps. I just need to cut and glue together a couple of pieces of .02 sytrene together (to come up with .04) for a filler piece. Reason being the inboard factory risers ended at the back of the factory steps. And due to the deepness of the cannon steps, the frame on a few may have to be modified to fit them...

[Jim Starbuck]

Made a little more progress on the Milwaukee Erie built project this week.

 

Jim