Weekend Update 6/9/13

[jereising]

The Bealville ranch scene is close to complete.  I have a couple more things to add, but this is basically it:



A bit closer:



Different angle:



And again, closer:

[BCRail_FSJ]

Started work on the first of 3 humped back bridge spans for the Fort Nelson River crossing.   I am using 2 Central Valley 150' pratt truss bridges per span and boosting the heights of the frames in the middle of the bridge to create the hump profile.

Got to this stage this week.   Fairly slow going due to lots of precise cutting and splicing of the bridge verticals.   







End result will be selectively compressed spans that (hopefully) will capture the look and feel of this.....

[Mark W]

Some new life turned up in Marsland!

[railnerd]

My friend John has started a new N-Scale layout based on the former SP running through the San Francisco Bay Area.

One evening, I was brainstorming with him on the layout plan, and pointed out he could actually add some visual interest to some of his lower level track, which had been previously designated as hidden track.  There was even plenty of space to add a few industries.

John and I discussed modeling the beet loader siding at CP Corporal just south of Gilroy, CA.  This made some sense, because John's staging represents Watsonville, San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles, and other points South.

John is a stickler for track details asked if I was willing to build him a single-point "derail" for the siding. Having nothing better to do in a lazy afternoon, I got out some code 55 rail, a FastTracks point form jig, some tools, and my trusty soldering iron.

Here is a picture of the prototype location:




After a bit of munging, here was my first take at the derail.  I realized I ended up making the darn thing a bit too long, but I think is turning into a a fun little project:



The next steps will be to shorten that diverging rail and add a bit more details to the track. John's thinking of actually making this a functional feature that must be operated by crews.

IMHO, a static version might prove sufficient as many model railroad operators usually don't need help putting freight cars on the ground while working. 

-Dave

[seusscaboose]

did 11 new car cards, futz'd around with a decoder (no success), and added some color to the Mail Train.

EP

[craigolio1]

That's going to look spectacular!

Craig

Started work on the first of 3 humped back bridge spans for the Fort Nelson River crossing.   I am using 2 Central Valley 150' pratt truss bridges per span and boosting the heights of the frames in the middle of the bridge to create the hump profile.

Got to this stage this week.   Fairly slow going due to lots of precise cutting and splicing of the bridge verticals.   







End result will be selectively compressed spans that (hopefully) will capture the look and feel of this.....

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Not modeling, but spent the day at the RR Museum of PA babysitting the CRHS's 21165 on its last day out in public before it's new paint job.



More pics: https://picasaweb.google.com/103328750375507168249/CRHS21165AtConrailDays2013#

I think people enjoyed this aspect of the car the most:



On the way home, I swung by York PA to do some scouting for the future basement layout, and caught up with the ESPN GP10 that now serves the East York industrial.

[Catt]

On the way home, I swung by York PA to do some scouting for the future basement layout, and caught up with the ESPN GP10 that now serves the East York industrial.

Ed, by any chance is that a ex Conrail loco?

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Ed, by any chance is that a ex Conrail loco?

It looked like it, but after some poking around online, I'm not so sure. I think Daniel Leavitt did a model of it, so he might know better.

[nkalanaga]

PowerStroke:  Concrete paving, shrunk to N scale, doesn't show a lot of textural detail, unless it's in such bad shape one wouldn't want to drive on it.  Even the expansion joints and cracks are barely more than knife scratches.  As for the color, my suggestion would be thin coats of craft paints, applied unevenly, to simulate the color of the gravel in the concrete showing through and the oil, tire rubber, and dirt on the surface.  Once it's been driven on for a while, concrete's color depends as much on the aggregate used as on the cement itself.

[C855B]

ESPN 1701 lineage, apparently:

  Quaboag Transfer 1701
  PW 1701
  PW 7189
  CR 7189
  PC 7189
  PRR 7189

[daniel_leavitt2000]

On the way home, I swung by York PA to do some scouting for the future basement layout, and caught up with the ESPN GP10 that now serves the East York industrial.

Hello old friend...

[flight2000]

The truck finally left with our entire household aboard as it heads to our eighth duty assignment in just 17 years.

Pffft, you're still a rookie...    Next summers PCS from Germany will be lucky number 13 in 19 years for us.

I did manage to finish some more projects this weekend.

Kato GP38-2:


Kato SD40-2:


...and for good measure, one in that other scale (almost finished, but still some minor details I need to add)... 

Kato SD40:


Brian

[seusscaboose]

that would be the PRR Broadway Limited Tower View in the background...  a shame really, they still haven't put it under a roof to protect it from the elements, and it continues to sit outside and have a leaky roof...  withering away to dust.

ugh. 

EP

[chicken45]

1701? Is it on a 5 year mission?