Weekend Update 7/28/13

[CodyO]

Phil, that looks like Elkins.

As for me, bouncing around the basement, avoiding electrical work, bashing forward on scenery on the Beastie, as well as in Wobegon.  Here, i finished off cutting a foamboard template for the gatorfoam base  to be used.



you can see the express track (with the caboose) as well as the three station tracks (varying in length).
the PRR car is on one of 2 long sidings (12+ cars each) and the Main is squeezed between the PRR car and the express track.

EP

Have some more of that station to show off? looks good!!

[PGE-N°2]

Like I said before, that train is one impressive monster, with a lot of power required to move it. At least in N scale, you don't have to pay for the extra crews on helpers or all the fuel these engines would be burning, but it should sure make for some dramatic photos on a nicely scenicked layout.

     Finally finished decaling all 100 Southern Pacific G100 ore cars of the circa 1973 Kaiser ore drag. Next step weathering and detailing. Here's pictures of the complete train starting with the head end power, three GE U28C's.

     Fourty four cars back are the four SD35's of the swing set of helpers.

     And Finally after the 100th car comes 8100 horsepower of pushers in the form or two SD35's and another U28C, ahead of the crummie.

[Specter3]

Jnevis they are headed to Oshkosh. Hoping to compete for grand champ. Depends on what other aircraft show up.

[mmagliaro]

Between work and remodeling our master bath, haven't had much time to work on the layout.  Did however start installing some Blue Shale I received from SMike.  I'm looking for feedback on whether or not I have added enough or too much so far.  Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  This isn't a finished product, just work in progress.  As always, thanks for looking!

... <other photos omitted from this post>

...
David

David, this is wonderful.  Your third photo (the only one I reposted above), is my favorite.  That is as close to "real" as it gets.
The shale looks fantastic.   The whole darn scene looks fantastic.

[LIRR]

That is a gray photo. The lighting and shadows are great.

[Iain]

Specter3:  That's an NC flag I spy; where are you located?

[jnevis]

Jnevis they are headed to Oshkosh. Hoping to compete for grand champ. Depends on what other aircraft show up.

Good luck.  Competition is usually pretty fierce.  Haven't made it to Oshkosh, YET

[DKS]

I went back and looked at some of your older posts, and found the lower photo. I hope you don't mind me reposting it, but it is very inspirational to see how far you have come with this project. You have created a great scene in a very modest space and have really taken advantage of the possibilities in N scale.

What's even more interesting is to see the progression in your scenery. Consider this "before and after" contrast:





David, when this scene is complete, I'd say it's worthy of publishing--I'd even go so far as to say magazine-cover quality.



And when you reveal you use Unitrack, it will blow some modelers' minds!

[Dave Schneider]

Good point DKS about the scenery.  As I recall David G. had posted that photo asking for a critique, and prompting ripped it all out after receiving suggestions.  Something about wanting to do it right! Mission accomplished.

Best wishes, Dave

[DKS]

Good point DKS about the scenery.  As I recall David G. had posted that photo asking for a critique, and prompting ripped it all out after receiving suggestions.  Something about wanting to do it right! Mission accomplished.

That thread actually turned into a great little scenery tutorial (should be in the "best of", IMO): https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=25286.0

[Ed Kapuscinski]

That thread actually turned into a great little scenery tutorial (should be in the "best of", IMO): https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=25286.0

An excellent point. I just did it.

[hegstad1]

Andrew:
Beautiful work on this solarium car.  I would love to see more on how you built this car.

This is a car I am hoping Microtrain will add to its heavyweight series.  Although they already did an observation car, the use of open platform observation cars mostly faded away during the Depression years.  For the 1940s and into the 1950s, solarium-buffet-sleeper cars had largely replaced open platform cars on trains with heavyweight equipment.

Doug Nelson

To Doug and All,

Thank you for the kind comments.

This project is part of the slow accumulation of rolling stock for a 1952 Mainstreeter and NCL.

This car started out as MT 28-1 (if I remember correctly) with window sections cut and pasted from other cars.  The roof was also built using MT pieces from various car types.  To make a long story short,  I kit-bashed it and had my friend Joe use it as a master to make resin copies.  Greg Scott used this to make a large window version also. 

[dougnelson]

I kit-bashed it and had my friend Joe use it as a master to make resin copies.  Greg Scott used this to make a large window version also.

Hi Andrew:

Any extra castings available?

Thanks,
Doug.

[Skeebo]

Like I said before, that train is one impressive monster, with a lot of power required to move it. At least in N scale, you don't have to pay for the extra crews on helpers or all the fuel these engines would be burning, but it should sure make for some dramatic photos on a nicely scenicked layout.

     This was the heaviest regularly run train on the SP, and they ran some monsters. The ten U28C's were the only Diesel they bought with one purpose in mind, this train. Ten loco's were the standard for this train, and the helpers to get it over Beaumont hill, SD35's were preferred, were drawn from the LA loco pool.  I too will need the helpers as the cars are weighted to the NMRA standard of .80 oz. so the 100 car train weighs 80 ozs. and I have a 1.5% grade. A bigger problem for me is I have 17 foot sidings for 50 car trains with 5 loco's and a caboose. This train is just over 25 feet and on my single track mainline, all meets will be hawsbys. But I have a hidden staging yard that can easily handle it. Should throw a nice kink into the op session.

[Cajonpassfan]

It must have been some manner of N scale karma - in making up a period-approximate train for the Big Boy, I broke the seal on probably 20 "blue label" Kadee/Micro-Trains cars I bought back in the '70s that had never been touched other than moving the jewel cases from one box to another.

Mike, no Karma, must have been the old factory air did it
Otto K.