Weekend Update 12/21/14

[jmlaboda - RIP]

I have wondered for a number of years what would be appropriate details under the radiator screening on SW1500s and MP15s (way before any such model came out in N-scale) and all I can say is, "Thank you!!!{/i]" for sharing your work.  Not that I have reason now to pursue such but still your shots are a very great reference!!!

[Cajonpassfan]

Great stuff this week!

Opted for open shutters on one unit and closed on the other. Evergreen's .040 spacing clapboard was perfect for representing the 8 closed shutters. As shown at a previous WEU, the visible fan on the other unit was scratchbuilt out of styrene and the open shutters were made from .040 x .010 styrene strips.

No kidding! The open shutters with the radiator fan blow me away
Seriously, great work everyone! I better get off the iPad and go do some work in the train room....
Mark, what are you using for ballast? Looks terrific.
Regards, Otto K.

[SAH]

Nice job on the master and casting Steve!

Thanks Bill.  Nothing compared to your beautiful passenger cars though.  I'm still in the early learning steps.  At least each casting is usable now.
N scale sound is pretty impressive these days.  Nice job.

Mark Dance - Another scene beautifully executed.  Thanks for sharing.

[mark dance]

Mark, what are you using for ballast? Looks terrific.
Regards, Otto K.

Hi Otto...I hope the question is meant for me.  If it is, thank you for the compliment! My apologies if you are asking someone else. 

The siding track in the foreground is principally Woodland Scenics fine cinder ballast mixed 50/50 with dried and sifted dirt from the yard.  The spur track in the back is beach sand saturated with latex paint.  The mainline through the scene as it appears in the photo below is a mix of various WS fine ballasts but without any dirt.



Hope I got the question right and the answer was valuable!  Merry Christmas...

md

[Lemosteam]

My wife gave me an airbrush for my birthday last week.  Below is my very first attempt using an airbrush on a model. This is my Polar Express kitbash so far.

 



 

 



 



The full consist:

[kalbert]

I bought my wife an iPad for her birthday and HAD to test out the video function 

The C&NW RS3u was built and weathered by Charlie Hopkins. I installed the ESU Loksound select micro and took the video on my Kingsbury branch.

Sweet unit! looks good, sounds good.

[PaulP]

Worked on some crossing gates this week and got them up and operating in time for a visit from my grandson. They need some work yet but he sure had fun with them!

Paul

[nkalanaga]

Very similar log loaders were around in the 60s, although I can't give model numbers.  I doubt that most sawmill workers of the time would question it.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

In addition to spending time at the B&O museum, I also did something else this weekend: I updated my website, Conrail1285.com to bring it into the modern world.

Take a look.

[jmarley76]

Weathering away the weekend...

[daniel_leavitt2000]

The prototype for the Cat is a late 70's model though similar loaders were around in the early 70's. A lot of companies would still be using the 922 or 944 "Traxcavator" with a non-articulated body but with quad steering. Bachmann makes a really bad model of this.

The train room continues to move forward. I installed the first of the air line outlets. The floors are also getting ground smoother before the garage paint goes on.

Equipment purchases has sped up. Atlas C55 flex, #7 switches, ME C55 flex, Concrete tie flex, #6 switches and C40 flex and enough cork to cover half the bulletin boards in Massachusetts are all on order. I am eagerly awaiting the return of the #10 switches. It feels very strange shifting my buying habits from rolling stock to tools and layout equipment. Since the cities will be so big, I find myself looking through multiples of building kits. One factory alone will include 5 Walthers kits. Kibri and Atlas will also contribute a lot of structures. I really wish someone made some triple decker kits.

The plan is to start benchwork in January/February starting with Worcester and working my way east. Benchwork will be open grid using 1x4 pine. I can't wait to break out my framing nail gun!

[chicken45]

I spent the weekend running trains at the B&O museum with BANTRAK.

I think I found the best "Conrail" scene I could, which just so happened to be on a fellow a$$hat's module.

It happened when I tied my local down for "lunch".





It's a much more fun alternative to CP Sheetz.

Hey! We did it first:


Here's a shot of Ed's stuff:


Ed also got a box car stuck in a warehouse and did things to the warehouse it with a pole that could be considered, at the very least, rated R. I think Seusscaboose got some pictures of the ordeal.

[Cameron_Talley]

No modeling for me--haven't been able to do any in a long time, but I did have the opportunity to set up the Unitrack loop on the living room table and actually run some trains!  We have a small house and have five cats, so it's not always easy!

I also made it to our the Mayborn museum's Christmas train display and made a video.  Not much N scale, though.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Lol. Yep. There's a "boxcar trap" on one of the BANTRAK modules.

Everything looks fine here:


But, coupling up to the car, it just wouldn't budge.

So, that proceed to be this:


And then this:


Eventually I was able to use the stick to poke the car to somewhere I could get ahold of it, but it was a real workout.

[Cajonpassfan]

Hi Otto...I hope the question is meant for me.  If it is, thank you for the compliment! My apologies if you are asking someone else.

Hope I got the question right and the answer was valuable!  Merry Christmas...

md

Yes Mark, it was, thank you. I like the variety and subtle differences in textures and colors, very nicely done....
Merry Christmas!
Otto K.