Weekend Update 2/1/15

[peteski]

The Nash Metropolitan & Rambler were bought on eBay from a dealer in Hong Kong. They were surprisingly affordable too. They're the perfect *little* cars for the layout too. Just search for "1/87 Nash" and you should get it.

Nice model, lots of details and nice paint job, but it it rides a bit high (could use some serious lowering).  Funny, we do that to railroad cars models too.    Too bad these aren't available in N scale.

[arbomambo]

Hello all...
a big show (for us and our Gulf Coast bit-o-heaven) coming up for us in March...
The T-Trak, AND, by design, N Scale(!), is getting a LOT of interest in our Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida panhandle area...this is precisely what I was hoping would occur. Even 'O' scalers are expressing some serious interest in N scale, and a few have even built a T-Trak module and purchased some n scale equipment.
I've got to step it up just a bit (I've got 7' more of  modules to do after this one)...I've added some family and teenager 'action' at the the drive up "Dari King" ( a little MP3 sound system plays a continuous loop of 20 of the top 100 Billboard hits of 1957).
I have plenty of details yet to add to this one; a couple of nice trees will straddle the side road toward the skyboard, the power poles, the telephone poles, and, of course, the ground cover over the areas that require it.
~Bruce

[chuck geiger]

Roughing in Wellington, CO with mock buildings and first pass of spackling paste.

[Puddington]

Renumbered three MT GN Grain hauler hoppers and now trying to weather them... not done yet, have to dirty the sill up some... kinda a boring project but only have three GN hoppers left and the 27 GN hopper fleet (of varying types, sizes and liveries) is done...

[Missaberoad]

I dug around in the scrap box and started working on a photo diorama.
If nothing else should help me get back into the swing of things.

[Scottl]

Not much work on the layout this week.  I received the second Kato ES44AC in CN and finished a batch of nine IM grain hoppers.

[Jesse6669]

Trying a "proof of concept" for a way to make an underpass.  The goal is to approximate 50-year old poured concrete that is crumbling/spalling. 

This wall was made of 0.5 cm thick foam core board with the paper removed (by peeling/rubbing under hot water), then cut/scored, and painted.  The ends are getting layers of matte medium to seal them and make them more smooth.  The crumbled parts are just poked with the trusty x-acto and a toothpick.
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[mu26aeh]

Well, went to Timonium show and Kleins, needless to say I wasn't really impressed.  At the show, it's the same people, with the same overpriced stuff, and I swear it is in the same boxes/cases in the same order on the same tables.  Only thing that even perked my interest train wise was the FVM wagontop caboose.  Someone had it for $25 in Chessie, but I still passed on it.  I did pick up 2 13x19 CSX prints for the layout room.  Not sure what I was expecting, was hoping someone might have had some used equipment but even if it was there, pre-show shopping by other vendors gobbled all that up.  Over at Kleins, I did get 6 switches but nothing else jumped at me.  They had the Athearn 3 pack ethanol tank cars that everyone is clamoring for but didn't pull the trigger on them either. 

Guess that means I'll keep my show money for Bedford any more.  At least there, I don't have to peek and poke around to find N scale 

[VonRyan]

I'm up in Philipsburg, NJ at an auction, trying to score a couple good box-lots to flip the contents of.
Mostly vintage tools and such. Although I also did get a nice vintage chair for $2, and an old-ish radio.
Snagged only one good box-lot so far. Hoping to score one more to make the 2hr one-way trip worth it.

Luckily I'm close to the railroad tracks so when I was carrying things outside, I saw a couple trains.

[HuskerN]

I made some progress on some old truck models, and have some new models on the way.

Kenworth K100 in primer:



53' Utility Reefer Trailer:





Peterbilt 386:



Kenworth K2000:



Dodge and Chevy:



HuskerN
www.nscaleaddiction.blogspot.com

[Jeff AKA St0rm]

Jeff: I don't know what that elevator looked like before you started reworking it, but the color now looks pretty good to me.

I should of taken a before photo but i forgot to. This will give you an idea of how it was painted. The whole building was like this.  Might of been ok if it was a steel building but concrete doesn't rust like that. Should be all fixed up by sunday night.

[chessie system fan]

Hi everyone!  I did some photography experiments this afternoon.  I'm trying to emulate photographs of old ash-filled dusty yards and engine terminals from the '50s where steam is still king, and though there's still lots more to do, it's a great start.   All the pictures were taken with my phone.





Next time I'll make sure my head doesn't cast a shadow in all the pictures. 



Having extra things in the background to break up the horizon helps.



Also, most of the pictures were taken too high up to look realistic.  The camera needs to be barely above the board -- 1:160 person height.



I need a much bigger sky board for wider railfan shots, and something not so flimsy too.



Overall, I'm very impressed with the camera, though the auto focus could be annoying at times.

[nkalanaga]

Jeff:  No, it doesn't.  Maybe they were trying to make it look like an older corrugated elevator? 

I've seen rusty concrete, but nothing like that.  Usually it's stains from bolts, exposed rebar, etc, or an overall rusty tint from iron in the water or sand.  Your first-page picture looks like the latter, which is very common in some areas.

[dougnelson]

Progress on my PRR Baldwin transfer unit from the Shapeways kit by James Norris.  Both the engineering and the printing of this locomotive is first rate.  Etched brass detail parts are installed and it is just about ready for the Juniata paint shop.  The FUD printing has just a small amount of texture that is really only visible under magnification.   I believe it will disappear after painting and a satin or dull coat.

[Cajonpassfan]

FUD's come a long way, baby!
Let us see her painted please...
Otto K.