Weekend Update 2/1/15

[ryan_wilkerson]

Pre-wired definitely takes a lot of the stress out of it and improves the chances of success. I figure if I want lights, I have to learn how to do it myself!

Nice job with the LED's, Ryan! I purchased some of those 0402's and did even try, opting for prewired ones instead.

[ryan_wilkerson]

I believe BLMA made ACI plates that were printed on metal...I have a few packs around here somewhere....
found a link: http://www.blmamodels.com/cgi-bin/webstore/shop.cgi?c=detail.red.htm&itemid=405
-Ryan

Somewhat off topic:  ACI "labels" are actually metal plates, so shouldn't be modeled with decals.  Has anyone ever made peel-and-stick ACI plates, from self-adhesive paper or foil?  It would be a lot easier than decaling a finished model, then trying to match the flat finish, and be prototypical.

[basementcalling]

Scenic upgrades on some of my Free-moNebraska modules. 







Once that glue dries, just a quick touch-up of ballast on the ends, add trees, and we're done!

Looks like a heavy frost or light snow.

[tehachapifan]

Jeff, the elevator looks great! What paints and weathering process did you use?

[Puddington]

Nice work there. Can we get a whole fleet pic?

Well; I don't have all of them photographed but here's the cars that are in the fleet... obviously there are multiples of many, specifically the grain haulers...



I also have a 2 bat in BSB yet to be weathered.... forgot about that one.......

[nkalanaga]

ryan_wilkerson:  They, or somebody, did, but those would be considerably thicker than scale, unless they were printed on aluminum foil.  They are, however, perfect for cars where the plate doesn't sit flat, such as flat cars with narrow side sills, or cars with deep textures.

Jeff:  Elevator looks good!

Puddington:  Putting ACI labels on is easy, so you could do while watching the Maple Leafs.  I use Highball Graphics decals, which can easily be cut in strips with a knife and ruler, making mass production even easier.

[Puddington]

Puddington:  Putting ACI labels on is easy, so you could do while watching the Maple Leafs.  I use Highball Graphics decals, which can easily be cut in strips with a knife and ruler, making mass production even easier.

Knife.....oh my.... no, no, no.... no one is permitted to watch the Maple Leafs whilst in possession of a knife.... way, way to tempting......

[ryan_wilkerson]

Eja,
I had already installed the Kato LED light kit and just soldered on to one of the pads that was extra long. Not sure if that's a good practice but it seems to work.
I run DCC at home and my sons ran it around the layout for at least 30 minutes today with no problems.

To test it, I used a 9v battery to the tracks so it does work with DC also.

-Ryan

Ryan,


Nice work .... how do you power those Amtrak marker lights once they are in the car?  Are you DCC or DC ?


eja

[Jeff AKA St0rm]

Jeff, the elevator looks great! What paints and weathering process did you use?

The sheds are air brushed with pollyS stainless steel, the pipes are brushed with stainless steel, the elevator and silos are air brushed pollyS concrete. Then everything got air brushed with anywhere from 1 to 15 layers of tarnished black wash. Rust stains are dry brushed model master Rust then dry brushed model master raw umber. Then one layer of tamiya flat clear.

[JMaurer1]

Utah 5/9/1869 UP and CP
Colorado 8/15/1870 Kansas Pacific Railroad , before this there wasn't a coast to coast railroad connection .

The same thing can be said (and has been) about Nile canyon in Calif. It used to be that the tracks stopped in Sacramento and the passengers took a ferry boat to San Francisco. The Central Pacific part of the transcontinental railroad wasn't fully completed until the route from Sacramento to Oakland (via Niles canyon) was completed. It's my understanding they had a 'gold spike' ceremony for that as well.

"In September, 1869, four months after the famous golden spike ceremony at Promontory Summit, Utah, the Central Pacific Railroad completed the transcontinental rail link between Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay, finishing the track through the [Niles] canyon."

[basementcalling]

Carved some 4 inch thick foam for shaping hills on the Idaho Belt.





The cordless saws all worked well, though there was a lot of dust with a metal cutting blade. My jigsaw doesn't take the t shanked blades shared in another thread designed specifically for foam.

Need to trim and shape for final rolling ridges and valleys, but the basic landforms are in and the height established. Full height will only be along the backdrop. The challenge will be to keep slopes on similar steepness and work the tracks into the scenery.

Working from some reference photos from Google Earth on Lapwai Canyon on the old Camas Prairie RR. Obviously some overhang issues to work on; the dang sawblade angled the wrong way while I was cutting.

Hoping to get more done this week.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

4 Inch Foam? I didn't realize they MADE that.

Now I need to find some...

[C855B]

Carved some 4 inch thick foam for shaping hills on the Idaho Belt. ... the dang sawblade angled the wrong way while I was cutting.

Yes, the challenge of working with thick materials - managing x, y and angle with hand tools. Biggest problem I have with cut angle using flexible blades is loading the saw too much and it takes its own track.

Did you special-order the 4" foam? I knew it was available, but have never seen it in person. Home centers around here sure don't carry it, and special ordering is by the pallet only.

[basementcalling]

Mike, my pockets are not pallet deep.

Ed, it is a special order. Big boxes only have the 1 and 2 inch thick varieties in our warm part of the nation.

Operating rule 37.5 on the Idaho Belt states that "When a co worker offers you a free slab of 4x8 4 inch thick foam, lock the brakes in emergency, reverse the throttles, engage full DBs and take said piece of foam.


As for the angle, it's nothing my flexible fillet knife won't fix. Future carvings off the hunka foam will be better planned so the angle of the blade works in my favor. I have a couple other solid hillside areas where thick slabs will be used.  I had a long stretch of this done vertically with 1 1/2 inch pieces cut to stand up, but I am more confident in getting a final shape I can better control by using the 4 inch foam, the fillet knife, and other assorted carving tools. And until needed, I can carry the chunks outside so the pink blizzard doesn't cause a mess in the basement.  Luckily it was warm enough downstairs that when I finished the cuts Saturday I could just turn my shirt inside out as I took it off so I didn't track the crud everywhere.

[C855B]

... Operating rule 37.5 on the Idaho Belt states that "When a co worker offers you a free slab of 4x8 4 inch thick foam, lock the brakes in emergency, reverse the throttles, engage full DBs and take said piece of foam. ...

Ah! Of course. Even if it were available as an "each" item, it would still be darned near $100 a sheet. Nice friend!

Failing having wonderful friends , I'm fine with laminating 2". I've had great results with Gorilla Glue, and I have a gallon of that super-tacky Glidden primer I want to try on the next foam project.