Weekend Update 1/3/16

[mu26aeh]

I found some time to work on my BQ ..

(Attachment Link) (Attachment Link) (Attachment Link)

Looks good !  Also looks like I'd fit right in on that layout.  See lots of Chessie/CSX influence

[Santa Fe Guy]

Thanks Chris.  Yes, the chassis is operational and seems pretty smooth in operation (I ran it about an hour when I first finished it last year).  You can see a bit of it in the background in the picture.

Weathering this unit will be challenging.  The roof seems to be covered in black soot and these units have many variations in the red and blue weathering due to replacements.  They are all pretty grimy too.

Scott this loco looks very nice good job. When you start to weather look at using some Tamiya Panel Line Paint to highlight the grills, door surrounds and handles it works very nicely. Use it sparingly.
Rod.

[Santa Fe Guy]

At the encouragement of several friends on TRW, a little bit of honest track build-out on the GC&W:



This is still temporary/test construction, and this rail and roadbed will be peeled-up. However, the intent is that this is the hopefully proof of the "final" build method for when track starts going down per plan.

Mike, have you thought about using two layers of cork for your sub-roadbed. I used it on my SFRSD by making the first layer of cork 16 scale feet wide then the second 9 scale feet wide. This allowed me to have passing sidings lower than the mainline and industry tracks even lower. I also added drainage ditches. It improves the overall look. I also found by experiment that having cork with tapered edges makes the ballast spread too far (wrong angle). Square edged cork gives a much better look and a better angle. I ballasted all the first layer of cork first with one colour, let it dry then did the top layer to get the correct mainline ballast profile.
Just some thoughts.
Rod.

[C855B]

Hi, Rod. I had been considering all of the above, though in different ways. F'rinstance, using the standard cork on the mains and then 1/16" double-sided foam tape for sidings and yards, the few industrials go straight down on the foam (or whatever) surface. An alternative to doubling the cork also under consideration is using HO cork halves instead. One other thought is strips of foam "house wrap", essentially the pink foam in 3/16" form, to build any elevated subroadbed. Thinking for drainage profiles is to cut out of the foam when the terrain is shaped.

[chicken45]

Photos by @Ed Kapuscinski



And for @VonRyan, the untouched original.

[hunter_alexander]

Wow that looks great!!!

[davefoxx]

Photos by @Ed Kapuscinski

That looks fantastic, @chicken45 and @Ed Kapuscinski.  Very well done!

And for @VonRyan, the untouched original.

[mmagliaro]

Josh, NICE job on that K4.  Truly.


Did traction tire grooves on another Life-Like Berk.   It pulls 43 cars up my 1.7% grade, and the traction tires are the only modification (no added weight!).   It can pull a lot more on level track, but my layout really isn't big enough to
test it to its limits.

The Life-Like is the best there is.  Looks great, runs smooth as glass, and (with a little work) it can pull like a
monster

Some pics and video:




Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiajjkHbEQU

[hunter_alexander]

Wow, well done Max

[mcjaco]

You could have opted to just remove all the mechanical bits and still have it pick up power (while free-rolling).  That way you wouldn't even have to worry about speed matching.  I have gutted few Kato locos like that to install train cameras in them.  The track power supplies power to the camera and the function-only lighting decoder (which is cheaper than a full-function decoder).

Have you ever tried push/pull ops? Powered at both ends is the way to go. This train has run for hours on Modutrak before I started this kitbash. I wasn't messing with a good thing!

[Lemosteam]

Josh, NICE job on that K4.  Truly.


Did traction tire grooves on another Life-Like Berk.   It pulls 43 cars up my 1.7% grade, and the traction tires are the only modification (no added weight!).   It can pull a lot more on level track, but my layout really isn't big enough to
test it to its limits.

The Life-Like is the best there is.  Looks great, runs smooth as glass, and (with a little work) it can pull like a
monster

Some pics and video:

Max, what tires did you use?

[DeltaBravo]

Wow Josh, it looks great, can't wait to see it in person.

Photos by @Ed Kapuscinski



And for @VonRyan, the untouched original.

[Roger Holmes]

Finally had some workshop time this long weekend and got back to a project that I started in early November.  Using Walthers modular panels to build a large factory building flat.  The white Evergreen horizontals cover the seams and are flush with the columns though in the photo they look like they protrude.  The right side will have a covered loading dock reminiscent of the Chicago Sun-Times Building covered loading dock that I used to walk by.

Foundation and roofing comes next then off to the paint booth.

[peteski]

Have you ever tried push/pull ops? Powered at both ends is the way to go. This train has run for hours on Modutrak before I started this kitbash. I wasn't messing with a good thing!

No I have not.  But I have seen many instances of DCC misbehaving (for many possible reasons).  I can only imagine what can happen when this type of a train is on a curve when something goes wrong.  At least with 89' cars there are fewer cars to re-rail.   I merely suggested a dummy cabbage - you seem to have reasons to do what you did.


Max:  Nice job on the TT modification. Much better than double-sided tape or the snot stuff. Do I see tiny notches on the flange (where you chucked the wheels)? 


Josh, that is a beautiful scene!  But the manipulated image needs more smoke! 

[dnhouston]

Making slow progress on a factory kitbash.  It started with a Bergen National Sugar Beet Refinery Building #2 kit.