Weekend Update 7/31/16

[up1950s]

[Roger Holmes]

With all of the recent interest in Flexi-Vans I thought I would post my recently finished project.  N Scale Kits' Flexi-Van flats and very crude side door vans from a manufacturer called Stone-something.  I've had the kits for several years before building.  Here's hoping Trainworx brings out decorated Milwaukee vans. Despite all of the decal work that I did I would ditch these vans in a heartbeat.

[ncbqguy]

Neat MILW Flexivans!  I was on the way home c.1962 from Milwaukee for Spring Break from High School on the Morning Hi when just outside of Racine the train went into emergency.  A Flexivan on the rear of the train apparently was boucing so badly at speed that it uncoupled.  Train crew made the joint, recoupled the air hose and we proceeded on to Chicago.   IIRC the power was an FP7 and an FM passenger unit, both in ratty MILW UP paint.
Charlie Vlk

[eric220]

Got my Raspberry Pi up and running, and got it set up for headless operation with JMRI booting on startup.



I also used it to program two new RR Cir-Kits Tower Controllers. Then I hooked up the block detectors all the way to the throat of the Coors brewery in Golden, CO. I'm ready to build a new control panel!

[mu26aeh]

I picked up 4 Kato Volvo tractors from someone who bought a whole vehicle lot on a FB for sale page, and dug out my Deluxe Innovations Decal set I bought years ago.  It took me about 15 anxious minutes to find them.  I only screwed up one decal, of course the set only provides extras of the smallest decals (tractor numbers and us dot numbers) so now I have one tractor that is missing Swift across the roof.  If anyone has an extra decal, shoot me a PM.

swift by Adam Henry, on Flickr

[bbussey]

Finished the first of four smoker PBLW kitbashes.  New smoker lounge interior, along with new interior paint to better reflect the prototype and to better diffuse the interior light.  Roof a/c hatch and oversized lounge vent added to the roof.

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This one is in the New Image scheme.  One each of the remaining three will be in the three green schemes.

[nkalanaga]

Missing Swift:  A little weathering can fix that.  Repaint the spot as though the driver hit a low clearance object, and it was repaired but not yet relettered.  A lot of those tops are just fiberglass, so it doesn't take much to damage one.  Maybe he tried to go through the McD's drive through and didn't quite make it.

[craigolio1]

Five locos got grab irons front and rear tonight.



Craig

[OldEastRR]

Finished the first of four smoker PBLW kitbashes.  New smoker lounge interior, along with new interior paint to better reflect the prototype and to better diffuse the interior light.  Roof a/c hatch and oversized lounge vent added to the roof.
.

Where did you get the extra  a/C hatches? I looked on rapido's site but couldn't find them.

[pjm20]

Here is the last footage I shot while I was in Berlin, Germany:

This video highlights Berlin's S Bahn system and passenger trains.

[bbussey]

Where did you get the extra  a/C hatches? I looked on rapido's site but couldn't find them.

Rapido doesn't have extras. The hatches are included with the undec cars. I also RP'd my own in the event I needed more.

[mu26aeh]

Missing Swift:  A little weathering can fix that.  Repaint the spot as though the driver hit a low clearance object, and it was repaired but not yet relettered.  A lot of those tops are just fiberglass, so it doesn't take much to damage one.  Maybe he tried to go through the McD's drive through and didn't quite make it.

That one might get one of the break away front corner bumpers cut off or painted black like its been ripped off or replaced but not repainted.   Maybe cut one of the back wings off back of sleeper section that happens when the Jack knife trailer trying to get turned around.

[jereising]

So here's the reveal of the finished Caliente Post Office:







Next up - the building (whatever it is) to the west...

[fcnrwy23]

While, I have been waiting for the "paint to dry" on my Rail Grinding train.    I have been progressing on the other MOW projects that I have started...

I have finished, My version of the Firefighter's Foundation's  "Safety Train".    They run two (2) set of these trains, mostly on the Eastern half of the US.  The trains are mobile classrooms.  And they are used to help First Responders to get acquainted with railcar, mostly tank car apparatus.  In the case of a rail mishap.







Jerry G.

[chrismears]

How's the line go? "Long time reader. Seldom poster."

My wife and I have been discussing locations and ideas for a layout. Leading in locations is the blank wall in our living room. For this shelf layout, I figured I'd finally try out a new (to me) benchwork idea: foam clad in plywood. I'd read several articles such as one in Model Railway Journal by Gordon Gravett and also a great blog post by Mike Cougill. In an initially unrelated act of shed cleaning I discovered I had enough plywood and foam to actually try a test section of this baseboard so did.

Core is 1-1/2" beadboard clad, top and bottom, in 1/8" door skin plywood. I wanted to use the same plywood to edge band it but didn't have enough lying around so used some 1x2 strapping. Once the glue was set I ran the baseboard through my table saw to square everything up and here's a quick grab photo showing the outcome:


I'm so impressed with how rigid yet lightweight the finished 9X40" board is. So impressed, I revved up Templot and plotted a quick section of my track plan so I could mess around with the next step. Thought I'd place some stock on the plan:


Feels good to be making some progress after so much hand-wringing.

Cheers

/chris