Weekend Update 2/17/19

[towl1996]

Sent a dozen sets of 3D printed Arnold S2 Pilots, body mount coupler conversion pieces to the board member @central.vermont .  They were made to his samples from an out of production part.  Samples arrived this afternoon, parts shipped tonight.  Hopefully he will be able to post some assembled pics when he gets them.

(Attachment Link)

Are these for sale to the general public, ie me? 

[Jesse6669]

This week I took on a "challenge" that arose out of a FB post to the local railfan group highlighting the clearing of brush around the foundation of an old Pennsylvaia RR station in Cincinnati (Torrence Road .)  It was razed in the 30's, and we were musing about what it would look like and augmented reality view at the site when I decided I should build a 3D model.  In theory, it could be printed since I designed it along my usual guidelines for 1:450 scale.   Anyway, here's the current vs early 1900s vs 3D model. 


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More info here: https://jessestmodels.blogspot.com/2019/02/challenges-andor-jousting-at-old.html
And I also painted and weathered a CSX former C&O/Chessie ACF 2 bay CenterFlow hopper (T-scale):  [ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[central.vermont]

Are these for sale to the general public, ie me? 

I do not know at this point. I will be talking with Mark and will bring it up.

Jon

[Kentuckian]

When adding weight, start with thick brass strips. It'll reinforce the floppy chassis and really cut down on noise. I also found that adding a lot of grease to the telescoping drive shaft cut down on noise. These can run well if tinkered with. My other suggestions would be to  swap the motor with one of those $2 Atlas slow speed motors we were taking about in the DCC forum and a good keep alive capacitor to the DCC decoder will keep it crawling over switches better than any flywheel could. I do I have a soft spot for Hallmark brass. They were the only game in town for C40-8Ws for years.

I have a U23B that I painted in  P&W long before atlas came out with the model. It has a cracked gear and I can't find a replacement anywhere. So it's bound to the display case, bummer.

I think the repowering option has left the station but thanks for the other suggestions; I will try them.

Can you describe or photograph the broken gear? I will compare it to my spares.

[towl1996]

I do not know at this point. I will be talking with Mark and will bring it up.

Jon

Ok, I didn't know who was the owner of the parts. Thanks for the consideration!

[trainforfun]

Hi guys
As soon as Life Like Canada did the GP9rm ( chop nose ) in CN colors many years ago I started dreaming of having a slug sandwiched in between them .
Well a couple of years ago the model became available at Shapeways , it is built to fit an extensively cut Atlas GP9 frame but I heard somebody adapted the same 3D print to a GP18 by Life Like , he used the plastic frame version which must be a lot easier to modify .
You will see how much I had to cut the top of the Atlas frame .
At one point it was becoming so weak I had to find a way to reinforced it ....
I found a piece of styrene the same thickness of the 2 inserted "washers/spacers" at each end of the frames , where the screws hold the frames together . The screws are not there anymore and I glued everything together ( frames and spacers ) .
At first I tought it would be nice to add a sound decoder of a GP9 ( a slug have only electric motors in the axles ) but as the project was coming to an end I realize I did not have the space to do that . I didn't even put lights in it .
But really I use it only between 2 "mothers" so the lights are not needed .

It's not perfect , the handrails are too big in diameter , but I like it !!!
If I had to redo it I would try to make the handrails out of brass wire soldered to stanchions .
The white portion of the handrails are not painted , I thought a coat of paint would thicken even more the "tube" .

[Dave V]

More work on Rico this week.

[nkalanaga]

Louis:  Have you thought about adding jumper wires between your units?  They'd be prototypical with a slug, and would give you 24-wheel pickup.  The combination should be able to crawl over almost any dirty track.

[narrowminded]

Are these for sale to the general public, ie me? 

Of course!   Keep an eye out here or send a PM in a week or so, to me or to Jon.  He has a dozen sets and may be able to part with a few but that I don't know for sure.  Either way you can get some of these pieces, no secret handshakes or passwords required.

Let Jon receive his and assemble a few, make sure everything is just so and no edits are required.  Also, let him describe the process he uses on the shell to prep it because I haven't actually done that.  I have the idea but not the actual experience of completing one and often there are small but important details that one who has been there can advise on.  When all is confirmed good either he or I can furnish the parts.  I believe it's a MT 1015 coupler that this is made to fit.

[trainforfun]

Louis:  Have you thought about adding jumper wires between your units?  They'd be prototypical with a slug, and would give you 24-wheel pickup.  The combination should be able to crawl over almost any dirty track.

Good idea but I really don't feel to open the "slug" another time !!!
The 3D print body and handrails are very very fragile !
I run trains with as much as 5 or 6 locos and none of them have M.U.  cables !
The LL GP9 are very good they are of the "metal frames generation" , similar to the Atlas frames , and the power pick up is very good .

[jagged ben]

...

...

The diorama in Martinez had me fooled until you popped up...   And I have even been there several times.

[M.C. Fujiwara]

The diorama in Martinez had me fooled until you popped up...   And I have even been there several times.

That shot took many takes--I kept tripping over the pin 

Thanks for all the kind words--I'll pass them along to Steffan.
He really took the time to deep-dive & learn about mrr, & wanted the community to enjoy.
Including 

[robert3985]

More work on Rico this week.

@Dave V , Dave.... love that wavy track!  I did the same on my Park City Branchline trackage when I hand-laid it in C40 years ago.  Adds a lot to the realism and "flavor" IMHO

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[Dave V]

@Dave V , Dave.... love that wavy track!  I did the same on my Park City Branchline trackage when I hand-laid it in C40 years ago.  Adds a lot to the realism and "flavor" IMHO

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

Thanks!  Even the "straightest" track on the RGS looked as if it was aligned by following a drunken mule with a blindfold on.  Making it wavy is also part of hiding the commercial code 70 origin of the track.

[mark dance]

Thanks for all the kind words--I'll pass them along to Steffan.
He really took the time to deep-dive & learn about mrr, & wanted the community to enjoy.
Including 

I have already forwarded the video's URL to dozens of modellers across the whole spectrum of scales and modelling interests.  Feedback has been great!

I even sent it to my wife who promised to watch it...I'll believe that when it happens! 

md