Weekend Update 12/1/19

[legostudios34]

I lurk here a lot but rarely post, so I think it's time for that to change. Lately I've been working on converting an Atlas RS-11 into BCOL 611, an RS-18. I chopped the nose, filled in the hood ends with Miniatures by Eric parts, built up the cab face with parts from a spare SD40-2 cab I had lying around, and have started cutting up the grilles on the long hood to replace them with accurate parts. At this point, I'm just waiting on some parts to come in from Andy W Scale Models to finish up the long hood, then it will be off to the paint shop for the hockey stick scheme, as it appeared in the late 1980s.



Baxter Barnes

[GimpLizard]

I ventured into HO for my next project.  i built a model of the Haug, MN store in Roseau, County. 

That looks fantastic. Superb job.

[peteski]

I took a couple of photos of the rest of the train sitting on my module that has built in lighting.  I really need to learn Helicon focus......

That is a nice looking train.  There is  not much to learn with Helicon Focus.  You just need to take  a stack of photos with progressively further focus area, then feed them into the program.  It then does its magic.  The default settings in most cases produce good results.

From this:


To this:


HF combined stack of 12 photos.

But then again, I use an ancient version of HF, with my ancient Nikon CoolPix 8700 mounted on a tripod, manually focusing it for each picture.  Its lens only stops down to f8. I suppose the new HF talks to you camera and does things automatically? 

[BCRail_FSJ]

Making slow and steady progress on the two BCR cabooses from the Kaslo Shops kit.

Manually bending and installing the fine wire handrails and end stanchions nearly pushed me over the edge in to HO scale but I managed to get them done eventually.

 

[Steveruger45]

Just did another sound install on another sd60.  This time with the 73100 I had lying around and a 16x9 speaker with a 900mm3 enclosure. Although this is all hardwired it’s a much neater install than my earlier installs using the old 73800 and with bigger speaker too, but you do have to loose both the forward and aft frame slots for the dc board. [ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[mrhedley]

Now that I've retired and completed the honey-do's I finally have some time to work on the layout.  I'm completing the part of the layout that represents the EL's East Binghamton yard.  Part of the challenge is selectively compressing about 2 miles into a little less than 10 linear feet.  I'm modeling the late 60's/1970 but pictures of what it looked like then have been hard to find, so I've been using Google Earth street view to pick out older structures to replicate, combined with commercially available house kits to model homes in the scene.  This is a scratch build of a tavern along the state highway adjacent to the tracks.  It was opened by a childhood pal of mine in the late 70's, so it isn't exactly prototype for the time period, but makes a conversation piece.  I've added the current street view.

[bnsfdash8]

Custom built passenger trains are my weakness. Do you have a shot of the prototype you can share? What did you start with as the base model?

Craig.

I drew and printed the car. I really don't like filling, then cutting out new windows, so the printer has been a godsend to make this train a reality.

Here's the proto:

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[craigolio1]

I drew and printed the car. I really don't like filling, then cutting out new windows, so the printer has been a godsend to make this train a reality.

Here's the proto:

(Attachment Link)

Awesome. Printers have really opened a door in this hobby. Even just for those louvers. Nicely done.

[Mark W]

Working on some actual N Scale sized Wind Turbines.  This one is still too small!  The blades are to scale, but the tower is still just Z scale, meaning the hub will rise about another 6 inches or so.


https://i.imgur.com/TrhLd9s.jpg

[Cajonpassfan]

I decided to tackle a couple of bridges at Cajon station this weekend; the old two lane Route 66 span from the thirties, and the adjacent four track supporting the mains and both Cajon sidings.
More in my ATSF Los Angeles Division/Layout Engineering thread.
Otto K.

[dem34]

Working on some actual N Scale sized Wind Turbines.  This one is still too small!  The blades are to scale, but the tower is still just Z scale, meaning the hub will rise about another 6 inches or so.


https://i.imgur.com/TrhLd9s.jpg

Ha, now do an offshore one. Really catch peoples attention with some spinning skyscrapers.

[Jim Starbuck]

I’ve been working on another switcher scratch/bash and experimenting with some new (to me) construction techniques.
This time it’s a Davenport 45 tonner which is built similar to the Alco HH660 I did earlier this year.
The chassis is a shortened Bachmann S4 with the motor, trucks and worms also from the S4.
The cab is a modified Atlas VO1000 with the rest being scratched from styrene. It runs nicely and there’s plenty left to do but it’s off to a good start.

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Here it is next to a Life Like SW9 for size comparison.

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Jim

[daniel_leavitt2000]

That is a nice looking train.  There is  not much to learn with Helicon Focus.  You just need to take  a stack of photos with progressively further focus area, then feed them into the program.  It then does its magic.  The default settings in most cases produce good results.

From this:


To this:


HF combined stack of 12 photos.

But then again, I use an ancient version of HF, with my ancient Nikon CoolPix 8700 mounted on a tripod, manually focusing it for each picture.  Its lens only stops down to f8. I suppose the new HF talks to you camera and does things automatically?

Yeah, newer HF use the remote function on higher end Canon and Nikon DSLRs. You need to have newer auto focus lenses. The stepper motor equipped ones work better than the ultra sonic motors (USM). Turn image stabling off and let it crank.

BTW, I like to bring up a tip I discovered years ago. If you can, try and use a lens that has all the focus and zoom lens shifting internal i.e. the front and rear glass should be fixed in place. This keeps the field of view constant when focusing in and out. If you use a conventional lens where the front glass moves back and forth for zooming and focus, Helicon can only stack the center of the images, leaving a blurry rind on the edges that must be cropped out. Cine lenses usually have this feature because the movie would zoom in and out when changing focus which is distracting.

[garethashenden]

I’ve been working on another switcher scratch/bash and experimenting with some new (to me) construction techniques.
This time it’s a Davenport 45 tonner which is built similar to the Alco HH660 I did earlier this year.
The chassis is a shortened Bachmann S4 with the motor, trucks and worms also from the S4.
The cab is a modified Atlas VO1000 with the rest being scratched from styrene. It runs nicely and there’s plenty left to do but it’s off to a good start.

(Attachment Link)

(Attachment Link)

(Attachment Link)

Here it is next to a Life Like SW9 for size comparison.

(Attachment Link)


Jim

Do you have a prototype photo?

[Jim Starbuck]

Do you have a prototype photo?

Here’s what I was going for. I didn’t have any specs or measurements on the prototype and I don’t think my model captured the proportions very well. Although it scales out to 35’ pilot to pilot it still looks way too long. I think I should have started with the shorter 44/70 tonner trucks.

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Jim