Weekend Update 7/19/20

[OldEastRR]

Finally some progress on the layout. Getting some scenic materials down.

What was the source kit/materials for the older partial building against the backdrop? (2nd picture)

[BCR 570]

Thanks Craig.

The single light housings are brass tubing with a countersink to allow for a lens (fibreoptic in this case).  I got them from Tim who had them as spares.  I think they were fabricated by Dave McKinnon of Details N Scale.

The horn is a Miniatures by Eric brass casting, part number NH15 and no modifications were requred.  It's mounted on part number NB11 bell, cab mount.  I drilled a #80 hole in the bell bracket to glue the horn to it.  It's a pretty exposed part up there so it needs to be as secure as possible.

Thanks for the decal tip, but as you might have guessed, I've got a full set of custom decals for this project.  I'm really looking forward to applying them!

Yes, the single light housings are indeed fabricated by Dave Mackinnon.  I was just writing about these for my next DCC Workshop article in NSM so I can tell you that they are made from K&S 1/16" O.D. brass tubing.  It has an inside diameter of .035" which is perfect for sliding in the fibre optic tube.

The NH15 casting from Eric represents a K5LA which some of the BC Rail engines started getting in the early 1980s.  I had to mount one on my model of 601 as rebuilt in 1984.


Tim

[davefoxx]

A power outage last night and through this morning led to the completion of the decaling of “Gull,” the Seaboard Central’s new business car.

Seen here, the Seaboard Central’s Vice President of Operations, L.C. Weldon, surveys over his domain from the rear porch of Gull, while those Amtrak fellas onboard the northbound Silver Star are doubled over in laughter at Mr. Weldon’s and the SC’s “shortcomings.”



More drama on the Seaboard Central 3.0.

DFF

[nuno81291]

Began weathering the concrete floor of my industrial ruins for the layout. Will get plenty of greenery based on Iron Horse park nearby.

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[randgust]

Back in my formative years the first real 'craftsman kit' I ever tried was the Walthers Piker, which was the HO version of that single-truck passenger car.

It's the only piece of HO rolling stock I saved.   So I get a real chuckle out of this one, this is the N version of what Walthers called the "Oscar", which was intended to be an introductory kit to their HO heavyweight passenger car kits back 'in the day'.

A power outage last night and through this morning led to the completion of the decaling of “Gull,” the Seaboard Central’s new business car.

Seen here, the Seaboard Central’s Vice President of Operations, L.C. Weldon, surveys over his domain from the rear porch of Gull, while those Amtrak fellas onboard the northbound Silver Star are doubled over in laughter at Mr. Weldon’s and the SC’s “shortcomings.”



More drama on the Seaboard Central 3.0.

DFF

[ChristianJDavis1]

Back in my formative years the first real 'craftsman kit' I ever tried was the Walthers Piker, which was the HO version of that single-truck passenger car.

It's the only piece of HO rolling stock I saved.   So I get a real chuckle out of this one, this is the N version of what Walthers called the "Oscar", which was intended to be an introductory kit to their HO heavyweight passenger car kits back 'in the day'.

Dave switched to HO scale a few years back; this is the modern, ready-to-run iteration of the Oscar.

[ksmiley]

I worked on some Twisted Wire Trees over the weekend and got them planted on my T_TRAK module.

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[Dave V]

Since the N scale Colorado Midland 2.0 will use Peco code 55, I was curious about how it would look with the smaller old-timey equipment.  My local hobby shop, Roy's Model Trains, sells lots of used stuff (and he's always getting new old stock in...there's a lot of digging to do but quite often you'll find treasure) so I picked up a few assorted bits of used Peco 55 to play with until the big shipment of new Peco 55 arrives.

I built a quick test piece this morning since in Colorado, everything dries almost instantly.  The Midland used "local materials" for ballast (i.e., dirt, gravel, and cinders...much like the RGS) but I used Scenic Express fine dark gray ballast, which is what I used for cinder on the RGS.  Ground cover materials for the test piece are likewise part of my RGS scenery palette.  And, since the CMRy 2.0 is but a dream at the moment, I photographed the test piece on the RGS layout.



I like how the cinders look here.  I may end up just doing that for much of the layout.  Although I'm not building grades, photos of the prototype show significant cinder coverage where the engines are working hardest...especially the climb to Hagerman Pass.



So no, I have no regrets whatsoever about choosing Peco code 55 for this next adventure.  It really only looks too coarse if I view it in the same frame as the Atlas code 55 on the old layout...something that won't be an issue going forward.

[davefoxx]

Dave switched to HO scale a few years back; this is the modern, ready-to-run iteration of the Oscar.

^Nailed it.

[davefoxx]

So no, I have no regrets whatsoever about choosing Peco code 55 for this next adventure.  It really only looks too coarse if I view it in the same frame as the Atlas code 55 on the old layout...something that won't be an issue going forward.

I think that Peco Code 55 looks great the way you’ve finished it, so full speed ahead.  That coupler on the pilot, though.  Ew. 

DFF

[Dave V]

I think that Peco Code 55 looks great the way you’ve finished it, so full speed ahead.  That coupler on the pilot, though.  Ew. 

DFF

I hear ya.  But since I often double-head on sharp curves it's kind of a necessary evil.

[mu26aeh]

Got my FEL and water buffalo painted up this afternoon.  Think I went a little overboard on the FEL with dirt grime.

[bnsfdash8]

I haven't had much motivation to model lately, but with the crappy weather we had today I did a little CAD modeling.

The PR43C (rebuilt SD50 & SD60s with CAT prime movers) was a very short lived locomotive and I never got to see a real one, but I always thought they were cool looking and wanted a model of one.

I still have a million doors and vents to draw, but I think I'm getting the general look of them down.

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Prototype:

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[ednadolski]

Some fun with a pair of #8 Proto:87 turnouts.  These are the ones built on the CVMW tie strips.  I bought them pre-assembled, but I still had to file & shape the points to get the P:87 wheelsets to track smoothly over them. They also had a too-large point gap that I had to reduce.

I also added some wires for better electrical performance, and installed the etched detail strips that they come with.  I installed the Details West rail braces too.  The top turnout has had the ties weathered and painted, for later installation.  I weathered them using the paints shown in the pic.  One thing that really helps is to inscribe the wood grain on the ties.  I still have to paint the rails and tieplates before I get to the second (bottom) turnout. (Not sure if I like the RR Tie Brown for a rail color, I'll probably mix up something else.)

They should look a lot better after they are installed and ballasted.



Cheers,
Ed

[wm3798]

A power outage last night and through this morning led to the completion of the decaling of “Gull,” the Seaboard Central’s new business car.

Seen here, the Seaboard Central’s Vice President of Operations, L.C. Weldon, surveys over his domain from the rear porch of Gull, while those Amtrak fellas onboard the northbound Silver Star are doubled over in laughter at Mr. Weldon’s and the SC’s “shortcomings.”



More drama on the Seaboard Central 3.0.

DFF

A thoughtful tribute.  What the wags don't realize is that there's an E-unit pulling that train
They also don't realize that interior of the Gull is equipped with a fully stocked bar, and a vault where Mr. W. conceals the bones of his adversaries.  (mostly Rivarossi steam engine frames).

Lee