Weekend Update 1/17/21

[PiperguyUMD]

Wrapped up some odds and ends on the modules. Now that my college teaching schedule is in full swing and my dissertation defense is on the horizon, having a railroad in the garage is more than I can resist. So this weekend I grabbed the camera and did some rail fanning!

[garethashenden]

In the lead photo the photographer looks to be standing on the old turntable. It shows up in 1950 and I wondered why they needed it so close to the other turntable just to the east. But they I found this cool town photo:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Railroad_structures_in_Bellows_Falls_on_1886_birds-eye_map.jpg

Shows the ball signal and all. The curved wall along the river was the old roundhouse.

Here is looking back at the roundhouse. The balls are now square:
https://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft.dll/usersearchmatches?userid=91CE877CF16C43EEA91FEDF166979869&st=1&match=cnr

https://classicamericanmusclecars.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft.dll/usersearchmatches?userid=91CE877CF16C43EEA91FEDF166979869&seq=1063&st=1&match=railroad

The turntable the photographer is standing by belonged to the Rutland. Their yard can be seen in the picture. The roundhouse was torn down just after steam ended. The other roundhouse in the area, just across the river in North Walpole NH, is the Boston & Maine's. When the B&M no longer really needed it it became the first home to Steamtown and then was sold to the Green Mountain, who still own it, or their parent Vermont Rail Systems owns it.

Bellows Falls in the '47-'53 timeframe would make a great model subject. Three rail lines coming together in tight confines. Three New England railroads; B&M, CV, Rutland. Lots of tracks going all over the place, two or three yards depending on the space you have, there's a tight tunnel, so everything oversized going southbound had to be diverted down the Cheshire branch. There are two roundhouses, four bridges, passenger, freight, and milk traffic. Everything from small 0-6-0 switchers to the CV's huge 2-10-4s plus first generation diesels.

[BCRail_FSJ]

 Making a start on a new locomotive project for the new year.  This is one of the Ex Erie Lackawanna C425s acquired by British Columbia Railway in the mid 1970s.  Most were hastily patched and pushed into service with EL livery still partially visible for the first few years.   I am looking at doing 801 in this state which will be a fun exercise in weathering     

Model is a Life Like undecorated C425 with a Briggs bodyshell conversion kit.   Just adjusting fit of the major components at this stage.



Photo at link below shows 801 at North Vancouver in the condition I hope to be able to reproduce

http://www.cnrphotos.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=52380

[BCR 570]

Andy:  801 will be a fun project; good luck with it.

I made some tweaks to the SD38 shell and everything fit as it should've.

Those shells look nice; looking forward to seeing Craig's yellow BC Hydro units 


I decided that there were just too many compromises with the Image Replicas frame for my Climax, so resorted to building my own in styrene.

End beams and footboards:




Topside of new frame built in styrene:




Underside of new frame built in styrene:




Component parts with new frame:




New frame with front hand rail, fore and aft cut levers, locating ridges for cab, and cylinders/gears:




Tim

[w neal]

All this talk about balls reminds me of a certain AC/DC song. 

Indeed. One of my personal favorites!!!

[conrailthomas519]

Long Live Rock! Big Fan of that group. So glad to see their new album out!

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I haven't been this excited about a freight car since ESM released the X58.

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

What's it hauling? a$$, of course.

[Cajonpassfan]

If you don't need the front coupler on the leading A unit, you could add a cover over the opening in the pilot similar to the cover on the prototype.

Yes, I was actually pondering just that, because early on, while on the top shelf lightweight trains, they didn’t require helpers up Cajon. PA’s were delivered the same way, with a coupler cover. But, in a relatively short time, the covers came off; too much trouble I’d guess.
Thanks for the suggestion though, it is tempting.
Otto

[Cajonpassfan]

The coupler covers didn't last very long in service.  I'd put a short MT true scale coupler in the pilot if I were you.

Nate

You’re right, of course, Nate.
But I struggle with the True Scales... I’ve installed some and they make everything else nearby look so BIG😬 Rail, other couplers. Besides, I may need to double head some returning power with them, so I think a 905 is probably the way to go here. I do like the sleek look of the covers though...
Thanks, Otto

[Cajonpassfan]

Hi Otto,

Those look great.

What did you use for the FM engine sound - ?

Regards,
Wolf

Thank you Wolf! Appreciated.
There are no surviving FM Eriebuilts to record from. Next best thing, ESU has a recording of the FM 38D Six, with instructions available to tweak the playback to simulate 10 and 12 cylinder power plants. Sounds really good to me...
Kind regards back at you,
Otto

[Angus Shops]

Tim, because that Climax is going to spend its life on its display flatcar, I wonder if you might want to find some more ‘true scale’ wheels and axles?

[Bendtracker1]

What's it hauling? a$$, of course.

First thing I thought of when I seen this car.
https://youtu.be/008BPUdQ1XA

[BCR 570]

Tim, because that Climax is going to spend its life on its display flatcar, I wonder if you might want to find some more ‘true scale’ wheels and axles?

Not sure if there is anything available more 'true scale' than the Fox valley 28" wheels, which are correct for the locomotive.  if there is I'd like to know . . . . . .

Tim

[altohorn25]

You’re right, of course, Nate.
But I struggle with the True Scales... I’ve installed some and they make everything else nearby look so BIG😬 Rail, other couplers. Besides, I may need to double head some returning power with them, so I think a 905 is probably the way to go here. I do like the sleek look of the covers though...
Thanks, Otto

A 905 would be my second choice if I had any plans to double head.  The units look great by the way. 

[craigolio1]

Not sure if there is anything available more 'true scale' than the Fox valley 28" wheels, which are correct for the locomotive.  if there is I'd like to know . . . . . .

Tim

Not knowing what the flange size of the FVM wheel is, but considering prototype wheels are measured from the outside of the flange, it’s sometimes valuable to consider how N scale wheels can look larger because of the flanges. So with that in mind, a Z scale scale 33” wheels scales to 24” in N scale. If needed, that could make up for an over sized flange but still achieve the right look.

Craig.