Weekend Update 5/9/21

[up1950s]

https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1042&context=amst_etds

[dem34]

Inspired by @leestepr 's article in RMC I went back and redesigned my rather crude K Catenary file. Compared to the other one there is now some assembly required, but with the needed multi media materials worked out it goes fairly quick.

Here it is in comparison to the first one.

[hegstad1]

When zooming into a photo in one of my Northern Pacific books I could barely make out a couple of "red" gondolas lettered for Pacific Coast.  I'll save you the history lesson but i decided I needed a couple. I found a D&SL gon on Shapeways that was close and rebuilt the ends and brake gear.  My friend Michael Livingston designed some beautiful decals and voiila!

[DKS]

I handlaid a Code 40 turnout--



First time in 20-25 years. For details on how I designed and assembled it, as well as the new layout it's for, start here:

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=49183.msg709570#msg709570

[johnb]

When zooming into a photo in one of my Northern Pacific books I could barely make out a couple of "red" gondolas lettered for Pacific Coast.  I'll save you the history lesson but i decided I needed a couple. I found a D&SL gon on Shapeways that was close and rebuilt the ends and brake gear.  My friend Michael Livingston designed some beautiful decals and voiila!

those are cool

[Dave V]

The cast comes off my left hand on Monday, so this week I just JFRTMed.

A stock extra led by leased D&RGW K-27 #461 prepares to leave Rico for points north in September of 1941.



Later we catch it arriving at the 10,250-foot summit of Lizard Head Pass, where it'll perform a brake test and set retainers for the downhill ride to Placerville.



Speaking of Placerville, late in the afternoon we see C-19 #41 making good time to Ridgway with Telluride ore along the San Miguel River bottom between Vanadium and Placeeville.



A late afternoon freight will lose the race to sunset before it ties up at Ridgway for the evening.



Leased D&RGW K-27 #462 climbs out of Ophir with empty stock cars.



Steam passenger service hasn’t yet been completely usurped by the Galloping Geese. Here, #25 prepares to take a drink at Rico.



RGS C-19 #40 was the rear-end helper for this freight’s climb to Lizard Head Pass. B&B (Bridge & Building...RGS-speak for MoW) cars were thrown into the consist at the last minute, adding to the tonnage.

[x600]

Effin beautiful, Dave, just effin beautiful.

Bravo!

I'm standing while I clap.

Greg O.

[Tom Todd]

Andrew, I believe that the Pacific Coast RR was a GN subsidiary. Hauling coal to Seattle from Eastern King County.
Tom

[nkalanaga]

Andrew:  I believe I've seen that same picture, but have never found anything else on these gons, including how long they were in service.  I wonder if any made it past the BN merger?

And, as Tom said, the Pacific Coast was a GN subsidiary. 

[Sokramiketes]

When zooming into a photo in one of my Northern Pacific books I could barely make out a couple of "red" gondolas lettered for Pacific Coast.  I'll save you the history lesson but i decided I needed a couple. I found a D&SL gon on Shapeways that was close and rebuilt the ends and brake gear.  My friend Michael Livingston designed some beautiful decals and voiila!

Holy smokes!  Cool cars!

[PiperguyUMD]

Not a ton from me, my schedule is still pretty jammed for the next two weeks. I did finally get around to some coal loads though. This train is a combo of Atlas 55 ton hoppers and 3D printed U channel hoppers. I needed to refresh the Atlas loads and make some from scratch for the 3D printed cars. Both were topped with fine black craft sand from Amazon.

I did add some trees to Owings Mills but I’m not happy with them so they will probably be transplanted.


Spruced up Atlas load.


Custom load

[davefoxx]

Anyone who knows me probably knows that I am a fan of those Florida trains of the Atlantic Coast Line (ACL), Seaboard Air Line (SAL), and Seaboard Coast Line (SCL) that ran from the 1930s up to Amtrak in 1971.  I was fortunate enough in 2014 to ride the AutoTrain from Florida to Virginia along the very rail lines that some of those trains plied many years ago.  So, over the past two weeks, I built an HO scale ACL E8, which has been fully decoderized with sound and new LED lights, including a Mars Light in the upper headlight assembly.



I started with a Life-Like Proto 2000 E8 that I bought used on eBay, which was clearly from one of the earliest runs, so I'm guessing it dates from the early- to mid-1990s.  Unfortunately, the ACL's purple paint on the shell was horribly light, which might work if you want a sunbleached E-unit from the late 1950s.  But, mine is supposed to be a rebuilt survivor now in excursion service in the 1980s, so I wanted a better paint job.  I found a second E8 on eBay, which was clearly from a much later run, and used the parts from each to build a good-running locomotive.  Obviously, I used the shell and separately applied pilot from the newer E8, and I also used much of the drive line and trucks from this locomotive as well.  I did break the motor mounts on the newer unit during disassembly, so the older motor was salvaged.  I used the older frame, which required transplanting parts from the newer locomotive, but, thankfully, I only had to unsolder/resolder about six wires to transplant the decoder, speaker, and lights to the rebuilt model.  Interestingly, the frames are slightly different, and the older frame has a much better mount for the front coupler.  Beyond my understanding, the older frame has a pilot that mounts to the frame with a gaping hole for the coupler.  The newer frame has a more prototypical pilot that mounts to the shell, but this frame has a swiveling coupler.  Huh?!  This is why I chose to swap frames.  This thing's literally a Frankenstein's monster!



DFF

[CRL]

I see you have the light colored loco done as a Mag-Lev prototype.

[davefoxx]

I did finally get around to some coal loads though. This train is a combo of Atlas 55 ton hoppers and 3D printed U channel hoppers. I needed to refresh the Atlas loads and make some from scratch for the 3D printed cars. Both were topped with fine black craft sand from Amazon.

Ah, yes, the ol' black craft sand trick.  I've done that same trick for coal loads, and it's very effective.  However, I noticed recently that a coal load in an open hopper that I made a couple of years ago has lost that sparkly coal effect.  I've been wondering if I could just spritz it with water (in case it's just dusty) or if I need to just go any apply another coat of sand to freshen it up.  Lord knows the bag of craft sand is a lifetime supply of coal loads.

DFF

[davefoxx]

I see you have the light colored loco done as a Mag-Lev prototype.

"Low rider drives a little slower . . ."   

DFF