Weekend Update 11/21/21

[peteski]

I haven’t done a thing with the layout over the summer but with fall upon us I can again turn my attention to the layout.  I’ve started by making my next batch of SuperTrees – I really like how these turn out, but don’t like the spindly trunks – at least for trees in the foreground.  I had taken to painting on layers of latex rubber to thicken the trunks and am reasonably happy with the outcome, but there are three issues that detract from this approach.  First, the rubber gives off a strong smell of ammonia so you need a very well ventilated area.  Second, each layer of rubber is quite thin so a fair number (6 to 7) of coats are needed to thicken the trunk to an appropriate width.  Third, even after painting the rubber-coated surface looks too smooth and ‘shiny’.  The photos below show an example.

Bob, there are several threads on TRW about techniques for making trees.  Some modelers use acrylic matte medium (gel?) or other thick low-odor liquids to build up trunk thickness.  In one of those threads I suggested an alternative:  acrylic based Quikrete Gray Concrete Crack Seal.  It is a very thick liquid with some fine grit mixed in.  It is also very low-odor.  I suspect it mught work well for thickening the tree trunks.  I used it for its intended purpose, and I thought it might have secondary use for modeling. There is also a similar sealer for asphalt.



You can get it at Home Depot.  Might be worth a try.  As far as latex goes, it will likely harden, dry, and crack/disintegrate after few years of exposure to air.  Just like old elastics or rubber gloves.  Might not be the best thing to use for something you want to last for some time.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I figured out how to model the mufflers out back. I am using .035" brass rod with two layers of heat shrink tubing over it. It's not perfect, but I think it'll do.
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Oh and here is my dog in the nuclear bunker:
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[peteski]

Making progress on my MBTA FP10. The front stripes were especially difficult due to the fact the area needed four color masks. Some of the rough edged were fixed with decals. The rest will be fixed with weathering. #1114 was filthy by the end of her career and that's how I plan to model this engine. To that end, the MBTA purple is a special fade blend I made for older equipment.

That looks great Daniel!

Finished two more pieces for the RBB&B consist, a Case L1 tractor and a dolly to carry one of the Caterpillar D7 crawlers.

Nice!!

[sirenwerks]

Wrapped up several locomotive projects this week.

Completed my fleet of WM F units:

I have spent too many hours in the last few days trying to research the SP&S  fan cover treatment on some of its RS3s, and the WM FA's popped out at me.  What's the story on those?  Any close ups of the prototypes?

[Dave V]

I finished and installed my build of the Ragg's to Riches RGS Placerville depot kit in HO. It replaces a sloppily constructed (by me in an apparent hurry with confusing directions) Narrow Gauge Colorado kit of the same structure.

[CBQ Fan]

I finished and installed my build of the Ragg's to Riches RGS Placerville depot kit in HO. It replaces a sloppily constructed (by me in an apparent hurry with confusing directions) Narrow Gauge Colorado kit of the same structure.

The rear doors opening up right to an active track is a bit scary! 

[Dave V]

The rear doors opening up right to an active track is a bit scary!

LOL...  "Active track."  Active in an RGS sense, anyway.  But it's what they did!

https://ngtrainpics.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/RD128-RGS-Placerville-to-Vanadium/G0000bYREDLPK0OE/I0000T0CF5NgO2ss/C0000Vd2qoA2MbNU

[Erik W]

Dave V, that Placerville depot looks great!  A definite improvement over your Version 1.

My contribution for the week is further progress on my HOn3 D&RGW spreader OU.  I got the trucks installed.  I added a .060" thick styrene pad to the frame to get the trucks/couplers to the correct height.  The coupler boxes are Precision Scale Co D&RGW specific narrow gauge coupler boxes.  And the couplers are Sargent Engineering's outstanding ENC87K narrow shank operating couplers http://www.sergentengineering.com/   You can see the styrene shim I had to add to the frame end to get the coupler box mounted correctly.  Once all was said and done, the couplers were about .020" too low when compared to my other HOn3 rolling stock, so I added a brass washer between the trucks and the frame.  An easy fix.  I'm happy to say that after a few weeks of work, the frame is the correct height, the couplers are the correct height, the frame is square and true, and the car sits level both in length and in width.  I'm building this thing under a 2x magnifying lamp (with a 5x insert).  It seems to have bumped up my level of pickiness to get everything perfect.  Both a blessing and a curse.     Do any of you who build under magnification also find that your standards seem to go up as well?









Erik

[John]

A lot of stuff going on this week for me .. I've been dealing with a problematic Anycubic Mono SE printer -- it failed 24 hours after I received it last month .. replaced the front panel display, failed again, then replaced the motherboard .. failed again .. Now waiting on Anycubic to get back to my latest trouble ticket .. I told them to send a new printer or give me a refund .. will see ..

In the meantime, I took out the helix on the layout this week - it was tucked under the stairs leading into the basement .. I whacked my head one too many times climbing in there -- currently working on a 20" radius 2.5 turn replacement thats easier to get to .. haven't decided yet if I am tearing down the entire layout .. but at least I will have a helix

In another thread - Ed K wanted a coaling tower for his layout .. Since this was a PRR design, I found an article where another modeler built one in HO .. he included the dimensions he scaled off pictures .. which formed the basis for my initial CAD drawing .. the first beta test prints results are below . . these aren't going to be the final model, but will help me map out the details ..

The first test prints off my MONO SE (which is going into the dumpster soon) .. haven't got this dialed in .. I printed this top part in pieces to speed up the print some .. and test fit some of the railings and other stuff .. I think I will be able to print a few of the details ,,

Again . this is a beta ..

[BCR 570]

I'm building this thing under a 2x magnifying lamp (with a 5x insert).  It seems to have bumped up my level of pickiness to get everything perfect.  Both a blessing and a curse.     Do any of you who build under magnification also find that your standards seem to go up as well?

An interesting comment; I have not used magnification to date but as I am getting older I have been pondering it, and friends have recommended it.

I remember when people used to tell me "Its N Scale; they'll never see all the fine details".  That changed when we started taking better photographs of our models.

Tim

[Erik W]

An interesting comment; I have not used magnification to date but as I am getting older I have been pondering it, and friends have recommended it.

I remember when people used to tell me "Its N Scale; they'll never see all the fine details".  That changed when we started taking better photographs of our models.

Tim

Tim,

The magnification is really driven by my aging eyesight (I'm 52).  Since the advent of high resolution digital photos and forums, I've had that thought too, as in, "Am I building this for in-person viewing, or is it a showcase piece that I'll be posting a lot of photos of?"  My last project was a 1/350 scale tugboat that wound up having about 300 parts, 60 of which I fabricated myself.  It's easy to go down that detail rabbit hole . . .

Erik

[propmeup1]

Finished the two of three aux water tenders I started a week ago. The third one will go behind my RBMN 425 once it shows up. I also have six passenger cars underway now including their dome car.  I still need to locate the correct trucks or make them. I also have to finish the major conversion of the BLI mikados into Reading M1sa's.

[PiperguyUMD]

@sirenwerks I wasn't able to find a ton of information on the prototype. I know that on the WM, the four FA2s and five RS2s were the only Alcos on the roster that got this treatment. As best I can tell, it looks like an L bracket was welded across the top of the hood next to the radiator fan, then covered with a screen. I wonder if they thought the fan needed this extra  protection, because it doesn't look to serve a mechanical purpose.

At any rate, I took pieces of strip styrene and filed them to match the contour of the hood, then covered them with some brass mesh. Easy little project!

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I believe these types of things are because of the ergonomics of working on the top of the hood.
Keep in mind that access ladder was at the end of the nose, which means anyone up there would have to step over the 48" fan to get to the stack, horns, etc...
It's the reason why, on later Alcos, you see the gangway across the center of the radiator area.

[sirenwerks]

I believe these types of things are because of the ergonomics of working on the top of the hood.
Keep in mind that access ladder was at the end of the nose, which means anyone up there would have to step over the 48" fan to get to the stack, horns, etc...
It's the reason why, on later Alcos, you see the gangway across the center of the radiator area.

That's what I was trying to compare.  The SP&S units were similar screens on a legged frame, with an additional walkway over the screen, kinda like the Centuries had later.  Only some of its RS units had the feature and its FAs didn't have them, so the reasoning is still one of whimsy.  My imagination's a little frazzled these days, but I don't see much reason to be on the top of an RS or FA, especially in the rainy Pacific NW.  If there were, you'd think there'd be walkway provisions the length of the hoods.