Weekend Update 11/27/22

[craigolio1]

The Lake Cowichan rebuild project continues on my E&N Railway, following the installation of an LED lighting strip on the lower level last week.  All track on the upper level has been lifted and the reusable components salvaged.  The wiring has all been disconnected and the power bus removed.  This week I have been reconditioning the salvaged turnouts for reinstallation, and this photo shows the test fit of the first three turnouts.  Wiring for this section will be mounted on a vertical board under the subgrade, and once that and the servos are installed, the subgrade at the front will be reinstalled (don't worry--that diverging route closest to the camera isn't headed over a cliff!).  Where turnouts have been removed, short lengths of 1/4" dowel are used to plug the holes where the turnout actuating wire passed through the subgrade, and one of these can be seen just to the left of the right-hand turnout.

Wait what? How can there be another person that is also modelling Lake Cowichan. I thought I was the only one that knew the place existed.

This is very exciting! Looking forward to seeing more.

Craig

[nkalanaga]

Bryan:  Considering that you go so far as to put the correct stripes on the ACI labels on your ESM models, I have to ask.  Did you model the actual individual blocks in the abutments?

(No, I can't imagine anyone doing that in N scale, but, then, I can't imagine trying to make a correct, readable ACI label either!)

[bbussey]

The original bridge and abutments have been gone for decades, but I got as close as I could on all of the components based on Library of Congress aerial photos from the 1970s.  They aren't exact but they are very close and enough that people familiar with the original bridge will recognize the vignette.  And yes, I built them block by block.  The dollhouse 1:16 blocks are very close in dimensions to the prototype, so much so that the top of the abutment is even with the top of the bridge pier without any shimming.

I wrote a macro in CorelDraw that creates the ACI labels for whatever reporting marks I key in, and then I copy the ACI label to the freight car artwork.  All the railroads had a four-digit ACI number for the alpha part of the reporting marks.  It's basically a ten-digit barcode with a start and stop coding, so it was programmable.  This is the barcode from one of the first X58 releases.

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This is a photo of the test-fitting tonight of all the cove right-of-way components.  The bridge deck height needs refining but I am waiting on some components before continuing.

[BCR 570]

Andrew:  Nice work; love to see that type of scratchbuilding in N Scale.

Michael:  Good to see the new Lake Cowichan progressing; looking forward to running trains over the new track arrangement.


I spent this week's modelling time pushing some rolling stock projects towards completion.  These three Rapido Trains tank cars are ready for service after receiving safety placards, new wheels, and weathering.  The smaller Atlas tank car has received new trucks, wheels, couplers and weathering:




Most of the week was spent getting the diesel crane rigged, which was a challenging task:




With the rigging complete, I was finally able to apply the decals:






The remaining time was spent installing final details and painting details on the five pieces of work equipment.  Pictured here are the crane with air hoses and antenna installed, crane idler with rerailers, deck fuel tanks and air hoses installed, and rail and tie car with air hoses installed:




and the snow plow with air hoses and wing posts installed, and the flanger with hoses painted:




These five items still have some parts and paint touch-ups to attend to, and then the final weathering.  These are all long-running projects which I am looking forward to seeing completed before year-end.


Finally, some HSC gondolas are just out of the paint shop and ready for decals, including two with fixed ends and four with drop ends:






Tim

[BCR 570]

Wait what? How can there be another person that is also modelling Lake Cowichan. I thought I was the only one that knew the place existed.

This is very exciting! Looking forward to seeing more.

Craig

Yes, you have two layouts to see here in North Vancouver during your next visit . . .

Tim

[nkalanaga]

Bryan:  Interesting use of the macro.  I wouldn't have thought of that.

For the blocks, what I was actually asking, and it was more-or-less joking, was "were you modeling the individual blocks", as in, "is each block accurate to its prototype".  Such as, color, chips and dents, any lichen on it, that kind of stuff.

I've seen modelers who were that obsessive, such as one in the NMRA National report years ago, who built an On3 caboose, accurate down to the rubber stopper in the sink, carved from a pencil eraser.

If the prototype has been gone for years, I will assume the answer is probably "no"!

[bbussey]

Ah, now I understand. Definitely a “no” on that one. Just going for the overall appearance/features with all of the artifacts at the scene. The LoC photos are extensive and there are some ground/water level photos as well. But they didn’t photograph all details and the mechanical drawings of the bridge and pier trestle have been lost to history. I have some basic dimensions and worked from that as a basis. Also, the original right-of-way path still “exists” even though the bridge, trestle and approach tracks are long gone, and the cove shore line has not changed in those areas, so the Google Maps satellite photos with the distance measuring feature was extremely helpful. Everything in my Shaw’s Cove vignette is to scale.

[Jim Starbuck]

Tim,

Your work train and MOW equipment are beautiful!
The crane is outstanding!

Jim

[wm3798]

Came across this at a record store we did some shopping in over the weekend.

I immediately thought about how the application might benefit our community...


I trust everyone ate too much and avoided controversy at your gatherings.

Lee

[Dave V]

Came across this at a record store we did some shopping in over the weekend.

I immediately thought about how the application might benefit our community...


I trust everyone ate too much and avoided controversy at your gatherings.

Lee

All of my layouts have a flip-down drink holder on them.

[NtheBasement]

And a railroad-themed IPA.  What's not to like?

[Van Horne]

Nice to know it will now be possible to actually see what we are doing at Lake Cowichan! Looking forward to operating there again!

Dave

[Bob]

Hey Bryan - I am really intrigued by your use of the dollhouse bricks.  Can you say a bit more about these?  Did you dye them different shades of gray?  If so, how did you do that?  Can they be cut with a razor saw?  I can see using these - you mentioned that you are sealing them - can you say what you are using for that?  Thanks!  Bob

[Erik W]

I’ve finished (except for weathering) my Leadville Designs HOn3 RGS Type I boxcar kit.











RGS 8512 takes its maiden trip around the layout mixed in with a bunch of Grandt Line Type III cars. Here we’re at Bridge 45-A at Ophir bound for Ridgway.



Lastly, a parting shot of Rico as a northbound mixed freight meets a southbound Goose.

Hey Dave,  That looks like a neat little kit.  Is the whole thing laser cut wood?  Also, what brand/color of paint did you use on it?

Thanks,
Erik

[Dave V]

Hey Dave,  That looks like a neat little kit.  Is the whole thing laser cut wood?  Also, what brand/color of paint did you use on it?

Thanks,
Erik

The kit is laser-cut wood and etched brass with some 3-D printed and injection molded details.

As for paint, that's just Rust-oleum's 2X Ultra Cover flat red primer. It's almost a dead match for PolyScale/Testor's Oxide Red.