Weekend Update 3/5/23

[up1950s]

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/416442296777933933/

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/bf/65/67/bf6567307e2d3e12814fec9140a9930e.jpg

https://patineto.smugmug.com/Trains/Strange-weird-trains/i-FcJGVrq/A

https://didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk/article.php/444/going-loco-january-2021

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/4151824649335216/

[apudelek]

Today, I finished two projects that I've been working on for some time now:

The first is a Kato EF-15 boxcab that I slightly modified and repainted to resemble a New Haven EP-2 in McGinnis livery.  I equipped it with a drop-in Digitrax decoder.  This is Kato's latest version and uses the same decoder as their SDP-40F. I staged it in few action shots to celebrate.

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I plugged the three center windows using by cutting the pre-existing clear plastic window inserts and gluing them into place, and filling the remaining gap with styrene and Tamiya putty and then sanded.  The decal sizes and lettering are not exactly prototypical, but I made the available Microscale decals work.  The large NH logos were taken from the Caboose set (they should be larger in real life).  The font of the New Haven is incorrect but it was the only readily available one in black.  The NH logos on the doors were a phenomenal find:  I used the lettering on the ConnDOT P32 decal set to create them and it fit the cab doors perfectly!

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I learned a lot on this build, especially in regards to painting and working on smaller decals (man, the numbering was NOT fun).  Thinking about options for slat pilots to hide the leading wheels and make it look a more accurate, along with painting those silver pantographs.  While it's not an exact representation of an EP-2, it plays the part and I'm very happy with it and looks damn good leading my Rapido coaches.

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My second completed project was the NH box-express car directly behind the motor, built from an MTL troop sleeper.  Decals were used from the Microscale caboose set once again.  I made several mistakes in this build, but it looks good from a distance and will be even better once it is weathered.  In hindsight, I would plug the windows much differently than I did.  Overall though, I will call it a success!

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Now that I can do proper power changes for WAS-BOS consists... It's time to JFRTM!

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[Chris333]

Did most of this work about an hour ago. Took these pics and was thinking "hey I can post those this weekend". Then I looked at the top of my phone to see it is Friday. You're old when you don't even know when the weekend is...

Front deck is .010" styrene in case the flanges hit it. Most of the motor saddle is hollow for weight under it.

Two half round trenches printed in the frame for tungsten welding rod to fit.

Gears got the neolube

The bottom shows the Kato worm and shaft to the spur gear. Also tungsten cubes. And the rear axle muff replaced with a Kato gear muff.


Guess it will be next weekend in about 15min. 

[chuck geiger]

Scenic Express and Midwest Model Railroad came today...Going to try the Welberg stuff. Pics later.

[bbussey]

Finished the D4 crane, and with it another flatcar is complete.

[Dayliner]

Hello, all.

bbussey--that crane is just great, nicely rigged and with a just-beat-up-enough look to it.

This week I've carried on (resumed, really) assembly of the switch machines for my Lake Cowichan section.  The Tam Valley servos fit well in the custom-cut acrylic mounting brackets. Ordinary CA cement does a good job of holding them in place, but with the torque that the servos put out, I wanted a good mechanical connection as well.  This is easier said than done, as I found the acrylic hard to work with hand tools.  However, with a bit of trial and error, and some patience and a little elbow grease, I found that I was able to drill and tap a hole to take a 00-90 machine screw. A 0-80 washer above and below the collar on the servo held everything in place (a 00-90 washer was too small for the mounting hole on the collar), and all six servos are now fully secured to their mounting brackets.

[peteski]

. . .
 I found that I was able to drill and tap a hole to take a 00-90 machine screw. A 0-80 washer above and below the collar on the servo held everything in place (a 00-90 washer was too small for the mounting hole on the collar), and all six servos are now fully secured to their mounting brackets.

These brackets actually look elegant. Almost a shame to hide them under the layout. 

00-90 size drill bits and taps are rather fragile. I'm curious why not just use 0-80 screws to begin with?  With larger drill bit and tap I think  there would be less chances of breakage during drilling/tapping.

[davefoxx]

A roof shingle every night . . .



DFF

[draskouasshat]

Ignore the crappy paint job and focus on the details lol

UP TTT 2-10-2 fresh off the printer. Never in my right mind would i have thought i could be cranking these out.

Drasko
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[peteski]

Ignore the crappy paint job and focus on the details lol

UP TTT 2-10-2 fresh off the printer. Never in my right mind would i have thought i could be cranking these out.

Drasko

Nice!  I guess you will now have to come up with a new signature line for your posts. 

[draskouasshat]

Nice!  I guess you will now have to come up with a new signature line for your posts. 

Nah, we still need santa fe steam.

[spr1955]

American Steel and Wire is finally getting some tracks laid. It is the last section of the layout that needs to be completed before moving onto scenery.

[Frank Amato]

Great looking blast furnace @spr1955 !  I love how you are showing off the size of a mill relative to the trains.

  Frank

[Bill H]

American Steel and Wire is finally getting some tracks laid. It is the last section of the layout that needs to be completed before moving onto scenery.

David;
The steel plant looks as good as it did on your old layout - I assume you only need to lay track and it is ready for business! Keep posting, always good to see a great N scale layout being moved and successfully rebuilt.

Kind regards,
Bill

[altohorn25]

I've been building some old Intermountain reefer kits this afternoon.  They're a little tedious to put together, but they look very nice when finished.

I replaced the factory trucks with MT bettendorf trucks and Intermountain metal wheels.

I still need to weather them, otherwise they're done.



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