Weekend Update 5/21/23

[up1950s]

https://coloradorailroadmuseum.org/2022/07/30/big-train-tours-colorado-northwestern-boxcar-no-1026/

https://westernhorseman.com/ranching/writing-on-the-range/a-train-wreck-directors-notes/

https://www.motorcycle.com/features/motorcycle-falls-through-railway-bridge.html

https://industryrailway.com/blog/new-battery-operated-railroad-torque-wrench/

https://vermontbiz.com/news/2023/february/26/lamoille-valley-rail-trail-nears-completion

[mu26aeh]

Started on some Fox Valley undecorated covered hoppers.  I have 5 to do in total, being painted/decaled for Maryland Midland.  The proto car has 9 ribs, the FVM car has 10, so it throws the spacing off a little bit.  Next one I'm going to shift the road over 1 panel and see which I like better.



Here is the proto car for reference

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=695106

[peteski]

I kind of like the current layout. The staggered Ms seem to follow the sloped shape of the hopper's end.  But Maybe if the Ms are aligned, it will look even better.

[wazzou]

Or, shave all the ribs and layout the properly spaced 9.

[mu26aeh]

In my best Gabriel Iglesias voice, aw hell no

[wazzou]

In my best Gabriel Iglesias voice, aw hell no

Probably only need to shave 8. 

[jargonlet]

So is there no prototype hopper available or did you not have it on hand?

[nkalanaga]

I'm with Peteski.  It looks fine the way it is.  The extra blank space on the right seems less distracting than it would on the left, at least to me.  The first thing I usually notice on a car are the reporting marks, and they're in the right place.

[thomasjmdavis]

I think you've done well.  Given that we just don't have models of every prototype hopper and gondola available, some compromise is demanded.  The car looks good- if you hadn't told us that it has a different number of ribs than the prototype, I would not have known.  Essentially, what you've done is produce a car as the prototype road would have if they had started with a car with 10 ribs.  Short of a major kitbash, or 3D printing of a precise model, you've produced a very suitable approximation.

I do sympathize. I am not a 'rivet counter,' but I am a 'rib' counter and (for passenger cars) a 'window counter'. Also, I am one of those who is driven nuts by all the manufactured N scale 50' gons and flats that should be 53'. And lately, boxcar and baggage car door widths and rivet cars that should be welded and vice-versa..... 

[craigolio1]

The last couple of weeks I’ve made slow but very meaning full progress on the Arbutus Canyon module.



Details in the build thread.

Craig.

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=55399.75

[Lemosteam]

Finally dove into (pun intended) the gloss medium water effects on my channel and part of my waterfront on the layout. It is kinda fun. I am really pleased with the base color I used and the way the beach sand blends into the channel. It gave a nice sheen when it soaked into the beach sand a bit.  Some of the waves are still drying.

Bit of a southwesterly breeze!




Sewall action.



With the barges in place. After I paint and install them, I will add some splashes up against their hulls.

[craigolio1]

Finally dove into (pun intended) the gloss medium water effects on my channel and part of my waterfront on the layout. It is kinda fun. I am really pleased with the base color I used and the way the beach sand blends into the channel. It gave a nice sheen when it soaked into the beach sand a bit.  Some of the waves are still drying.

Bit of a southwesterly breeze!




Sewall action.



With the barges in place. After I paint and install them, I will add some splashes up against their hulls.

Looks fantastic!

[OldEastRR]

Finished my N Scale Architect NH Tower after some changes to match the prototype. I blanked out the rear wall since my tower needs only 3 sightlines, and used very fine sandpaper glued to the outerwalls to match the stucco finish. Added the scroll parapet, modified the chimney to prototype, and did lots of work on the window sections to get the to look like sash windows.
I used plans of this type tower from the April 1984 RMC.

Adding the sand paper finish



Final





And if I really want to go nuts I'll install rain gutters and downspouts.

[BCR 570]

Good Evening Everyone:

After reaching structural completion with re-installation of the last three layout sections last weekend, I have been working to complete all of the various connections between layout sections.

There are several final sections of track to go down between sections.  Here are the new connections from Chetwynd to Sundance (front) and from Chetwynd to Bond (rear):




The command bus connections are fairly straight-forward with modular jacks and plugs:




The auxiliary bus for powering the Singlets and servos connects via barrier strips:




The track bus runs connect in the same way (thank goodness everything was labelled!):




The LED lighting runs use 3.5mm connectors and jacks to connect between sections:




Here is the layout with all LED lighting restored:




Thanks to Michael (Dayliner) who came over last Monday to help with the connections.  Hoping to get lots more done tomorrow and on the holiday Monday, including locating and getting my DCC system out of storage as it will be needed soon!


Tim

[Cajonpassfan]

Nice going, Tim, good to see so much progress.
Otto