Weekend Update 7/16/23

[up1950s]

https://www.manitowoccountyhistory.org/stories/runaway-train

Sorry I am in LIJ hospital after busting in 2 my tibia and fibula in right leg while getting cherries during commercial … 90 degrees looks odd .3

[basementcalling]

Richie, take care of you. Best wishes for a speedy recovery. Weekend Update can hire Dennis Miller to cover for you.

[C855B]

Gosh! Good luck and heal fast, Richie!

[peteski]

Sorry to hear that Richie. That's a BAD break!  Don't worry about us here and about the WU - we'll worry about you instead. 
Like others, I wish you quick recovery.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[davefoxx]

Whoa.  Feel better soon, Richie.  Hope they got you on something good!  In the meantime, here’s some more painted brickwork, lightweight spackling as mortar, and an old faded sign to look at while you convalesce:



DFF

[BCR 570]

Take care Richie and rest up; I seem to recall you and I subbing for each other on a previous forum so let us know if you need help.

During the last op session my eight standard gondolas made their last run:




These models were built many years ago by splicing longer halves of two Con-Cor 50' gondolas together to approximate an NSC 52'-6" gondola.  The method was pioneered by Greg Kennelly (PGE Modeller).  I say approximate because after all the work, the car was still too narrow, too tall, and the taper of the bottom side sills remained incorrect.  At the time they were completed I had to use a combination of Microscale locomotive decals and CDS dry transfers on decal film.  Despite all this, the car served me well:




When Prairie Shadows came out with their NSC 52'-6" gondola, I was disappointed because they didn't do the fixed end version which PGE/BCR had.  Fortunately Briggs Models came to the rescue with 3D replacement ends, and friend Philippe Whyte produced some accurate decals for each car, resulting in much more accurate models in all respects.

I built six cars from the 9001-9125 series with the Z shaped stiffeners, and finished them in various schemes according to prototype reference photographs:




A few close-ups:








I also built six cars to represent the 9201-9225 series with fixed ends and the 9401-9425 series with drop ends built by Hawker Siddeley in 1965.  These cars had a different end and a brake lever in place of the brake wheel, so an appropriate replacement end was sourced from Briggs Models.  These cars were used mostly in OCS rail service:




A few close-ups:








These cars will enable me to run alternate rail and tie trains during operating sessions in addition to my existing ballast train.

Tim

[nkalanaga]

Good luck Richie!

[SP-Wolf]

Heal quickly, Richie!!

Best regards,
Wolf

[Jesse6669]

Ouch!  Heal up fast, and be sure to drink your milk Richie!

The O-27 GP38-2 is about ready for some decals.  It reminds me of an N-scale GP38-2 blown up with the oversized handrails   

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

I dialed in my 80-20 A8K-Onyx resin mix and got a new build plate.  Word to the wise--those magnetic build plates (I have a Wham Bam) have issues that crop up over time: It appears repeated exposure to resin affects the 3M magnet layer and it swells/shrinks and becomes impossible to level.  So:  I'm thinking I need to retrofit the stock build plate using neodymium magnets (and guess what, I have a used build plate that will be drilled to accept several magnets.)  Patent pending ofc.   I also test printed a couple T-scale test CN baggage cars.

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

I worked on some N-scale decals as well.  Yes I know they are 4-bay hoppers.

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[MK]

Whoa Richie!!  Take care of yourself!  Hope everything will return to normal quickly.

[John]

[wm3798]

As reported elsewhere, the Newport and Rock Falls is set up in my new office, and back in business.  The slightly larger Hi Rail layout remains carefully stowed away, though.




The little Trix 0-6-0 represents the first new (to me) purchase that was delivered to my new address.

Happy Hi Railing!
Lee

[chuck geiger]

Ritchie get better and here's a centerbeam for you.

[mu26aeh]

In preparation of doing more paint work, I fired up the airbrush today and knocked out a couple projects.

First up, Freightliner Century Day cabs.



Complete with headache racks



Next, we have pup trailers for fertilizer service.  I need to find a suitable single axle tractor for these.



I'm working on modeling the newest addition to the Gettysburg and Northern fleet, a GP38-2 from LTEX, under the new Patriot Rail ownership group.  CMR has other Patriot Rail decals so I asked if this could be added to catalog, they are hopefully working on them and release soon.  But in my rush to get a shell, they are hard to come by, I bought 1 without a dynamic brake housing.  So it will instead become GMTX 2112.



And finally with the leftover white paint, I took out some of my cement hopper fleet and started weathering them.