Weekend Update 8/20/23

[up1950s]

https://www.reddit.com/r/trains/comments/jxs27k/what_is_the_purpose_of_the_center_rails_going/?rdt=34410

https://www.vhb.com/news/massachusetts-six-bridge-bundle-replacement/

https://www.columbian.com/news/2020/apr/18/clark-asks-railroad-bridge-under-construction-in-vancouver-bound-for-columbia-river-gorge/

https://www.traveltacoma.com/articles/post/mt-rainier-scenic-railroad-back-in-operation-sooner-than-predicted-with-rail-bikes-and-steam-train/

https://www.custommodelrailroads.com/cmr-train-customstructures.html

https://www.conteches.com/Portals/0/Documents/Brochures/Railway%20Solutions%20Bro_web.pdf?ver=2018-05-16-090455-130

[chuck geiger]

This is BNSF B23-7 4252, an ex-ATSF unit in local service on The LPRR. BNSF runs the number 4252 as a ES44C4 today. There is a exhaust fan issue at Las Piedras Road on the outskirts of Las Piedras, CA. Crews are on hand and should be a simple repair. LPRR uses Santa Fe lettered utility trucks.

[BCR 570]

Went down to Portland OR this week to visit my friends Dave Mackinnon and Tim Anderson.  Several of my engines received a tune-up.  Dave was milling the B36-7 frames for my MLW M-420s:




I also got more work done on the carbodies.  On the top, radiators, stacks, rear end top grab iron and lift rings all installed:




Radiator walkways and rear end grab irons installed:




I also hosted an Open House for our North Shore Model Railroaders group.  Back to work next week, and have to prepare for an op session next Friday.

Tim

[CNR5529]

Just a small update this week. I recently came into possession of a few additional Rapido CPR Budd cars to partially modernize and re-equip The Dominion. I had previously replaced the stock white drumhead on my first Park Car with a red "The Canadian", as I had always intended to have a visual contrast with a second park car sporting a white "The Dominion" drumhead. I am pretty satisfied with the look of these homemade custom decals!

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[haasmarc]

Since I gave my first marker lit caboose to my dad, I had to make another one...

The Reading repainted their cabooses into the green and yellow scheme in the sixties so they were electrified by then so my oil marker lamps wouldn't be appropriate.  The electric markers they used were much smaller but I couldn't reduce the size and still get an led in it so I had to print them a little bigger.



I finally got a picture that shows the different colors.  Had to let the capacitor discharge little.

[Jim Starbuck]

Since I gave my first marker lit caboose to my dad, I had to make another one...

The Reading repainted their cabooses into the green and yellow scheme in the sixties so they were electrified by then so my oil marker lamps wouldn't be appropriate.  The electric markers they used were much smaller but I couldn't reduce the size and still get a led in it so I had to print them a little bigger.

Outstanding!

[jpwisc]

Just finished prepping a couple more cars for service. The boxcar was body mounting couplers, swapping trucks, adding weight, new stirrups, and weathering. The gon was just painting the interior and weathering.
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[Jesse6669]

This week I mostly worked out issues with the detail kit for the TGauge FP9.  The kit is windshield, cab windows and portholes (in clear), plus fuel tank, pilot insert/coupler, rear coupler and truck sideframes.  The clear parts are a blend of Phrozen Onyx Impact Plus and Voxelab Transparent, so they're a kindof smoky-clear.  I also refined the PRR-PC-CR FP7 details a bit--You can see the sideframes over the stock trucks on the Pennsy FP7.  The fuel tank/SG water tank are beefier instead of just silhouettes on the sides, and fuel tank skirt detail is more accurate. 



I also got some scenery done on the WP&Y (1:300) layout.  This is the Fraser Lake area.  The covered water tank is done, just waiting to be installed. Lake bed is painted, I need to pour the WS deep water resin in that soon.. that'll be a first.  I really need to get the backdrop in before I do the lake though..



Finally, I picked up a fantastic book about the rebirth of the EBT by Frank Kyper, and discovered front and back cover photos, as well as some in the narrative, by our very own Ed K..!  Well done!

-Jesse

   

[arbomambo]

The “Indian Trading Post” T-TRAK single module recently got an Indian Taco and Fry Bread stand, along with the appropriate signage.
I used the Bar Mills ‘sandwich stand’ pretty much unmodified.












Thanks for looking

[Joe Cox]

Bruce,

Looks great

[spr1955]

So I have this bridge and it's a problem as I have to merge the two scenes into one.  So some current status photos.



This is the scene from the North.

The idea is to create a view block but not, thru the bridge scene to the coke plant in the rear just enough to show it's there.....

I have some ideas to pull this off but I welcome any thoughts.

[garethashenden]

I made a new front truck for a Bachmann 2-8-0. I used wheels from NWSL which are much finer than the Bachmann ones. The truck is made of a piece of brass bar with bits of thin pcb attached to the sides. Bushings are mounted in the pcb. The wheels are mounted on 1.5mm stub axles which are connected to each other buy a plastic muff. The pcb and the muff keep things electrically isolated. Still need to paint it, but I think its a subtle but worthwhile improvement. The diameter of the wheel hardly changed, but it looks so much less like a toy.

Before


After


Closeup


The truck

[peteski]

I made a new front truck for a Bachmann 2-8-0. I used wheels from NWSL which are much finer than the Bachmann ones. The truck is made of a piece of brass bar with bits of thin pcb attached to the sides. Bushings are mounted in the pcb. The wheels are mounted on 1.5mm stub axles which are connected to each other but a plastic muff. The pcb and the muff keep things electrically isolated. Still need to paint it, but I think its a subtle but worthwhile improvement. The diameter of the wheel hardly changed, but it looks so much less like a toy.

The truck

That is a great improvement of the pilot, but the solid spoke drivers still make that model look like a child's toy.

[Tjack757]

I started working on a gravel quarry to fill in the area on my return loop.
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[Ed Kapuscinski]

@DeltaBravo and I went to the EBT and look who we found.

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Smartly not pictured, his fantastic wife Patricia who actually seemed to enjoy our chase of #16.

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