Weekend Update 1/19/25

[up1950s]

https://www.powellauction.com/events/railroadrobinson/

https://ktla.com/news/local-news/la-metro-adjusts-service-and-suspends-fares-due-to-fire-recovery-and-wind-repairs/

https://wildfiretoday.com/2018/10/07/video-of-the-fire-train-used-on-the-delta-fire/

https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=8214f2fdfa3e48e1&hl=en&q=Railroad+fire+fighting+video&udm=7&fbs=AEQNm0C3IotwCOg6Y47uwYyWdat8ePP9a-48nYUEqX3u6R6qhRUtLmXG3-V9LxDyAhw-8Agm9UzIeolImLvsBtIRFQzhtKqhqSm-_W8HQVn8u37Vq0dTWHEruAQMu2zzLe_73YApRI7aTs-PpK0Z2TV1yzlZvYGNbjr3rC6RW5Qm3CPzGyh95Lie-vEETZ0IYg-Zmnbz88fjgLihbCAo7-Qc8_RivxF8VioC1bdtpy-QRpx-coTxUWU&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjHxMLdtPOKAxVBv4kEHYEsGQIQtKgLegQIDRAB&biw=1920&bih=911&dpr=1#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:8f975ba1,vid:yShAdhEiw1E,st:0

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https://www.facebook.com/rfscopacabana/videos/fire-train-bnsf-railway-fire-train-is-an-important-wildfire-fighting-tool-protec/4581067308616185/

https://www.railyardstudios.com/blog/soundreactive-fire-pits-from-rail-yard-studios/

[mu26aeh]

Paint shop back open

[bbussey]

Me too. Got the O&W and L&NE caboose bodies in final paint along with a couple of other projects that have been sitting around.

[BCR 570]

I have got back to my three NMRA track projects.  Tonight I focused on finishing installation of the point/wing rails.  At this stage the NMRA gauge is an indispensable tool!  For the crossing I have been working on the three pieces for each of the four outer guardrails.  With all of the adjoining angles now filed, I can begin soldering them together.  (The photo below shows them sitting loosely in place.)

Turnout:




Crossover:




Crossing:




I also made further progress on my museum train project this week.  While still trying to sort out dome replacements for the two tank cars, I worked on the display flatcars.  The styrene bodies were glued down onto the metal underframes:




With that done, I could proceed with permanent installation of their loads.  There is a fair bit of blocking timbers on the decks.  I cut these from scale lumber and stained them.  I also assembled a tie pile for the first flatcar, which served as a rudimentary speaker's platform during the first year or two:




The flatcar which carries the Climax locomotive requires a short piece of track for it to sit on, so I assembled this from Code 40 rail and PC ties.  There are steel wheel guards on either side of the rear truck which I fashioned from strip styrene.  This will be painted tomorrow:




Tim

[vermonter_railfan]

Finished the MSS on my new Free-moN module, just need to finish scenery and the final details before Amherst next weekend

[Jesse6669]

Mostly finished up a pair of Z-scale 52' gondolas.  Both were designed from scratch and 3D printed, including the roller bearing trucks under the CR gon.  I'm still testing homegrown non-automatic couplers and need to add weight underneath them.  I drew the decal artwork as well, with printing by Fusion Scale Graphics.  I'm still working on the best method to 3D print the gons with distressed sides, as opposed to trying to poke them myself--which I have tried but is problematic.  See the thread in the 3D printing sub.   And there's a Reading verison I have yet to paint/letter. 
 

[apudelek]

Winter has finally come to the Great Lakes and once again I find myself on vacation enjoying some JFRTM time with the PRR and NH.  This has been a productive week with truck and coupler modifications and I have finally managed to get my CCS P85s working properly with body-mounted 1016s (for tighter curves) and modified MTL lightweight trucks.  Looking into options to add weight to these cars for better performance.


The year is 1955 and it's 4:45 PM somewhere Railroad East of Trenton, NJ.  The General, PRR westbound Train 49, rushes away from Manhattan bound for Chicago.  Its 4 PM departure gives it a two-hour headstart on the Broadway.  Observation Car "Samuel Vaughn Merrick" brings up the markers this evening, acting as protection for "Metropolitan View," currently in the shops.  Coaches bring up the rear of the General, with sleepers ahead of the Twin-Unit Diner, in contrast with much of the Pennsy's Blue-Ribbon consists.

Meeting the General is Train 54, the eastbound Gotham Limited:  on-time from Chicago and an hour out from Penn Station with GG1 4879 on point.  Its head-end is stacked with express traffic originating from the West Coast, plus a pair of BM70 RPOs working in tandem.

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An hour later, at 5:45 PM, the evening rush is on at Penn Station underneath Manhattan.  The Cincinnati Limited, Train 41, departs westbound headed for the North River portals.  Louisville and Nashville 10-6 pool sleepers are in the consist, heading for points south of Cincy.  Meeting 41 is the arriving eastbound Patriot, Train 170, with dual-mode NH FL9s motoring into position for the power swap.  The Patriot will also drop the pair of modified P70s on the tail end, and pick up the New Haven's Boston RPO along with a sealed mail express car during its 15-minute stop.  Off the mains, P5a 4735 shoves express traffic and a P70 rider coach into position on one of the Yard B leads.

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Other PRR and NH traffic is standing by at the dimly-lit platforms to serve mid-century travelers, hustling in and out of New York late in the day.

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[altohorn25]

In progress shots of my "Grove" series diner-lounge for my "Pioneer Limited."

Brass Car Sides on an American Limited core kit. American Limited trucks with Kato low profile wheels. Gold Medal Models and American Limited detail parts (grab irons and steps will be added after painting).

The biggest challenge I had with this car was applying strip styrene above and below the windows to simulate the weld seams on the car. Very challenging to keep them straight without getting glue all over the place. I ended up putting a stip of masking tape down to use as a guide and then glued the styrene up against it. Seemed to work ok.

Couplers and diaphragms will be added after painting as well.

Going to the paint booth to prime it next.

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[Sumner]

Finally, finally finished the HandCab-DC throttle. I put up 3 videos....part 1 is an overview.....part 2 is operating with the throttle.....and .... part 3 shows the sound options that are available with the throttle. If you only want to watch one part 3 might be the best one to watch.

I'm torn if I should document the build and put the print, sound and Arduino code up or not. It takes a lot of time to do that and if no one is really interested in the throttle I've got other things I could do with that time. If there is interest I'll do it, let me know.

Sumner

[bnsfdash8]

My GP59ECO was getting kind of lonely so I drew up a RP-M4C slug to go along with it.

Most of NS' RP-M4C were built on new frames but I decided to go with one that was rebuilt from a GP50. It's designed to fit onto an Atlas GP38/40 mechanism.





Prototype

[CR4100]

I had the screen of my Mars 3 Pro fail in a spectacular way. Instead of a covered hopper I found this. It looks like it exposed the entire build plate and then stopped working entirely.

[robert3985]

I had the screen of my Mars 3 Pro fail in a spectacular way. Instead of a covered hopper I found this. It looks like it exposed the entire build plate and then stopped working entirely.

HOLY KRAP!  That's bad news!  Hope there's still replacement screens available and that it's an easy replacement!

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[Chris333]

Self cleaning FEP       Saturn 4 Ultra 16K has 14x19 micron pixels 

[samusi01]

Self cleaning FEP       Saturn 4 Ultra 16K has 14x19 micron pixels 

This! Been trying to convince myself I need a Saturn 4 but the ol' 2 keeps chugging away.

[CR4100]

HOLY KRAP!  That's bad news!  Hope there's still replacement screens available and that it's an easy replacement!

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

Elegoo had a sale at the beginning of December where I was able to get 4 replacement screens for around $31 each. It's replaced and I'm back in business!