Weekend Update 7/27/25

[up1950s]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/wiless/8210330946

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_railway_towns_in_the_United_States

https://www.trains.com/trn/railroads/hotspots/10-must-visit-historic-railroad-towns/

https://ksltv.com/local-news/archaeologists-uncover-150-year-old-rail-town-in-utah/474587/

https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/a-menomonee-falls-man-spent-the-last-21-years-building-a-giant-model-railroad-in-his-basement#google_vignette

[mu26aeh]

Hosted @Ed Kapuscinski and @DeltaBravo today for some run time on the CSX Hanover Sub.  Didn't take any pictures myself but afterwards I went to work on what I wanted to do in the morning, setting up the turnout controls on new trackage.  I got 7 wired up and installed this evening and yard crews jumped right into sorting cars. 

[legostudios34]

NS 724 passes through the small yard at Carrollton, approaching their final destination at Georgia Power Plant Wansley. Did the weathering on 8786 this weekend, fairly light to represent a recent repaint into the horsehead scheme.

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Best,
Baxter

[Bendtracker1]

A trio of Rock Island GP7's are in charge of the SB local as it crosses over the rain swollen and muddy Ouachita River.

[R L Smith]

Held an op session Friday morning with the same three victims as last month. The track improvements I had made since the last session seem pretty robust, although two new issues were found that I need to address before the next session. The biggest change was going from car cards to pre-written switch lists.  All three crew members considered it an improvement.  It added about 45 minutes to my setup time for the session, but apparently was worth it so I will continue the practice. All three said they want to come back, so something is working well.  (Maybe the donuts and coffee I provided...) 

I probably won't host another session until October due to upcoming travel plans, but hopefully I can get some additional scenery work and/or structures done before then. I was really inspired by several of the layouts I visited during the recent NMRA convention.


Ron

[eja]

A trio of Rock Island GP7's are in charge of the SB local as it crosses over the rain swollen and muddy Ouachita River.

 Those geeps look fantastic.  Now the question is , how did the The Rock manage to keep the rolling stock so clean ?

[Bendtracker1]

Those geeps look fantastic.  Now the question is , how did the The Rock manage to keep the rolling stock so clean ?

Because the couldn't afford the weathering mediums???

[Kuchler10]

Got two decoder installs done this weekend, an IM F7B and a Chessie GP38. A lot of speed matching was done on my NCE power cab, might be time for an upgrade on that front. Also took delivery of a single-stripe Centipede set and six Clinchfield hoppers on the right side of the picture. Two more packages of goodies arrive tomorrow. A few weeks to do some more DCC installs and get the TTrak module ready for the Austin show at the end of August.

[RockGp40]

I've been wanting the Rock GP40 #4710 (post it's 1978 derailment in Oklahoma when the Rock did only so much to get back in service). It resulted in a blue cab with the red/yellow & speed lettering. Here's my version:

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Credit to @Jesse6669 for the custom decals for the next two cars. Here we have PTLX 14237, Kellogg Grain out of Denver, CO:

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Finally, the Eastern Shore RR on the bottom of the Delmarva Peninsula rostered several covered hoppers. Here we have an ex-CR car patched as ESHR 8806:

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[John]

My layout will have a gravel unloader - starting to mock up the scene

[Jesse6669]

My layout will have a gravel unloader - starting to mock up the scene

Those rock piles look very realistic.   

[nickelplate759]

Decalled ten NKP piggyback trailers.



From left to right:
one 40' refrigerated van (trainworx)
three 40' insulated vans (trainworx)
two 35' refrigerated vans (Evemodel)
four 35' dry vans  (Evemodel)

The blue decals (reefers and insulated vans) are from CMR - they're just OK (ink is a little thick, registration is not perfect), and slightly oversize, but the only game in time.

The white decals (dry vans) are from K4 decals, and are terrific!

The dry vans have horizontal ribs, which no NKP dry vans had, but I don't have any other 35' trailers at this time.
Evemodel sells their trailers pre-decorated for NKP, but the decals are better than Evemodel's lettering, plus I can numbers each van differently.

These are just the shells.  Still need to paint and install the refrigeration units and reassemble the trailers.

[John]

Those rock piles look very realistic.

Thanks. I used sand to form the piles, then flooded it with white glue / water mix .. dusted with  blue stone dust, and further applied more glue/ water mix with some gray acrylic added.   Still have to add some more sifted materail

[N Scale Train Boy]

Got my two IM PS5344s and Atlas Trainman 50' painted and sealed this weekend, decals to be applied this week. Will be lettered for my fictional B&CCS. The HO scale Thrall 2743 Gondola (Atlas Master) has all its lettering complete and just needs some grime and rust and it will be off to its new home, with a friend upstate!

[Kentuckian]

Excellent work this weekend as usual. @John , I thought your second picture was the prototype for a second. I finally got back around to replacing the couplers on my AC&I caboose that was peer pressured a few months ago. These are micro-trains Z scale. I do appreciate the constructive input.