Weekend Update 8/17/25

[up1950s]

https://www.railsouthamerica.com/blog-posts/train-at-the-end-of-the-world

https://www.railjournal.com/news/russia-to-extend-worlds-most-northerly-railway/

https://www.businessinsider.com/the-longest-railway-in-the-world-2015-1

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https://laughingsquid.com/worlds-longest-rideable-model-train/

https://transportation.army.mil/history/studies/railroad.html

https://www.strasburgrailroad.com/history/

[Dave V]

[up1950s]

Dave , maybe the HON3 could just be an engine facility , sort of a close up view , easier on the eyes , more detail than the smaller one on the layout .

[eja]

What about Apex N.C.  ?

[Dave V]

What about Apex N.C.  ?

It’s on the list.

You probably remember that I lived in Apex for three years when I did my PhD at NC State. I have fond memories of Apex. The railfanning there is quite good too.

Dave , maybe the HON3 could just be an engine facility , sort of a close up view , easier on the eyes , more detail than the smaller one on the layout .

I like watching trains run…I’m a roundy-rounder.

[BCR 570]

This was a productive week for me.  I got the current phase of track painting (drybrushing with white) finished and am moving on to the black wash tomorrow.  I also made considerable progress on my handlaid turnout and crossover for my NMRA AP Civil certificate.

Turnout after adding frog rails, guard rails, and attaching point rails to throw bar:




Turnout after removal from template and reinforcing the frog point from underneath:




Crossover after adding frog points, guard rails, point rails to throw bar, reinforcing frog points and cutting isolation gaps:




I also made good progress on my museum train tank cars.  The water car is now structurally complete after adding the water piping, sill steps and brake wheel - this is the 'A' end and left side:




and this is the 'B' end and right side:




I did a little more work on the fuel oil car, including adding hte steam outlet pipes at the 'A' end:




This model is waiting for a replacement safety rail (which Atlas unfortunately does not have in stock) and a custom etching for the dome platform from PPD.


Tim

[dandopinski]

Really nice work on those tanks!

[nkalanaga]

Could you bend a safety rail from wire?

[davefoxx]

Using a newly-purchased book, Amtrak by the Numbers: 2, as a resource guide, I finally stripped some incorrect decal work and applied new decals to properly number my Amfleet II cars for my 1980s-era Amtrak consist.



More on The Carolina Sandhills Lines thread in the Layout Engineering Forum.

DFF

[BCR 570]

Could you bend a safety rail from wire?

Yes I could; I had to for the water car because my printed tank is shorter than the Intermountain one but it had nubs for the wire to press into.

The Atlas 11K tank safety rail has pins which go into holes in the tank, so a little harder to replicate that.  Unfortunately mine went all wavy and broke at one end.


Tim

[chuck geiger]

 

A few votes from the asshatery plz

[rickb773]

The scenery for my 2 Woodland Business District T-Trak modules is basically complete (just have to resist the urge to go find the mailboxes, and the ..., and the ...).
End caps have been built to store the modules top to top.
Roomettes have been added to the empty buildings.
Lights have been individually tested. Once I group them and clean up the wiring this project should be done.

(Unfortunately, the urge to do a major rebuild of my main home layout remains so the delaying purpose of these T-Trak builds has failed.  ).






Several of the 13 parking meters look like they have been hit more than once!




The cobbler building must have been an early Woodland Scenics built-up before they started adding interiors and lights. I added roomettes and lights to the 2 right-hand buildings.

[Jesse6669]

I mostly did 3D modeling this week.  I have some wiring to do, I shall force myself to do it next week..   

I fixed some issues with the Z scale tri-level open autorack (fit of the decks, made the name plates separate, a couple minor things) and it's nearly completed.  I have a "final" version of the car drying right now; It includes logo placards on the X braces.  The version with sides is designed and ready to test print, this'll be interestin'... 



No sooner do I get this model close to done than AZL announced they are doing their own kit version of an open autorack.  Maybe theirs is a 2-level?  Probably a slightly different prototype, but doesn't it just figure?  Is there a model railroading adage saying:  "The best way to guarantee a manufacturer will make a model is to scratch build/kitbash/3D design one."   

Anyway, I also finished up design work on "up-sizing" the Reading 52' mill gondola I made in Z scale to N.  I added/fixed some details and here's the rendering.  It's on the printer now so should have a pic or two next week.

[Sumner]

Yard Scenery – Part 5....

Continuing on with the foam work…..


 

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Hopefully 1 ½ to 2 weeks and I’ll be done roughing in the foam work. Then onto painting it and the backdrops.

More images for the work done in the area above on Railwire ( HERE ).

A link to this whole build ( HERE ).

Sumner

[jpwisc]

I finished the first car in the Relco Weed Sprayer train. LokPilot 59110, six 0402 LEDs split through fiber optics.