Weekend Update 9/7/25

[up1950s]

https://www.explorebigsky.com/old-railroad-takes-new-form/34866

https://bnsfnorthwest.com/news/2017/03/28/first-female-engineer-atsf-reflects-road-less-traveled/

https://www.citizentribune.com/news/julie-collins-female-steam-locomotive-engineer/article_fe2bd586-c3ce-11ea-9aff-db0bc0f20865.html

https://canals.org/2024/05/08/americas-first-railroad/

https://www.adventure-in-a-box.com/backyard-railroad-engineering-outdoor-stem-challenge-for-kids/

https://r-crane.com/products

https://mikurainternational.com/railroad-brake-systems-every-engineer-must-know/

[chuck geiger]

The new phone books are here. Our AT&SF GP-20 #1150 is here.



https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0tzdnNprtsc

[Tad_T]

Track has been removed from the layout. The paint is dry. Hole poking and wiring is next.





Redesigned my Yard & Staging module.

[bbussey]

Working with Blender seriously for the first time in attempting to create a canvas top for the Fruehauf van.

[Dave V]

Been tinkering with the running qualities of my old 1970s-era kit-built HOn3 MDC 2-8-0. I did a build video on it a few years ago, but essentially I added brass details to make it match D&RGW 375 (as she appeared in 1939) and then replaced the motor with a can motor, replaced the gears with NWSL gears, then added a Tsunami-2 decoder, a cube speaker, and a 60-second keep-alive. She still has her brass drivers and brass tender wheels, which means oxidation is a constant battle.



It pulls like a tow truck though. Like, well beyond a prototype consist for a class C-25.

[BCR 570]

This week I completed painting the rails on my upper deck main trackage.  I have one more step in the painting process to do (tie plates) and I then have to get the layout ready for Vanrail next Friday.

During tonight's 7DPNR Model Night I installed the wood ties on the templates for my scratchbuilt turnout:




and also for my scratchbuilt crossover:




I can now glue the finished trackwork down onto the tie assemblies.  I also worked on my Provincial Museum fuel oil tank car.  The replacement safety rail finally showed up and I quickly removed it from the donor car:




There are partial bands underneath each end of the dome platform to which the corner support brackets are attached.  I applied two strips of .010" x .020" styrene to represent these.  I also had to remove the ladder supports on each side and fill the holes with styrene rod:




I can now mate the tank to the underframe,  attach the dome platform, and install the final details so I will be working on it this weekend (as well as painting tie plates  ).


Tim

[Sumner]

Started painting the backdrop for the sawmill scene this week and hope to be done with it in another couple days. 


 
I want to use our mountains that are just north of town for the sawmill scene. I hope to end up with it looking like the base of the mountains start not far from the mill, closer that what the mountains look like above. To do that I wanted them to be fairly high on the back drop. I took the picture above about 3 miles south of our house, we are on the south end of town and the town is only 2 miles long (4000 people). To get the height I wanted and restricted by the width of the backdrop two sections of the photo were cut out and…....

 

….. the photo pieced back together. So already the mountains on the layout won’t be exactly like what we have.

 

Measurements were taken off the print and multiplied by 3, as it is 1/3 the width of the backdrop, and the tops of 6 peaks were plotted on the backdrop.

 

Then the outline of the peaks were sketched in as best I could. At this point I was pretty happy with how things were going.

 

I started watching some videos of painting mountains but didn’t really find one where the end result was what I was hoping for. Lots of different painting styles. I’m not trying to have it to look just like the photo. I want a touch of snow on the tops of the peaks only. Looking for it to look like one of the first snows of the fall with some dark moody clouds also.

After a coupe days I'm here...

 

.......with about 2 feet to go. The backdrop is about 6 feet wide.

 

I’m going to change the lighter mountain areas on the right that I did at the beginning to look more like what I’m doing in the center and to the left side of the backdrop. Probably 2 more days to finish this and then need to work on clouds.

More info and pictures on Railwire  ( HERE ) and a link to this whole build ( HERE ).

Sumner

[Dave V]

Also scored this rare masterpiece. One of a very limited numbered set, the last and most sophisticated run of the C-18 by Key. These are known as excellent runners.

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(eBay listing photo shown)

The real #316 actually spent a lot of time at Ridgway, often switching the RGS yard there. She was one of several C-18s based out of Montrose, and in the late 30s, early 40s she was a regular on the Ouray Branch local that interchanged with the north end of the RGS. She was scrapped in 1946.

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The only downside is the tender... She had the model's flared-top tender with the Royal Gorge herald in the mid-30s, whereas by my era (as seen in the photo) she had the extended-side coal bunker tender and the Royal Gorge/Moffat Tunnel herald. But of all the things that might cause me to lose sleep...this ain't it.

[ai5629]

Here are two N scale Conrail class H45 (ex PRR) Athearn ACF 4600 center flow hoppers that I decalled for mineral service with decals created by @Jesse6669 .  These were Athearn models factory painted PRR that I removed the lettering from and applied decals to.  These are really nice models and are my favorite mineral service cars.  Thanks.

Jeff

[nickelplate759]

Put up the very first section of hardboard for the backdrop of my new layout.



Those with sharp eyes may notice that there are four white spots (countersunk holes) under the window latch, with no screws.  I predrilled those holes in the wrong spot (missed the stud) -  .    Thank goodness for drywall mud!

[chessie system fan]

More layout construction for me as well.

[BCR 570]

The fuel oil tank car for my museum train reached structural completion tonight.  This has been a frustrating build at times so I am glad to have it done.  The eight-piece brake stand turned out quite well:




Unfortunately the replacement safety rail is less satisfactory, and has defied all attempts to straighten out.


'A' end and left side:




'B' end and right side:




with the previously completed water tank car:




I am hoping to get these into black paint in time for the Victoria Train Show later this month.  Now onto the official car at the other end of the train . . . . .


Tim

[craigolio1]

The fuel oil tank car for my museum train reached structural completion tonight.  This has been a frustrating build at times so I am glad to have it done.  The eight-piece brake stand turned out quite well:




Unfortunately the replacement safety rail is less satisfactory, and has defied all attempts to straighten out.


'A' end and left side:




'B' end and right side:




with the previously completed water tank car:




I am hoping to get these into black paint in time for the Victoria Train Show later this month.  Now onto the official car at the other end of the train . . . . .


Tim

Tim, I have got to start my consist!  Working on 3716 has really got me interested in this again. 

Your tank cars look great!!

I started assembling the sides on the official car when we first got them. I might get back into that with you and we can commiserate while we build.

Craig

[craigolio1]

I made good progress on BC Rail 3716 this week. I masked off all the stainless panels in the boiler and shot the flat black.



Build thread here:

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=59965.msg826704#msg826704

Craig

[craigolio1]

I also finished a Pullman Superdome decorated for VIA Rail. CN acquired four (I think) which eventually went to VIa Rail. By the time they did, they were in need of rehabilitation and over the years had windows replaced with what ever they could get I presume.

They were so ugly, I had to model one.





My model started with a Kato car. For the clear I started with Tamiya clears using smoke for the tinted and a blue/green mixture for the blue glass. Unfortunately when I first applied it I did a light mist and it settled with a foggy appearance. I tried to remove it with alcohol but it had etched the finish on the clear plastic. I tried to get replacement glass from Kato but that wasn’t a thing so I just repainted it and finished up. When I did the end windows I did a nice wet coat instead of a mist and it worked great!  So I know for next time. If I can ever get a cheap one of these or just glass I’ll re do it but for now I’m happy with the ugliness as it is.





Craig