Weekend Update 1/18/26

[up1950s]

https://www.powerblanket.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/shutterstock_1075485617.jpg?_gl=1*mrpfj9*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTMwMjMzNzMwMC4xNzY1NjAxMjg2*_ga_PQPF48XJ6Z*czE3NjU2MDEyODYkbzEkZzAkdDE3NjU2MDEyODYkajYwJGwwJGgw

https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/try-to-model-this-12212065

https://thermon.com/products/transportation-heating/fastrax/track-switch-heaters/switchblade-electric-element-rail-heaters/

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/701154235714276360/

https://thetracksidephotographer.com/2018/09/20/tower-architecture/

https://www.facebook.com/IllinoisCentralRailroadScrapbook/posts/interlocking-towers-first-patented-in-great-britain-in-the-1850s-played-a-vital-/3341655432721842/

[nickelplate759]

Finished painting the backdrop for NKP-ish (https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=39614.0)



And did it again (first try was too cloudy):




I like the more subtle version better.  I don't want the backdrop to draw attention.

This is all over "Masonite":

[bbussey]

Making progress.

[mu26aeh]

After many years of searching hi and lo, train shows, eBay, FB groups etc, I finally found my unicorns.  These Atlas corn syrup cars were released in a run back in 2015 and at the time I didn't think anything of them.  Fast forward to getting a layout built only to realize I needed the Univar cars (labeled for caustic soda) for deliveries to the paper mill, and the HOKX cars were used for dye slurry for a shingle grit mill I will have on the layout.  I seen one of the HOKX cars sitting at Highfield to or from the grit mill.



Behold to my sleepy eyes Wednesday morning with 2 text messages from @Ed Kapuscinski saying 'hey, think I found your cars" and sure enough there they were on evil bay.  Sold in pairs, seller had both road names and multiple sets, albeit without trucks and couplers.  Luckily I have a bulk pack of appropriate MT trucks etc.  Shot offers off and within minutes accepted.  A few hours later shipping notice, and in about 28 hours I had them on my layout.  Usually it's me finding stuff for everyone and helping to spend their money, so Ed got me at my own game.  Thanks !

[arx nakanishi]

Let me share with you another cut from my N-scale Cisco, Utah diorama.


a still from the 1971 movie Vanishing Point showing the prototype


a prototype pic from my 2014 trip to Cisco


a pic of my N scale diorama


another pic of my N scale diorama

This is the Ethel's Cafe at Cisco, Utah.

Gerald Levern "Jerry"(1915 – 1971) and Ethel May Frazier(1925 – 2014) Spears opened up the Cafe in 1965. It became the last surviving business at Cisco when Cisco Mercantile, Duke's Service, and Cisco Automotive went out of business in the first half of the 70s.

Larry Lee Sheets(1943 – 1999) purchased the business in 1977 and changed its name to Cisco Desert Sun Inn. In 1979, the Desert Sun Inn was operated by Rose Irene Reed "Toni" Sanford(1943 − ?) of Gateway, CO, and her son Alfred Jr. Dean "Jock-o" Sanford(1965 − 2021). However, no evidence of its survival has been found ever since.

Below are the movies of my N scale diorama with trains.

Thanks for watching!

Hiroshi Nakanishi/Boxcar Red Collection
https://riogrande.blog.jp/

[rickb773]

New Jersey Southern M.R.C. participated in the Magnolia (NJ) Train Show today (1/17/26) with a T-Track layout running 5 trains.

Jason Sawyer's Drive-in module was showing a season of Thomas the Tank Engine episodes to the delight of the youngsters (and a few grey-haired youngsters).

The member who usually spearheads our N-Trak layout was participating in a Polar Plunge (air temperature mid-30s; water temp a cozy 41 degrees).
(We will learn later if we need to find a replacement for him!)

[BCR 570]

During this past week I completed Step 4 of track detail painting in Chetwynd Yard.  This is to highlight the molded depressions in the ties:




I also received the lamicoid panels for my Civil turnout and crossover, which enabled me to get the toggle switches installed:




The panels were then installed in the front of the project boards:




With its wiring completed during the previous week, I tested the Civil crossing with a locomotive under its own power for the first time:

It works!


Tim

[chessie system fan]

I finished the yard benchwork yesterday for my friend's HO scale layout.  The next step is the backdrop.

[nkalanaga]

A few months ago I was looking for a 52ft 6in, fixed-end, 14-panel gon, to replace the too-short MT version.  As far as anyone knew, there is no such car in N scale.

A couple weeks back, I remembered that I had four ancient Con-Cor 13-panel cars, dating from the earliest days of North American N scale.  I have no idea how long I've had them, but the box they're in dates from the late 70s or early 80s, as it came from the bank I was working at then.  The underframes still say "SEKISUI CON-COR".

It turns out that cutting and splicing can easily produce a car almost long enough, and much closer than the MT version.  Typical of the old tooling, the rivet detail is a little coarse, but the resulting car looks fine at normal viewing distance, especially in a moving train.  Best of all, the full-height panels are all the same width, so cutting and splicing along the rivet strip details leaves no visible seam.

More importantly, there is no need to cut in the center of the car.  On the first car I did (this one), leaving two shorter ends.  Those, in turn, were trimmed, and the other two original cars cut to match, giving me three lengthened cars from four originals, and leaving only two unused end sections.

The underframes needed to be lengthened, but that's easy, as they normally can't be seen.  I cut each one into three sections, inside the two main crossbearers, and filled the gaps with styrene strip.

My cars have MT trucks and 1025 couplers, and a MT brakewheel. 

The conversion could have been done in the early 70s using all CC parts, but I've never seen or heard any mention of someone doing it.  Has anyone?






The true 52'6" gon shown is a Bluford 15-panel car, if anyone is counting.

[craigolio1]

A few months ago I was looking for a 52ft 6in, fixed-end, 14-panel gon, to replace the too-short MT version.  As far as anyone knew, there is no such car in N scale.

A couple weeks back, I remembered that I had four ancient Con-Cor 13-panel cars, dating from the earliest days of North American N scale.  I have no idea how long I've had them, but the box they're in dates from the late 70s or early 80s, as it came from the bank I was working at then.  The underframes still say "SEKISUI CON-COR".

It turns out that cutting and splicing can easily produce a car almost long enough, and much closer than the MT version.  Typical of the old tooling, the rivet detail is a little coarse, but the resulting car looks fine at normal viewing distance, especially in a moving train.  Best of all, the full-height panels are all the same width, so cutting and splicing along the rivet strip details leaves no visible seam.

More importantly, there is no need to cut in the center of the car.  On the first car I did (this one), leaving two shorter ends.  Those, in turn, were trimmed, and the other two original cars cut to match, giving me three lengthened cars from four originals, and leaving only two unused end sections.

The underframes needed to be lengthened, but that's easy, as they normally can't be seen.  I cut each one into three sections, inside the two main crossbearers, and filled the gaps with styrene strip.

My cars have MT trucks and 1025 couplers, and a MT brakewheel. 

The conversion could have been done in the early 70s using all CC parts, but I've never seen or heard any mention of someone doing it.  Has anyone?






The true 52'6" gon shown is a Bluford 15-panel car, if anyone is counting.

Great job on the kitbash. The detail on those Concor cars still holds up after so many years.


Our very own @BCR 570 did a similar kitbash to build a BCR 52’6” car. Here’s a link to an article he wrote in “The Cariboo” (formerly a quarterly BCR/PGE Special Intetest Group publication)

https://www.cwrailway.ca/sites/default/files/Cariboo/Cariboo%20-%20Issue%2027.pdf

The same technique was used on Concor flat cars to make the same length of car.

I pick them up at train shows whenever I happen upon them.

Craig.

[BCR 570]

The technique of cutting and stretching the Con-Cor gondolas was shared with me by Greg Kennelly (PGE Modeller) who built a few cars himself. 

For each flatcar and gondola I was able to obtain two cars from three.  They served me well until the Briggs Models 3D printed cars came along.

Craig:  I sold off my stretched flat cars but the eight stretched gondolas are in my "Items For Sale" box - three PGE and five BCR.


Tim

[craigolio1]

Tree planting has begun!!

Craig

[craigolio1]

The technique of cutting and stretching the Con-Cor gondolas was shared with me by Greg Kennelly (PGE Modeller) who built a few cars himself. 

For each flatcar and gondola I was able to obtain two cars from three.  They served me well until the Briggs Models 3D printed cars came along.

Craig:  I sold off my stretched flat cars but the eight stretched gondolas are in my "Items For Sale" box - three PGE and five BCR.


Tim

You sold your flat cars to me!

[Sokramiketes]

Hopeing the last of the MTL releases aren't too collectible... I thought the WC hoppers looked like gray ghosts.  So they got a makeover!

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Proto inspiration from Andrew Tyhurst photo:
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[InterurbanModels]

Placing the upper cornerstones on my HO scale Indianapolis Traction Terminal. Still some work to do: modeling the upper Cornice, and making and placing 336 more windows